Hey, it's Salif. I can't live here anymore, Syria's too dangerous now. One of my cousins is in Germany. He's a barber, like my dad used to be. I know a thing or two about the job, and he says I will be safe there. I can't stay in Syria anymore anyway. I'll soon get the money for the sale of the house, and I will head north, to Turkey.
Finally on my way. God willing, I'll reach Germany and live in peace with my cousin. Wish me luck!
Going north is tricky: the jihadists are very nervous because of the bombings. Hopefully, my little car will discreetly take me to the border in one night. Getting caught would be pretty dangerous, but I've only got one small bag with me and I think I concealed my bank notes quite well. Let's just hope I won't have to lie to them.
Made it to Turkey. No bombs, no jihadists anymore, just the route to Germany, and the morning sun on my face.
It makes me sad to leave Syria, it truly does. My country is amazing, but the war destroyed all of us. I want to live, not end up trapped under my collapsed roof that bombs torn apart!
Crossing into Turkey was easier than I tought. There was a fight in the hills somewhere east of where I was, you could see the bullets in the sky. That's probably what kept the checkpoint to Kilis deserted. Now I must make my way through the mainland, and to the shore. I passed by Cappadocia and its million of cone-shaped rocks in the early morning - I hope you see this view once in your life.
Met some other travellers yesterday evening, around a campfire in a field next to the road. Many of them came from Afghanistan. They said they were going to take a boat to Greece, to one of the small islands. This seems a bit crazy to me, I mean, you can drown... I offered to take them a bit further in exchange of some money for fuel.
Some people said they could take me past the border into Greece, but I'm afraid I'll be stamped there if I get caught, and I will always be at risk to be deported if I join my cousin in Germany. Better not take the chance.
The car broke down this morning... Lots of smoke coming out of the hood. Would have been good to sell it for parts, but I couldn't find a buyer. On my way to Istanbul, having a quick tea before the bus arrives.
Sorry for not being in touch sooner, my battery ran out. I'm in Edirne, near the Bulgarian border. I stopped briefly in Istanbul and hopped in a bus, easy.
There are a lot of people who want to cross into Europe here, some who even arrived by boat from the Black Sea! I met a man from a Facebook group I was invited to in Aksaray, where all the smugglers are. He says he can take us through the border in a truck, and that I must give the money for the voyage to a money handler in the bazar.
The handler has the money now. I know this doesn't sound very safe, but I don't have many options now. The smuggler will get the remaining 75% when we arrive safely in Bulgaria. Ibrahim won't come with us, he doesn't trust the guy. Pray for him that he makes it to Greece.
Bulgaria. Heading west now. The journey was terrible, I spent hours crouched between barrels and cartons, without any water nor stop on the way. One of the girls was screaming in pain because the driver hit her with a bar in the neck, but we told her not to make any noise or we would be discovered. She sobbed all the way through the trip. 6 excruciating hours...
Took an illegal taxi through Macedonia and Serbia. I probably should have slept for a bit, but there weren't a lot of them offerring the ride. The border with Hungary is shut, so it will probably be very risky (and expensive) to go through. There's also a lot of police there...
Hungary. A Kurdish guy we met at a cafe there offers a taxi for $1,000 to go to Vienna. I'm not sleeping rough tonight, there are too many police. The Kurdish guy offered a night in a flat for $100. It's that or getting caught.
Got mugged during the night. Many of us have, in fact. The owner of the flat kicked all of us out at five in the morning. All my clothes are gone, as well as my phone charger. I only have $200 left, the rest was taken - even the notes in my shoes...
The driver is very nervous and asks for more money just before the departure. Me and the two other guys said no, but he had a gun.
Choice: accept/decline
Outcome: austria
,walk
Austria. We made it, but the other Syrian man who could only pay for a spot in the trunk is badly sick. The back of the car reeked of petrol and the bottom of it was pierced. The sound and smell drove the guy mad. He kept banging on the door, so the driver hit him with his belt and took more money from him or he would leave him there, with all these police patrols.
This morning, we arrived in Germany. I am exhausted and it feels like if I stop walking and sit, my legs will not carry me anymore. But I think I might just have made it. I walked to a small village and people gave us food and a blanket. From here, I will board a train to Munich.
That bastard left us there. He's not taking us to Austria!
I had to pay upfront for the taxi, so that's $1,000 WASTED. I've got no clothes, almost no battery left, and $200. Going to have to walk.