Honestly, I didn’t know much about Turkey until I landed in Istanbul. From the airport I took the bus to Taksim where I had initially booked my accommodation. However the place was not per my liking and decided to cancel and stayed at Antik Hotel in Istanbul. I explained the manager of my former place about my apprehensions, not only did he refund my money, he wished me a good stay in Istanbul and also called a taxi to take me to the new location.

Antik hotel is in the heart of Sultanahmet, overlooking Marmara Sea. I loved the site of the harbor and the busy seagulls getting ready for the day.

One thing I realized is, no matter how much we plan for our travel, there will be some things that will not go as planned. This will create a bit of discomfort in the beginning, however you will end up gaining a lot more than expected, which “certainty” would not have provided.

Considering I was in the old city, I could wander around the neighborhood and visited most of the historical sites. My personal favorites are:

• Aya Sofia: Little secret for those who don’t know, it was a cathedral on its inception and took over many changes
• Grand bazar: it’s exactly as the name suggests
• Blue mosque: There are a few cafes behind the place and you will definitely want to visit it
• The area from Topkapi to spice market is also worth a walk

My cruise ride at Bosphorous was a delight and the city view by the night; it looked nothing less is a newlywed bride ;).

While you can do most of this in 2 days, I will suggest you stay there for at least 4 days to explore the cafes and absorb the old world charm. My personal favorite cafe was Sirevi, lovely staff, ambience and live music.

I also visited Beyoğlu in Taksim, one of the hip places with a lot of bustle and energy. Had some amazing kababs and sipped on Turkish coffee while spending time on shopping and aimless walking down the streets.

From Istanbul I had my flight to Cappadocia; it’s a place where fairytales are born. Picturesque mountains and valleys, it’s a region with lots of villages, each village having a unique story to share.

I was staying at kalebek Cave Hotel where I was spoilt for choice, whether it was the view from the hotel or the food. It is a heaven nettled in a small town of Goreme.

I was there for 2 days, the place is known for its hot air balloon ride, however I could not do it due to bad weather. However, we went for a half day trip of all the valleys and the Open air Museum.

Evening I was feasting my eyes, enticed by the beauty of the place and simplicity of the people, I also went to local café and bar to interact with fellow travelers. Considering the whole town is on a hill it will be a little hike walking around the place, believe me you won’t regret. (I thought Ladakh was the most beautiful place of earth. After coming to Cappadocia, Ladakh has competition :)).

The next day I went for a day trip to other neighboring towns – Mustafapasa, visited Derinkuyu the underground city, the national park where I feasted on gourmet meal.

The next day I had my flight for Mumbai. I have a lot of memories from Turkey; will always cherish the time I spent with locals, the warmth of the place and the friends I made. It was a humbling experience.