July 7

Woke up by 9, had breakfast, checked out and now I am sitting again on the rooftop. Today I will find out how bad my money problems are (huge ships rolling by in the distance) I should get my card back today (inshallah) but I don't know. I am more anxious than I want to admit.

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I got my card back as hoped (I went there earlier than they had said, around 1 instead of 4) the card was there and it worked! (I was very happy)

I didn't do anything else in Istanbul that day but collected my things and headed out the bus station (right besides the local IKEA), I took a taxi since I was tired and hauling bags - and I waited at the station till the 5:30 bus to Antioch. I met a nice older Turkish couple and chatted for some time with them (they wouldn't let me pay for the tea)

On the 16 hour bus ride I met a french firefighter and a nice young Syrian with whom I had an interesting chat as we waited in Antioch for the bus across the border to Aleppo. On the long bus ride, I didn't see much (as it was night) but they showed the Germany Spain game on the bus' satellite tv (amazing, I had been sure I was going to miss the game). Spain won, which means Allison Gondosch owes me a coffee!!

Saw a woman at the Syrian border who looked just like my cousin niece Anya