Arrived

Yes, arrived in Istanbul,
The last days in Europe were rather chaotic: very early in the morning of 26 December I left to go south. Overnight at Gianluca and Tiziana in Bergamo to say goodbye also to them before I leave for Istanbul. They promise to visit me in Istanbul, with their child still to be born.
I’m looking forward to that.
On Thursday morning I have a long chat with Tiziana, and install skype on their computer so that we can stay in touch. I leave rather late for Poggibonsi, too late in order to arrive to house: I go endured to the hostel to work.
There is a party going on with the top of the Italian popular music but even after 10 years Italy, I don’t know any of them. But singers and musicians, we all now, go to sleep rather late so the party ends….
28 and 29 December are dedicated fully to packing and wrapping my stuff, it seems it never ends. And Filiz let me know something about an apartment. I call the office in Istanbul: It’s really nice and reassuring when Ömer tells me not to worry: in Istanbul I will find a bed and to eat and to drink.
On 30 December starts the old year rush: 2 days really hard work in mediaeval stile, and the new year has arrived before I even noticed.
So on 1 January I can go home to take a rest and to go to Lecceto, to say goodbye to the last Italian friends.
When the day after I try to sell my car there seem to be a lot of problems, though I had been asking 3 times before: I need to show my Italian working permit, my driving licences is not valid… strange that they never asked for these documents when I have bought his car. Hmmmm, this situation does not please me at all.
I sit on my suitcases to close them. Than go to sleep but wake up at 4am: too excited to sleep and I add some more stuff to my backpack
At 5.20 the bus leaves for Rome, but the driver warns us for snow on the way. So we have to change bus. Delay… fortunately in Rome it’s reduced to 20 minutes delay. I decide take a taxi but there is no taxi to find and a long queue waiting. With two suitcases, a backpack and I computer I make my way to the train: It leaves from the moment I sit down.
And than everything goes smoothly: I check in at the business class with 36 kg luggage (I booked economy with 20 kg luggage!), without paying any supplement. They are great the Turks!
I see heaps of clouds above Italy, snow on the Greek mounts and... it snows in Istanbul.
My backpack is not there, they will send it to me tomorrow.
Bariş waits for me at the exit: it’s nice to see him again.
We go to Filiz’ place to drop off my luggage and I make the first mistake: you take of you shoes in front of the door, slippers wait you inside the house.
Than we go to the office to meet my new colleagues and to learn the first difficult Turkish words.
Together with Bariş and Ömer we have dinner at Filiz and her fathers house.
My bed is made up in the living room: it’s a bit hard... but I fall asleap immediately, I’m tired.
But I’m in Istanbul.