He will depart from İstanbul in early June and projects that this 10,000+ kilometer journey will take more than three months to complete.“The Middle East is the place where civilization was born, so the history is very deep and the people are very colorful,” Karadağ states.
On this journey through some of the world’s most untraveled regions, Karadağ says, “I want to discover my own history and see from their eyes how they see us Turks.”
The route
“There are no motorcyclists that have done this before in Turkey,” Karadağ states proudly, adding: “So maybe if I do this it would open people’s vision that they can go there also. I hope to open up a pathway.”
Karadağ intends to depart from İstanbul in early June and travel through Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emeritus and then take a ferry to Iran before finishing his journey by entering Turkey from the east. He projects that this circular route will take more than three months to complete.
“This journey will open a path through this Middle East route,” Karadağ reasserts for added emphasis.
The man
Karadağ is a native of Antalya who moved to İstanbul 11 years ago to pursue a university education at Marmara University. He works as a computer programmer when he is not traveling and says that he cannot recollect the childhood origins of his insatiable wanderlust. He then quickly added: “I always enjoyed traveling no matter where my family took me [as a child]. … I remember especially … enjoying watching outside while traveling in a bus or in a car.” He then noted that he still loves staring out of the windows of moving vehicles.
Karadağ asserts that his biggest motivation for this journey is discovery and that this is the main reason why he chooses to ride his motorcycle through less traveled destinations.
“There is more to discover in these kinds of places,” he said, adding, “The more I travel, the more I find myself eager to learn.”
The motorcycle
“When you travel by motorcycle you can stop at places that the normal tourist doesn’t stop and doesn’t see. So you can meet a man who has never seen a tourist before on the top of a mountain or someplace,” Karadağ stated as his reason for traveling long distances by such rugged means.
“If you take public transportation, you do not have the opportunity to discover off-the-track places. So [traveling by motorcycle] gives you a chance to interact with the people in the middle of the desert or on the top of a mountain.”
The motorcycle that he has chosen for this journey is a Kawasaki KLR 650. Long distance touring through deserts and other harsh landscapes requires a motorbike that is cheap, durable and light, he says.
Karadağ is currently making luggage modifications to his motorcycle to ensure that he will be able to securely carry his video and photography gear, personal luggage and spare parts through uncertain road conditions and rugged terrain.
Curriculum vitae -- travels in Iran
Karadağ is no novice to long distance motorbike travel. In 2007, he completed a 10,000-kilometer journey through eastern Turkey and Iran.
When asked about why he chose Iran as a destination, he replied: “Iran is a very deep culture, a historical culture that has influenced Turkey’s culture very much. For example, we have many Persian words and we have a strong historical relationship. … But here in Turkey, it is believed that Iran is someplace to be afraid of, that the people are very unhappy and frightened.”
Karadağ wanted to go to Iran and see with his own eyes what life was really like. This insatiable curiosity led him to riding a 150cc scooter with 12-inch wheels 10,700 kilometers through Iranian deserts, mountains and cities. The type of scooter that he rode is intended to be used for short urban commutes and not for voyages into foreign lands. But Karadağ was undaunted by this fact, coolly stating, “I was very experienced with the scooter and was sure that it could make the journey.”
What Karadağ found in Iran was a kaleidoscope of cultural diversity that sharply contrasted the grim impression of the country that he held before his departure.
“I found a very colorful culture: There are Turks living there, Kurds living there, Persians living there and Baloch people living there. All live their traditional ways of life. … When you are outside of the cities, the people still wear their traditional clothes … so it was very nice to see that they have kept their own culture. Iran is a very colorful place.”
With a sly laugh tinged with irony, Karadağ says the most amazing thing he experienced in Iran was “interacting with the girls.”
Karadağ is now determined to push his curiosity one step further and discover for himself the cultural diversity that makes up the rest of the Middle East and parts of east Africa.
Sponsorship
Motorcyclist Karadağ is currently offering sponsorship opportunities to companies that would like to donate gear or make financial contributions to this expedition through the Middle East and east Africa.
When asked about the benefits that a company would receive from sponsorship, Karadağ stated: “This journey will get the attention of the motorcycle community in Turkey. I will put [the sponsor’s] sticker on my motorcycle so their name will be seen. It will be good that they will be seen supporting these kinds of adventures.”
Karadağ will also post regular updates on a Web site throughout his travels as well as keep detailed photograph, video and written records of the journey for the potential compilation of a guide for future motorcyclists. His sponsor’s logos will accompany any media that this expedition generates.
“If a sponsor gives me luggage,” Karadağ boldly stated, “they say ‘this luggage endorsees this journey’ [and] it means that it is durable and good luggage.”
Karadağ sums up this advertising opportunity with a declaration to potential sponsors, “You can put your name on a big magazine but that won’t prove that your equipment is reliable.”
Donating supplies to Karadağ’s expedition will prove to motorcyclists around the world that the gear is worth purchasing. Karadağ is willing to field test products that are relevant to motorcycle travel, videography and photography.
Preparation
In Iran, Karadağ did not know how to speak the local languages. In an effort to not duplicate this mistake, he has been intensively studying both spoken and written Arabic for the past six months.
“Learning Arabic will be an advantage so I can communicate with the people better,” he explained.
Karadağ adds that he hopes to speak enough Arabic to have in-depth conversations with the people whose region he will be traveling through. He adds that he wants to be able to “listen to their visions about life, about their country, about Turkey.”
The final product
In addition to continuously updating a Web site from the road, Karadağ will be taking extensive notes and shooting video footage to make into a television documentary upon his return.
“The first thing I will do is the Web site, the second thing will be good pictures and then the media footage,” he states. “I will use every opportunity for people to know about this journey … that goes through so many different cultures.”
About the final product of this expedition, Karadağ says, “I plan on making a documentary about the real culture, about how the people live there and … [traveling by] motorcycle gives me an advantage.”
Conclusion
Karadağ asserts that the Middle East “is an undiscovered place. Maybe you know many things about Europe because you watch films about it, you read about it, you see photos about it from your childhood up until now. Also, there are many tourists there, everybody goes there, so there is not much to discover there. In the Middle East, there are a lot of things to discover yourself and live your adventure.”
When asked if Turkish women are impressed by his adventures in foreign lands, Karadağ shyly replied: “Seriously, no chick is impressed by travel to Iran. They are more into Paris or Madrid.”
Karadağ is now preparing for a solo journey through the Middle East and east Africa, along a route that no Turk has reputedly traveled by motorcycle before. He welcomes the support of his countrymen as he commences this historic adventure.
Wade P. Shepard can be contacted for more information or photos at wadepshepard@gmail.com or on his mobile at 0531 610 7129.
An Iranian family headed for Friday prayer - Motorcyclist Karadağ (R)
Cihan Karadağ can be contacted at 0533 684 2753 www.karapapa.net
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