Category: Our Story

We have started to travel around the world by motorcycle on July 2016, we didn’t know that we could have a news middle of our journey which is  unexpected Breast Cancer.  When we were in Africa I had a smuggled passenger inside me, who was false-hearted getting bigger day by day.

Life of journey: Travel around the world by motorcycle

We made almost 70.000 km in two years and visited 55 countries, 21 in Europe and 34 in Africa. We just met before the journey and we were so exciting to have a drivers license, buy motorcycle and start our journey of life, which is learn to ride motorcycle and fun, discover the world with your own eyes, try to understand life much more on the road. So we were running everywhere to get ready in a short period for travel around the world by motorcycle.

We were ready in 3 months and we hit the road, no real planning just go. First journey was Europe to have a little experience how to ride motorcycle but also how to live in a tent before turning around Africa. I was just coming 40 years old and totally a healthy person.  After 4 months in Europe we jumped to the Africa continent. We were in Africa almost 20 months, our journey started in Morocco and end in Sudan. It was a dream to turn around Africa by motorcycle and we did it. Unfortunately, we couldn’t enter Egypt because of some politic issue between Turkey and Egypt. He is from Holland and I am from Turkey. So we had only one option to get out of Africa, which was to air fright our motorcycles from Sudan to Turkey.

When we were saying goodbye to the African continent we were already making a plan how we will keep continue to our journey and what is next. We were agreed to travel a little in Turkey and visit my family after that ride to the Balkans and than ship the motorcycles to the USA. Of course, we didn’t know which kind of surprise was waiting for us and would have changed everything in a second.

Smuggled Passenger: A tumor – Breast Cancer

When I was leaving from my country I was just before 40 and totally healthy. I don’t go to hospital that much and don’t use medicines as well, just some normal controls. I have some basic genetic problems. Which could be pass from my family to me but nothing for cancer. Of course, I knew about breast cancer and the possibility that every 1 to 8 women can get it. Therefore I was doing monthly controls on the journey but nothing!  The tumor was with me almost all our Africa journey but I couldn’t feel nothing or see anything different. So, we were totally healthy and having fun anytime.

All our breast cancer story video :

When we were going to Turkey I was thinking to check-up first even if I am not feeling sick, it was the same for him as well.  Did I do? NO! We flight to Holland to visit his family. Did he go to any hospital? NO! Because we are healthy…

But I felt a little cyst in Holland. Definitely the first thing in Turkey to checked, no excuses.  Yes, I went to hospital after arrived to Turkey in week. When I visited the doctor, who was thinking it is just cyst and looked like nothing a problem but I must go to mammography because every women needs to control after 40 years. No problem because I was fine.

Nightmare has started. They called us next day from mammography and took me ultrasound so fast. Unfortunately they were thinking about malign, means cancer tumor, I must see the doctor again and go to MRI. We were surprised because I didn’t have any signs from breast cancer. MRI came with the same results. I was just lucky because what I found on my breast was nothing. The tumor was another point and was so deep to find with hand control. Maybe, the cyst never show up I could wait to go mammography a couple of months.

Still, they were saying smaller than 2 cm and only one tumor, nothing divide yet so nothing on lymph nodes. This is really good news. We must learn more about the tumor therefore I went to biopsy. After a week they told us it is triple positive and half aggressive cancer tumor. We couldn’t say anything and we couldn’t talk about the word as well. “Cancer” word was too much for us. I wanted the operation as soon as possible because we wanted to continue soon to travel around the world by motorcycles, Balkans are waiting for us.  It is just basic operation, right?

Before operation I went PET/CT to check all my body. I suppose my doctor was scare that we will run away with motorcycles after the operation. The result was clear as well. Happy time, of course.

It was operation day. When I opened my eyes I got the news; The tumor was more than 2 cm and my 2 lymph nodes has involved as well. Therefore the doctor took my lymph nodes under the shoulder. They were telling me to do some exercise later to open my arm again well also I must be so careful all my life with my arm to infection, any bite and lymph edema. I was just in shock and had nothing to say. But We were still smiling because cry never ever help…

We were waiting again second pathology results because this time we need 15 days. I was on the motorcycle again in 3 weeks after the operation. It was an amazing feeling to ride again and felt so much freedom. I know that I must be so careful with my arm but so much powerful thing to be on and show yourself. If you want you can do it.

Unfortunately, we didn’t want to accept but we knew that chemotherapy treatment is on the road for me because they found small parts in my lymph nodes. After two weeks the doctors were telling us to my breast cancer is stage 2B, means still early breast cancer,  I need chemotherapy for my future especially if I want to be on the road, ride motorcycle and sometimes go to remote areas.

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, Herceptin therapy, etc.  all will take around a year. We just past 1,5 months (we had many problems in it that is not a subject for the article). The doctors and we are agree that if everything will go good in the next 4,5 months we can start to travel in Turkey by motorcycle also we can have short trips to Balkans and other surrounding countries as well because I need to have a injection for cancer (Herceptin) every 3 weeks and they need to be sure that I am ok.

October is the breast cancer awareness month every year.

We wanted to write the article because of it because breast cancer is look like so innocent if it is in a early stage. I was on the road therefore I couldn’t start to mammography when I came 40 but when I came back to my home country I didn’t go as soon as possible. I waited 7 weeks more until they find a small cyst on my breast from monthly hand control.

Breast cancer is not genetic to find you or if you have it can grow unaware maybe you cannot understand it with your hand or see it. We want to tell: Please, go to your control, have a mammography don’t be late. Fight early and keep continue to follow your dreams and enjoy your life.

We will be on the road soon and keep continue our journey of life: Travel around the world by motorcycle…

Breast cancer cannot be a problem travel around the world by motorcycle. 🙂

Are you curios how I fell in love with FS and all my life has changed? click to link :  HOW DID I MEET MY LOVE? 

GS

When I started to work I was 20 years old. Very soon I figure out that I can’t work all my life. I like my job so much but go to work everyday and work more than 10 hours daily and also some weekends; it could be a little too much. Because I want to live my life what I want as well.   What did I suppose to do?

It was a decision which is correct or not; I was young and had a lot of energy to keep continue work nonstop. Yes, I didn’t look for easy job, less hours work, more flexible… etc. I worked many hours to made extra money and got expert very fast on my business. Therefore, I got promotions very quick and made more money.

Welcome to see video : 

Of course, I went holidays, spent times with my family and friends, wear nice clothes and go out to nice places. I wanted to do all to understand what I really want, what is so enjoyable for me. 5 starts hotel or restaurants are so good to stay or eat but I was happier to stay basic hotel/hostel and get more social. Also, eat with local people and talk with them about their life and culture. I wasn’t so happy to wear suit, make up everyday or go to hairdresser and spend a lot of time in there. Stayed big house, bought big cars…. etc were so nice in the beginning because my freedom and my money. 🙂 But I was more happy to stay in a little apartment. I am so glad to do all these things. Maybe I spent money for all but I understood what I want to do. What happened after that? I just focus to safe money and get retired early. 🙂 Means, go to discover the world and understand to life.

I worked 15 years and last 10 year only, I focus to safe money. I made a list to see I spent money where and how much. I did 3 months and wrote every detail. After that I could decide which details did not necessary or too much. Do not spend money again for that! I don’t need TV, a lot of clothes, shoes, hand bags, some bills, go dinner or out a lot … etc.

 I closed the mortgage, sold my big apartment and bought a small one to rent and put money to safe account. I did same thing for my car as well and used more public transportation. I like to see my safe account to growing day by day. So, keep continue. But until when?

Sometimes, suddenly something happened in your life, which is unacceptable! I lost my mother. News came when I was on a holiday. She was only 57 years old and was such a healthy and happy person. I just thought, “Life is short. How long I want to work like that and safe money nonstop. Who knows that I am not going to die tomorrow.”

 So, I quit my job. Collect my backpack and started my journey from South America.

GS

I bought my ticket for the ferry, not the cheapest one because they told me maybe it’s nice to have a bed on the boat as it’s going overnight and the price was just 50 cents more then the deck-ticket. As I arrived on the boat a guy called Ferry was the only local speaking English, he helped me find my way on the boat and put me on the deck and got me a mattress to sleep on. I was just sitting in the sun relaxing talking a bit to other backpackers what they where about to do on the Togain island and to what resort they where thinking to go to.

All of a sudden there comes this girl on the deck with an amazing smile! Wow, I need to get close to her and talk a little with her, so I did. Coming from Turkey and shining like a star, very interesting of course. Ok! Ferry don’t push to much as she was talking with some other people as well, 1 person was just taking photo’s from her and I thought is this somebody famous, blogger, model or what? Ok, I need to go and ask again. After that we never stopped talking on the boat, some other backpackers where sitting with us as well but we just talked with the 2 of us, 7 hours straight away. Ok, time to close our eyes a little bit and hopefully we follow our conversations tomorrow again. I woke up in the morning and the sun was coming up, I just had a few hours sleep but I felt like I was shining like the sun. I looked at her for a while when she was still sleeping, she’s also beautiful when she’s sleeping. I softly woke her up to see the sunrise and together drink a coffee.

I still had the same amazing feeling about her, I really wanted she was coming to the same resort as where I was going to but how are you going to convince somebody you just met 14 hours ago? I didn’t had a clue, we walked together from the deck down but when I was downstairs she was not behind me anymore? What happened? I decided to wait a little and there she came, smiling as always, I just hoped it was because I was waiting her. I basically asked her directly to come with me to the same resort, she smiled and walked with me, still I wasn’t sure if she was coming to the same place, as we needed to take a canoe to the place. I looked at her eyes again and I just knew she was coming with me.

(What happened after that you can read in her story.) I just want to say that when we were sitting on the beach and looking stars our lives really changed and never would have been the same again. When I looked in her eyes there was so much feeling going through me, I just knew that I didn’t want to run away, but yes the easiest way in life is saying ‘no’ but I’m not the person who chooses the easy way, so I stayed and now we are living our life together around the world. Best decision ever made 🙂

FS

12 of February, I booked cheapest ticket for the ferry, which is sleep on the deck. I was turning in the ferry but I couldn’t find to stairs. Somebody showed me a man who is local and can speak English. I went next to him and wanted to help. He was really so friendly guy named Ferry. Actually, it’s not an Indonesian name. I learned that his father is from Italy. He took my backpack to help me and we started to climb the stairs. It was really sharp.

Finally, we came to the deck. He was asking a lot of questions about my trip and accident. At the same time, one guy was standing next to us and listening us. After a while, he suddenly jumped to our conversion. And started to asked questions. When I was trying to answer him. He said that “By the way, my name is Ferry“ He took out his sunglasses. I saw his amazing eyes. In a second, I forgot what I was talking! It was some kind of joke. I am in the Ferry. Indonesian guy helping me who name is Ferry. And he was saying that his name is Ferry….

We talked 5 minutes or something like that. After that, I was looking a space where I can put my mattress. He already took the nice point. I asked him to put my mattress next to him. Of course answer was YES! That time, more people started to come to the deck and I started to talk with them. I was giving some info them about Indonesian islands and they were taking a lot of photos from me. Ferry, jumped again our conversion and asked me “Are you a blogger or something? You look like very famous. I just laugh for that but I liked to subject anyway.

I talk with Ferry more than 7 hours. Every minute, I was feeling something more to him. It was coming midnight and we decided to sleep time.

13 of February, Somebody was touching my shoulder very softly. I woke up. It was Ferry. He remember that I told him “ I love to watch sunrise and sunset“ Therefore, He wanted to I woke up and looked to sunrise. It was beautiful. When we were watching the view very quite the ferry came to the port. Ferry asked me “ what is my plan? Which island am I going? I didn’t know what I could do. We left to ferry and went to the port. I was talking with other people to learn where they are going. Ferry asked me again “ are you coming with me?“ This time I got surprise because the question was so different 🙂

Yeap, I went with him but not alone with other 5 tourists. When we arrive to island we went to cheapest bungalows with everybody. Ferry and I talk all morning and afternoon non-stop. No Internet no phone access which is nice. So, what can you do more? Just talk and talk… After that we decided go a few km far a way to see some little beaches. That moment we took our first photo. And stayed there to watch sunset. It was so lovely sunset.

We turned back to the bungalows and had really nice dinner with other people. Owner said that “No electricity after 11 pm.“ it was ok because we could see amazing stars and view.

14 of February, It was midnight and we took some towels, went to in front of bungalows and sat. We were watching stars and great view from the island. Our eyes touch each other.

This time, I really felt something went trough to him from my heart. He kept my hand and asked a question `should I run way now? If I don’t move know I will stuck with you forever“ I couldn’t find any word to tell him. Just I looked his eyes again and again with big smile…. I felt that he is my love of life. This is the guy who could take my heart!

GS

My story is actually not that exited at all, as I was always looking for cheap deals to fly somewhere. This time I found a good deal to fly to Indonesia so Indonesia it was. Of course Indonesia is not just 1 island, so I needed to make a choice where to go to, as everybody goes to Bali nowadays this was no option for me. I did some online research and found some blogs about the unexplored island Sulawesi they all described it as paradise on earth and not touristic, that sounded really good to me!

You can read GS story

FS

I saw a lot of amazing places in Central and South America. Met nice people and learned different cultures. It was time to change the continent. My dream was go to Africa but I know that it’s not easy to be backpacker there. On the other hand, I want to ride motorcycle in Africa. What can I do? Where can I go?

Next continent can be Asia. My birthday was coming and I wanted to choose a special country to start on my birthday. The time was coming but I didn’t know where I want to go.

20 of December, I woke up and said that “ I must go to Indonesia“. I booked my flight to first of January. I got ready and went to Indonesia.

6 of January, I was in Borobudur template. I went to up and sat. It was my birthday and was thinking about my life. Actually, I have a great life, nice family, good friends…etc. Just one thing was missing in this good picture love of my life. I got a little upset because I started to think that I never find him.

My plan was stay in a month and than go to Malaysia. But I want to discover more Indonesia and extend my visa one month more. I wanted to go to Papua and see last cannibal tribe in the world. After all my research and wrote I found cheapest way 4.000 USD for two weeks and not include my flight tickets. Come on! I can’t do that. This is 4 months travel money for me!

I change my road again in Indonesia. I had already visa and could do more interesting thing in Indonesia. I decided to go dive with shark and see active volcano under the sea. I went a little village to search a ferry and tour about it. I rent a little scooter. And had a accident with 50cc scooter. My rent helmet was so big when I was riding bumpy road it closed my eyes. When I was trying to fix it I saw a little kid jumped to the road with some chickens. I used in front break at the moment and I fell down. I injured my rib. L So, my other dream disappeared again. No more diving!

I had problem with rib and also a lot of scratch on my arm. I needed to get rest. But where? I have only one option to go to the Togian islands and stay a coupe of days. Next day, I went to the port and bought my ticket to the ferry.

GS

I was born in Alkmaar (Netherlands) and grow up in Langedijk, that’s where I lived all my life. After I finished all my schools it was time to start working, NO! Instead I decided to start traveling, I took my backpack and went to Australia, where I had the best year of my life (till I met GS). But the traveling virus has attracted me and I loved it. After a year in Australia and New Zealand it was really time to start working, as I was totally broke.

I have been working in glasshouses, picking flowers and after that in the car-rental business. I never liked the fact that I was working for someone who decides what I need to do and tells me what time I need to be there and when I can leave. So after a few years I started my own business on the internet, that gave me the opportunity to travel more as well again. Always as a backpacker.

Nowadays I’m going through life as rider on my Honda CRF250L, sold everything I owned in Holland and living on my motorcycle and as a roof we have a tent above our head.

FS

I was born south of Turkey which city is called Adana. I grew up there and than moved to Istanbul for University. After graduated I found good job in Istanbul and never turn back my city. Also, my brother came to Istanbul for university. After a while my family has moved to Istanbul 😉

I was working finance sector and actually I had a good carrier and was earning good money. I was a system analyst to many banks for 15 years. Even if I like my job so much, I never want to work so long. Because always, I was thinking to see the world and discover. I started to travel a lot when I was working but never got enough. What could I do? It wasn’t easy to resign and went your way. Good job, good money! Also, You have a lot of friends, nice apartment and good life.

Until, I lost my mother. She was just 57 years old and she was so healthy. I understood that Life is really so short. If I don’t choose what I want now maybe I never have it. I quit my job. Pack my backpack and have started to explore the world. My first continent was South America. I don’t know why but when I was young I wanted to live there. Almost 3 years I was there. Sometimes, I went back to visit my father.

GS