Dalyan – 15th July

On Saturday 15th July we had entered a heatwave coming from Morocco and were advised by the authorities to stay indoors during the daylight hours. Of course, we decided to ignore that and actually it didn’t feel quite as hot as Vietnam so I was doing ok.
I decided to go to the market in the midday sun, which is about a 15 minute stroll away. I had my sunhat on and took water with me. On the way I saw the homeless guy, wearing black and looking very warm. I bought him a peach and some water and helped him wash the peach. The market had been exceptionally empty when I got there at about 12.30pm so it was easy to grab what I needed and get back home quickly. I bought cherries, peaches, courgettes, aubergines, carrots and mushrooms so spent less than 200 lira easily. On the way back, I called in to Bim supermarket where I picked up a loaf of bread and a pack of nan bread for just 27.50 lira (82p). I noticed they had air fryers in for 1800 lira (£54), a few people from Fat Club were in to them so I was tempted and I know my mom fancied one.

By 2.30pm my mom and I were back in Bim on Atatürk Road buying the last air fryer then over to the other Bim in the Turkish quarter to buy another one. They were reduced to 1699 lira (£50.76) so we decided to get one each. The bank had been out of order, I only had card so my mom paid for both. They weren’t heavy but in the heat it was hard to walk about carrying the bulky boxes. It was unfortunate that my parents wouldn’t get to try it out just yet, though, as they were leaving late tonight, going back home to England.

That night we decided to celebrate in style and had booked a table for the 7 of us at Bistro Blue, one of our favourite restaurants. Beforehand, we met at one of my parents’ new favourites, Tapa, for drinks. I called at the bank to find that they were temporarily limiting withdrawals to 250/300 lira which is less than £10 per time so it was taking ages for people to get enough money out and it was all in small denominations – I’ve never had so many 10 lira (30p) notes!
The drinks at Tapa aren’t the cheapest in town but, despite it’s river location, it is also not the most expensive. The wine is a good one, Angora, for 95 lira (£2.84) per glass. A Turkish cider cost 150 lira (£4.48) which I don’t think is worth it so I no longer drink cider in Turkey. Our drinks bill came to 1,380 lira (£41.23) for 10 drinks, including 4 ciders, 4 pints of Efes and a Tequila Sunrise, which was definitely cheaper than what my family would have paid back in Sheffield.

At Bistro Blue we all had starters and main courses, including prawns, mushrooms, liver & onions, fish and steaks washed down with several wines. It was delicious and an excellent choice for celebrating my parents’ last night. We even splashed out on a couple of the bottles of nice wine with it being a special occasion, the end of my parents’ holiday and the last time we’d probably all be together for a while. The food and service was as lovely as always and I really enjoyed my pepper steak, my parents had their last fix of liver and onions which got great reviews too. Annie & Selahı made sure we gave Ma & Pa a good send off and we all had a cheeky amaretto for our farewell drink.

After seeing our parents off, and trying not to cry, the rest of us went for another drink at Tapa where Gayle tried one of the new marshmallow martini cocktails which was a bit like a dessert and Morgan had a daiquiri. It had been a great night and I was looking forward to putting my feet up for a bit of a rest tomorrow, but of course I had another event to attend.

Dalyan – 14th July

I’d been out of Vietnam for 2 weeks on Friday 14th July and I wasn’t missing the heat. Here in Dalyan it was getting hotter and today looked to be the hottest I’d had here yet. I had a cup of Yorkshire tea, which was now on rations as I only had a few left.
At 4.30pm I was trying to work out what to wear for Pamela’s hen party tonight as the dress I’d bought in Rhodes was going to be too clingy in this heat. I went for the old faithful M&S pink number which I’ve worn quite a bit when it’s hot. My mom and sister, who were also invited, called for me and we headed up to Kaunos tea gardens to meet the rest of the hens. Kate was the maid of honour and had organised for us all to have Team Bride transfers on, ready for when Pamela arrived for us to get on the boat. There were 24 of us on a bespoke Captain Boris private cheese and wine boat trip for just a couple of hours. Of course, I couldn’t get my Team Bride tattoo to stick so I put the last spare one from Kate in my purse for later. On board we all had some champers and we got ready for a Mr & Mrs style quiz that Kate and I had organised. Pamela’s fiancé, Glynn, had refused to answer any of the more risqué questions but Kate and I didn’t let that get in the way of some comedy gold, by asking her the questions anyway!

Rebecca and Boris did us all proud with a feast of all sorts of cheeses, meats, fruits, jams, olives, crackers, bread, snacks and some lovely wine, served in decent measures. I finally managed to find somewhere to stick my Team Bride ‘tattoo’ and of course hens will be hens with a cheeky bit of bum biting from Tracy. We all loved the hen party boat trip with the copious amount of delicious cheeses and there was plenty left over to take with us to the next stop, the Rum Bar. I stuck to wine but the others tried all sorts of cocktails as we munched on left over fruit and Kate’s homemade lemon drizzle buns.

The diet had been put on hold yet again as some people went home but a few of us, including the bride to be, went to Rodrigo’s for another drink. My mom and Gayle wanted to get back to see how Dad, Neil and the kids were doing but the men were still out when they returned. I dropped some stuff off at home before bumping in to my nieces on my way to Rodrigo’s, Dad and Neil were still in Bistro Blue. I joined the remaining hens and we also met up with some of the other halves and friends.

Our last stop was one in Sofra bar, one for the road but n. I had a great laugh, mainly chatting to Harris who felt like an old mate from back home despite me only meeting him a couple of times before. I walked home by myself about 2.30am after a very good and funny evening. I’d managed to not go too mad as I knew we still had my parents’ last night and another 10 days with my sister and family.
The total amount of money I spent on the whole night was 1,215 lira (£36.30) – I don’t think I’ve ever done 9 hours of a hen do for that amount of money, it was an absolute bargain and I even had a bag of spare cheese in the fridge.

Dalyan – 13th July

I worked from 11.30am to 5.45pm on Thursday 13th July so that I could accommodate the evening itinerary. I just ate plain noodles in chicken stock for lunch as we would be eating a feast tonight. It was also the hottest it had been since I’d got back to Dalyan and the temperature was over 40°C in the afternoon. I had to put the AC on!
At 6.30pm Ma, Pa, Gayle, Neil, Morgan, April and I were joining a group boat trip. It was booked a while ago for us to join the Princess of Ekincik Moonlight boat trip from 6.30pm until bedtime and we were all looking forward to it.
This trip allowed for a few swimming stops, the first at the lake where we were joined by a turtle while we were all in the water. Luckily, I had taken Steve’s sunglasses with me as my mom had lost her’s while I’d been away, so I gave them to her.

We had a delicious BBQ meal and went to the mud baths. Gayle and Ma had a fish foot experience while I went in the hot sulphur pool. The 3 of us went in the domes where there are hot pools and it was really nice. Captain Ismail sailed to Little Dalyan next, where we could relax, swim and walk on the beach. Later we all looked up at the sky for some star gazing and a few beverages were had. When we got back it was unusually hot in the town and we’d been lucky to have had the breeze on the boat. By 11.30pm we were saying our goodbyes and I paid my bill which was 1320 lira (£39.41) for my trip and drinks. The boat trips were definitely working out better value than going out for a meal! We had a quick drink in Tez bar before going home, just to finish off the night. Tomorrow would be another fun day in Dalyan and I was already looking forward to a celebration.

Dalyan – 12th July

It was another expensive day on Wednesday 12th July as well as it being my first Fat Club since the beginning of May. I did my measurements to find I’d lost 1cm from my bust, no change to my hips and I had put 2cm back on my waist. My home scales said I was 0.4kg heavier than last week at Steve and Michelle’s so I wasn’t holding out for a good result on Carol’s scales this afternoon.
I spent 520 lira (£15.50) for 2 month’s worth of internet, and 72 lira (£2.15) at Migros where I bought 2 Quark, 3 packets of pasta and fabric softener. On the way home I bought a replacement water for the cooler, which was 30 lira (89p) for 19 litres.
I worked from 12.15 to 2.45pm then popped to Fat Club. To my amazement it wasn’t as bad a result as I thought it would be; I was 1.5kg (3.3lb) lighter on Carol’s scales than I had been on Steve and Michelle’s last week. I was happy with that and had a spring in my step as I walked to the hairdresser’s. I paid 600 lira (£17.89) for a colour, cut and blow dry with Emrah then went back home to carry on working. I had the leftover chicken shish from My Arancia the night before last and it was even tastier than the original. I served it with steamed rice to try to keep healthy, for a change.
When I finished work at 8.30pm my parents and the rest of the family were still at their apartments, having some drinks after a BBQ by the pool and had invited me round. I took some soda waters so that I could be good and have a night off the booze as I had work tomorrow. They were having another boozey one but I did well to resist and I didn’t join mom and my nieces in the pool as I’d just had my hair done. I left before 11.30pm which I didn’t think was bad to say I was sober.

Dalyan – 11th July

I had another day off on Tuesday 11th July with more plans from the ‘behind the scenes itinerary’. Gayle and I had put together the plan of what we were doing most days for the following reasons;
1. We wanted everyone to have a good holiday without the hassle of deciding and trying to agree what to do each day, or where to eat for each meal.
2. Being a group of 7 in the school holidays/high season would mean activities, trips and restaurants will be busier than usual and may not have availability.
3. Neither of us wanted to deal with having to decide at the last minute, what to do or where to go, or worse – end up doing nothing!
We both felt being organised would benefit everyone better. Mom, Neil and Morgan much preferred to be more spontaneous and for us to wing it but Gayle and I were having none of that and had become a bit bossy.
At 9am I had paid the deposit for 5 of us (not ma and pa) to go on a horse riding trip next week and I was scared! By 10am the full family contingent and I were walking towards the ferry as we had a booking for Turkish breakfast over the river. I’d booked the 7 of us in at the Çandır Resort and had arranged the pick up service to take us up the mountain. They didn’t do gluten free food for Gayle but there were naturally gluten free things that she could have that she liked. I often struggle with a Turkish breakfast as I don’t like tomatoes, eggs or cucumber. The pastry and some cheeses often give me a belly ache too, so I took some tupperware to take some home. I was on the end of the table so I was the Turkish tea monitor and we all had a fresh orange juice. The cost of the breakfast for 7 of us, including the pick-up/drop off service, the juice, and a coffee was 3,395 lira (about £100) so not the cheapest but very lovely. I even brought the leftover olives and 2 pastries home with me.

On the way back we decided to call at Kaunos tea gardens for a beverage where everyone but Dad had soft drinks.
We didn’t get home until almost 3pm which didn’t leave much time to relax before our next activity on the itinerary, which not everyone was as enthusiastic about as Gayle and I.

We had decided to book everyone in for a night; Lukka bar had their music bingo night on so I’d booked a table. Joining our family were Debbie (Darling), Roy, Ann, Jamie, Drew and his 2 guests, Karen and Alicia. I’d booked the table ahead of time for the 14 of us but it meant we all had to be sat at the pool table (with a top on it). Debbie (Darling), Roy and Ann had already said they were just coming for drinks but the rest of us decided to eat there. Katrina had already sent us a copy of the menus so that we could work out the gluten free options. We got there early and introduced everyone, Jamie was already quite merry as my dad ordered a pint of draft, Mom and Neil had Efes malt, I had a glass of wine and the rest of our party were on the cocktails. When the drinks came my dad said he hadn’t ordered a pint (he did) but Jamie put him straight and sloshed the pint in front of him. I could already see my dad was not enjoying the night so far. My parents both ordered the Asian chicken, I ordered sweet and sour chicken, April chose steak, Morgan and Neil had lamb or chicken shish, Gayle opted for the salmon. Unfortunately Karen had ordered chicken curry but took my sweet and sour and started eating it, until Alicia mentioned it looked a bit like her yum yum chicken. I had to wait for a new one and Dad should have stuck to something he knew he’d like better.

Jamie was getting very touchy with Dad and I thought the night couldWhen everyone was together and the music bingo started, we all gave the ball a right old kick. As the night went on, more cocktails and wine was drunk. Most of us got up to dance and we had a great time. Our bill for the 7 of us came to 7,418 lira (£220) which worked out about £31 per person on average. By the end of the night Dad was on the brandy and we were probably going to have a hangover in the morning. It was a good job Gayle and I didn’t have much on the agenda for tomorrow, the kids had requested a pool day!

Dalyan – 10th July

I was awake early on Monday 10th July and I was excited to be spending my first day back in Dalyan on a boat trip with my family. Ma, Pa, Gayle (sister), Neil (brother-in-law), Morgan (eldest niece) and April (youngest niece) and I had booked to join the Duran Duran boat trip to Köyceğiz market from 10am this morning. I’d already been to the bank then to get phone credit and had packed my swimmers, factor 50 and travel towel ready to take advantage of the sunny day. The weather forecast said 36°C for this afternoon and I wasn’t working today.
Ma and Pa called on for me while Neil went to find a sun hat and I faffed about putting money for the market separate to my money for the boat trip.

We joined a group trip, but a private trip, and were sat having a hot beverage and a biscuit before 10am ready for our day out.
The leisurely sail towards Köyceğiz and through the lake was lovely and calm, but we were all too busy talking and laughing to really enjoy the scenery. Once at Köyceğiz, the ladies headed for the market while Dad and Neil popped along to a lakeside cafe for a light beverage and to wait for us. I’d took my rucksack to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables but when I went to get my money out, it wasn’t there. Neither was my boat trip money so I assumed I’d left it at home and had to borrow 300 lira from mom. I didn’t buy an awful lot but I did get 2 blocks of cheese, cherries and strawberries to keep me going.
We rejoined the men and had a cold beverage with them, the beers were a reasonable 85 lira (£2.58) and soft drinks were 35 lira (£1.06). We were back on the boat for 1pm so that Captain Unal could take us for a swim stop, then get ready for our BBQ lunch.

The food was delicious and catered for all of our fussy and Coeliac requirements without any bother at all. Gayle and Mom had fish and Halloumi, I had chicken and halloumi and others had chicken and meatballs. There was lots of mezes and pasta for us all to have a big portion. It was so good that I didn’t even take any photos of the food as I was too busy eating it.
Around 4pm we headed to the mud baths where everyone on the boat except for April and I went in. It’s optional and we were happy to admire the view and look at some goats instead. I may have had a cheeky wine while we chatted. Once everyone was back on board, Unal served fruit and cake, Sioned (Unal’s wife) had made Gayle 2 gluten free desserts which were really good.
We were back to Dalyan just before 6pm and we settled up our bills. I had to pay by bank transfer on account of ‘losing/forgetting’ my cash. My boat trip plus my drinks came to 1,075 lira (£32 approx) which was a bargain for such a lovely day out.

We stopped off at Tapa, formerly River Terrace, for a drink and got chatting to the staff there. I popped home to check I had left my money there and it was on the table, which was a relief. After a couple of drinks at Tapa, we decided to chance a table for the 7 of us at My Arancia restaurant, part of the Doğa hotel. The owner rearranged the tables and chairs to get us in at a nice table by the pool and we ordered food. We all shared a mixed meze plate for starter which was very good. April and I both had chicken shish for main, which was nice but a lot more oil than I’m used to. It cost about 300 lira (£9) for the shish and came with chips, rice and salad. Gayle had a mixed grill without the rice which is naturally gluten free. I couldn’t manage all my dinner so I took some leftovers home for another day. Our first family day had gone very well and we were looking forward to more Dalyan excitement tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

Rhodes to Dalyan – 8th & 9th July

Of course I was hungover and very woolly headed on Saturday 8th July. I vaguely remembered getting involved in tequila shots the previous night, which meant I should have gone home 3 hours previous to that. While Steve and Michelle were up and about, and even quite sprightly compared to me, my day was a bit of a right-off. I actually did nothing but loll about with some of the cats and Xena, the dog. I was in bed by 10pm on my last night in Rhodes, tomorrow I was off back to Turkey.

Having had a quiet Saturday night, I was awake early on Sunday 9th July. Steve and Michelle had commitments until late so came home after I’d gone to bed. The weather was still sunny in Rhodes and the forecast showed it was hotting up in Dalyan, where I was going back to tonight. A weather warning due to the wind, had meant a lot of boats had been unable to sail so I hoped my ferry was still going.
By 1.30pm Steve, Michelle and I were in Rhodes town, wasting a bit of time before I had to pick up my ferry ticket. We decided to have a Macdonald’s which was not one of my best choices. I’ve not eaten a Macdonald’s in years and, looking back, it was not the right time to reintroduce a Big Mac meal into my diet. I was convinced that I would be able to keep it down if I had a sea sickness tablet for the journey and didn’t worry too much as I shovelled it in. The Big Mac meal in Rhodes Town cost €8.85 (£7.58) so wasn’t cheap but it was one the nicest I’ve ever had. The last one I’d had in the UK had been cold and cost me less than £4 – I have no idea how much they are now.
I said my goodbyes to Steve and Michelle, outside the ferry port, after another great holiday in Lardos. I wheeled my luggage across the road a little sad but we had already arranged that I would be back again in early September so it wasn’t too traumatic a goodbye.
There were no sea sickness tablets left in the shop as it was so rough, they had all been taken. It was Sunday so all the pharmacies were closed, I would have to chance it. As I got on the ferry, my sister and her family were already having a relaxing first day in Dalyan with my parents. The ferry crossing was very choppy and I was lucky to be given the middle seats by a couple of kind Turkish ladies, who also offered me a lift to the bus stop when we arrived. I decided I had far too much luggage to chance a bus journey after over 2 hours of trying not to throw up a Bic Mac.
The taxi was charging €70 to go from Fethiye to Dalyan which was 2,000 lira (£59), a massive increase on the 1,100 lira (£32.47) I’d paid on the way out.
I got home and was absolutely knackered, there was no internet at home and my Turkish phone had run out of credit so I went to bed – tomorrow the family fun would start.

Rhodes – 7th July

The first thing I noticed when I woke up at 6am on Friday 7th July, was that there was no internet. I didn’t particularly need it as I wasn’t scheduled to work today but it was unusual, given that Steve and Michelle work from home. On entering the living room area I saw the problem, there had been an incident involving cats, a basket from the shelf and the router getting knocked off. None of the cats were forthcoming but Trixie looked like she knew what happend and was keeping quiet. Lulu and Bella were particularly hungry today and were quite impatient for their biscuits this morning.
Steve and Michelle messaged to say they were on their way so I stripped the bed and had a general tidy round. I was just getting the hoover out when they arrived back from a lovely jaunt over to Crete. Xena was beside herself with excitement that mom and dad were back, Trixie was also very happy but tried to play it cool by napping on Steve’s bag and pillow. I had a chocolatey croissant-like pastry for breakfast then it was all systems go.

Life is always more lively with Steve and Michelle around so we went out for a lovely lunch at Alabama bar. Steve and Michelle took the healthy options and had wraps which looked great, I had a very good chicken burger with chips. We all had a cheeky beer and I gave people a headache by chatting on too much, not realising we were in a rush to get back.
That night was the Greek night in Lardos and I was looking forward to my first one, having not drank much alcohol this week, I was about to make up for it!

We started the night in Cuckoo’s Nest cocktail bar, my drink of choice was red wine. The measures were large and I seemed to get quite plastered as more of Steve and Michelle’s friends joined us. By 11.30pm the Tequilas were out and we were on that slippery slope to extreme drunkenness. I was tired and tried to have a little nap in Cuckoo’s Nest but Steve and Michelle’s friends were having none of it and proceeded to encourage more drunken antics over at Memories bar.

By 2.30am I had made some new friends, including a cute little dog. Michelle and I got in at 3.45am to a passed out half naked (thankfully the top half) Steve on the lounge sofa bed. It was good to have them back in Lardos and, as far as I can remember, we’d all had a fantastic night.

Rhodes – 6th July

On Thursday 6th July I was up early, busy with plant watering and animal duties then I worked 9am to 4.30pm. After feeding the cats, getting the hang of who’s indoor and outdoor, I decided a quick trip to the shop was a good idea.
I spent €13.30 (£11.41) on Prosecco, crisps and chocolate at Big Family supermarket then decided to stop at a bar. I ordered a cheeky Milokleftis cider with ice at Yamas bar and sent a message to Louise to see if she had finished work. Shortly after, she arrived and ordered a coffee but another Milokleftis and a cocktail arrived. What was a quick drink after work with a new friend, turned in to quite an impromptu evening. After a few ciders I decided I couldn’t be bothered to go home to cook so suggested we eat out.

Louise and I both love Valentina’s restaurant in Lardos and it was very close by. We opted for a white wine each then I had a carafe of red wine while Louise ordered a lemonade then a passion fruit cocktail. There was a complimentary pumpkin soup which was very tasty. We had the amazing cheese balls and some garlic bread to share for starters and we both ordered steaks with mushrooms and onions for mains. Once again we got complimentary dessert of baklava with ice-cream and watermelon ouzo shots to round off the meal. It was amazing and I was impressed with the food, yet again – I’ve never had a bad meal there. The total bill came to €79 (£67.79) which was reasonable for what we had and I went home with a doggy bag!
I think Xena disapproved of me coming back drunk without her parents, but they were due back tomorrow.

Rhodes – 3rd to 5th July

I had the luxury of being flexible on the hours I worked, however Steve and Michelle had to be ‘at work’ early on Monday 3rd July. I woke up still very red in places and my eyelids and back were clearly sunburned. As Steve and Michelle have bathroom scales I thought it wise to get on them. It was time to face the music and compare my weight now, to when I was last here. I was 4.2kg (9lb) heavier today than when I last used these scales back in May.
I worked from 10.30am until 1pm then broke for lunch. Michelle made us burgers with cheese and chorizo wraps which were very tasty. I worked from 2pm to 7.45pm with a break to say bye to Steve and Michelle as they were off to Crete for a friend’s wedding. I was looking after Xena, the dog, the 6 house-allowed cats, a clowder of outdoor cats and I was looking forward to having a bit of a rest.

My day started with a Captain Caveman video call on Tuesday 4th July, he tried saying hello to Xena but she wasn’t receptive. I was up by 6am as Trixie wanted breakfast, and LuLu was so hot that she tried to cool her bum on the freezer door. I worked from 9am until 11am with Trixie trying to help again. After a quick lunch I did a few more hours work and decided to finish about 4.30pm for cat and dog feeding. I went to the bakery for some bread and called at the ABC supermarket in Lardos square where I bought the following;

1 Bounty 0.95
1 pack wine gums 0.95
1 pack cream crackers 1.05
2 packs of plain noodles 1.28
1 pack oriental noodles 1.91
100g Stilton cheese 1.94
1 pack of sausages 2.57
1 Lurpak butter 3.57
200g Feta cheese 3.75
Total spent 17.97 Euros (£15.35)

I didn’t think the prices were too bad for Europe and I got some pork and cheese so I was happy with that. In the evening I watched TV and even got some snuggles from Milo, the (not so) pissy cat.

I was up and about early on Wednesday 5th July to feed and check on the animals. Lulu was particularly eager to get fed and Xena was happy to run about in the garden.
I did my measurements to find my bust and hips had not changed but my waist had increased by 2cm.
I worked from 8am until 6.30pm with breaks for meals, garden watering and pet tending. I did try to stick to Slimming World again and didn’t have any alcohol so was doing well. In the evening I watched TV and spent time with the pets before having an early night.

Rhodes – 2nd July

Steve and Michelle had invited me to join them on a friend’s day trip on Sunday 2nd July. We were about to cruise the open sea on a private yacht with Lindos Daily Cruises and what a delight it would turn out to be. We had to be at the boat to meet everyone at 9.30am and at 9am all 3 of us were still flapping about shoving last minute swimmers and sunglasses in to our beach bags and getting in to the car. We parked up at the top of the hill, overlooking the sea at Lindos then walked down the hill. I was glad to have my porter sandals on as we hurried down the steep streets. At the bottom, we met Louise and waited for the others to turn up. The lady who had booked the boat, Tracie, was India’s mom and they had 3 friends (Jen, Ines and Izzy). Steve was the only male and instantly became our cabana boy. We had a crew of 2 fellas who were very nice and we were reminded that the yacht trip was until 3.30pm, included free drinks, lots of swim stops, snorkelling equipment, an underwater camera, lunch and fresh fruit. I felt very lucky to be invited and knew it was going to be an awesome day as Steve passed round the bubbly, white wine and got himself a cold beer. Our host, Tracie, was lovely and I liked her straight away. She told us of an adventure with some goats on a beach a few days ago and we had a good old laugh. On one of the swim spots, Tracie, Ines and I decided to swim to the beach, I think it was called Red Sand beach, for obvious reasons. Tracie and Ines raced ashore while I took my time, thinking it might be further than it first looked. When I approached the shore, there were goats and the sunbathers were feeding them fruit and sandwiches. It was so sweet and Tracie thought they might be the same goats. We decided to swim back, Ines was like an athlete but Tracie and I found it a bit harder against the current. At one point she swallowed a wave and started to cough, I thought the yacht was getting further away. We were knackered when we finally climbed back onboard and we were both desperate for water. It’s probably worth mentioning that I’d neglected to reapply my factor 50 suncream after getting out of the sea! Lunch was served and Tracie had put in a special request for traditional moussaka with salad. The food was so tasty, the portion size was absolutely huge and they were not shy with the all inclusive drinks. It was a wonderful boat trip with such lovely company and the free flow fizz meant I didn’t notice how much sun I was catching.

At 3.45pm we were having a drink at the Lindos Yacht Club all giddy from our amazing day out. That’s when I noticed I was sunburnt! The walk back to car was easier but quite hot and the car was like a sauna as we blew off the salt and sweat on the journey back to Lardos.
Steve continued to be super helpful, even though his cabana boy duties were redundant, and sprayed my face with Aftersun. This was looking good for tonight’s plans that my boss had given me pink eye! Steve and the photographer had an evening meeting with a client, while I was to accompany Michelle, back in Lindos.

We arrived at Lindian House bar and restaurant which is absolutely gorgeous, in an old building with a courtyard for cocktails and a veranda with Acropolis views. They had a great cocktail and drinks menu so we both ordered a drink and sat in a comfy chair admiring the place. We spoke to one of the owners and our waitress encouraged me to take a look at the view point in the moonlight. I could have stayed all night but we had more business to take care of and to get back to pick up Steve. We decided to pop in to 404 Bar to see Louise, she was also sunburnt like me and we did look a pair! Rob played some real blast from the past tunes, which Michelle and I loved, but we couldn’t stay long. Next, we drove to Dapapa Lounge to pick up Steve and were offered shots of over proof alcohol with the photographer. I had to decline, my sunburn and heatstroke had taken their toll and I could hardly get up or down the spiral stairs to the toilet.
We got home and after another dousing in Aftersun and a naked blast in front of the fan, I was good for nothing but sleeping.

Photo credit – various photos used which were taken by guests/crew onboard

Rhodes – 1st July

I woke up in Lardos at 3.45am on Saturday 1st July as it was 7.45am in Vietnamese time. I got up, had a pee and then tried to go back to sleep. I woke back up at 8.50am and checked the weather for my stay in Rhodes, it looked nice and sunny.
July’s plans were already looking good (not for the diet, though) as I would be spending time with friends and family, continuing to make the most of being able to go on boat trips and live like a tourist for a little bit. It was also the month when Captain Caveman and I would start to get back to how we used to be before Covid, and be able to plan for the rest of the year and in to the next. There was so much to do, so many people we wanted to see that we really needed to get organised. I was also on the look out for a 2024 diary as I had already started to agree to some more pet and house sitting stints, but only for friends or reliable pet owners for short periods. I was looking forward to spending the next 9 days at Steve and Michelle’s house and I hoped that I could get back on with eating healthier before I went back to Dalyan, where I’d catch the last 6 days of my parents’ holiday.

As it was the weekend, Steve and Michelle were not working in their office but they did have some work to do later. I was still so tired as the last time I went to bed was the equivalent of their Wednesday afternoon!

Michelle drove the 3 of us to Pefkos and we went to the Irish pub for breakfast. We all ordered the full English and I gave my eggs and tomatoes away. The food was nice and just what I needed to sort me out. It came to about €16 (£13.68) each, including coffees and orange juice. In the late afternoon Steve and Michelle had some business to attend to in Rhodes Town so I went along for the ride. They also needed to grab a couple of bits so we popped in to some clothes shops where Michelle and I got a couple of garments each. In Zara I bought a black and white polka dot dress which I thought might be nice for Pamela’s hen party and I also saw a knitted vest which was unusual. I wasn’t going to try them on but thought the queue wasn’t too big, it turned out to be quite a long wait but both items did fit and I bought them for just under €30 (£25.66). Finished in town and each of us with a bottle of water, we set off back towards Lardos, stopping at Intersport for some holiday essentials for Steve. I spotted some canvas pumps which looked like Converse but were comfier and only €14.99 (£12.82) in the sale, so I bought them. On the way back we called for a gyros and a quick beer at a lovely cafe on the main road, Augustine’s it translated to on my phone. The food was amazing and I enjoyed the Alpha beer too.
I paid the bill and here’s the prices in Euros;
1 Alpha 500ml beer 3.90
2 Corona beers 8.80
3 Pork Gyros 10.50
Total spent 23.20 Euros (£19.80)
I thought the prices were very reasonable for Rhodes but still a little over the prices of similar in Dalyan.

Back home at Steve and Michelle’s, they had a work event that they needed to quickly shower and change to go to, I was begging for mercy with jet lag and said I’d stay in to look after the pets (even though they didn’t need it). I had a lovely night in front of the TV watching something I don’t remember while playing with Xena, Milo, Trixie, Lulu, and Bella. By 11pm I was in bed with a fan on as it was nice and warm. I knew I needed to be up and about early tomorrow as Steve and Michelle had invited me on a day out.

Doha to Rhodes – 30th June

The flight from Doha to Frankfurt left on time at 01.40am on Friday 30th June. I was tired and tiddly on account of a 4 hour lounge and my head thinking it was 05.40am, which was Vietnamese time. I was in seat 45F but it was irrelevant as I dozed off before take off and woke up not knowing where I was. I watched a film and got more free food and drink on the plane but I was so tired I couldn’t tell you what I watched.
I landed at 7.15am in Frankfurt, which was rather a shock to my system. I had 7.5 hours to kill before my next flight and my first impressions of Frankfurt airport weren’t very good. I had 3 pieces of luggage and the trollies could only be accessed with a Euro, which were in my cases somewhere. I found one, went to get a trolley and the machine didn’t work. It was also only 19°C so I had to unpack to get out the only fleece/warm clothing I had with me. Feeling very tired, I decided to see what time I would be able to check my luggage in, as all the cafes were upstairs and the airport was mega busy. The airport looked quite grubby too but the staff at check-in made up for all the shortcomings. I was allowed to check in straight away and was so relieved to get rid of my luggage and get row 5C on my Condor flight. Once through to the other side, I saw a sale in a shop, called More and More. There was a nice dress which would be ideal for Pamela and Glynn’s wedding next month so I tried it on. It was only €20 so I decided to get it and went to the counter. Upon paying, there was a further discount which meant it only cost me €13.99 (£11.97) so I was very pleased and even went back through the sale rack to check if there were any more suitable items – there weren’t.
By 10.50am I was a bit peckish and decided there was only one thing to do, when in Frankfurt. I paid €6.50 (£5.56) for a big Frankfurter hot dog from a mobile stand – possibly the most expensive hot dog I’ve had but it was so good. I’d have probably enjoyed a second one had there not been a massive queue. I decided to buy some snacks from a shop in Terminal 1, Level B so I spent €13.14 (£11.24) on a juice, a KitKat and a packet of tapas style meat and cheese. Just before it was time to board my 3rd flight, to Rhodes, I bought a small bottle of wine and a cheese pretzel at a cost of €11.59 (£9.91). I boarded at 2.30pm and by 3pm we were off and I was nodding off.

I arrived at Rhodes airport at just after 7pm on and went to get my bags, I didn’t even bother with a trolley this time. My journey had started 41 hours ago and I was very tired but excited to be seeing Michelle and Steve again. Rhodes airport was extremely busy so I waited outside for Michelle to pick me up, as arranged. Without any WiFi or a phone that works in Europe there was no way to contact anyone so I decided being at the front of the airport near to the exit was a good spot. Michelle arrived, I shoved my luggage in to her car and we set off on the drive south to Lardos. Steve was out working and was going to join us later as it was Friday night and we were off out.
By 10.07pm I was out of the much needed shower and saying hello to Trixie the cat who was waiting for me in my room. Xena, the dog, remembered me and went giddy for attention as well as wondering how much luggage I had. I was so thankful to be in a country where I wasn’t sweating profusely and even went out in jeans and a shirt. It looked like Dalyan would be a lot hotter than when I left but still manageable compared to Vietnam.
Michelle and I were in Cuckoo’s Nest having a cocktail by 11pm and I really was flagging from the long journey. In my head it was already 3am on Saturday but at least I’d sleep tonight.

Saigon to Doha – 29th June

My 30 day Vietnamese visa expired on Thursday 29th June so I was leaving and going back to Turkey via Rhodes. By 6am I was in the car to Saigon airport, which Captain Caveman had paid 400,000vnd (£13.20) for. By 6.24am I was in the check-in queue for my first flight, to Doha, Qatar. I’d previously had a bad experience at Doha airport and had not been since but now the price of the ticket had swung it. Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines to fly with too so it was time to try Doha again. I hoped it would be ok as I had a 12 hour 20 minute lay over there, which was going to hurt!
Saigon airport was easy but pricey as I paid 178,000vnd (£5.87) for a very nice ham and cheese baguette and by 9.10am I was sat in my pre-booked seat, of 34C, ready for take off. I’d been given the opportunity to upgrade to business class for about $1,000 but I didn’t take it. I actually found the economy seats on Qatar Airlines so much comfier than on the Scoot Airlines flight I had taken out here. I’d definitely done the right thing selecting a Gluten Free meal as it was pretty bland but suited me well; prawn salad to start, a chicken stew with veg, two lots of corn bread and jelly with fruit for afters. Free drinks were a godsend too as it meant I didn’t have to worry about getting enough water, which was lovely. When I landed, I knew I had to occupy myself in Doha airport until I could board my next flight at just after midnight. I have a lounge pass but was determined to not use it straight away, so I waited until I’d been there a couple of hours. I did everything leisurely and walked for miles checking out the airport – there were a lot of expensive designer shops. Doha airport has definitely cleaned itself up since I was last there and I was impressed with the garden area and the fact that you can get drinking water very easily for free.
At 3.15pm I was in the lounge and had some nice food and quite a lot of wine for the next 4 hours. It was big, but busy, and had a few too many naughty children in it to feel relaxed, despite one of the manager’s attempts to control their behaviour. I spent the last 3 hours of the day just wandering about the very empty and quite chilly airport, willing the time on for me to get on my second flight, to Frankfurt in Germany.

Saigon – 28th June

Wednesday 28th June was a sad day as it meant saying goodbye to Captain Caveman.
As it was a Wednesday and the hotel had no scales, I took my measurements. I found that there was no change to my bust or waist but I’d put 1cm on my hips – that wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be!
We started the day with breakfast at a coffee shop of Captain Caveman’s choosing. The Workshop was up some stairs, the service wasn’t great and the croissants we ordered automatically came warmed up and with condiments. Captain Caveman had 2 Espressos with his and I had an earl grey tea. I was sad that Captain Caveman was flying back to Dong Hoi this afternoon but I was grateful he’d been able to come to Saigon. He was back to work with his Oxalis briefing this evening and in the cave tomorrow. After a leisurely breakfast, we paid the bill and headed back to the hotel, here’s what we paid in Dong.

The Workshop
2 Croissants with butter and jam 110,000
2 double espressos 150,000
1 earl grey tea 45,000
Total spent 305,000vnd (£10.07)

While Captain Caveman got packed, booked and paid for my taxi to the airport tomorrow morning and generally got ready to leave Saigon, I edited some blog posts.

We still had one last outing to do before Captain Caveman left and that was lunch at Bandino’s with Andrea. It’s a Tequila and Taco place down an alley near our hotel, and we’ve both been a couple of times before (but not at the same time). We all shared a jug of margarita and various tacos, plus I ordered mushrooms with cheese and there was tortillas with guacamole and chillies for Andrea and Captain Caveman. The food was lovely but I was a bit sad that Captain Caveman was going as soon as we left Bandino’s.
Here’s the bill for the Mexican;
1 jug margarita 560,000
1 guacamole 120,000
1 mushrooms with cheese 150,000
1 plate of mixed tacos 695,000
5% service charge 76,250
10% VAT 160,125
Total paid 1,761,375vnd (£58.13).
It wasn’t the cheapest lunch at just under £20 each but it was very nice. Andrea and I arranged to meet for a drink at 4pm but I did tell her I wouldn’t be going out out as my car for the airport was picking me up at 5.30am tomorrow and I didn’t want to risk missing my flight (like on the way here).
Captain Caveman and I went back to the hotel, just having time to grab his bag and say farewell. I walked with him to the taxi and I didn’t cry as he would be arriving in Dalyan in 8 weeks and 3 days.
As luck would have it, after doing my packing and walking round to Malt pub to meet Andrea, it started to rain. This meant that there was no chance of staying out as Andrea had to get a taxi to her next appointment, after catching up over just the one drink, we said our goodbyes. The rain was horrendous so my plans to go out for dinner, didn’t happen and I grabbed some snacks from the nearby Circle K for 88,000vnd (£2.90) including a croissant, some chocolate, crisps and sweets for my journey tomorrow. I had a bath, set my alarm and went to bed early – after 6 weeks and 3 days it was time to go back to Rhodes!

joloyolo

The ramblings and observations of a fortysomething lady of leisure