the road to cappadocia {turkey part II}

To think it's been over a month since we wrapped up our whirlwind tour of Turkey, actually blows my mind a bit. Where has the whole month of October gone?! In all fairness, life got a bit hectic the minute I returned back to the States. I've started a new role at work (which I'm beyond excited for) and have been cranking away at big holiday campaigns -- all of this is to say, you may have noticed regular programming on This Time Tomorrow has been anything but lately. While I'd love to say I have this whole balance thing figured out between work and the blog (a common question I get via email from you dear readers), sometimes it's a fine line. And when 2am rolls around, you have to learn how to just walk away from the laptop. Easier said than done, of course.

But what about Turkey, you ask? Well I have two more installments coming your way this week, plus a whole other slew of travel posts straight from the Caribbean, so let's pack our proverbial bags for a minute and rewind back to September, when Heather and I were still bouncing around Turkey -- Cappadocia, to be exact. 

We actually only booked ourselves 48 hours in this little pocket of the country (smack dab in the middle of Turkey). Why? The main catalyst was for a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the canyons which I had romanticized about ever since spotting it during a Google Image binge. The landscape in these parts is indescribably eerie and at the same time mesmerizingly beautiful. Hailing from the desert myself, there's an undeniable aching charm that desert landscapes can have over you and it was definitely palpable here.

These dwellings sprinkle the countryside. Originally homes, these "caves" are pretty easy to spot while hiking around -- just look for the etched out windows and oddly placed doors (that seem to have no easy way to climb to them).

Taking in the view during an impromptu hike, during which we followed hand drawn arrows on rocks to figure out the best path to the top. At certain points, we lost track of the arrows and had to circle around frantically for the next one. 

We spent a lot of time at this woman's stand, browsing through her jewelry and bags, while spending a bit of time with her children. 

Sunset ATV tour? Basically the only way to explore! We rode through the Red Rose Valley, making our way to the abandoned village you see above here. It was one of those moments where time felt suspended and untouched. 

While we didn't get the sunrise we were hoping for (it was quite overcast), I have to say this truly was a bucket list moment for me. We took off with at least 30 other balloons, hopping (sometimes narrowly) over the spires and peaks of the canyon and I loved every minute of it.  

Stay tuned later this week for the final part of our Turkey travels.