My final day in Iraq and my final day in Kurdistan, at least on this trip. I'm leaving behind Dohuk which is a nice city, with a few nice modern residential areas and new parks. Unfortunately Dohuk says goodbye in a funny way - with lots of rain. At a fork in the road, take the road to the right. The trucks go left. Both roads go to Zahok, and the border.
As I enter Zahok, the views are fantastic. Quite a bizarre feeling looking at the flat plain surrounded by green mountains, linking Iraq, Turkey and Syria! Again, very nice to whiz by hundreds of cars and trucks waiting on the border as I take the express lane out of Iraq. Before I leave though, I get my first delicious Turkish meal which is more in tune with my tastes.
The border guards in Iraq and Turkey are curious and friendly, and the Turkish customs don't spend more than 7 seconds questioning me on my luggage. What I assumed was the Turkish passport control turns out to be a toll gate, and my invitation inside is just for some free coffee and a friendly chat. I even had a chance to collect the tolls from the truck drivers! It was nice to see a gorgeous Turkish woman working in passport control, with no headscarf!
Some of the kids just outside Turkish passport control weren't particularly friendly, trying to pull me off my bike when I wouldn't give them money! Another boy a few km's down the road attempted to throw a rock. Was this still Kurdistan? It was like another world in terms of friendliness.
Later that day, it was nice to meet a friendly Iraqi Kurd refugee in Silopi who had me over for dinner. A final gesture of hospitality from the middle east before I took my bus for Istanbul, and Europe, the next day. Another world altogether.
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