I am Akınsal Akıncı, and I am an Aegean Traveller.
For more than a decade, I have been exploring the history, culture, and natural beauty of the Aegean coast. What started as personal curiosity slowly turned into something deeper. In 2013, I launched The Best of Bodrum to share my observations and experiences with people who want to see this region beyond postcards and summer clichés.
Aegean Traveller is more than a name under my articles. It is the perspective I developed over the years while travelling along the Aegean coast. Friends used to call me “Ege Gezgini – Aegean Traveller” long before I built this website. It reflects how I observe places, how I listen to people, and how I try to understand the culture behind what I see.
I lived in Bodrum for six years, and that period was the beginning of this journey. Although I later moved to Ankara for professional reasons and still live there, I have never lost my connection with Bodrum or the Aegean. I return as often as I can because my curiosity and affection for this region have never faded.
The First Time I Saw Bodrum
My relationship with Bodrum began in the late 1980s, when I was a university student. I was young, restless, and curious. I had never been there before, yet Bodrum already felt familiar. We listened to songs about Bodrum and heard stories about summer nights and long conversations by the sea. Among my friends, I was probably the only one who had never visited.
So I decided to go.
With very little money and no clear plan, I travelled first to İzmir and then hitchhiked 230 kilometres toward Bodrum. It took me two days. I spent two nights in Kuşadası and Didim before arriving just before sunrise.
When I saw Bodrum Castle under the orange light of the rising sun, I paused for a moment. The white houses were simple and low. Gardens were full of citrus trees and bougainvillea. The air smelled different. The sea was calm. I did not know then that the silhouettes behind the castle were Greek islands. I only knew that I did not want to leave.
I had no job and nowhere to stay. I was sitting by the seaside, thinking about my next step, when I overheard two men talking. One of them said he needed waiters for his new bar. I turned and said, “I am the waiter.”
That is how my Bodrum story started — not as an engineer, but as a young man washing dishes and working until five in the morning.
That summer was hard and beautiful at the same time. I barely had time to explore the town. I left Bodrum after two months, but I carried the feeling of that first sunrise with me for many years.
Before Bodrum: Between Art and Engineering
To explain how I arrived at that first sunrise in Bodrum, I need to go a little further back.
My childhood was surrounded by theatre. My parents were actors at the state theatre, and our home was full of books, rehearsals, writers, artists, and long conversations about art. Many people assumed I would study performing arts as well.
Instead, I chose a different path. I studied Mining Engineering at Middle East Technical University in Ankara. It was a clear shift from theatre stages to construction sites.
After graduation, I worked as a site engineer in the Black Sea region. We were building ore processing plants in remote areas. I still remember the satisfaction of installing a facility piece by piece, literally one screw at a time. When a plant finally started operating, it felt alive in a way that is difficult to describe.
Working in isolated places was demanding. It required patience and persistence, and it meant spending long periods away from the rhythm of city life. Looking back, those years quietly shaped the way I think and work.
Learning the World Through Corporate Life
Eventually, I entered the corporate world. I first worked as an automation engineer in a French company, designing and installing systems for factories across Türkiye. Later, I became a manager in a German company, leading a team and travelling frequently within the country.
A significant turning point came when I joined a major American technology company and began working in marketing. I focused on marketing strategies and later took on the role of business communicator and trainer for customers, suppliers, and internal teams across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. During those eleven years, I travelled extensively — not only within Türkiye but also to many different countries. Sometimes I organized events, and sometimes I participated as a speaker. In total, I was involved in more than 300 events in 16 countries, addressing over 40,000 people.
Those years influenced me in many ways. I learned how to explain complex ideas in a simple and meaningful way. I became more aware of structure and positioning, and my interest in branding gradually grew. Most importantly, I discovered how much I enjoy experiencing and observing different cultures. In a multinational environment, clear communication requires understanding how people think, work, and relate to one another.
As my interest in communication and branding grew, I returned to university to study Brand Communication more formally.
Looking back, I can see that these experiences quietly prepared the ground for Aegean Traveller, even though I was not aware of it at the time.
Returning to Bodrum After Twenty Years
At that time, I was spending two or three weeks each month travelling for work. Nearly twenty years had passed before I returned to Bodrum to visit a close friend who had moved back to his hometown. That visit marked a turning point for me.
It was autumn. The town was quiet. The summer crowds were gone. The locals had returned to their normal rhythm. I began walking through narrow streets, talking to shop owners, fishermen, retired teachers, and artists.
I understood something important: Bodrum is not only a holiday destination. It carries many cultural layers. Beneath the beach clubs and summer noise lie deep cultural roots and a strong historical memory.
Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, known as the Fisherman of Halicarnassus, once wrote that those who come to Bodrum never truly leave — they leave their hearts behind. I smiled when I read that years later. I already knew it was true.
Each person I met had a different Bodrum. A fisherman’s Bodrum was not the same as an artist’s Bodrum. A retired civil servant’s Bodrum was different from a sailor’s Bodrum.
I decided to document mine.
The Best of Bodrum was born from that decision. At first, it was simply a way to share information. Over time, it became something more reflective and personal. It pushed me to improve my photography. It encouraged me to write better English. It even led me to learn a bit about web design and SEO.
It was not always easy. Running a travel website about Bodrum from another city required consistency and patience. In the end, it became something personally meaningful.
From The Best of Bodrum to Aegean Traveller
The Best of Bodrum was the first step. After writing about Bodrum for years, I realised that my curiosity was not limited to one peninsula.
Bodrum remains central to my story, yet the Aegean has always felt larger than a single town. This sea connects two shores and many histories. The similarities between the Turkish coast and the nearby Greek islands can be seen in architecture, food, traditions, and daily life.
I would like to explore more of this wider region — from ancient cities along the Turkish coastline to small Greek islands with white chapels and blue domes.
There is no strict plan or schedule. I simply continue travelling, observing, and writing when I can.
Writing under the name Aegean Traveller reflects this broader interest. It allows me to move beyond Bodrum while still staying connected to where everything began.
In the future, I hope to write about places such as İzmir, Ayvalık, Foça, Chios, Lesvos, and Rhodes — not just as destinations, but as living places shaped by history and everyday life.
I see Aegean Traveller as something that can grow gradually, with patience and care.
Balancing Professional Life and Aegean Traveller
In 2013, the same year I launched The Best of Bodrum, I also founded my consulting and training company, Artı Mavi, based in Ankara.
Artı Mavi represents my professional life. Through it, I work in marketing communication, corporate training, and business consultancy. My years in international markets allowed me to interact with different cultures and professional environments.
At the same time, I continued travelling to Bodrum and writing as Aegean Traveller. These two paths developed alongside each other. One reflects my professional experience, and the other reflects my personal interest in the Aegean.
I keep working in Ankara, and I keep returning to Bodrum whenever I can. Both parts of my life remain active, each in its own way.
Beyond Travelling
Travelling is not my only passion.
I have been collecting stamps since I was five years old. It may sound old-fashioned, but stamps are small windows into other cultures.
I enjoy jazz and classical music. Sailing is one of the most meaningful experiences in my life. Whether during yacht races, Blue Cruise tours, or even on a small fishing boat, I feel completely present when I am at sea.
Hiking is another important part of my life. Long walks in nature help me think clearly. They reconnect me with the land — something I came to appreciate during my engineering years.
I also enjoy learning, whether I am improving my photography skills, refining my writing, or studying web technologies.
I like the feeling of becoming slightly better each year.
Looking Ahead
If you are reading this page, you are already part of the journey.
Aegean Traveller began with a hitchhiking student and a sunrise over Bodrum Castle. It continued through years of corporate travel and personal reflection. Today, I simply keep exploring and writing whenever I can.
Bodrum is still central to my story, and the Aegean continues to draw my attention beyond it.
I hope to explore more of this region, step by step, with the same curiosity that first brought me there.
If you would like to follow along, I would be glad to have you here. And if you have something to share, feel free to contact me.
