Letter to the Editor – Travel from Istanbul to Silopi

This is a letter that I received from a reader that I previously gave tips to on how to travel from Istanbul to Iraq. This route went pretty easy for me, but it was a hard road for this reader.

This just goes to show how inconsistent traveling can be and how travel information from anyone can never fully be trusted. You must make your own paths and learn the words to your own song.

The travel experience is different for everyone.

Letter to the Editor:

Well I learned that the Turkish have neither manners or morals, as an English woman travelling alone across Turkey, I asked for help and was charged for their troubles. I was propositioned even though I explained I was on my way to be with my husband. They tried to get me to stay the night in a back street hostel for want of a better word. I managed to get a bus to take me to Diarybaker, which cost me $70 and 20 lira for the other man who took me to cafe for tea and bread. Then the company in Diarybaker charged me 25 lira for ticket to Silopi, which I thought was OK until I realised that every other nationality had paid 20 lira, then after driving around for 6 hours (journey should take 4 hours) they informed me that the bus wasn’t going to Silopi at this point in cizre a taxi driver got on and said he would take me to Ibrahim Khalil for $70 I got angry and said I am not paying anything as I have already paid for my ticket. Anyway, ended up agreeing to pay 50 lira as it was only just made it through the border before it closed, where my mother-in-law, brother-in-law and nephew were waiting for me.

Kurdistan is the most beautiful country in the world, my husband informed me that this was the best Spring they had, had for over 12 years, we stayed overnight in Duhok, then the next day went to Bermarne. Did I mention that my suitcase didn’t make it to Istanbul the same time as me? No, well, as I sit here writing this, it is sitting in Erbil Airport, which is where I requested for Istanbul to send it for over 3 weeks, then when I start travelling back to Istanbul they then decide to send my case to Erbil.

We attended my husbands’ cousins wedding, where we were just as much in demand for pictures and congratulations as the bride and groom. I visited lots of the family and lots of them visited us, my husband informed me that we had only met a small part of the family and that if we visited 5 houses every day for the whole month, we would still not have met all the family. My husbands’ Uncle is an amazing dancer he loves his Kurdish dancing, they tried to get me to do it, but you know the old english reserve I felt overwhelmed and embarrassed. That didn’t stop them when at the house they dragged me up and made me join in, which was nice of them really. We went on lovely picnics and my husband and I went on lovely romantic walks where he talk me the true meaning of being close to nature (our private joke is I realised I married a cow) he had me eating nettles and snap peas and nuts straight from the trees and what I would consider grass, was not bad to eat either I had a wonderful time with my new family, wonderful weather, wonderful people, wonderful food. My husband made sure I had an escort back to Istanbul where I reluctantly returned to come back to this God forsaken place.

Editor’s response:

Wow, this sounds as if you had an absolutely insane time in Turkey. i had no idea that it would be like this.

Well, everyone needs a good adventure story every once in a while.

It sounds as if you had a great time in Iraq. When is the next time that you are returning?

Thanks for sharing your trip!

I appreciate it.

Walk Slow,

Wade