It was all happening on Friday 1st November!!! So much so I thought it a good idea to check how my weight was – given all this eating and drinking in Dalyan it was certainly proving hard work to keep my slim figure. It turned out my weight and measurements were the same as last week and I was just surprised I’d not put weight on.
It had rained in the night and so was a bit wet outside as I ate my gluten free cornflakes with milk for breakfast. Captain Caveman was still under the weather so he stayed home while I went to get my passport photos ready for my appointment to start my application for Turkish residency. It didn’t take too long and I was able to apply for my annual health insurance too. I would need to wait for the appointment to come through and I opted for doing it after our next visitors had left to go to Muğla rather than Fethiye. If given the agreement it meant that I would be able to come and go as many times as I like without having to stick to just the 90 days within 180 days, stipulated on my current visa. I also decided to do my residency application through a trusted agent rather than go it alone and risk me messing it up, afterall my flight back to Vietnam was already booked for mid January. On my way back from the fairly straightforward process I popped in to Lukka Bar to try a Halloumi salad and a bit of cherry and almond gluten free cake (of which I took a second piece home) – both were amazing. Later that afternoon the first of our wardrobes arrived and were placed in the ensuite bedroom. Yusuf and his carpenter’s were about to have their work cut out these next 3 days as we aimed to add fitted wardrobes in a sloping alcove as well as replace existing kitchen cupboards to house our new bigger and better fridge freezer, all before Captain Caveman’s parents came to stay for the first time.
Captain Caveman was on the mend and so for dinner we went to Ramazan Han’s last evening of the season. It was wonderful and we had to have the Garlic King prawns again, as well as the best steak and a bottle of wine. While we were there some street dogs came to say hello and sat patiently waiting for any left overs so I had to save them a tiny morcel each, which I took round the corner and made them sit nicely for a piece of steak each – one gave me a paw!

On Saturday 2nd November we were up early for a bit of dogging (me on foot, Captain Caveman on his bike).
Some of our Dalyan friends were there helping out too and it was a very hot day with plenty of lovely dogs needing a walk.
When we returned we went for an afternoon drink at Bistro Blue before getting ready for dinner at a place we’d not been to before. It was Kervansary’s last night and we had a lovely meal with a discount on a good bottle of wine too.

We got up early on Sunday 3rd because we were expecting the workmen who had been building our new wardrobes and cupboards, they knew they had to be finished by Monday and there had been a few hold ups. We had breakfast and lunch at home but in the evening we watched the sunset behind the mountains from Soul Kitchen with a wine and cheese. We also decided to go to Bistro Blue for their last night and to watch the USA Grand Prix. The food was amazing as always we had mushrooms and garlic prawns to share, followed by their amazing stuffed meatballs for me, liver for him, all washed down with a bottle of red wine. It probably won’t surprise anyone that it turned in to rather a late night and it all just got a bit too much on the dancefloor later on!

The last week of October started with breakfast at Sakli Bahçe (on Monday 28th) while feeling a little bit achy after the Caretta run (push) the previous day. It was a first visit for both of us and it didn’t disappoint; the views were good of the tombs, it was their last day of opening and it got very busy. Captain Caveman had most of the breakfast due to it being mostly gluten and eggs but what I could eat was lovely.

We stopped at Ali’s restaurant for a tea on the way back to watch the celebrations in the square for the bank holiday and went to the supermarket. In the afternoon we had a couple in Amy’s bar and then stayed in to eat our brisket – mine with veg, his in a sandwich.
It was a very relaxing day and I was looking forward to a few more of those!

We tried another new place for lunch on Tuesday 29th October, one that had been suggested before a couple of times but had never made it to getting a visit. I’d had my usual gluten free toast and butter for breakfast and then we had a few errands to run so stopped at Natural Paradise restaurant. It was a bank holiday in Turkey so the town was busier than usual (even the beach bus timetable had changed again) but we were sat in the Turkish quarter at a quiet section. We both had a chicken shish and it was really lovely, possibly having the best chips in Dalyan! In the afternoon we had ice-cream from Cherry Up which was very good and another first visit for both of us.
For dinner we dined at home on brisket with salad before popping out to Lukka Bar for the quiz. This week there was just me, Captain Caveman and a friend trying to win a quiz about Halloween – I had no chance! Instead Mehmet, the owner, let me find my own gin out of his cupboard and I had 4 with ginger ale. We didn’t win and we wished we had ordered the fish and chips as it looked really good.

Wednesday 30th October was the last night at Adilan’s restaurant so I chose there as a place to have dinner with friends for a fantastic evening and I got merry, so much so that we ended up in Lukka Bar after, meeting more people and doing shots! I knew I’d probably regret it the next morning too.

I was feeling slightly fragile on Thursday 31st October as Captain Caveman reminded me of doing tequila shots the night before in Lukka bar. In other people’s world it was Halloween but I’ve never been a follower and it seems to have taken off in the UK since I left. Instead it was a fairly normal day beginning with gluten free bread for breakfast and then a stint of volunteering with the Riverbums.
We had a successful day, the weather was great and we could see some areas where the historic dumping of rubbish was lessening. Back at the tea gardens I was parched and had to have a Pepsi to sort me out. After showers Captain Caveman and I went to Yener’s Place for a Gluten Free pizza (and homemade chips) which went down a treat with some left for later. In the evening Captain Caveman was suffering with a bad cold and took himself off to bed while I had a Bailey’s!

It was a remarkably different end to my weekend on Sunday 27th October and mainly because of John Brookes, a great fella from Teeside.
For breakfast I had rose jam on quark and a slice of gluten free toast with butter before heading to meet John at the Complete Holiday Services where Süleyman Çardak had provided a free wheelchair for John to ‘run’ the Caretta 5km race in. John had been entering on foot before he broke it in nearby Ortaca rendering him unable to walk and so had been fortunate to be the only competitor on wheels. He was also doing this to support the local animal shelter including collecting donations from as many people as possible.

We were early but I pushed John from Süleyman’s shop to sit nearer to where the start line was and it was very apt that two dogs came to him for some cuddles. Captain Caveman came to see us off, took a few photos and had agreed to come back after nipping to the shop and getting the dinner in the slow cooker. There was a lot of people taking part and there were 3 stages which we were starting at the very end of.

We set off, slowly but surely, with a guy called Sam next to us (and his wife), this guy had suffered a stroke only a month ago and was determined to finish the race. I also didn’t want to let John down and so was equally focused on completing the course. The 5km route was flat but there were differing road surfaces of block paving, tarmac and concrete. John was so nice and he even kept his supporters informed with live posts on Facebook, encouraging more donations, as we went along and it got warmer. In some ways it was easier than I thought as once the wheelchair got going it could go fairly well but I had definitely worn the wrong shoes to do anything more than walk and push. John was in a good position to do selfies and he certainly got some cracking photos of us at a crime scene, wondering if we would need the ambulance and wishing there was tequila to spur us on!

At the halfway mark I had trouble doing a turn and knocked over the marker while we both sung (we’re half way there, whoa) Living on a Prayer, badly. We had water and also oranges at half time – Sam even started telling some jokes. John also realised I might need to wear his gloves to help with the vibrations and we put things in perspective as we passed a poor guy doing the race on crutches.

By the time we were ready for the finish line it was definitely getting tiring and I looked out for Captain Caveman while John had a call from his daughter. I hung back to make sure we were all ready to cross the finish line, live on Facebook but John struggled to get the camera on selfie mode and Captain Caveman wasn’t there. We made it over the finish line in about 70 minutes, just behind Sam and his wife, so we were relieved and happy about that. Captain Caveman arrived 5 minutes later and was surprised to see we had already finished and had picked up some snacks and refreshments.

John had been given a much deserved medal and so we went off in to the square to take some photos. Sam brought me over a medal too and I was really chuffed, John was pleased too as we agreed it had been a great race! Next year we would run it together but for this year we were grateful to have been able to finish the race with both us and the chair in tact.

We had a cup of tea at Bistro Blue before John and I went back to drop off the wheelchair and him pick up his mobility scooter, which he gave me a lift back on – wow, they are whizzy little things. Süleyman was there to congratulate John (and me) and we were both grateful for the loan of the wheelchair!

Back at Bistro Blue I had lunch with Captain Caveman while he watched the rugby. I also managed a cider before my steak and blue cheese salad plus 2 glasses of red wine. Back home I had some snacks as I was still hungry and had a loll about after my shower.
We stayed in for dinner with brisket, carrots, potatoes, onions and mushrooms, done in the slow cooker.

Photo credit includes Captain Caveman, John Brookes, Ingrid Uzun, and the official Caretta Run photographers.

Saying goodbye to my parents was hard even though we’d had such an amazing 7 weeks in Dalyan but I hoped to see them again in 6 or 7 months.
The morning didn’t quite go to plan but we ended up all going to Yummy’s for breakfast as it was nearby. I had my usual bacon, beans and mushrooms with earl grey tea and soda water (I was hungover), the other three had a full English. We said our goodbyes outside Jiks and tried not to get too upset! In the afternoon I bought winter boots and a warm coat from a friend who had advertised on the Dalyan buy and sell Facebook pages. The exchange took place back at Yummy’s with a bit of chat with a couple of Dalyan dwellers.
That evening we realised it was the closing night at River Terrace and Captain Caveman had not been there yet this year for food so we went early. I had a lovely chicken shish with a yogurt dip and the rice was served without pasta in, which is gluten free. The potatoes were lovely too and Captain Caveman really enjoyed his lamb shank.

On Saturday 26th October I had gluten free toast with beans on and only water to drink. Now that the holiday with my parents was over it was time to get back to being a bit healthier. We volunteered at the dog shelter too and it was sad to see some of our old favourites were still there and in need of a home still. Oscar remembered me and insisted on a walk and a couple of dogs got adopted.
Back to trying new places to eat we opted for Bistro Clou which is close to our apartment and had a sunny outdoor table available. I had prawn salad, Captain Caveman had smoked trout and we shared a side of beetroot. It was delicious and while Captain Caveman had a couple of beers I had fresh pomegranate juice for a very healthy lunch!

In the afternoon Captain Caveman and I sat on the balcony at home and discussed his plans for next year – he already has his work schedule. This led to me trying to decide what my plans would be and I hoped to squeeze another (earlier) trip back to Dalyan on my way to the north of England for a friend’s wedding at the beginning of May.
That evening we stayed in with a precooked chicken from the butcher’s (for 15 lira) which we ate on the balcony with some salad, a few crisps and a bottle of red wine. The slow cooker was on with a huge brisket and veg in there, ready for the next day (or two)!

Just as we were settling down for a bit of Netflix and chill we couldn’t get the phone and cable to work because it needed ‘scanning in’. We went out for wine instead at Bistro Blue – well it was Saturday night and it wasn’t like I had a something important to do early the next morning!!!

Our week on Monday 21st October started with French onion soup for breakfast followed by me getting the kitchen table on a Facebook buy and sell site. Our table is good but too big for us and we never use the extendable option on it. I had interest straight away and we needed to stay in for the man coming to see the fridge. I’d also got a woman who wanted the fridge interested in our double bed and bedside drawers so I stripped the bed and we moved in to the twin room so that she could come to view and/or buy.
By 2pm a guy from Lotus camping in Dalyan had come to look at and pay for the fridge but only had a motorbike, no van. Captain Caveman leapt off the sofa and down to the motorbike where, in true Vietnamese style, he managed to put the fridge with bungee cord on to the back of the bike. The two of them managed to secure it well and I even got a photo and checked he made it to the campsite unscathed – luckily the purchaser had travelled in Asia and so had seen far more items on the back of a motorbike and it all worked out well.

We went to Jiks for a late lunch where I had a chicken kebab and it was very tasty, Captain Caveman had a pizza and it looked great. Here in Dalyan you can get Avon and so I collected my order and went back to meet the table lady. She paid a deposit and promised to return the next day to collect – she also had arrived by motorbike but it would be a tall order to fit a dining table, 4 chairs and a spare set of seat covers on it. The lady with the bed was unfortunately unable to come until another day and so we left the bed as it was, went to meet my parents for a pre-dinner drink at Soul Kitchen (another one of my favourites where they have a playlist for my parents). They treated us to a complimentary fruit plate with sparklers and a firework on the street. My parents said they would be booking a flight to go back home, to the UK, for this coming Friday and so I wanted to make sure we saw them as much as possible before then. We decided on another meal at Adilan, which was a first for Captain Caveman, and we had a really good meal with wine. I have to say the jacket potato that came with my steak was the best I have had in a long time!

Captain Caveman had decided to give my parents our TV table and so on Tuesday 22nd October we carried it round to their place. They swapped it for a wicker shelf unit which we took to the bin on the way to get a pedicure. Captain Caveman’s feet were a real state after his expedition in Indonesia and so we were both booked in at the same time at Mimi’s Beauty Salon. I had my usual lady who is very good and she even picked me out a nice purple colour for the varnish – Captain Caveman had Mimi, no varnish. After we had finished, I was hungry so we popped to Yummy’s for a breakfast where I had my usual bacon, beans and mushrooms.

The ‘table’ lady came in the afternoon to collect the table and we did have a laugh that the man who came to help her had to put it in his boot which already had stuff in it. The apartment was starting to look less cluttered and we went to the Beko Shop to choose a new fridge which would be delivered the next day.
In the evening we were joined by my parents and a friend for the first of the weekly free quizzes at Lukka bar. Unfortunately there were far more people turned up than booked in so we had to wait a long time for our food. It came while we were doing the quiz but we managed between the 5 of us to still eat and answer most of the questions – around us others were complaining quite a bit! We didn’t win the quiz but Captain Caveman knew quite a few answers and he does love a quiz.

On Wednesday 23rd October I had my usual gluten free toast for breakfast but with cheese instead of butter. We were still hoping to have someone come to view the bed and so we were still sleeping in the spare room, but couldn’t order the new bed until we knew if the lady wanted this one. Unfortunately the lady didn’t come and didn’t answer my message so I decided we would give it up and wait until our next visitors had been in November to replace all the beds with ones which have storage beneath.
For lunch we met my parents who wanted to see Yener before they left Dalyan this week and so I had gluten free pizza once again. While there the fridge delivery man called to confirm delivery and Yener was able to help translate for us. Back home the fridge was delivered promptly and we were going to get our kitchen changed slightly to make room for it.
As ma and pa would leave on Friday we had suggested they should choose where we would eat and drink on their last few days. That evening we met at Soul Kitchen and then they chose Ramazan’s where I tried the really tasty garlic prawns and shared them as a starter, followed by steaks all round and plenty of wine.
After dinner Captain Caveman decided we would have a nightcap in a bar where a friend was drinking, so I had a gin and ginger ale at Efes bar. The music was great the selection of gins was good but it was incredibly smokey despite not being that busy and so we only stayed for one drink.

It was my parents last day on Thursday 24th October and so we had already agreed where we would spend their last night.
Before that though, Captain Caveman and I were up early and had breakfast at home before donning our work clothes and wellies and heading down to the tea gardens to meet our fellow Riverbums. For those who aren’t familiar Riverbums meet every Thursday, throughout the year, and go along the river to clear it and the surrounding areas of litter which has been dumped or left where it shouldn’t have. Dalyan has a lot of bins located at the ends or corners of most roads and so it is very frustrating to see that people still do not put litter in a bin because they are too lazy. Between 10am and 1pm we collected 88 glass bottles, a broken plastic chair, a load of plastic (bottles and bags), food wrappers, cigarette packets and fishing hooks/line. Everyone worked hard then had a drink together after at the tea gardens where Captain Caveman and I bought a couple of the Riverbums t-shirts to wear next week (I was wearing my Jungle Boss t-shirt from Vietnam this week).

For lunch we popped to one of my favourite restaurants, which was a first this year for Captain Caveman, Kordon. Luckily it is open in the winter time and does gluten free options. I had chicken shish and Captain Caveman had the biggest pide I’ve seen in a while. I had a couple of glasses of white wine but then had to leave Captain Caveman with his beer while I went to meet a man about a dog. John was entered in to the forthcoming Caretta run and had unfortunately broken his foot while here, resulting in a cast and crutches. Instead of giving up he decided to ask on a Facebook group if anyone could push him round the 5km course as he was raising money for the dog charity. As it happened I had no plans so I volunteered and he accepted and I went to meet him to practice pushing him in a wheelchair – how hard could it be!?

My parents, Captain Caveman and I had an excellent last night at Bistro Blue (of course you guessed it) where we ate like kings and made full use of that dancefloor. Captain Caveman and I shared starters of garlic mushrooms and liver & onions then both had the stuffed cheese meatballs which were all so good. Of course we had a few wines and then had a good laugh with Selahı and Annie, the owners, to wish my parents well for the end of their 7 week holiday!
I finished the night on the cosmopolitans not caring if I got a hangover!

On Friday 18th October I was up and about super early as Captain Caveman was on his flight from Istanbul, due to land at 07:15 in nearby Dalaman.
He was home by 08:30am and we were at Soul Kitchen for breakfast by 09:30am, where I had potato skins and beans with Turkish tea and he just had coffee, because he got fed on the plane.
At lunch we met my parents and we ate at Bistro Blue, where I had steak and blue cheese salad and we all had wine. In the evening we went to a place Captain Caveman and I had enjoyed last year, called Saki, where you choose all your food from a refrigerated glass cabinet and it all gets cooked and served to your table. Dad lucked out again by choosing moussaka which he didn’t really like, mom and Captain Caveman had lamb and I went for (the safe) chicken shish. We also had loads of dishes to share for starter and I thought the food was really tasty. I did manage to stick to mint tea for my evening drink though while the others had a beer. We set the alarm for the next day as we had somewhere we needed to be.

Captain Caveman was about to experience his first full day in Dalyan this year and it was great to see him after 6 weeks apart. On Saturday 19th October I had gluten free toast with cheese spread before we set off to the local dog shelter to do some volunteering. On the way Captain Caveman collected one of his bicycles (stored in a friend’s garage) and cycled on to the shelter while I walked there. Is a little out of town but an easy walk which gives me the much needed exercise for the week.
When I got there it was both upsetting and good to see that many of the old dogs from last year weren’t there, most had been adopted. We walked a few dogs and said hello to all of the ones in the cages, including Jilly, who’s brother John had been adopted already. It was hot and sweaty, we forgot to take any water and the walk back for me was hardwork because I was starting to get blisters on my feet – I wasn’t used to wearing closed toe shoes!

For lunch I took Captain Caveman to Serendip for a vegetarian mezze plate and a cold beverage and he also thought it was great (luckily, as it’s one of my new favourites and it’s open in the winter).

In the evening the two of us were booked on to the last Volkan’s Adventures Wine Tasting Tour of the season. I’d been on it before with my parents (https://joloyolo.wordpress.com/2019/10/30/dalyan-my-third-weekend/) but this was the first time for Captain Caveman and we both enjoyed the buffet, BBQ and the wine. After the tour we even had another drink with the group at River Terrace before walking the short distance home.

Photo credit Volkan’s Adventures

Sunday 20th October involved advertising house stuff for sale, a 1 year old’s birthday party and Sunday dinner at home with family! I had 2 slices of gluten free toast with butter for breakfast followed by 2 pieces of Turkish delight (which I love). Captain Caveman bought the ingredients and a brisket for dinner and he prepared and popped it in the slow cooker while we went out to Lukka bar to celebrate a first birthday. We don’t tend to bother with kid’s parties but given that her parents are friends and have been really helpful lately we made an exception.
I advertised our small fridge for sale on a local Facebook site and got loads of interest. Ours is so small and I need a bigger freezer section, plus I found out the Beko Shop has discounts on a Tuesday so we could buy a new, bigger one.
In the evening we invited ma and pa over for dinner which Captain Caveman had excelled at (Brisket with onions, carrots and potatoes with lots of wine). It went down a treat and we ate every bit of the tender meat. For dessert I served extra sticky Turkish delight which was covered in rose petals and wasn’t as well received (especially by Dad)!
Captain Caveman fell asleep on the sofa but we arranged to meet up the next day as my parents were planning their flights back to the UK soon.

On Thursday 17th October I was booked in for my hair doing at 09:30am with the wonderful Emrah Killis. He had been expecting me the day before and wasn’t happy when I walked in but when I showed him our messages, to change the booking because of the Cappadocia trip, he let me sit down. Mehmet had to do the dying but Emrah finished me off with the cut and curls, which wasn’t bad for less than £20!

After being pampered, I had a little walk around town, took some photos in the sunshine and then met a friend for a couple of cheeky ciders and a chat at Okyanus.

In the evening I met my parents at Soul Kitchen and dad had been sick with a stomach bug so was off the wine. They said it was my turn to choose where to go so I picked Yummy’s as I’d not been there for dinner and they hadn’t been there this year. Mom had a nice pasta dish, I had a lovely chicken and spinach dish but Dad had the face on because he realised he doesn’t like burgers (which he had ordered) but I thought it looked good.
The next day would be day 1 of Captain Caveman’s Dalyan visit, where he would stay until 27th December.

On arriving back in Dalyan on 16th October (after 3 days in Cappadocia) it was cloudy and seemed colder than when I had left a few days ago. The cleaners were in at mine so no time to change or shower – I arrived at the restaurant early and I ordered a bottle of wine before my friend arrived. Serendip is a veggie place where they also do gluten free options and I thought the food was fantastic – definitely one of my new favourites.

In the afternoon I met mom for a trip to the bank and I showed her my new piece of pottery that had made it on 2 planes, a bus and a taxi, wrapped in a travel towel. I also picked up my new shoes from the man next door to Bistro Blue, they were 350 lira and fitted lovely.

In the evening I was so tired I don’t think I ate dinner but had a glass of wine at Lukka and a slice of gluten free toast out of the freezer.
The next day would be my last day in Dalyan without Captain Caveman, who was currently in Saigon, picking up some gifts.

Tuesday 15th October was full of activity for the 3 of us in Cappadocia. We slept in until 07:30am and then had breakfast about 08:00am before getting ready for a second day tour with Old Town Travel and Ozzy again, this time on the Green tour.
Our first stop was at the top of Göreme for a panoramic view and to see Pigeon Valley before going to see how onyx and marble differ at the Özler art centre in Uçhisar.

I found out that the ‘cheap’ ring I wear that I bought at Marble Mountain in Danang, Vietnam, isn’t made of marble and is in fact good quality Onyx. We were also shown some zultanite stones and jewellery which change colour depending on the light – I had magic fingers and found a perfect ring with every one I tried on, but only on my engagement ring finger! The Aussies suggested I get a lovely ring I liked but I didn’t think I could get engaged by myself!
The next stop was about 45 minutes drive away to the underground cave houses at Derinkuyu where I was about to test my fears on a grand scale as we had to walk for about an hour and to 35m below ground level, sometimes bending down through tunnels. I was doing well until we got stuck behind a group of 50 Chinese tourists while a keen group of Spanish tourists were catching us up.

After that we were taken for a lovely lunch in Belisirma and I had lentil soup, salad and meatballs with fresh pomegranate juice and Turkish tea – delicious food! Back on the bus we drove to an impressive part of the tour, Selime Church and cathedral, and despite it being steep to walk around I managed to do it with a broken shoe.

Next we stopped at Ihlara which was also fantastic with lots of rocks and a riverside walk down 400 steps, where Amanda managed to leave the group to go exploring in a cave. It didn’t help that my left sandal strap had managed to break and so walking was a bit of an issue but luckily Amanda had a spare hair tie which I wrapped around the sandal and my foot to keep it in place.

We had a meat board and a cheese board to share for dinner, in the town and I had a glass of red wine before returning back to Roc Cave Hotel to pack.
We finally went to bed with only 3 hours 10 minutes until our bus to the airport!

Our airport transfer bus was coming at 03:10am on Wednesday 16th October and I was so tired to be getting up after only 3 hours sleep. I hoped to get some sleep on the way to the airport but the driver crammed people and cases on to the extent that the isle was full of luggage and meant that each corner had a knock on the legs. I was freezing due to only having flipflops left but at the airport everything went well so we boarded on time. Unfortunately we had an hour delay while sat in our seats on the plane.

At Istanbul the Aussies and I said our goodbyes with promises to see each other again at Christmas. My connecting plane to Dalaman went well as I used the transfer gate to go straight through. I had a short wait at the airport for my ride but was home for 12:45pm where I dropped my bag off and went for lunch with a friend. Surprisingly the pot I made at Kapadokya Seramik was still in tact.

At 5am on Monday 14th October Amanda and I got up to see the balloon flights from the top of Sunset Hill. Greg went on the balloon ride while Amanda and I watched and I have to say, I have not felt as cold in well over a year. I had a raincoat, t-shirt and vest on, leggings and sandals (of course) and it was about 14 degrees. How the girls who were modelling or doing their photos in posh frocks weren’t freezing I don’t know! We were cold just looking at them!

Watching the many balloons take off was a bit scary and I was glad I’d not gone on. I’d experienced one before on safari in Kenya about 7 or 8 years ago but we had no other balloons anywhere near us – in Cappadocia it was fairly crowded.

Back at the hotel we ate breakfast and Greg returned to join us before today’s next adventure.
We had booked a day tour with Old Town travel and our guide, Ozzy, picked us up at 9:30am for the red tour. We did lots of touristy stuff which included a visit to Avanos where we found out first hand about how difficult it is to become a master potter. I volunteered to have a go at the potters heel for the first time and made a nice pot to take home (should be fun getting that back in hand luggage).

We saw lots of phallic rocks at Love Valley where we had lots of fun trying to take rude photos. We wandered round the open air museum, enjoyed the views and caves at Çavuşin, saw where monks used to live in Paşabağı, had lunch in a big lunch hall and got to hear a lot about history. It was an amazing day and would highly recommend doing an organised tour to get the information and put things in perspective.

The tour finished before 5pm so we ate dinner in town where I had chicken salad and then back at Roc Cave hotel I finished off the half bottle of wine I had left, before shower and bed. I was tired and the last two days of walking were taking their toll on my legs but we still had another jam-packed day booked in for Tuesday.

Our flight to Kayseri in Cappadocia was via Istanbul where I had the flight booked straight through but my Aussie friends had to recheck in. I had the obligatory wine at the airport bar then we had our short flight and a bus to our cave hotel. The place the Aussies’ had booked was about an hour away by minibus (pre-booked) in Göreme and was called Roc Cave Hotel, which was so lovely. All three of us shared a room to keep costs down and so that we could stay in a nice place for all four nights of the trip. It was dark when we arrived and so we had no idea what the views would look like until the next morning.

While Captain Caveman was back in Saigon with his Oxalis colleagues I was being woken up by a strange sound in Cappadocia. It was 7am on Sunday 13th October and the roar of flames beneath hot air balloons was loud. We stepped outside of our cave room to take a look and the views were spectacular. We had breakfast and decided we would have a day of exploring by ourselves and so we were given a direction to walk and a map by the hotel receptionist and balloon pilot. Greg also asked if he could book to do the balloon trip but Amanda and I didn’t want to.

We had an amazing first day of clambering about in abandoned cave houses and churches in the red hot sun and it was very impressive. By the time the sun set we had booked a balloon ride for Greg, found some cool places, took over 200 photos and I’d tried bubble tea for the first time.
That evening we celebrated with wine for me and gin and tonic for them. A great first day in Cappadocia despite being covered in dust and spikey plants. I also forgot to take sensible footwear and had been forced to wear my nice sandals which were getting ruined.

Finally my parents’ surprise anniversary trip was here and we were picked up at 9am from Dalyan to go to Göcek. (It was also no longer a surprise). I’d booked for us to have a private boat trip on Günay 1 months ago and there was just the 5 of us now which meant the boat was only half occupied! It was an anniversary, birthday and Christmas present all rolled in to one and our Aussie friends were so excited to be going again. We had all been on Günay 1 before but had never done the extended trip and, given that the owners were going to be stopping tours at the end of this season, we were very lucky to be going.
We had tea/coffe served as we set sail and one of the staff showed great skills when he rode a wave with a tray of teas in his hands – we were impressed already. There were many swimming spots during the day as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner on board – the Aussies even spotted a do-up property in a little bay that they swam ashore to investigate! The meals were massive and of outstanding quality including some of the best homemade produce I’ve ever had. Ramazan really looked after us and we all had soft drinks, saving ourselves for the evening, knowing we were sleeping on the boat.

By 5pm we had a gin and tonic and then waited in a secluded spot to watch the sunset. By dinner time we were so full but I managed to eat the BBQ fish (I don’t eat fish usually) which was actually really good. Just being on the boat was so relaxing – it was such a treat and we all loved it, the photos probably don’t do it justice either. I thought I might be claustrophobic in my cabin but it turned out to be cozy and very comfortable. By the time I retired for the evening I had drank a bottle of red wine and fell asleep quickly.
Waking up on a boat on Saturday 12th October was fantastic and I wasn’t expecting another breakfast, this meant we had a bit more time on the glorious Günay 1 until the next group of customers arrived. It was one of the best experiences I’d had in Dalyan and loved every minute – we were so lucky!
Back on land and in Dalyan we said bye to my parents – we had less than 2 hours before we left for the airport.

While my Aussie friends took themselves off to Rhodes for a couple of days on Wednesday 9th October, I spent time just chilling out in Dalyan – having a quiet couple of days before our next adventure. We got some great help from someone on a Facebook group who had recently been to Rhodes and we also did a bit of research. They got a taxi to Fethiye with Sonuç from Dalyan Airport Transfers, on Wednesday 9th October, then the ferry across so they could visit the old town and stay in a swish place for one night. I took myself for a walk across to the other side of town and went to Melek Anne for breakfast – the views were fantastic but the breakfast not quite as good as I had envisaged from recommendations. There were also a load of ‘gobby’ holidaymakers in the next hotel who were smoking and having Skype calls back home with their family so it spoiled it for me somewhat. In the evening I had arranged to go to Yener’s Place with my parents so I could have gluten free pizza and then meet friends for drinks in Lukka bar. In the afternoon I happened to be sat on the balcony at home when a passing friend spotted me and called in for a G&T. We had to collect my gluten free bread from Bakery No10 so wandered over and found it wasn’t quite ready – that’s where it started to get messy! We ended up drinking wine in the garden at Jiks, and I even started eating my freshly cooked bread straight out of the bag as I couldn’t wait and it smelled so good. I had to hurry to drop my bread off at home and meet ma and pa at Soul Kitchen for our usual pre-dinner drinks. The pizza at Yener’s Place was good but I didn’t eat much of it and took the rest home. I ended up a bit tipsy and when I woke up on Thursday 10th October I felt rough. For breakfast I had the rest of the gluten free pizza, earl grey tea and some gluten free carrot and walnut cake from Bakery No10. At lunch I met up with friends and neighbours at Lukka bar but only drank orange juice and soda water as I was still feeling a bit fragile. I had some Turkish delight as an afternoon snack and waited for the Aussies to return. They were at least an hour later than expected on the ferry and they had requested döner kebabs for food that night, which was harder to find than you’d think – ovens were broken, some places only had frozen meat. We tried 3 places and finally got some at Dalyan cafe, opposite Mustang Bar, where the portions were big and we really enjoyed our food. On the way home the Aussies bought takeaway rice pudding, from Aksoy Bakery, to have back home.
We packed our overnight stuff in to rucksacks for the next day as we were off on a trip we had been looking forward to for months!

On Tuesday 8th October the weather wasn’t good so we waited for the rain to stop before heading to Soul Kitchen for a Turkish breakfast and 2 portions of potato skins with cheese and beans between the 3 of us – it was massive!
Because the weather looked bad we decided the 3 of us would go to BC Spa for a hamam scrub down and a massage however they were fully booked until 5pm. We booked in and went back to plan A which was to visit the ancient rock tombs. Since last year when the Aussies and Captain Caveman had been unable to gain access to the tombs, Amanda had been obsessed with getting in this visit. I had asked in a Facebook group if anyone knew how and, although it wasn’t recommended/allowed, I had received some information. We came back and popped adequate footwear on and headed off to get a rowing boat over the river. After a short walk we saw the signs and we got to the first set of tombs. My aim was to simply show the more adventurous couple how to get there but not go in, however, a big thunderstorm came meaning it was better to shelter. Stupidly, I had not dressed for the occasion and had only shorts and t-shirt on but managed to get to most of the tombs the others did – 11 days it took for my tomb kisses (scars) to fade.

We did well and Amanda was excited when a wild donkey led us to a bigger tomb which we could access and walk around in. It felt amazing being up so high and seeing the views of Dalyan was great, despite my camera not doing them justice really.

On the way back we met a dog with a spikey plant in her paw and helped her by removing it, she then introduced us to her family to say thanks.
Luckily we didn’t get arrested or injured (more luck than judgement) but it wasn’t a walk in the park and we were glad of a sit down and a pomegranate juice at the lovely Meriç cafe while waiting for the boat to go back. Captain Caveman would have loved it, I’m sure, but he was still in Indonesia, exploring caves. By the time we got back to BC Spa we were wet, dirty, smelly and running late. Greg and I had the full scrub down wash on the marble slab before our massages and Amanda went for a sports massage.
The manager and therapists were great, friendly, very professional and we really enjoyed the relaxation before rushing back to get ready for dinner.

In the evening we met my parents and ate at Ramazan Han’s where I had a delicious aubergine starter which was a big enough portion for a few of us to share. The steaks are my favourite at Ramazan’s and so I had the one covered in onions (again) and it was excellent.

Some Photos by Greg & Amanda Le Couteur (with permission)

The Road to Paradise tour with Volkan’s Adventures on Monday 7th October was a great day out. My uncle was due to arrive on this day but because of the collapse of Thomas Cook he wasn’t able to come and so my parents joined me and my two Australian visitors on this day trip. On the way we got to see some tombs which were not as impressive as the ones in Dalyan but made it easy for anyone with walking difficulties to at least see them up close.

We visited Akyaka for an amazing breakfast overlooking the Azmak river – there was so much to eat, even for a non-glutener like me (the melted cheese was my favourite).

After eating we had a short journey to the town centre and to where we had a boat ride on the Azmak river which was absolutely stunning. It wasn’t my first visit here but it was still as beautiful and the boat trip is a nice addition to the day after such a big breakfast. As a treat there was also complimentary ice creams eaten while by the river.

Next we were driven to the village and beach of Azbuk where we had lots of time to swim in the sea and take photos. I was also surprised to find that there was a lunch included at the beach cafe. I didn’t have anything to eat, partly because I was still full and partly because I didn’t want any of the options which included eggs and bread. Everyone else ate and the portions were huge so I’m glad I saved myself for dinner.

In the evening we drove a short distance to another restaurant and had a meal next to the water with a glass of wine before heading back to Dalyan about 9pm. We had a great day out and our guide, Murat, had turned out to be great fun with a wicked sense of humour!!
Ma and Pa went for a drink in Jiks when we got back to Dalyan while we headed to Lukka bar for some pre-ordered rice pudding for my friends. Süt Laç proved to be popular with my guests but I was still too full and don’t like the taste of it. It was turning cold so my parents came to join us for a drink at Lukka before we all went home. The next day would be an interesting one, which my parents decided not to join in on as they didn’t want to get arrested or hurt themselves.