London – 4th & 5th July

There wasn’t much happening on Saturday 4th July so I caught up on some of my blogging and writing content for my business page. At one point Captain Caveman and I got to get the diaries out and he caught me up on what plans he had scheduled in for the rest of July. We were about to have some interesting times.
At lunch time we had a walk round Barnes Pond and I ate some red cabbage and beetroot salad from Marks and Spencer for lunch.
I showed Captain Caveman’s mom some of the photos and videos from last night’s Metallica gig and she thought it was good.
For dinner we were treated to one of my favourites, a home cooked roast pork dinner – with fabulous crunchy crackling. We also had a glass or 2 of rosé wine which was rather nice. It was great being back in the UK and it was fairly warm but not quite heatwave weather (yet)!

Gratitude List
1. A relaxing day in Barnes
2. Syncing diaries with Captain Caveman
3. A lovely family dinner.

Sunday 5th July was another amazing day with some new experiences. After my mini meltdown on a hot, busy tube on Friday, Captain Caveman had been thinking of how he could avoid a repeat performance and get back for part 2 of the Metallica gig without incident. His mom had offered sage advice when I’d told her that I was definitely finding I had got worse with the feeling of being trapped; ‘get used to it and get on with it’. Captain Caveman wasn’t sure I was able to do that and had come up with an elaborate master plan within his Sunday day out.
At 9am prompt, and without any breakfast, we set off on a short walk to the bus stop, then a bus to Putney where we waited for an Uber boat at Putney Pier. Captain Caveman had popped to the bakery and got us a couple of croissants which we ate at Putney Pier and I got the flakey bits in my hair. The ticket of £22.70 each to go all the way to Barking Riverside was steep but I’d never been on this journey before. It was an absolute genius move from Captain Caveman as it was an amazing 2.5 hours of sightseeing. I’ve not spent too much time in London and I had never been this far along the river Thames before. It was a very comfortable boat with toilets and a cafe on board, I even did a bit of work while we sailed along. We saw so many famous buildings and statues, we had to get off to change boats and I even spotted a blimp which had returned to the skies after 4 years and was one of only 20-25 still remaining. When we got off we walked across some wasteland and to a train station where we got the train to Blackhorse for another surprise treat from Captain Caveman.

A table was booked at Black Cactus for 1.30pm and we arrived 15 minutes early. It was a pop up BBQ restaurant in a brandy distillery called Burnt Faith and it smelled amazing as we walked in. I walked back from the toilets to where Captain Caveman had been seated at the end of the bar and he looked to be drinking a brandy! I climbed on to my high stool to find you get given one for free so I also had a brandy. Captain Caveman also had an Espresso Martini while we perused the menu. Captain Caveman took the liberty of ordering the BBQ tray which had on the following; beef, Turkey, pork sausage, focaccia, cabbage, patatas bravas, pickles, and dips. It was pretty big but we had seen the dining couple near us order something for a starter that we quite fancied. We decided we would have that at the end of we managed the shared tray. Captain Caveman had a couple of beers with his meal and I had a couple of glasses of red wine. The food was amazing and of course we managed to finish the whole tray. This meant we could order the PBJ burnt ends and they were so good – I’ve never tasted anything like them but they were my favourite from the menu. Captain Caveman picked up the bill for the meal and it wasn’t cheap but it had been excellent and I would definitely recommend it. The staff were great too and we had a shot with the manager before we left to get the bus as it was time to go to the London Stadium.

The doors for the second part of the Metallica gig opened at 3.30pm. We had arranged to meet some friends outside for a pint before going in to the gig. Vinnie was waiting for us with a pint in hand, on some fake grass. I’d last seen him when he was visiting his brother-in-law and partner in Dalyan, his wife and I had sipped prosecco together in the pool. Captain Caveman and Vinnie had met last year at an ACDC concert. Joining us were Captain Caveman’s cycling mate, Phil, and his friend from America. We had a drink together before walking to the venue. Phil and Captain Caveman know each other through their involvement with the Saigon Children’s Charity and the cycling events that they organise and participate in, in Vietnam. Phil also had VIP tickets and was going to another gig next weekend which Vinnie was attending. They were introduced and swapped numbers and we all got to the gig in time to watch Pantera. Everyone was going mad for this support band but, if I’m honest, they weren’t for me. Metallica were absolutely fantastic again, and of course the novelty of a plane flying over the crowd while the rock songs blared out, had not got tiring to me. The finale was amazing and the gig had been a real treat for me, gearing us up for more live music this summer!
A couple of pints cost me £17.70 and the transport back to Barnes cost me £11.45 so I’d done well today on the budget because Captain Caveman had treated me to such a memorable day out.

Gratitude List
1. The Uber boat from Putney to Barking with Captain Caveman
2. Lunch and drinks at Black Cactus
3. The Metallica gig part 2 with Captain Caveman and our friends.

London – 3rd July

One of the reasons for my travel to London was for Captain Caveman and I to attend the Metallica gig at London Stadium on Friday 3rd July. The communication between Captain Caveman and I about the plans for the weekend had been limited at best so I went in to the upstairs bedroom and used the desk there to crack on with my day. Ordinarily, if Captain Caveman has already done his hours for the week by 4pm on a Friday, he sometimes finishes then, but I had no idea that he had planned to finish at lunch time as the gig had doors opening at 3pm. Much to Captain Caveman’s frustration that I couldn’t read his mind about what time we both needed to finish work, we didn’t get to outside the venue until 5.30pm. It didn’t help when I had a mild meltdown on the overcrowded tube when it stopped in the underground and I had to get off. This meant we had to walk and Captain Caveman thought he’d solve the issue by getting us on an overground train – which was driverless. It freaked me out that I was in the front seat where the driver should’ve been – I was not a fan. I’m not good with big crowds and directions so our first job before the No Repeat Weekend of Metallica, was to suss out our meet up points at the venue. I took photos of them as we decided on the two outside the venue and more inside the venue.
We missed the first band, Knocked Loose, who I was unfamiliar with, but we did get to see Gojira for the first time. I thought they were great and it was good that we had standing tickets in the round. We grabbed drinks which were obviously pricey so there was no danger of us getting drunk. Since working in travel, I’m always on the look out for how accessible a venue is, I was very impressed with the London Stadium which had lots of wheelchair user spaces and it was very easy to get around.
When Metallica came on, the crowds got excited, we were about halfway back as I don’t like being too close that I get squished. There were also a lot of very tall men about – living in Vietnam and Turkey, you see far fewer tall people in general. The band played 16 songs without a break except for when Kirk and Rob did a couple of covers while James went for a quick freshen up. We had hoped to meet a friend there but it was so busy and he was probably in the mosh pit giving it what for! I got on Captain’s nerves by getting excited when a plane flew overhead as we watched Metallica – apparently they fly over very often, but it was a first time experience for me.
At the end of the gig, we were a bit peckish so decided to get a pizza from a van. I got talking to a man from Leeds and his mate who lives in Norway. We had a good laugh and the pizza was ok despite it being a bit on the expensive side. I spent a total of £51.33 on food, drinks and transport but Captain Caveman bought the tickets and bought a couple of rounds of drinks too. I was pleasantly surprised that the tap water was free but, disappointingly, the cups at the bar were all single use plastic. Back home after a bit of a walk from the stadium, it was quite late and we went straight to bed.

Gratitude List
1. First time watching Gojira
2. Metallica, who were fantastic
3. Being able to watch good live music again.

Dalyan to London – 2nd July

My flight on Thursday 2nd July was not until 6.30pm but I was ready for the off. The time had come to go back to the UK and spend a month with Captain Caveman. I spent the morning doing some work then put my out of office on, until it was time to say some farewells. My first one was to pop over to see Jamie and little Norman to say bye. Norman, the dog, was still doing his best to live a long and happy life but we never knew how much longer he would live – he’s 15 now. I gave him a cuddle and a peanut paw, he was happier with the treat than the affection, then had a glass of water on the patio with Jamie. I hadn’t booked my flight back yet as they were still a bit out of my budget during summer holidays. After a quick run down of where I was going to be and a bit of a chat with Jamie, I said my goodbyes and walked over to my parents’ place for the next farewell. This one was also accompanied with us going out for breakfast at Ela’s Kitchen, ironically, for bacon sandwiches. Ma and I ordered bacon and mushroom sandwiches, which were huge and came with chips and salad, Pa ordered menemen which had a few chips and some bread. We had water and coffee for Ma & Pa, Yorkshire tea for me. I was pushing the boat out as I had loads of Yorkshire teabags at home, which Richard and Michelle and very kindly brought me over on their recent visit.
It was hot in Dalyan now and we sat outside in the shade trying to tackle the huge portions. I ended up taking half of mine away for the airport and Dad ended up finishing Mom’s sandwich.
Here’s what we had and what we paid in lira for our breakfast;

Ela’s Kitchen

1 large water 140
1 Cherry juice 150
1 Yorkshire tea 160
1 Cappuccino 190
1 Caramel latte 210
1 Menemen 410
2 Bacon & mushroom sandwiches 1,000
Total spent 2,260 lira (£35.87)

I paid on card and tried to treat my parents but Mom insisted on thrusting some cash at me for their share. I said bye and left my parents to pick up a mirror from the shop and I walked up to the Dalyan Turkish Delight shop to get a few gifts. It was hot and I spent 2,093.20 lira (£33.23) on boxes of rose and pistachio Turkish Delight. It seemed a little extravagant but I wanted to get the freshest and best I could – it’s my favourite place to buy it but isn’t usually open in the winter. The man in the shop gave me a free chocolate helva and said that was for me! I also managed to sample a few, even after my breakfast.
I walked back home along the river, bumping in to friends so I got to say bye to them too. I had time for a shower and a bit of a sit down before Sonuç came to pick me up. Captain Caveman had booked me an underseat bag and cabin luggage with an aisle seat so I was happy with that.

At Dalaman airport I investigated the new CIP lounge; it’s upstairs and costs £29 if booked in advance on Wise/Revolute. If paying as a walk in customer it’s €60 and, when I asked, it was unlimited drinks and snacks for up to 3 hours. I didn’t stay as I was just doing research and I wasn’t about to waste the money when I could get 3 cocktail tins from the fridge in duty free for less. I bought 2 Margaritas and 1 Pina Colada for €11.50 (£9.83) and had my leftover bacon sandwich with a cocktail tinny for lunch, while waiting at a random gate. I took a selfie but then blocked out the brand on my can because the advertising of alcohol in Turkey is banned. It has been for a while but as from 1st July there seemed to be a surge in fining anyone who posted it on social media.
The flight was fine and full, and I arrived in to Gatwick just a little later than planned. I got the train to Barnes, changing at Clapham Junction and arrived a little earlier than Captain Caveman. He was on his way to his parents’ at the same time but I got there about 10 minutes earlier. I had an issue with my Turkish bank card only letting me tap on at Gatwick but not tap off at Barnes so it was probably going to overcharge me. My journey door to door was 7 hours and I still had some of my frozen water left. At Captain Caveman’s parents’ home, I got a warm welcome and a nice cup of tea before bed.

Gratitude List

1. Farewell breakfast at Ela’s Kitchen with Ma & Pa
2. A smooth journey from Dalyan to Barnes in 7 hours
3. A nice welcome back to Barnes from Captain Caveman and his parents.

Dalyan – 1st July

Wednesday 1st July was my last day in Dalyan for a while, as I had some fantastic summer plans – mostly spending time with Captain Caveman in the UK and to celebrate his birthday month with a couple of trips away. But first, I was making the most of my last Dalyan day, doing what I enjoyed the most – a boat trip. I was up and about 3 hours prior to the boat trip to fanny about with banking with it being a new month. I decided that a limit of £30 per day as a budget for July would be the most I could afford and I was extremely hopeful to set it at that – not completely believing I could do it.

It was weigh day but I didn’t get weighed or do my measurements, and I was missing Fat Club today.

Our boat trip was quite a full one with it being a private trip organised by friends and we had quite a few of the usual faces. It was a choppy ride out to sea and we went out quite far, way beyond Ekincik. I’d taken extra strong seasickness tablets so I was fine until someone mentioned fried eggs (I don’t like eggs) and I had to really concentrate on not being sick.

We had our first swim stop in a turquoise bay which proved a little tricky to get back on to the boat due to the swell. Luckily, Shaun was able to help Nanny Kay and I get on safely, as I didn’t have my glasses on. It isn’t usually that bad but there were lots of big tourist boats causing bigger waves. We had a lovely couple more swim stops, we even had a photo on a rock. Cath, who is a non-swimmer even enjoyed it and we had a couple of minor scrapes from messing about on the rocks. Both Keith and I had to have a plaster on! Captain Fuat always does plenty of choice on the food, and we ate fantastic BBQ food and, as it was my last boat trip in Dalyan for a bit, we had a few wines. I was so busy enjoying being on the boat and chatting to friends that I didn’t take many photos, luckily the keen photographers onboard did. Paul got some excellent photos of the group who swam on to the rocks plus a laughing donkey who posed for him. We had a really lovely trip and I was almost sad to leave, I spent £40 on the boat trip and I forget my bar bill – definitely less than £20 on wine. I got home, did the laundry, packed my bag and did a bit of a tidy round, before getting in bed. Tomorrow, my taxi to the airport wasn’t coming until 3.30pm but I still had a few plans in the morning.

Gratitude List

1. Getting the opportunity to go back to the UK again

2. A fantastic boat trip

3. Being ready to enjoy July with Captain Caveman.

Photo Credit – photos by friends on the boat, including Paul C.

Dalyan – 29th & 30th June

It was a rather busy day on Monday 29th June and I had to take some time away from my office desk to do some important things. My first job of the day was to meet a friend for a little walk before it got too hot. We walked along the river and then went to Kaunos tea gardens for brunch. We each had a bottle of water, a large Turkish tea and a cheese and onion toastie, with chips and olives for a total of 390 lira (£6.30).

I’d not checked my budget for this month as I expected I was way over and decided to do it all in a couple of days at month end. I had definitely underestimated how much money I would need for July, August and September being out of Turkey.
After a couple of customer calls, some admin and a chat with a friend it was time to venture on a hot and sweaty bus to Ortaca. I wanted to get my hair done before my next UK and Europe trip and today was the only day Emrah could fit me in at short notice.
I arrived early, and glad of the air con as Emrah and the girls worked their magic. I had to get the bus back and was meeting a friend for a farewell drink at 4pm so I asked for an updo. I paid 2,000 lira (£32.26) for the colour, cut and blow dry which I thought was very reasonable and is always so professional. I got the bus back and it was pretty packed and hot.

When I got back to Dalyan I made my way over to Ren Garden where I had arranged to meet my friend. Her and her husband were moving back to the UK and I wanted to wish them well and have a catch up before we both set off. We sat in the back room for a bit of privacy and decided to have a wine (or 2) to mark the occasion.
As is the Dalyan way, we did get interrupted when some of the Dalyan Dwellers, who’d been on the yellow boat, came back from their Monday Köyceğiz market trip. Two of them came in first, a bit tiddly, asking if I had seen my parents. I replied that I hadn’t and they were the ones who had gone on a boat trip with them. Apparently, they were all meeting back at Ren Garden after getting off the boat. My parents arrived a few minutes later, also merry, and asked if I’d seen their friends who were now sat in the front bar. This went on a while as more people turned up all looking for each other within a small vicinity. My friend’s husband had joined us and all privacy had gone out of the window so we said our goodbyes and I went to join my parents and the group of boat trippers. I had another couple of wines with them and we chatted to a nice bloke, Ricky, who was staying at Grandma’s Garden, the hotel at Ren Garden.
I paid a total of 1,030 lira (£16.61) for 6 wines, 2 soda waters, and 1 water, a very reasonable amount!
My next stop was to join my parents for dinner where we had pizza at Heybe and it was very tasty.

Gratitude List
1. Having my hair done
2. A farewell drink with a friend
3. An impromptu catch up with my parents.

Tuesday 30th June was the end of the month and I was astonished at how quickly the first half of this year had gone.
It had been both a tough year so far, in many ways, but it had also been pretty good in lots of other ways. In June alone I’d split my time across quite a few different countries.
Out of the 30 days this month, this is where I actually spent my time:

Dalyan 7 days
Sheffield 7 days
Cruising (Budapest, Bratislava, Tulln and Vienna) 5 days
Spain 4 days
Sevenoaks 3 days
Mallorca 2 days
Vienna 1.5 days
Istanbul (airport) 0.5 days

So I was on holiday for at least half of the month, despite still working most of the time. It was also time to face the music with the monthly finances too, which had certainly taken a hit! I had given myself a budget of £25 per day, so a total of £750 for June. My total spend ended up being £802 so I was £52 over! Captain Caveman had needed to help me out to ensure I got my required amount in to the Turkish bank too and I was about to start July in a deficit of £115 after paying off my credit card. I do that every month and it only has a very low limit.
For July I hadn’t set a budget as I knew I was likely to spend more than I had this month and would be relying on Captain Caveman a lot too. All I did today was work as it was the last day of the month and I wanted to maximise any earnings.
There was so much fun coming up from July onwards, all of which I was going to continue to do with a frugal mindset and while doing more holiday research for my potential customers.

Gratitude List
1. Being very lucky to be able to work from almost anywhere in the world
2. Having a busy day and tying up lots of loose ends
3. Looking forward to a great summer.

Dalyan – 27th & 28th June

I was busy catching up with chores and writing content on Saturday 27th June. I was meant to go to the market to get fruit but I didn’t end up going as I got busy with dealing with some customer related stuff. The last weekend of every month tends to be the busiest for people getting ready to go away, as well as booking, due to it being pay day for a lot of people.
I did manage to force myself out of the house around lunch time, just for a walk so that I actually got some exercise.
Other than that I slowly tackled my never ending to do list and tried to spend as little money as possible before the end of the month, and before my trip back to the UK, where I had loads planned with Captain Caveman.

Gratitude List
1. Being busy
2. Managing to spend nothing and have no alcohol in the hope of losing weight
3. Having a short walk around town.

I’d been invited to visit friends, Janet & Ian, on Sunday 28th June and decided I would walk over, despite the heat. I put on plenty of factor 50 suncream, a dress with short sleeves and my sun hat from Vietnam. The walk was only 20 minutes but it was definitely hot in Dalyan now. Having survived the heat of Vienna, Dalyan felt a little more breezy.
At Janet & Ian’s we had a lovely time, chatting and lounging round the pool and even a lovely swim. Of course I was ‘persuaded’ in to having a drink at the poolside bar so that Janet wasn’t drinking blood orange gin alone – I’m good like that!
Janet and Ian have their property on the market and if I won the lottery, I’d buy it! It’s a gorgeous villa on the edge of town with a deep pool and a massive garden. They are in their 70s now so are looking to downsize.
I could’ve stopped longer but it was Sunday and I had 2 more engagements planned. Ian gave me a lift in to town and I went to see Richard and Michelle off at Waterfall bar.
We said bye and I was invited to see them in the UK during my summer visit, which was nice of them. We were also going to be arranging a trip to Vietnam in 2027 which would be amazing.
Back home, I snaffled down the rest of the leftover curry and then went round to my parents for a drink. I’d last seen them 4 weeks ago when we went to Duble for a meal. While I’d been in the UK and Europe having a lovely time, they had also been having a great time in Dalyan. I had less than 5 days left before I went back to the UK and they had another week after I left. They were going to be joined by my niece and her boyfriend so were looking forward to some time with them.
We had some wine and nibbles and arranged to meet for breakfast on my last day, so I could say bye.

Gratitude List
1. Spending time with lovely friends, Janet & Ian
2. Having a last drink with more lovely friends, Richard & Michelle
3. A great evening to round off my Sunday with my parents.

Dalyan – 26th June

I met a friend for a walk and talk at 7.30am on Friday 26th June. We talked about how my trip to England and Europe had gone. She’d also been busy so it was a good catch up and we had to wait at Kaunos tea gardens for it to open. We just had 1 large tea and 2 waters for 65 lira (£1.05) then both went back home to get on with our days.
Upon my return, I snipped as much of the unruly bushes that I could then messaged the gardening company to ask them to do the rest – it had obviously not been touched for 3 weeks at our side of the complex, but Block A looked very tidy.
I finished work at 4pm, despite having a lot to do still, as I needed to get prepared for my guests. I’d invited Richard and Michelle over for a curry at mine but I needed to get some ingredients in as I’d not done a proper shop yet. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Star Gurme
1 tin baked beans & 1 jar curry sauce
Total spent 300 lira (£4.84)

Yaman Büfe 2
1 bottle of Angora red wine 525
3 Dido chocolate bars 105
Total spent 630 lira (£10.16)

BIM supermarket
Naan Bread 82.95
770g Chicken 199.43
Total spent 282.38 lira (£4.55)

I didn’t need the beans or curry sauce but had walked all the way to buy curry paste and they didn’t have the one I wanted. I couldn’t remember if I had an alternative at home so I bought the jar in case I needed it to make a quick version of my chicken curry. The naan bread is just a pide type of bread but does the trick.

I threw everything in to the slow cooker and had a paste at home I could use, plus it didn’t need to be ready until 9pm so I had time; 4 hours on high.
I met my friends in Retro bar for a pre dinner drink (or 2) and they brought me some gifts which was really lovely and much appreciated. I paid the bar bill this time at 950 lira (£15.32) and then we went over to mine for curry. We had another drink while I popped the rice in the rice cooker and we had a good old chat, mainly about holidays and future plans. The curry went down well and the Dido chocolate bars worked as a dessert. It wasn’t a late one as I had work in the morning and my guests were off on a boat trip.

Gratitude List
1. Walk by the river with a friend
2. Retro bar for drinks with friends
3. Hosting a curry night at mine.

Dalyan – 24th & 25th June

I needed a rest on Wednesday 24th June and I was also not used to having to prepare and cook my own food! As it was weigh day and I was back at Fat Club this afternoon, I took my measurements to find strange results; I had put a whopping 3cm on my bust, lost 2cm off my waist and put 1cm on my hips!! It was going to be interesting to see how much weight I’d put on, using Carol’s scales, after my 3 weeks away. The home scales reckoned I’d put on 1.9kg (3.8lb), which was bad enough!
At 9am there was a planned power cut which meant I only had enough battery to work until 1pm, but the outage was for most of the day.
At 3pm, I was back to face the music. The weight gain was much more than I imagined, or felt, at 3.3kg (7.3lb) – more than half a stone in 1 month! I felt bad but I’d really enjoyed my various trips, maybe I would have to knuckle down and lose a bit, though! It was good to see the other ladies again after being away and there was so much to catch up on, as people had been away or were about to go back to the UK soon.
I called at the shop on the way back to buy light wholemeal bread and marshmallows for 168.45 lira (£2.72) and then got ready to go out.
Friends, Richard & Michelle, were in Dalyan so they had invited me to join them for drinks at the Waterfall bar and then for a meal. After a beer in the Waterfall, we decided to try out Doris Garden, which had a new owner/staff and had been getting good reviews recently. We chatted over wine, mainly about our shared interests in holidays. The food was very good, the service attentive but not too intrusive and we really enjoyed our meal, sat outdoors in the lovely garden area. We even bumped in to a couple of Dutch friends who were on a repeat visit. The beef çökertme was very tasty and went well with the Angora red wine.
Michelle is not a big drinker and didn’t join us with the red wine, instead she prefers the odd cocktail so we went over to Efe bar for a nightcap. We ended up having another bottle of red wine as it was on special offer for Wine Wednesday at only 750 lira (£12) compared to 1,100 lira (£18) in the restaurant. Michelle had a cocktail and they did look very impressive too.
We arranged to meet up again at the weekend and, as we said farewell, I had a feeling I might have a hangover tomorrow, after quite a lot of red wine.

Gratitude List
1. Surviving an all day power cut
2. Being back at Fat Club
3. A great meal and night out with friends.

On Thursday 25th June I had a bit of a woolly head but had to get on with a load of shit! My To Do List was huge. I also had multiple holiday enquiries to look at, which I was appreciative of. I barely had time to eat and had a Resort Experts team meeting at 1pm, where I’d been asked to do an update on my recent luxury river cruise.
I kept it short and to the point as I was aware that there were others within our team who already knew about cruises, then I sent out the information on email for anyone who might be interested in it.
I didn’t leave the house all day and I had to make myself stop working at 7pm to eat a chickpea curry. I briefly spoke to Captain Caveman in Sheffield to let him know I was back in Dalyan – he was looking forward to seeing me in London in 7 day’s time. The only photo I took today was of my dinner. It was an early night for me as I had so much to do tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. Getting more holiday enquiries as a result of being away
2. Being asked to do a presentation on my cruise in the team meeting
3. Chickpea curry.

Vienna to Dalyan – 22nd & 23rd June

My plan to get back to Dalyan on Monday 22nd June was probably more complicated and longer than it needed to be, however it meant I had almost 12 more hours in Vienna. I’d initially thought of taking a train to Bratislava for 6am, then flying at 9am directly to Dalaman. This was the cheaper option with a Ryanair size under seat bag, which I didn’t have, and an extremely early start. Instead, I paid £88 (£24 more than the Ryanair direct flight) to fly 6 hours later in the day, with an 8kg allowance of hand luggage, via Istanbul.

This meant that I could have a leisurely breakfast at Sissy’s, who had gone to work but had left me some fresh bread from the bakery and I had it with some jam from the fridge. The schnitzel and accompanying leftovers were made into a snack for my journey as I wouldn’t get home until very late.

I worked in the morning at my laptop and then got the Metro, before my 24 hour ticket ran out, to meet Sissy. We decided to go for a quick lunch at Vapiano, a pizza and pasta restaurant where you choose what you want and they make it fresh at the counter in front of you. I also found the names of their drinks quite funny and had to order a Schartner Bombe. Sissy had a traditional herbal drink called a Almdudler, which had a familiar taste but I couldn’t place it until later – ginger and elderflower. Both drinks were great and my spaghetti was amazing.

It was sad to say bye to another wonderful host and friend, we’d had an incredible time of just under 30 hours together and I appreciated every minute and I hoped we would meet again soon for more adventures, perhaps in Turkey or Vietnam.

Sissy walked me to the train station to get the airport train, it was a bargain €5.40 (£4.63). We walked together to the platform and said bye several more times, by the time I was on the train I was emotional. The girl opposite me on the train got chatting and was an Austrian, who was on her way to Greece for a holiday but had grown up in Turkey.

At Vienna airport it was super efficient and clean, I ate my chicken schnitzel and snacks then boarded the plane to Sabiha Gökçen at 5.30pm, taking off at 6.05pm. The Ajet flight was busy but comfortable and I got an aisle seat near the back. I landed in Istanbul at 9.20pm and I had a drink and a snack for 495 lira (£7.68) in the airport while I waited for my next flight to Dalaman which was leaving at just after midnight.

Gratitude List

1. Getting a later flight back from Vienna
2. More time with Sissy
3. Austrian food and drink.

The second Ajet flight took off on Tuesday 23rd June at 00.05 from Sabiha Gökçen and landed in Dalaman at 01.25am. I had a wine on the plane for 150 lira (£2.38) and had fallen asleep by the time we landed. As I had no luggage to pick up and I was quite fast at getting out, I was in the taxi with Sonuç, who I had booked ahead, in no time.
Back home in Dalyan, I had to duck under overgrown bushes to get to the steps and then up to the apartment. There was no internet so I went straight to bed and slept very well. When I woke up, I needed to put the internet on and get some food so I went out. Here’s what I bought, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
1 plastic bag 1.00
Yoghurt 54.95
Pain au chocolat 54.95
Olives 61.50
Total spent 172.40 lira (£2.74)

Captainnet internet
1 month 750 lira (£11.90)

I also decided to visit one of my favourite cafes in Dalyan, Mornings in Mavi, where I ordered the Nectarino sandwich, water and a cookie for a total of 770 lira (£12.22). It’s not the cheapest cafe in town, but it’s definitely delicious and I really enjoy the food there. I even took half of my sandwich home to have later. I spent the rest of the day catching up on laundry, emails, blogs and unpacking Pauline, of course. I had just 7 days in Dalyan before I headed back to the UK for another holiday.

Gratitude List
1. An uneventful journey back to Dalyan
2. A delicious brunch from Mornings in Mavi
3. Being back home for a week.

Vienna – 21st June

On Sunday 21st June I woke up early to a lovely sunrise in Vienna. I had arranged to disembark the Riverside Mozart ship early and spend 1 day and night in Vienna with a friend. It wasn’t the first time this month that people had thought I was being a bit silly by only visiting a place for such a short time. I was getting off early to walk to the nearest metro and go to meet my friend, only to spend a day sightseeing in a city that had a lot of things closed on a Sunday. If I’d learned anything from my 36 hours in Mallorca last week, it was that even the shortest of visits can still be the most enjoyable. I was about to meet Sissy for less than 30 hours and I had no idea at this stage, just how good that would be!
I had my breakfast served to me in the dining room of Riverside Mozart, by a Bulgarian waiter. We chatted about my forthcoming trip to Sofia and Plovdiv and he said we would love it. The breakfast pancakes were excellent and the pot of tea was just how I liked it. I was there by myself for about an hour so I quizzed the staff, who we had got quite friendly with, what time my fellow Fam trippers had gone to bed. They were very coy and didn’t want to spill the beans but I gathered it was definitely a late one for some of them. Of course it had taken me no time at all to pack Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, and neck pillow. Surprisingly I also had spare knickers, a clean bra and an outfit I still hadn’t worn!
My flight back to Dalaman was meant to have been from Bratislava at 9am on Monday but, as it was with Ryanair and I’d have had to pay extra for Pauline, I decided to fly with Ajet and take a later flight from Vienna.
I asked the Riverside Mozart reception staff for the directions from the ship to the nearest Metro station. My instructions to get to meet Sissy seemed straight forward;

Take the Purple Line on the U6 at Stadion and get to Reichsbrücke. From there, get the red line at Vorgartenstrasse, in the direction of Alaunstrasse/Oberlaa, getting off at Schwedenplatz to change on to the Green Line, U4, to go to Rossauer Lände.

“What could possibly go wrong?”, I asked myself and fellow travel buddies, as I said farewell and departed the ship at just after 9am!

After quite a hot and confusing walk from the edge of the Danube to the Metro station, I had managed to purchase a one way ticket to where I thought I was going to meet Sissy. It cost just €3.20 (£2.74) and I thought I was heading on to the correct platform. The streets of Vienna had been empty apart from one woman who I asked if she could help me check I was going the right way. She helped me but said my written down directions were confusing so she wasn’t sure, she also got a little offended when I asked her if she spoke English. Apparently most Austrians do! By 10.15am I had to contact Sissy to check as it did look like following the directions I had, would send me in the opposite direction to what I needed. Sissy confirmed I did need the Purple Line to Seestadt but to change at Schottenring on to the Green line U4, in the direction of Heiligenstadt. I was at Stadion convinced I should go in the direction of Karlsplatz as that empty metro came in. I took a chance and I managed to find my way – I have no idea how, especially when I mixed up Rossauer Lände and Ländestrasse.

Finally, I met up with Sissy and we laughed at how rubbish I am at following directions but how pleased I was not to be travelling with lots of luggage. We walked a short distance to her delightful apartment, which was very cool inside. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case was popped down as she was not going to be dragged around town. After a quick recharge, some fabulous tap water, and a smothering of sun cream I was ready to see the sights. I’d met Sissy quite a few years ago in Phong Nha, Vietnam, when we did a motorbike tour to Hue via Khe Sanh. We’d met again a few years later and then things got in the way and we never made it to Vienna. Now I had jumped at the chance to extend my trip and squeeze in a visit with the lovely Sissy.
Back at the Metro I was able to buy a ticket that would allow all travel for the next 24 hours at a cost of €10.20 (£8.74). It felt strange having to pay for things again, after being on the free Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack Fam trip for 5 days! Once in the city, armed with fans and a UV umbrella, it was time for Sissy to put on her local tour guide hat. There is nothing better than seeing a city with someone who lives there, honestly it was unbelievable the amount of things we crammed in to just one day – thankful for my comfy shoes.
We walked through gardens as I marvelled at the sights of all the buildings; Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace some historic buildings and then we got to go inside of St Stephen’s Cathedral.

It was just after mass had finished so Sissy got us in for a free look around. The cathedral was very impressive and a lovely cool temperature after being in the hot sun outside. We took our time and had a good look before heading out to the sunny streets of Vienna again.

I instantly loved it, there were historic and modern buildings intermingled with each other, some old buildings now utilised by modern companies, there were churches next to shops, museums, libraries and musical references everywhere we walked. Sissy and I did so much walking and talking that we had to stop off for a spot of light refreshment for lunch. Treześniewski was a first experience for me and, if I’m honest, I would not have tried it without being with a local as I wasn’t sure what the food actually was. Sissy knows I’m a fussy eater so she helped me choose the toppings on our open rye bread sandwiches. I had lentil and beetroot on one and tomato on the other, I think Sissy chose fishy and egg based toppings. We both decided an Ottakringer beer was in order and we had our first cheers together. Sissy treated us to lunch so I’m not certain of the cost but it seemed very reasonable and the food was exceptionally good.

Feeling refreshed, we continued on with the sightseeing in what was definitely very hot sun now. The Column of Pest was very eye-catching, as was the Habsburg Palace – even the secret underground toilets were fancy.

We had a wander round the Demel Bakery where I was glad I’d already eaten as the sweet treats in there were like masterpieces. The famous Sachertorte was getting devoured by lots of customers too.

More walking was done as we took in the Green Rabbit, Prince Eugene’s equestrian statue and the opera house. I may have seen so many buildings that I forgot the names of some, I recall a library and more museums too – mainly as they had a bit of shade near them, which we were desperate to seek by this point. Just as I thought that Sissy and the city of Vienna had nothing more to surprise me with, I was proven wrong!

When Sissy suggested a sit down in a bar around 3pm, I was quite keen. We had definitely put some paces in and the sunshine was relentless. Before I knew what was happening, Sissy was greeting the door man of Hotel Sacher Vienna and sashaying her way through a beautifully decorated room to a bar. Blaue Bar was incredibly opulent, cool and stunning as we plonked ourselves down on plush velvet seats that were so comfortable. The staff were lovely and we decided to order one of the speciality drinks, a Hugo spritz, as well as some tap water. It came served to us like we were royalty and I had to check I’d definitely left the cruise ship, for a split second! Served with ice, mint, lemon and a large glass it was just so refreshing. We also got served sunflower seeds, corn snacks and juicy olives! The drinks were roughly around €13 (£11) each and were so worth it! I tried to pay but Sissy insisted and it was such an amazing place that anyone going to Vienna has to try it.
We stayed there a while to take it all in and relax and I absolutely loved the decadence of the place – what a treat.

We got the bus back towards Sissy’s home and stopped off at a wine bar which had live music playing, on the way. The prosecco was pleasant and very reasonably priced, with a couple of cheeky chaps serving it outside to save customers having to go inside to order.

Our dinner was at an absolute treasure of a place too, which had been owned by the same family since 1787. Heuriger Kierlinger was a little on the outskirts and it was very busy with locals, drinking a spritz and ordering from the buffet counter or menu. Again, without Sissy being my guide and translator I wouldn’t have got very far and probably wouldn’t have enjoyed trying the different foods as much as I did. We had salad, sauerkraut, gherkin, horseradish, a buttery dip which was very moreish, cow’s tongue and pork belly, plus a schnitzel and the traditional potatoes that go with it. Obviously we over ordered but, with just one night in Vienna, it was essential I try as much as possible. The food was superb and even the bread which looked so ordinary was amazing. I learned that horseradish isn’t just eaten in a sauce and was quite partial to it as a dry side taster! The white wine spritzers were great and so cheap compared to what I’d pay in the UK or Turkey.
We couldn’t finish all of the schnitzel so, of course, I asked to take a doggy bag. Sissy was in favour of this too and said it was definitely something Austrians don’t frown upon like my English mates sometimes do. She even stuffed the extra leftovers in the bag and a breadroll to make sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. It was a perfect evening, but we had to get going back to Sissy’s neighbourhood where we watched one of the World Cup football matches with a shandy each! It had been an amazing Sunday with Sissy in Vienna and I wished I was staying for longer. We made plans to not leave it so long to catch up again and I definitely needed to come back to Vienna as I had really fallen in love with the place. That evening I slept well on the sofa on account of how many steps we must have walked, trying to see the best of Vienna.

Gratitude List
1. Vienna and all I got to see and do in 1 day
2. Sissy, not just a great friend but a great local guide to spend the day with
3. Austrian food and drink.

Austria – 20th June

On Saturday 20th June, Day 4 of our Riverside Luxury Cruise, we arrived in Tulln, Austria. Something concerning had happened to me, though! I’d woken up very early feeling a little unwell and my tongue had swollen up. It was just like the time I had found out I was allergic to kiwi fruit. I took antihistamines and drank all the water I had, hoping it would subside, as I needed to be on an excursion at 9am.
My continental breakfast today was chosen to be eaten in my cabin while catching up on some Resort Experts emails, knowing that today was our last full day and night on this fantastic luxury cruise. I still hadn’t booked my flight back to Dalaman so I also needed to do that, as well as finalising arrangements with a friend in Austria who I planned on meeting up with tomorrow. I’d selected the continental breakfast option thinking it may be less filling than the cooked breakfast – it wasn’t and there was loads of it. The butler had sent it in just before 7am as they were busy today. I found it hard to eat as my face was puffy and the swollen tongue wasn’t helping. I decided to message Victoria to see if she wanted to take my place on today’s excursion but she wasn’t able to. I wasn’t too sick to go, I just didn’t want my potential allergic reaction to get any worse.
My first reaction of being on a 9am wine tasting excursion was that it might be a tad early in the day for me! However, I was wrong and the excursion was absolutely fantastic. We had a short coach ride to Schloss Gobelsburg, one of the oldest wineries which dated back to 1711. The owners met us with 2 overexcited dogs, who were soon taken back indoors.

We had a wonderful tour round the cellars and learned about the history as well as the specific wine making processes a while before we got to sample any of the products. By this time the antihistamines had taken more of an affect and my eyes had stopped watering.
The trip also had another surprise in store if we made it through the cold cellars (I took a hoodie), to the wine tasting room. I loved Schloss Gobelsburg, where we got to sample Grüner Veltliner and Riesling white wines. What made it all the more special was a surprise rendition of some popular songs from an impressive quintet. The memory of sipping one of the white wine classics, Messwein, while listening to a Boney M classic will stay with me for a very long time!

On the last evening of our Riverside Luxury Cruise on Riverside Mozart, we enjoyed even more Taittinger champagne and the sunset before dinner. We set sail through the beautiful Wachau Valley and I didn’t want the cruise to end. It had been a remarkable journey which Travelpack and Riverside Luxury Cruises had organised for us and I felt so lucky to have had the experience. I also knew I wanted to do more river cruises and I was certainly sold on this luxury one. All of us said we fancied a winter trip next, and I was already imagining Christmas markets, Christmas or New Year would be a great time to do a trip like this.

The dinner in Waterfront was excellent and I even managed a dessert after my beef main, this time. We had a last drink in the bar to round off the night but I didn’t want a late one as I had an extra day planned in Vienna tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. Recovering well enough to enjoy the wine tasting excursion
2. Sailing through the Wachau Valley
3. A wonderful last meal to round off the perfect cruise trip.

Photo Credit – some photos by other Fam Trip Attendees

Bratislava – 19th June

I was missing 2 important events in Dalyan on Friday 19th June; my friend’s 60th birthday boat trip and the arrival of Sausage Dick and his wife. Both knew I would no longer be there for them today and were very supportive and pleased that I would instead be enjoying Day 3 of a luxury river cruise Fam trip. We’d spoken and rescheduled our meet ups so I was free to get on with my jam-packed day along the Danube. I woke up to an unfamiliar sound and found myself in a first-time situation; we were in a lock! It was fascinating watching from my picture window, in a robe as I drank orange juice, tea and buttered my toast. Daniel, my butler, had already arranged for my rather large breakfast to be delivered to my cabin this morning. This was an absolute feast which set me up for the day! I loved being able to choose between getting dressed to eat breakfast in the ship’s dining room, or to lounge on the sofa in my cabin, wearing my robe. We had a free morning to relax and I had intended to visit the spa before lunch. Unfortunately, I had selected a detox shot on my breakfast menu, not knowing what it was. I necked it, only to find it was an excruciatingly strong vinegar of some sort. I felt like my teeth would melt and that my throat and my insides were being burned. I tried to rectify the matter by having all the suitable liquids I could gather; water, orange & cranberry juices and tea – nothing soothed me. What a rookie error and the uncomfortable feeling lasted all morning! The rest of the breakfast was delicious but the uncontrollable burping was a bit of a pain.

I worked a little bit and caught up on some blogging before it was time to meet the others for lunch. Victoria had arranged for us to eat at Blue Deli, another of the restaurants to try. Being on a luxury river cruise doesn’t mean that you have to eat posh nosh and fine dining for every meal. Our evening waiter, David, had recommended we try the well loved Smash Burger for lunch today so that was the plan. Only 4 of us ate at Blue, all of us ordering our own specific burger requirements and we washed it down with a refreshing lavender lemonade. If I’m honest, that wasn’t my favourite drink but the others enjoyed it. I also had to leave some of my bread as I was so full from breakfast and still had a heartburn-like feeling going on, from the detox shot. We were then ready for an afternoon of excursions and activities. This relaxing cruise was certainly not boring and there was so much to do for any active people.

On our walking excursion of Bratislava we were given quite a treat from our expert guide; history and music were the main feature – finished off with a glass of fizz and a nice piece of cake. The guide was very aware of the heat and did her best to stop in the shade, she also was able to split the group for those who felt less capable of walking on the cobbles and steps up to the castle. I thought it was good that guests can pre-book to add the excursions on as a package and the ones we went on were very well done. It was a very hot day so I was particularly pleased that we hadn’t selected the bicycle ride along the Danube (again). The passengers who did that trip looked very hot but said that the excursion was great too.

The evenings onboard Riverside Mozart were perfect for me. Before dinner we were given an early evening show from Vienna’s Opera Ballet Soloists followed by a chance to learn a few steps of the Viennese Waltz. I got partnered up with a lovely man, whose wife was particularly thankful that she didn’t have to join in. He and I both had chubby tummies so the positioning of our legs with touching thighs had to resort to barely touching shins. It was a really good laugh, where the embarrassment of volunteering soon dissipated once we realised we were actually learning how to dance.

For our evening meal Norbert Toth, the Food & Beverage Manager, had invited us all to the Atelier Restaurant where we had a food tasting extravaganza. It was a proper snazzy dining experience, where we tasted everything on the menu aside from anything with nuts or molluscs in (due to allergies). There was so much to eat and it was such a good representation of the countries we were visiting – the wine pairing was just spot on.
We had a delightful evening which included watching the sunset as we sailed to Tulln, Austria. In the bar, later we listened to the piano player and a saxophonist then it got a little livelier with some of us getting on the dancefloor and partaking in a Baby Guiness nightcap. If I hadn’t been sold on river cruisers previously, I was fast becoming a propenent of them now!

Gratitude List

1. A luxurious start to Day 3 of the cruise
2. Seeing a little of Bratislava
3. A fantastic dining experience at Atelier, onboard Riverside Mozart.

Photo Credit – some photos taken by the Fam Trip Attendees

Budapest – 18th June

Thursday 18th June was Day 2 of the Travelpack and Riverside Luxury Cruises Fam Trip and it was an absolute delight. I didn’t make it to the breakfast in the dining room on account of me still having half of my cheese plate from last night to eat – as I don’t like to waste things I had that with water and then realised my cabin didn’t have a kettle, only a coffee machine. I asked Daniel, the butler, if he could oblige with a pot of tea and he brought a proper pot of tea in with a smile!
For our daily excursion we did the Panoramic Budapest tour, which was excellent. We visited the State Opera House which, as a former musician, blew my mind. The whole tour was done with an ear piece in so we could listen to our tour guides throughout. After an extensive tour round the opera house we had a glass of champagne and a bit of a surprise. As the performers were rehearsing we were treated to our own private showing in an intimate gathering on the stairs – just wonderful. I was shocked to find out that to get tickets to the royal box wasn’t even that expensive so it was definitely on my list to do with 9 other people (the royal box seats up to 10), ideally in a winter month.

We had a good walk around in the sunshine and visited Heroes Square before returning to Riverside Mozart for a delicious BBQ lunch on the sun deck. Other guests returned from other tours and I was very glad to have not been on the ebike tour as the sun was pretty intense and they all looked sweaty. Captain Caveman would’ve preferred that tour when we get to do a river cruise.

The lunch was lovely, I chose steak and prawns mainly, with another glass of Taittinger – obviously. After not too much champagne we had a guided tour of the ship and giggled at how familiar I was with the laundry room already. Someone had left a pair of red undies in there so I was fortunate it was after my visit so that none of my whites were turned pink. There was a beauty and hair salon for any titivating, a wonderful spa to relax or swim in and a very well equipped gym. I noticed some weighing scales and was almost tempted to get on them, having missed Fat Club yesterday – we all agreed it would be unwise.
We used the private dining room for our office in the afternoon and actually did some work as well as having presentations on what Riverside and Travelpack could offer our customers. I now needed to up my game to find clients and friends who wanted to book, or come with me, on more of these types of luxury holidays – I already had a few people in mind!

Back in my cabin, I checked my emails and noticed I had won another prize from one of the other suppliers I have booked holidays with. It was a travel towel and suncream set – it looked great and I sent them my address in Sheffield so I could get it when I finally got back to the UK in July.
Back once again on the sun deck for cocktails we set sail for Slovakia, it was a good feeling knowing that we would wake up tomorrow in another new country. In my harmony suite the water level of the Danube was just below the picture window and it was calming to look out at.
Dinner was once again an absolute pleasure and the wine and fizz went down quite well too. This time I decided to have the steak with a pepper sauce and it was very tasty. I wasn’t keen on the first taste of the red wine offered so I was given a Primitivo instead, without any fuss. My butler, Daniel, had left more treats in my cabin and sorted out my room for the evening. I was starting to really enjoy being a river cruiser!

Gratitude List
1. The Budapest State Opera House and our private show
2. The Riverside Mozart ship and all it’s luxury
3. Being a river cruiser.

Photo Credit – some photos taken by the other Fam Trip Attendees

Mallorca to Budapest – 17th June

I was a giddy little kipper on Wednesday 17th June as the day of my 5 day Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack Fam trip was here, at last! In the afternoon I would be boarding the Riverside Mozart ship and sailing down the Danube from Budapest to Vienna. When my alarm went off at stupid o’clock that morning, I was feeling sad to be leaving Mallorca and really had enjoyed an amazing 1.5 days cramming in stuff with the Mallorca Resort Expert. My flight was at 6.50am so the taxi was booked for 4.30am and was costing 50 Euros.
We said our farewells, both knowing we had forged a great friendship and would definitely see each other again. The taxi was good, the driver spoke English and there was no traffic. My flight was with easyJet back to Gatwick, it was practically empty and I had nodded off before takeoff. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case kept her wheels on and there were no issues.
I landed in a very rainy and cold London at 8.30am and had to get a bit of a spurt on. My next flight, which had been booked for me by Travelpack, departed at 11.05am and I had a small dilemma. They had booked me a Wizzair flight from Gatwick to Budapest with 20kg hold luggage and an underseat case. It would be my first time flying with this airline. Unfortunately, Pauline my petite pink case was 5cm too tall without the detachable wheels and couldn’t go as hand luggage. Wizzair staff at the bag drop told me that they would be strict at the gate so it would be better for me to pop Pauline in the hold and definitely not to chance taking her as an underseat bag. I wasn’t keen on this, with her being so small, and I had to take out my laptop, chargers, diary and other work related stuff, which I put in a shoulder bag. There was barely anything left in Pauline – mainly just dirty laundry, toiletries, a pair of sandals and a new sandy travel towel. Wizzair weighed my checked luggage and, although allowed 20kg, it was only 7kg and I got a receipt.
Of course, I had the obligatory wait in the airport near a screen until an hour before the departure time, when the gate would be made public. It was too early for me for an airport pint so I ended up spending almost a tenner in Boots and doing some work.
Oddly there was a member of staff there complaining to me about the heat and apologising that the AC wasn’t working. I had my hoodie on as it was comparatively cold to Spain and Mallorca. Here’s what I bought, prices in pounds;

Boots
1 paper bag 0.18
1 chocolate bar 1.00
1 smoothie 3.00
1 Hoisin Duck wrap 3.75
Meal Deal discount -2.75
1 mini cocoa butter 2.20
1 mini mouthwash 1.80
1 mini toothpaste 1.65
3 for 2 minis discount -1.65
Total spent £9.68

I’d had to buy the toothpaste when I realised I had left the rest of my toothytabs in Mallorca. I also didn’t really need the paper bag from Boots but it was another travel hack. If you buy a bag from any of the airport shops you can count this as an extra hand luggage at no extra cost. I used it to put my lunch plus diary, headphones, water bottle and other bits and bobs in.
At the gate, I witnessed every passenger have their hand luggage measured and weighed with many having to pay a £70 fine – even some passengers who argued they had been told they could take carry on. The Wizzair gate staff were having none of it, they definitely charged a lot of people extra and boarding took ages.
The Wizzair plane was not particularly clean and I got sat on an aisle seat near the back of the plane. A stag do of 10 lads had decided they weren’t that bothered about paying to select seats together so they were spread out, one in the window seat of my row and one behind us. We had a chat and it was a nice lad who offered me one of his jelly bears. I didn’t partake incase they were laced with drugs but the stag lads turned out to be a lovely bunch. They let me wear one of their masks, I shared a few travel tips with them and we had photos and drinks to pass the time on. When I told them about the neck pillow filled with clothes travel hack, they loved it – especially as one of them had paid an extra £70 and wasn’t happy about that as it was more than the cost of the flight.
We landed in Budapest at 2.40pm and it was probably the longest I’ve been in a passport control queue in a while. Luckily, I got chatting to a man who often holidays in Budapest and he gave me a few ideas and tips based on his several visits. He even saved my space in the queue when I needed the toilet.

After about 90 minutes, I was through to pick up my luggage – needless to say little Pauline was on the baggage carousel belt on her own.
I picked her up and walked out to arrivals where I was met by Suzie, an employee sent to accompany me on the private transfer to the ship. She looked shocked and apologised that my hold luggage, which she presumed had got lost, would be retrieved and brought to the ship as soon as they could. I explained that I travelled light, there was no more luggage, and she was even more shocked. The minibus driver asked where my luggage was, I explained and he and Suzie had a good old laugh together about that.
While Suzie gave me some tips on how to say the basics in Hungarian, we drove along the Danube, where I would board the ship. Even the view from the minibus was fantastic and I was very excited for my first ever river cruise.

As I boarded the Riverside Mozart docked on the river Danube in Budapest, the porter, the receptionist and then a waiter were equally baffled over my lack of luggage and that I hadn’t lost any. I was given a welcome glass of champagne, a lady in the bar shouted hello but I wasn’t sure who she was until later and then I was shown to my cabin, number 153. My only comparison was a ferry so I was extremely impressed with my sleeping quarters for the next 4 nights. My cabin was a Harmony Suite with a picture window and was around 20 square metres. It was the ‘basic’ level cabin and I was certainly impressed with it – it was much better than any hotel room I’d been in this year. This was my first ever cruise and I had never had myself down as a cruiser – that was about to be challenged! It was also my first time visiting Hungary, Slovakia and Austria so I saw it as a great introduction to 3 countries I may want to see more of in the future.
The Riverside Mozart wasn’t a massive ship but it can fit 162 guests and 82 crew – so far I had seen far more crew than guests and, at 23m wide, this boat felt pretty roomy.
I had a welcome bottle of fizz and some rather lovely chocolates in my cabin and a note to welcome me. The bathroom was an absolute delight with one of those Japanese style toilets which can wash and dry your nether regions while having a heated seat! The shower was marvellous and had opulent toiletries so I needn’t get out my travel ones.
I learned that Riverside Luxury Cruises do not charge a single supplement for any of their cruises! This was good to know as I often get requests from solo travellers who obviously don’t want to have to pay up to double the price. I also learned that I was on the Premium All Inclusive package with included excursions and that was an absolute bonus – I am partial to the odd tipple and the diet was certainly on hold from now on.

I felt so lucky to have won this trip and I almost skipped to the bar to find the other travel agents. On the way, I found the free DIY launderette and popped in my dirty laundry so I could start with a full complement of clothes. The bar was fantastic, the kind of place they hand out Taittinger like it’s water and the nibbles need a Google to work out what they are. Our first task was to listen to the safety briefing from a very dishy Captain, who’s priority was only the safety of his passengers.
My fellow sailors on this Fam trip were;
• Victoria – the Business Development Manager at Riverside Luxury Cruises
• Joely – the Business Development Manager at Travelpack
• Amy
• Grant
• Paul
• Cath
• Sam
So, there were 8 of us in total; 5 other Travel Agents, me and the people in charge of putting on the trip. They seemed a nice bunch as we went through to the Waterfront dining room.

We sat over 2 tables and had a waiter, a server and a sommelier at our table, making sure we were waited on very well. There was a menu which changed daily, as well as a menu that was available throughout our stay.
Amy & I chose the Asian spring roll to start, it was pretty and delicious. Grant and Cath had what looked like parma ham wrapped round bread sticks on a bowl of salad – they liked it. The next course for me was a soup, also very nice, I was on my second lot of bread and double parked with wine and champagne. Cath had a pasta dish which also looked good but rather filling as an interim course.
For main, we all had the beef and it was absolutely delicious – fancy, but not over the top! Of course, it was served with fabulous wine which was probably too expensive for me to even appreciate, given I’d had 3 champagne, 1 white wine, and now an ample pour of Merlot.
The desserts on the menu looked good but I had laundry to attend to, much to the amusement of my fellow Fam Trip winners. I excused myself to tackle the rather enthusiastic tumble drier, hoping to reconvene for a cheese plate and more Merlot. I got chatting to a guest in the laundry room, she was younger than I’d imagined the average cruiser would be and this was not her first rodeo with Riverside. She could not praise them enough and she told me that I was going to love the excursion tomorrow. We chatted a little before me taking my laundry back to my cabin to find someone had been in there. It turned out that I had a butler, who had brought me a treat and turned down the luxurious bedding, on the off chance I was too lazy to know how to get in bed unaided. Daniel, the butler, had popped on some mood lighting and closed my picture window curtains. The bottle of champagne was chilling and my ice bucket was full. So, this was what luxury cruising was about! There was a note on the desk to say to call Daniel or WhatsApp him if I needed anything at all – including room service! I messaged to say hi, ordered a glass of red wine and a ‘bit of cheese’. I made sure I was drinking water as there was plenty in the fridge and I read the itinerary for the next day.

I popped back up to the top deck bar, where my fellow Fam trippers were, and had a drink with them while we sailed down the beautiful Danube. My photos really didn’t do it justice and it didn’t help that I was somewhat merry. I said goodnight, leaving my new friends having a night cap, and returned to my cabin around 10.45pm where a substantial cheese plate with a glass of red sat waiting for me – this was the life!
When I finally got in to the huge bed, it was so comfy that I fell asleep instantly!

Gratitude List
1. A fun journey from Mallorca to Budapest, via Gatwick
2. Being part of the Fam Trip with Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack
3. Being wined and dined like royalty on Riverside Mozart.

Photo Credit – some photos taken by the rest of the Fam Trip Attendees

Mallorca – 16th June

There were so many things that we could have done on Tuesday 16th June but I was aware that with only one day and another night, the best thing to do was live like a local in Santa Ponsa. My host, the Mallorca Resort Expert, had asked if I’d wanted to do a boat trip, go to the pirate show or see any of the sights while I was there – I preferred to spend time with her. I did have some work to do but we kept it to a minimum as well as working on content ideas for our social media work pages.
My friend had took the liberty of guessing what I might like for breakfast and had served it up on the balcony, overlooking the beach and sea. Our meal was a feast of yoghurt with fruit, cheese and ham on bread with garlic dip, olives, tomatoes, more bread and a hot drink. It was so good and we ate while people watching the goings on at the beach below.
We decided that’s where we would spend some time today, on the beach! We donned our swimmers, put on the suncream, grabbed our beach towels (my new one was super light) and a parasol before tackling those steps down to the beach. The sand was soft and hot but there was a lovely breeze as we sat down with a small bag of picnic type items. We had to keep an eye on the cheeky gulls who were well practiced in stealing any treats they fancied from people’s bags while they were in the sea. It was my first time this year, just lazing on the beach. Despite being so near to it in Dalyan, I rarely have a day off for beach going and thought perhaps I should do more of it.

Around 4pm we decided to head back ‘home’, after a walk along the seafront path and calling at the shop. I noticed my face was pretty pink and decided it might be a good idea to treat us to a face mask to prevent my skin looking like a typical Brit abroad, later! Here’s what we bought, with prices in Euros;

Santa Ponsa Supermarket
1.5l bottled water 0.31
Apple juice 1.00
500ml Fanta Lemon 2.00
1 can Mixed fruit cider 2.35
2 Aloe Vera face masks 3.00
Total spent €8.66 (£7.36)

I did a bit of work then we popped on the face masks and had a 10 minute lay down which turned into a cheeky cat nap but my face felt and looked loads better after it.
Back on that fantastic sea view balcony, we ate a really lovely meal of mozzarella, tomato, avocado and basil served with fresh bread, olives, rice crackers and a peach. I chatted on about how Fanta lemon in Spain is different to that in the UK. We also managed to have a croissant which we hadn’t eaten earlier. I was stuffed and feeling relaxed and happy, but not looking forward to leaving at 4am tomorrow morning. The visit had gone too quickly but I was still glad to have had some time in Santa Ponsa, which was so beautiful.

The evening plan was to simply watch the sunset at Il Chiringo, in Costa De La Calma. It was a place the Mallorca Resort Expert had been to many times before and she wanted me to see it for myself. After dinner we walked to the venue, bumping into a man with his dog on the way, who invited us to go to his house. We didn’t go but it struck me that the locals were friendly, and his dog was cute.
When we arrived we had timed it perfectly and were sat amongst the other locals who were all coming in from a swim to have a sunset drink or bite to eat. It was beautiful and I felt so lucky to get to see it, I perhaps wouldn’t have found out about this hidden gem if I wasn’t staying with my friend.
I wasn’t sure what to order to drink so I tried my first shandy made with lemon Fanta (commonly called Clara) for €4 (£3.40) and my fellow sunset watcher had an alcohol free beer which was slightly more at €4.50 (£3.83). I thought this was very reasonable given the location – the Fanta shandy was an absolute game changer.
We walked back, taking those steps for the last time where a cat watched us. He was nicknamed The Manager as he was in charge of the place. I packed my stuff in to Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, I had a full neck pillow too but this time I was flying with easyJet so there was no need for booking the exit row seat. We both set alarms on both phones so that we could make sure I didn’t miss my flight.

Gratitude List
1. Spending time, both for work and personally, with the Mallorca Resort Expert
2. An afternoon at the beach
3. Sunset at Il Chiringo