The Last Days in Turkey: Breakdowns, Reunions & One Final Farewell

New years eve

New years day bbq

New years eve trouble

New Year's Eve in Fethiye: Breaking Down and Living it Up

New Year's Eve started the day after we met our new friends, Greig and Zaneta. With the celebrations ahead, we decided to head into Fethiye for a few drinks to welcome the new year properly. But, as always, the van had other plans.

On the drive down, a horrid noise started coming from the front whenever we accelerated. A year's expertise in breaking down on the road have taught us one crucial thing: if you can’t fix it right away, ignore it and go for a drink. A quick inspection in town revealed a hole in the intercooler, not ideal, but nothing that could stop us from enjoying the night. So, like the seasoned road warriors we are, we put the problem to the back of our minds and set out for an evening of drinks, laughs, and, of course, a kebab.

The first day of the new year was a much needed slow one. We drove to the next town, found a peaceful spot in the forest, and spent the day exploring the local beaches. As the sun set on the first day of the year, we fired up the BBQ in the woods, a perfect end to the start of 2025.

Reality, however, caught up with us soon enough. What was supposed to be a quick visit to the garage turned into three days of roadside living in relentless rain. The van left the garage with a welded intercooler and four brand new injectors, an expense we hadn't planned for but couldn't risk delaying. Being so far from home with time against us, playing it safe was the only real option.

So, while we may have started the year with a breakdown, we also started it with new friends, beachside BBQs, and a solid reminder that life on the road is never dull. Here’s to more adventures, fewer breakdowns (wishful thinking?), and another year of rolling with whatever the road throws our way.

Bjorn Getting bigger

Bjorn modelling

Cats and cuddles

Reuniting with Bjorn

After finally escaping the garage, our home away from home, we had something far more exciting to look forward to: reuniting with Bjorn! His foster mum had some errands to run, so we were more than happy to step in and look after him and his gang of dog and cat companions.

Spending a few days with our furry friend was just what we needed, and we couldn’t believe how much he’d grown. His playful energy was infectious, and he had clearly settled into his temporary home well. While we were there, we got his rabies jabs sorted, one step closer to making him fully travel ready.

One of the best things to see was his blossoming friendship with Stripes the cat. The two had become inseparable, regularly curling up together in a ridiculously cute display of interspecies friendship. Watching them together only reinforced how much we wanted a dog of our own Bjorn had well and truly stolen our hearts.

It was a peaceful, love filled break from the chaos of van repairs and breakdown dramas. And as we said our goodbyes, we knew it wouldn’t be long before we’d be back for another round of Bjorn cuddles and Stripe approved snuggles.

Camped up near Dalyan

Heartbreaking moment

Bonfires and sunsets

When Will It End?

One of the best things about life on the road is the people you meet along the way. We’ve crossed paths with so many like minded travellers, and when a few of us happen to be in the same area at the same time, it’s the perfect excuse to bring everyone together. We had already planned to meet up with Zaneta and Greig again, so we didn’t have to travel far before finding the perfect spot.

But, as seems to be tradition by now, our van had other ideas. Just a week after leaving the garage, a loud grinding metal noise cut through our excitement. A quick inspection confirmed that something was seriously wrong. After a call with the mechanics, they told us to bring it back in a few days. We pushed the van troubles to the back of our minds (again) and made the most of our time, hiking through the surrounding mountains and soaking in the beauty of the landscape. To our delight, our Belgian friends, whom we’d met back in Konya, also arrived, making our little reunion even better.

With the nighttime temperatures starting to drop, we lit a fire, opened some beers, and settled in for a night of good company and laughter. Maybe one too many drinks later, we woke up groggy but determined to get back to Fethiye.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. When we arrived back at the garage, the news was worse than expected: we needed a new timing chain, a new V-belt, and a new steering belt. Not only that, but the repairs would take at least a full day. Lucky for us, the mechanics worked through the night, and by midday the next day, we were finally back on the road.

We did manage to make it back just in time for a charity event we’d been looking forward to. The event was for a local organization dedicated to rescuing stray cats, a huge issue in Turkey. They take in abandoned cats, get them neutered, and work to find them new homes. Seeing the dedication and care put into the cause made the stress of the past few days feel a little less significant.

So, while we may have hit another roadblock, at least this time, it led to something meaningful.

Old friends

Jezza & Val

Some rocky adventures

A Chapter We Never Wanted to End

What a way to kick off the final chapter of our Turkish adventure, reuniting with Jeremy & Sandra, friends we’d met way back in Albania and shared so many unforgettable moments with. This time, they weren’t alone. They brought along their friend Val, who had cycled all the way from France to Turkey for one reason: to get a kebab. If that doesn’t sum up the kind of people we connect with, I don’t know what does.

The next ten days were pure magic, no breakdowns, no stress, just time spent with people who felt like family. We started in Çanakkale and made our way to Bursa, soaking in every second. We watched dolphins dance in the waves as the sun dipped below the horizon, got utterly and hilariously lost in places we never meant to go, and met locals whose kindness left a lasting mark on us.

But more than the places, it was the feeling of togetherness that made this time so special. The shared meals, the late night talks that turned into early mornings, the laughter that made our sides hurt. It was one of those rare stretches of time when life on the road felt less like an adventure and more like home.

As the days slipped by faster than we wanted, we found ourselves caught between two emotions, grateful for every moment and devastated that it had to end and saying goodbye felt heavier than usual. Some goodbyes are just "see you laters," but this one stung.

It was the most bittersweet part of our journey, knowing that no matter how much we wished for more time, the road keeps moving.

Camping by the beach

Palet session

Val, Dorris & Jezza

The Road Moves On

Turkey had tested us, thrilled us, and given us some of the most unforgettable moments of our journey so far. From the endless breakdowns that had us practically living in garages to the wild nights, stunning landscapes, and the incredible people we met along the way, every high and low had been worth it. We’d wandered through ancient cities, swum in crystal clear waters, huddled around campfires, and experienced the warmth of strangers who treated us like family.

But beyond all of that, Turkey had also given us Bjorn. We found him on the streets, alone and vulnerable, and from that moment, he became part of our journey. What started as a chance encounter turned into something so much bigger, he was ours, and we were his.

And now, after months of adventure, this was it, the final stretch. Or so we thought. What lay ahead was a 26-day odyssey across borders, through cities we’d never set foot in before, but where familiar faces were waiting. Friends we had once met as fellow travellers were now welcoming us into their homes, their lives having taken a different turn while we kept moving. It was a surreal and emotional full circle moment, sharing drinks, swapping stories, and realising just how much this journey had shaped us all. Turkey had been wild, but the road home still had a few surprises left for us.