Cappadocia: Day One
II.II.III
CAPPADOCIA DAY ONE
The day of our long-awaited trip finally arrived. Once at the airport, I felt lighter than ever. I couldn’t quite believe I had managed to take time off. At the same time, I dreaded thinking about what Jacqueline was going through back at the hospital. But I tried to shake it off and forget it all. This was my time.
Once the gang had gathered, we made our way through check-in, security, and boarding – a process I used to hate, which now nearly had me tearing up with excitement. And soaring above the clouds? How the hell had I managed not to fly for so damn long? In a way, it felt like I was reborn, like I’d finally found myself again after being lost for so long.
As soon as we landed in Istanbul, we took off once again – our second flight taking us all the way to Cappadocia. This surreal region lies in central Turkey and is famous for its otherworldly landscapes, shaped by volcanic eruptions and millions of years of erosion. It’s best known for its fairy chimneys, cave dwellings, and underground cities carved into soft tuff rock. Historically, it served as a refuge for early Christians, leaving behind rock-cut churches adorned with frescoes, particularly around Göreme.
We’d have a few days to spend here, and since we arrived late in the evening, we decided to take it easy. Joining us here would be Priya. Okay, her name’s not really Priya. But it turned out out that the chick joining us was this massive Bollywood actress and so I think’s it’s for the best if I keep her real name a secret. Anyways. Priya was a childhood friend of Akash and she’d be tagging along after he somehow convinced her. I have to admit, I did look her up on Google before we met, and lemme tell ya, I was starstruck just scrolling through her photos. She’s simply gorgeous, and I had a massive crush on her from that very instant.
But when she showed up to greet us at the airport? I was done for. She looked even better in real life – if that’s even possible. When she came up to hug me, I discovered I have the ability to stutter and make a fool of myself far more than I’d previously thought possible – which is saying something.
She gave me the warmest smile – perhaps a smirk. No, definitely a smirk. There was something flirty about it. I had no idea whether it was all in my head or if it was real. Time would tell.
After we got to Göreme, the town we’d be staying in, we headed straight to our cave hotel. Uhm yes, a cave hotel. You read that right.
Apparently, here in Cappadocia, cave hotels are very much a thing. In fact, ours was carved directly into the region’s soft volcanic rock – and though the rooms are honest-to-god caves, we were staying in one of the fanciest and most luxurious hotels in the entire town. That was largely thanks to Priya’s reputation, which Akash had leveraged to score us a free stay. Jackpot!
After getting settled, we headed out for dinner. Having always been a fan of Turkish cuisine, I still had no idea what was waiting for me. The second we sat down, we were practically served an entire feast – the food was simply divine, and far better than anything I’d tried before. The shisha at the end was the perfect finishing touch.