Welcome to Sakarya

I arrived in Sakarya on 28th January 2018 after almost 11 hours of journey and a day waiting for Iman and Sue to fetch me and Mad at the Ataturk airport.

We took a bus from Istanbul to Sakarya, and it costs 35tl for a person and the journey took about 2-3 hours something. Inside the bus, we have been served like in the airplane, you know the bus conductor was also acted like a steward. He served us some snacks and water. When we have been treated so, we just looked at each other. This is totally new experience for us as Malaysian, since there is no food serving session inside the bus. 

Reaching the bus station in Sakarya almost at Maghrib hour. We performed the Maghrib prayer in the prayer room. As soon as I finished, a woman came towards me and she also just finished the prayer but earlier than me. She then tried to start a conversation with me, with her face full of joy to see a foreign people inside the prayer room. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to reply her question since I don't understand. Wallahi, if only I can understand her it would be a nice starting for me to greet a local people in Sakarya. 

She seems to understand my situation, a language barrier. Still, her face kept wearing a beautiful smile in front of me. Then, we dispersed by a beautiful hug...

* * *

We still waiting for Shikin to arrive the terminal because her bus was one hour late than us. Then when she arrived, it was quite hard for us to reach each other in that terminal. Because we didn't really use to this place, and to find which bus is Shikin's bus was also.. yaa a bit hard.. 

Luckily I saw her but with a local woman. Shikin introduced to us that the woman was her companion inside the bus. They communicate each other by using google translate. 

* * *

When we were already in a complete number, then it's time for us to go to where we should. Sue was busy to contact our buddy, which is someone from the local student in Sakarya University that charged to take care of us, of course, the most important thing was to help us for that night because we have nowhere to go.

Mad went to Berk's place, he is one of our active buddy in Sakarya Uni. While Sue, Iman, Shikin and I went to Zaynap's house.  She came to fetch us at the terminal, but by bus. So we went to her house also by bus and the journey took about 45 minutes something. 

Inside the bus, I was looking at the outside from the window. Since it was night, then I only captured a city with light. This place looks like a mountainous geographically. 

As I moved my sight towards the local passengers inside the bus, I realized sometime they glimpsed at us. Well, I guessed they were wondering where we are coming with those big big luggage? hahaha. 

We reached Zaynap's house, and her mother was there too. Only for a moment, we saw her father walking around the house and then left. 

But.. the thing was, Zaynap's house was very nice. Although it is not so big, the interior decoration was giving us a calm feeling. Neat, tidy, minimalist and sweet. We kept talking to each other about this and praised Zaynap about her house. 

She can speak English but very limited. Although with that limitation, I know her as the one who is always trying to have a conversation with us. She frequently using google translate if it comes to a complex sentence. But we were just fine with that. 

That night we were served with full of the meal for our dinner. MashaAllah, the table was full of dishes. 

First, we were served with yogurt soup with a few grains of rice inside, and it's delicious. Local bread with salad and as soon we finished, we were surprised that it was only a beginning of our meal. haha

The second round we were served with spaghetti with kind of local meatballs and the other things. We were sooooo fulled. 

If we agreed that night, maybe we might have a coffee session before sleep. But everyone nicely said to Zaynap that we were so full and can't handle anymore. She smiled and said ok ok. 

The guest space was turned into our bedroom. The sofa before we sat on now turned as our bed. We were again surprised. Well, so many surprises. But Alhamdulillah, we feel glad about Zaynap's hospitality to us. 

Even when we were about to sleep, she still came to us with Turkish's bedroom lamp. Cok Guzel the reflection of that lamp. 

That night, I learned "Iyi Geceler" which is Good Night. 

Sleep soundly, Alhamdulillah. 

   
Until the next post, inshaAllah.