USA (Wisconsin)/Canada (Toronto)/Türkiye (Istanbul) - Week of October 18, 2026
İstanbul'dan selamlar/Greetings from Istanbul,
So great to have you join me for another week of adventure. I'm grateful you made the time in your busy life to check out this blog post. You'll find limited content in this week's post as my trip to Istanbul was for personal reasons.
How was your week? What did you do to stretch outside your comfort zone? Where are you at with your Halloween preparations, for those of you who enjoy this spooky, scary and sugary celebration? My friend Scott in Eau Claire, Wisconsin hosts an annual Halloween party for his neighbors which is a must attend in costume event of the year. I will need to extend a future Eau Claire stay beyond October 31 so I can join in the revelry. I know Stasha, my Soul Flow class yoga instructor, will have a Halloween themed give away at her class. Oh, the number of things I'll miss. 😦
I experienced the worst case of jet lag in my life after landing in Istanbul. My internal clock was messed up for several days, there is a seven hour time difference, before completing a reset, just in time to board a plane back to Toronto. Ugh! So much free time in the middle of the night along with being lethargic throughout the day.
The Istanbul weather was topsy turvy. The city had just experienced heavy rainfall causing flooding and, most sadly, a few deaths. There was a mix of sunny and cloudy days with the day time highs in the low 20's C (~ 70F or so). I'll be staying in the same hotel for my eight nights which is a gift to myself after all the moving about and multiple hotels/yurts/tea houses I stayed in throughout my travels.
A warm thank you to everyone at the Istanbul Crowne Plaza - Asia who made me feel at home for this second stay.
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| Thank goodness for the zoom on my phone camera |
I'm also so grateful to the universe for continuing to surround me with the most amazing people. I'm having a number of ongoing conversations with dear friends I've met in my travels. What a true blessing to have these amazing people write a chapter in my life's story as I hope I contribute in some way to their life's story. I'm the luckiest and most grateful person ever!
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
A few helpful travel tips for anyone traveling to Istanbul. - There are two airports - Istanbul Airport (IST) on the city's European side and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) on the city's Asian side. The Bosphorus Strait separates Istanbul into the European and Asian continents.
- Istanbul Airport is the newer airport offering a broader range of international carriers.
- Sabiha Gokcen Airport is a hub for domestic travel along with servicing Turkey's main discount airlines (Pegasus and AJet - division of Turkish Airlines)
- A 24 hour/day regularly scheduled coach service (Havaist), which takes about an hour one way, connects the two airports. You can also catch a bus for other destinations within Turkey.
- If you are traveling to Canada from Istanbul Airport, be sure you are at the gate well in advance of the scheduled boarding time. You are required to present your passport/boarding pass as usual, plus there are two additional checkpoints where your passport information is hand recorded and verified prior to entering the waiting area.
- Boarding a Turkish Airline flight can be chaotic, especially in Toronto's Pearson Airport. While the plane's economy section is boarded by sections of rows, starting in the rear, the lack of roped stanchions translates into people making their own lines. The airline staff are unlikely to intervene except for providing instructions at the front of the line where only a few people can hear.
- There are two airports - Istanbul Airport (IST) on the city's European side and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) on the city's Asian side. The Bosphorus Strait separates Istanbul into the European and Asian continents.
- Istanbul Airport is the newer airport offering a broader range of international carriers.
- Sabiha Gokcen Airport is a hub for domestic travel along with servicing Turkey's main discount airlines (Pegasus and AJet - division of Turkish Airlines)
- A 24 hour/day regularly scheduled coach service (Havaist), which takes about an hour one way, connects the two airports. You can also catch a bus for other destinations within Turkey.
- If you are traveling to Canada from Istanbul Airport, be sure you are at the gate well in advance of the scheduled boarding time. You are required to present your passport/boarding pass as usual, plus there are two additional checkpoints where your passport information is hand recorded and verified prior to entering the waiting area.
- Boarding a Turkish Airline flight can be chaotic, especially in Toronto's Pearson Airport. While the plane's economy section is boarded by sections of rows, starting in the rear, the lack of roped stanchions translates into people making their own lines. The airline staff are unlikely to intervene except for providing instructions at the front of the line where only a few people can hear.
Travel Update
I return to Canada, from the USA, on Sunday, October 18 then depart for Istanbul on the evening of Monday, October 19 arriving in Istanbul at 15:00 (3 pm) on Tuesday, October 20.
I return to Canada, from the USA, on Sunday, October 18 then depart for Istanbul on the evening of Monday, October 19 arriving in Istanbul at 15:00 (3 pm) on Tuesday, October 20.
Travel Maps
My low key lifestyle continued for this week. As with last week, the map link below is last year's map as my travels this week were to identical destinations as last year. Wisconsin: October 2, 2026 to October 18, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Toronto, Canada
Canada (Ontario): October 18 to October 19, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Toronto, Canada to Istanbul, Türkiye
Turkey: October 20 to October 28, 2026
Toronto
I allocated a day layover in Toronto to give me time to pack my carry on for Istanbul and leave my suitcase in storage. While I could have scheduled flights to minimize the Toronto layover, my internal risk manager suggested giving myself extra time to account for any last minute issues that could disrupt my travel plans. Whether I stay an extra night in a Wisconsin hotel or the night in a Toronto hotel is a relatively easy decision in my travel plans.
The extra time gave me the flexibility to check my mail, collect my new glasses (new frames/same prescription) from my favourite optician team (Sangeeta and husband Tony), visit my safety deposit box to collect my Turkish and Barbados cash and visit Adonis Supermarket where I could get a falafel sandwich which is a favourite lunch. I also visited my storage locker to make my suitcase to carry on switch. My final gift to myself for the day was having coffee with my good friend Fraser at the Archtop Cafe in Port Credit.
I made a last minute change in my car rental from National to SixT given a better last minute daily rate offered by SixT. There are two inconveniences you need to account for when booking with SixT at Pearson - offsite location and restricted hours of operation. You need to take the shuttle train from Terminal 1 to Viscount Station, then hop into a shuttle van to SixT's offsite location. This all works just fine if you have flexibility in your travel schedule. Make sure you check the location's hour of business before booking your vehicle. 
Recording scratches on my rental car
Falafel sandwich courtesy of
Adonis Supermarket
Monday evening sunset
Pearson International Airport
My low key lifestyle continued for this week. As with last week, the map link below is last year's map as my travels this week were to identical destinations as last year.
Wisconsin: October 2, 2026 to October 18, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Toronto, Canada
Canada (Ontario): October 18 to October 19, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Toronto, Canada to Istanbul, Türkiye
Turkey: October 20 to October 28, 2026
Toronto
I allocated a day layover in Toronto to give me time to pack my carry on for Istanbul and leave my suitcase in storage. While I could have scheduled flights to minimize the Toronto layover, my internal risk manager suggested giving myself extra time to account for any last minute issues that could disrupt my travel plans. Whether I stay an extra night in a Wisconsin hotel or the night in a Toronto hotel is a relatively easy decision in my travel plans.
The extra time gave me the flexibility to check my mail, collect my new glasses (new frames/same prescription) from my favourite optician team (Sangeeta and husband Tony), visit my safety deposit box to collect my Turkish and Barbados cash and visit Adonis Supermarket where I could get a falafel sandwich which is a favourite lunch. I also visited my storage locker to make my suitcase to carry on switch. My final gift to myself for the day was having coffee with my good friend Fraser at the Archtop Cafe in Port Credit.
I made a last minute change in my car rental from National to SixT given a better last minute daily rate offered by SixT. There are two inconveniences you need to account for when booking with SixT at Pearson - offsite location and restricted hours of operation. You need to take the shuttle train from Terminal 1 to Viscount Station, then hop into a shuttle van to SixT's offsite location. This all works just fine if you have flexibility in your travel schedule. Make sure you check the location's hour of business before booking your vehicle.
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| Recording scratches on my rental car |
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| Falafel sandwich courtesy of Adonis Supermarket |
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| Monday evening sunset Pearson International Airport |
En Route to Istanbul
I'm hard pressed to provide new photos for the parts of Türkiye I've already visited. A few pics to chronicle my journey to Türkiye and the one hour motor coach ride from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
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| Turkish coastline near Istanbul |
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| Turkish coastline near Istanbul |
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| Traveling over Bosphorus Strait |
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| Confirming schedule for return journey |
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| Leaving Europe for Asia |
Club Lounge View
I spoiled myself, once again, by staying at the Crowne Plaza - Asia. I've now stayed at an IHG property 79 nights in 2026 which gives me access to the Club Lounge facilities in this hotel. I was blessed with knowing several hotel employees so I received a warm welcome and was treated just like a family member.
Interestingly, I met the hotel and shopping plaza owner during one of my lounge visits. His English speaking aide advised me that the owner was a very rich man. My simple desire was to highlight what great staff he has working in the hotel. I got what appeared to be a mixed reaction before he disappeared.
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| Looking west from 8th floor |
Sunrise
An interesting assortment of sunrises as witnessed from the convenience of my hotel room.
October 22
A more 'traditional' sunrise on Thursday morning.
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October 23
Magnificent pre-sunrise show as a warm up to the big event!
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October 24
Hard to believe I was going to take sunrise photos given the cloud cover in the morning sky. The universe shone its benevolence (at least temporarily) with a small break in the cloud cover; just long enough to capture the photos below.
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| Early morning view |
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| A glimmer of hope to see the sun |
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| Looks promising for a break in the cloud cover |
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| Thank goodness for the zoom on my phone camera |
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Moonrise - October 24
We were blessed with opportune breaks in the cloud cover to witness the moon in about the same part of the sky where the sun appears in the morning.
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| Peeking through the clouds |
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| Moon close up |
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Friends
Yes, I managed to have a week where I kept to myself. I had the casual conversations with various hotel staff throughout my stay.
Next Week
Much busier travel week ahead. Three different countries in one week. I fly (10+ hours in economy - ugh!) to Toronto from Istanbul on Wednesday afternoon (October 28) for a two night stay in Mississauga. I board an Air Canada flight to Barbados at 8 am on Friday morning to start a three week stay in the tropical paradise.
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