Istanbul #1: Exploring Hidden Challenge, First Solo Trip to Istanbul (26/12/2025)

Traveling is not just about visiting popular tourist spots; it's about proving to yourself how you handle yourself with uncertainties, meeting conflicts, feeling afraid, asking random people to take our picture, and many more.

This is what I am trying to do today. I'll leave my zone and look for another random place, meet random people, and solve random unrelated problems. It's kinda challenge for me, because this would be a very long journey (almost a month), but I keep saying,

"This won't be worse than Pengalengan. I made it there, so there is no way I won't make it here."

I went from my dorm at 2 a.m. with a flight scheduled at 6.45 a.m. I did not sleep at all, and it's a problem.

I won't feel bored, though, since I bought a ticket for a welcome lounge in Jeddah International Airport for around 60 SAR from a friend. With this ticket, I could access the lounge for around 3-4 hours in their room, with food and drinks available. Well, this lounge is not a must, but just like a drug, once you taste it, you feel kinda need it. It's a soft word for addiction trap, hahaha.

So, at 2.15, my friend and I drove to the airport. It took 45 minutes, longer than what I expected, since we had many traffic (a lot of trucks were there, I dunno why). I arrived around 3 and walked straight to the immigration area, where I underwent several scans. I had no problem, but I still felt a little spark in my heart.

Oh yeah, my scissor was detected and taken there. It was a loss. I bought it from Indonesia, and it has been with me for years. Sayonara, mon ami!

Btw, this country would be my 15th visited countries for me.

Not-so-special Lounge

I entered the lounge with high expectations. Perhaps too high, because yesterday, when I was in the Saudia Airlines Lounge in Indonesia, the food was amazing, and the lounge looked fancy. And they also had Siomay and Batagor. So in my head, it was supposed to be calm, luxurious, and full of mouth-watering foods.

In reality, it was... fine. Clean. Functional. Some basic food, coffee, and comfortable chairs. Full of tired people. Nothing more, nothing less.

This is the only big meal I could get, a plate of rice and some fish. And they didn't have metal forks and spoons. That was so silly!

And that was the lesson.

Sometimes we over-romanticize comfort. The moment it becomes normal, it loses its magic. I sat there quietly, eating a lot of bread, drinking coffee, and opening my laptop.

Instead of resting, I worked.

I spent a good amount of time working on my MEXT scholarship application. Personal statements, revisions, and second-guessing sentences. It felt strange, preparing for the future while sitting in a temporary space meant only for waiting.

Maybe that’s what airports are for.

After taking 5-6 cookies into my box and a big bottle of coffee, I was ready to leave. Quietly, since a staff member just saw my cookies in my pocket XD.

Five Hours of Silence

The flight to Istanbul took around five hours. But I did not find any entertainment there. No movies. And my phone, I need the power for my bus trip.

No distractions as well.

I slept a little, stared at the cabin ceiling a lot, and let my mind wander between exhaustion and excitement. I was worried about my future there; I was worried the people wouldn't accept me, and many other things. Traveling alone gives you too much space to think, but maybe that's the point.

First Touch of Istanbul

After landing, I bought my Istanbul Card and then tried to find the buses. Bus after bus. It was a 15-minute walk in 3°C weather. It's not so an enjoyable moment for me.

"To Taksim? 550 lira, sir." A fine, polite girl told me the price of the card, plus a cost I need to get me into Taksim.

Well, I just took 5000 lira. That card + bus took more than 10% of my cash. It did not look so good, hahah. I mean, thousands of lira felt like a lot. However, the rising inflation would also increase all living costs here, taking our money faster than we expected.

Btw, by the time I arrived in Taksim, my body was tired, but my mind woke up instantly. I felt so afraid that I missed Jumah prayer.

Then I heard it. The adhan from Taksim Mosque. It felt so relaxing, so wise, so spectacular, so unreal.

Right in the heart of the city.

Between people walking, cars passing, and shops opening.

That moment grounded me.

I was far from home, but somehow, not lost.

I arrived. I came. This city. People. Vibe. Everything was new for me. But adzan is always the same.

A girl saw me. Smiling once she saw me smiling so wide. I felt ashamed hahaha. Now we need to pull the bag into the mosque. Let's go!

Nostalji Hostel

After prayer, I finally arrived at Nostalji Hostel.

That's where I met Etoo, the receptionist. Calm, friendly, and effortlessly cool. We called him the Rock'n Roll dude. He talked in fluent English, relaxed way, explaining the rules, the rooms, the city, like someone who had done this a thousand times but never got tired of it. The kind of person who makes you feel welcome without trying too hard.

Check-in felt so easy. He wanted 100 lira for our deposit, and the locker key had been in my hand now. And he still had another surprise.

"You will like this place." He stated it calmly.

"Hmm, yeah, maybe," I responded. I mean, okay, now I was being polite. I mean, first impression was needed here, right?

"No, I really mean it. We have many Indonesians here, and they are happy. Btw, the owner's wife is also from Indonesia, and she is the one who cooks here for our meal." He revealed his intention.

"Wow, really?" I was gladly surprised. Well, as a solo traveler, I had felt the loneliness. Meeting friends from the same country would be a nicer step for this condition.

"You can come and see by yourself." He walked. I followed him upstairs.

And suddenly, I heard it.

Bahasa Indonesia. Someone was on the call with Bahasa. Yeay!

"Hey buddy, you get a new friend." Etoo pad a guy with a phone.

We talked briefly. Where are you from? How long will you stay? Where have you been? Where are you going next? The usual questions, but they felt warmer here, in a foreign city.

That was the time I met Rafly, a guy from Sunda, who got trapped in Albania for months. His story was either exciting or frustrating to listen.

Still, I didn’t stay too long.

Comfort is nice, but I didn’t come all this way just to stay comfortable.

A long ride to Kadikoy

Later that day, I decided to go to Kadikoy.

The trip itself felt like a journey. Long, slow, and slightly confusing. Changing transport, checking maps, trusting instincts more than instructions. Istanbul doesn’t reveal itself immediately; you have to move through it.

Kadikoy felt different the moment I arrived

Many tourists. Many local. More alive.

People walked with purpose. Cafes were full. Conversations filled the air. It was not loud, but it was not quiet either.

I needed to meet a friend