✍️ Desk of Amy Suto: Celebrating Magical Milestones in Cappadocia
Turning 30 under a sky of hot air balloons.
🎂 I’m offering a rare discount to my Substack subscribers — 30% off for my birthday month as I turn 30 🎉 By upgrading your subscription, you’ll get access to all of my paid-subscribers-only articles, special perks, and discussion threads.
📖 3-Minute Story: Celebrating Magical Milestones in Cappadocia
At 5am my partner Kyle and I stepped onto the rooftop of the Koza Cave Hotel in Cappadocia — and that’s when we saw them.
Hundreds of hot air balloons graced the sky: pure, breathtaking magic.
“Happy birthday,” Kyle said, pulling me in for a hug as I felt tears tug at my eyes.
“This is the most perfect sunrise I’ve ever experienced,” I replied — and meant it.
We sat on huge pillows and Turkish rugs as hot air balloons flew by. A member of the hotel staff came upstairs to bring us a tray of coffee and took our picture as the mammoth flying machines careened by the otherworldly stone structures.
This was my first sunrise and cup of coffee in my 30s: a perfect start to a new decade.
Aging is such a privilege. I believe this even more firmly after spending the past 3 years putting my autoimmune condition into remission and cherishing my good health after fighting (successfully) to get it back.
I enter my 30s after a decade of slaying dragons, going on formative side quests (such as becoming a certified yoga instructor and being a competitive ballroom dancer!), and after 4 years traveling the world with my (words fail me at describing how amazing he is) partner Kyle.
As I enjoyed my first coffee at 30 on the rooftop we had to ourselves, I watched the wind gently blow the hot air balloons around the valley of Goreme: a drifting constellation of flickering light and color as the sun began to peek over the mountains. What an honor to celebrate such a big milestone birthday in a place that feels ripped straight from a fairytale.
If you showed my 20-year-old self the picture of my life now, she’d be surprised but delighted. Surprised by all the twists and turns along the way, but delighted with how it has all unfolded so far.
Here’s to new decades, new beginnings, new adventures.
Here are more posts of mine you may find interesting:
✨ 2 Things I’ve Read and Loved This Week…
I’ve been running around playing Indiana Jones and exploring caves and underground cities this past week, so you’ll have to accept a rain check from me with my weekly reading digest :) Will be back with recs next week!
✍️ 1 Journal Prompt
What gifts have you been given with age? What has growing up given you?
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments:
💻 New Blog Posts on AmySuto.com
🎥 Video of the Week: 4 Things They DON’T Tell You About Life as a Digital Nomad
📸 Photo of the Week: Sunrise with My Love 💕
It’s hard to describe how deeply Kyle has impacted my life for the better, and how grateful I am to be spending this milestone with him. ❤️
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Sending creativity and good writing vibes your way,
-Amy
p.s. I create my newsletter voiceovers and my podcast episodes using the tool Wondercraft AI, a text-to-speech tool that speaks in YOUR voice. 🎙 Use my code SUTO50 or this link to get 50% off your Wondercraft AI subscription! (paid/affiliate link)