From Storms to a New Beginning: Our Unforgettable Journey Through Konya and Beyond

what we thought would be the last warm day

Drive through the Antolonian mountains

Foggy morning view after another storm

Change Of Plan

As is often the case, our plans changed, but we didn’t mind too much. They always seem to lead us to new adventures, and this time, the weather played a big role in reshaping our journey.

We had originally planned to drive from Fethiye to Alanya, soaking up as much sun as possible through the winter months. The first few days gave us some sunny spells, but they were quickly interrupted by storm after storm. So, instead of battling the unpredictable weather, we decided to head east earlier than expected. And honestly? It turned out to be the best decision we could have made. That simple change of direction not only shaped this part of the journey but has now changed our lives.

Beysher lake

First Photo of Bjorn

First Cold morning in a long time

Beysher Lake

What a turn of events. We left the storms behind only to find ourselves in much, much colder weather, freezing, in fact. The temperature dropped by around 15 degrees during the day, a shock to our sun soaked systems. Naturally, this led to us treating ourselves to some much needed hot chocolate.

On the way, we heard a faint whine coming from the side of the road. Peering through the mist, we saw a little street pup, and to our surprise, he followed us all the way to the café. For the hour we were there, this little guy received endless love, and with no sign of his mother around, we couldn’t help but wonder how he’d manage on his own. Still, he seemed to know how to win people over. After we left, we spotted him making friends with another group, happily soaking up their affection.

About half an hour later, as we drove past where we’d first found him, our hearts sank. There he was, lying all alone next to the busy road. That was it. We couldn’t leave him there. So, we turned back, scooped him up, and decided to do everything we could to find this sweet pup a loving home.

Travelling companion

New crew member getting snug

Bjorn's foster home

Bjorn

With only the best intentions, we drove the pup to Konya, hoping to rehome him. However, as the days passed, we came to learn a not so nice truth: the chances of him having a good life, or any life at all, weren’t great.

With this new information and a few days spent together, we had completely fallen in love with him. We named him Bjorn, washed him, treated him for fleas, and took him in. He seemed to love having us around too, always following us everywhere and wanting to play.

It didn’t take long for us to feel like we had become a travel trio, Darian, Ollie, and little Bjorn. He fit into our lives so naturally, and it felt like he was meant to find us.

Then came the heart sinking news. To get Bjorn out of Turkey, with all the injections and paperwork he needed, would take a minimum of four months. We simply didn’t have that much time left in Turkey. Determined to do right by him, we started looking for a foster home, but it wasn’t easy. Some people recommended places, only for us to hear concerning things about them afterward. We were determined to make sure Bjorn went somewhere safe and loving.

By a stroke of luck, we found the perfect person, a lovely woman who offered to take him in. She already had three dogs and twenty three cats, plenty of new friends for Bjorn to play with while he waited to join us in the UK.

We drove 10 hours back to Dalyan to bring him to his new temporary home, and it turned out to be the best decision we could have made. Knowing Bjorn is in such a caring environment gives us peace of mind, and we can’t wait for the day he’ll travel to meet us back in the UK.

Bringing Bjorn into our lives has changed everything. What started as a chance encounter on the side of the road turned into something so much bigger. Our little street pup has not only stolen our hearts but has made us realise that life on the road is always better when shared, even if it means becoming a trio of adventurers instead of two.

Best mechanics ever

Noticeable oil leak from cv joint

Some much needed work

Break Down… Again

Not sure if it was the 20 hour round trip back to Konya or just another issue deciding to gift us an early Christmas present, but here we were back under the van. Our fresh water sensor had been acting up for a while, usually requiring me to fiddle with a few screws every other day just to get it working again. This time, though, I noticed something worse: oil splattered across the water tank, which sits underslung at the back of the van.

My stomach dropped. I looked towards the front and spotted a small puddle of oil on the ground under the sump. Crawling my way to the front of the van, I saw the CV joint was leaking too. I just lay there for a moment, staring at the mess, thinking, Seriously? Another problem?

But one silver lining of this whole ordeal was the amazing people we’d met in Konya, particularly Ali and Bubba, two of the nicest guys you could ever come across, who run a carpet shop in town. If you’re ever in Konya, I’d highly recommend popping in to see them. When I reached out to Ali for help, he didn’t hesitate. Within a few hours, he’d found us a garage.

So, we limped our way there, luckily still able to drive. It turned out to be one of the best garage experiences we’ve ever had. Granted, it took all day for the part to arrive, but this was the cheapest fix we’ve ever had. On top of that, the mechanics treated us like family, buying us lunch and practically belt-feeding us Turkish tea while we waited.

Honestly, if all of our mechanical mishaps could happen in Turkey, we wouldn’t mind breaking down so much.

Dervish dancing in Konya

Mosque in Konya

Just some of the amazing people we have met recently

Konya

This city brought us so much joy. We met incredible, inspiring people, and our timing couldn’t have been better. Upon our first arrival, we were told a religious festival was taking place, which turned out to be the key to meeting so many amazing people. The experience was so good that after sorting things out for Bjorn, we decided to return for a few more days, and we’re so glad we did.

Konya was a rollercoaster of fun. We crossed paths with fascinating travellers, swapped stories and insights with locals, and maybe got a little too drunk one evening with some Belgian guys. The conversations we had were unforgettable—deep, insightful, and, at times, even a little unexpected. Some locals even tried to convert us to Islam, which we took as a testament to their kindness and genuine desire to share their culture with us.

Konya was a city we weren’t sure about visiting at first. It ended up being one of the highlights of our year. It gave us new perspectives, unforgettable memories, and connections that will stay with us forever. Not only did we leave with smiles on our faces, but our lives have truly changed because of the experiences we had here.

So thank you, Konya, for being different, for being incredible, and for being so totally worth it.