A Journey Through History and Culture: Vishal’s Memorable Turkey Trip with Thrillophilia
Standing in front of the Blue Mosque, I started singing our song Saiyaara from Ek Tha Tiger,
“Aasman tera mera hua ....
Khwaab ki tarah dhuaan dhuaan…!”
My partner looks at me and then starts laughing uncontrollably.
I asked nervously, “What..? You don’t remember? This is exactly where Salman and Katrina were standing in the song.”
She replied, “Oh, yes of course I remember. But you startled me and everyone around you by singing so loudly and out of the blue.”
I replied, “So? I want the world to know that I am here with the love of my life and no matter how many days, months or years pass, I will always be the same for you!”
We both looked around and then laughed. We wrapped our arms around each other, admiring the beauty of the magnificent Blue Mosque and realising that from watching Turkey on screen to actually witnessing its beauty in-person, we made it!
How did we plan our trip to Turkey?
So days before the trip we were returning home in our car and the radio played our favourite song Saiyaara from Ek Tha Tiger. It was the song that brought us closer and is very dear to our hearts.
Listening to the song, she said, “Look, our song!” and immediately increased the volume.
She added further, “Remember, how you used to sing this song for me every time. And now….there is not a single reaction to this song. Oh, how the times change!” She sighed.
I added, “That is not true at all. I was just focusing on driving.”
Well, somewhere in my mind, I realised that it was true. Over time, the big efforts, the romantic gestures and surprises fade away. Suddenly, a wave of realisation hit me and I decided to change this. At that moment, I decided that it was time to show her that I am still full of romantic gestures and unforgettable surprises.
When I came back home, I thought of the perfect idea to surprise her. I wanted to take her to Turkey, right in front of the Blue Mosque and then sing our favourite song for her, just like the way it was in the movie.
Since, it was a surprise, I could not give much of my time in the planning to avoid any suspicions. So, the best way was to book a tour package of Turkey. Before giving her the news, I finalised the perfect package for us from Thrillophilia. Once everything was finalised, I surprised her with this amazing news over dinner.
In my opinion, what made Thrillophilia stand out from the rest was their economical and diverse range of all-inclusive packages. Now that everything was in place, all we had to do was book our flight tickets and get-on with our adventure in Turkey!
Discovering the Turkish Delights!
Though the Blue Mosque in Istanbul was the highlight of our trip, we had also explored plenty of other well-known attractions of the city. Starting with the grand and luxurious Topkapi Palace which was absolutely spellbinding. Wandering through the spacious courtyards of this stunning palace gave us an insight into the prosperity of the Ottoman empire.
In Istanbul, we also visited St. Sophia and Hippodrome. At the end of the tour, I took her to the famous Grand Bazaar because your trip to Turkey is absolutely incomplete without shopping!
If you ask me, Cappadocia was the most beautiful and fascinating of all. Can you believe that there is an underground city in Cappadocia? It is called the Derinkuyu and as per the locals, was home to more than 20,000 people in that time- I was simply amazed to see the architectural brilliance of that era!
Another highlight of Cappadocia was the Ihlara Valley and Belisirma Village. Ihlara Valley was where we got to see the rugged terrain of Turkey along with some unique flora like Ulmus and Popular and fauna including butterflies and eagles. The Belisirma Village, on the other hand, is a more serene and calm village of Turkey. Here, we got to meet a lot of locals as well as admire the rural scenery of Turkey.
We had also visited Antalya. First, we did a waterfall tour in Antalya in which we explored three gorgeous waterfalls- Düden, Kurşunlu and Karpuzkaldiran. To be honest, all the three waterfalls were equally stunning and breathtaking.
One of the really fun days in Antalya was when we visited the Land of Legends theme park. There we enjoyed an uncountable number of thrilling rides, including the dry and aqua rides. We even watched a fun live show which was called ‘Waterfront Kingdom Show’. Not to forget, we also tried so many delicious Turkish snacks and beverages in between such as Baklava, Lahmacun and Pide.
One place, if you ask me, that looked completely out of this world was the Cotton Castle. This was one place that both of us were extremely excited to visit. And honestly, we were left awestruck when we saw it. It is literally unreal and I never knew that a place like this exists in this world. It is a vast complete white landscape with terraces where you will find hot-spring water. Nature is truly wondrous!
Must-try Adventures We Couldn’t Resist!
Apart from the sightseeing tour, we also enjoyed a few amazing activities in Turkey. One of the most sweet and romantic experiences was our cruise ride on the magnificent Bosphorus Strait. The cruise ride included a delicious and wholesome dinner along with a captivating Folkloric show. The best moment- watching the bright yellow sun merge with the deep blue waters of Bosphorus and the sky turn into a palette of pink and orange hues.
That was not all- we also had some thrilling and exhilarating moments in our trip. For example, ATV Quad bike riding in Kayseri. In my opinion, this electrifying ride gave us the perfect adrenaline rush and made us feel like two carefree kids- what a wonderful feeling that was!.
Last but not least, we also tried paragliding in Babadag. Honestly, I was too scared to begin but eventually I overcame my fear. Till date, this is one of the most adventurous activities that I have tried in my life. Additionally, the view that you get to see during the activity is something else. So, if you are ever in Turkey, make sure to not miss out on the amazing experience of paragliding.
After the trip when we came back home, I realised that this trip has definitely deepened our bond. Each moment we shared whether it was admiring the beauty of an attraction, giggling together on the streets or getting excited to try new foods has pulled us closer. It was an amazing trip where two movie fanatics got to live their dream and explore Turkey together and hand-in-hand!
Read More: Thrillophilia Turkey Reviews