Dalyan & Bacardi Bay – 15th June

Sunday 15th June was a real treat as we had booked to go on a boat trip with Captain Boris. It cost £45 each which isn’t the cheapest boat trip in Dalyan but they pride themselves on making sure they give great service and food. On all the previous trips I’ve been on with them, they’ve definitely been particularly memorable. I was so excited to be going with Captain Caveman and enjoying our day off doing something really lovely. We were off out to sea for the whole day and later going over to a party at Mark and Kate’s. Our first stop off was to the corner shop for some beers to take for the party later. 4 cans of Efes was 340 lira (£6.42) and we put them in the rucksack for later. I’d already given Vanessa a bottle of Prosecco to take for me to save it going warm.
The boat trip was rather an eclectic mix of people and there was a bit of confusion at the start as 2 people were late and Colin didn’t turn up at all! Quite early doors on the trip, it became apparent that we had a lot of smokers on, which Captain Caveman and I aren’t fans of. It’s obviously better if you can afford, or have enough friends for, a private trip, but we didn’t so we had to put up with it. Captain Caveman also got ‘trapped’ at the front of the boat with some older chatty women which weren’t his cup of tea and all smoked too much. Luckily, there was a nice couple on board who I ended up talking to a bit. We went to Bacardi Bay which was beautiful and we had a swim. Captain Caveman had beer which were 150 lira (£2.83) each and I had wine at 180 lira (£3.40) per glass – still good prices compared to the UK. The BBQ and food was really nice – I particularly enjoyed the prawns which were delicious. Captain Caveman can’t eat prawns or mushrooms so I had extra prawns and a bit more chicken and mushroom casserole. I did enjoy it, there was plenty for us to get more food if we wanted to. I think we had 3 drinks each as we paid 1,000 lira (£19) in total for drinks. It was a lovely day and I had to let my head not feel bad for spending £109 for the 2 of us as it was ! After several swim stops, cake and fruit, we headed back to Dalyan before 5pm ready to go to our next event. We got dropped off at Portakal ferry and walked to Mark and Kate’s where we joined their party. Vanessa and Matt were getting ready to leave when we got there, as they had errands to run before they left Dalyan tomorrow. Vanessa had arranged to meet me and another friend tomorrow to say farewell as they were driving back to the UK and had decided to go a few days earlier than planned. There was quite a crowd at Mark and Kate’s, some familiar faces as well as some new people. We also had chip butties to eat and later Mark and Vinnie got the port and cheese out. Mark’s son was over visiting so it was nice to meet and I enjoyed talking about yachts with him. We didn’t stay late as Captain Caveman and I had work tomorrow and I was really tired.

Gratitude List
1. Being lucky enough to be going on a boat trip
2. Amazing food, including prawns
3. Having a good time at Mark and Kate’s party.

Dalyan – 14th June

It was certainly a sign that Captain Caveman was over in Dalyan, as I would ordinarily have been budgeting for a trip to the weekly market on Saturday 14th June. However, as it was the weekend and Captain Caveman had 2 days off work to get to enjoy the delights of Dalyan, we were about to splash out as if we were on holiday. I was also doing a little less work this weekend so that Captain Caveman and I could have some time together. I’d already planned all my blog posts, social media posts and book promo stuff in advance so that I was available. I’d also planned for us to go to Captain Caveman’s favourite breakfast place, Saklı Bahçe, at 8.30am when they opened. We had the Turkish breakfast with extra water and it was really good – this time I didn’t even get a dodgy stomach from the pastries/bread. We did have to take some cheese, olives and bread home, though, as the portion sizes were big. We paid 1070 lira (£20.18) for 2 breakfasts and 2 waters which I thought was good value for money. We were done by 10am and had a wander in to town so that Captain Caveman could get ready to do what he loves best on his day off.

He and Sezgin were driving over to Köyceğiz to play Bridge. So, I had a free afternoon to get some washing done, tidy up and then do some more work to get ahead for next week.
I got showered and changed ready to meet Captain Caveman after his Bridge as we had arranged to go for a meal in town, with Sezgin and Nur. Captain Caveman told me to bring a bottle of the fizz to share with Nur and to be ready for 6.30pm.
We went to Eylül where we took the bottle of fizz and Sezgin brought a bottle of Rakı which the 3 of them shared. Leaving me to drink a whole bottle of prosecco to myself, with my meal. I ordered a chicken shish and all 3 of my fellow diners ordered Adana kebabs and we shared 2 lavaş (balloon bread) between the 4 of us. The meal out was a lot cheaper because we had taken our own booze and we paid 2,000 lira (£37.74) for the whole meal – less than a tenner each!
Captain Caveman and Sezgin were both feeling a bit unwell after the Bridge where the heat had been unbearable so I was shocked when they wanted to carry on drinking. Sezgin and Nur invited us back to their house where I had a bit more wine and they all carried on with the rakı. I didn’t want a late night as we had a really nice day planned for tomorrow.
We said goodbye before midnight and walked past Jamie’s on the way home. As we got to his we could hear that he was in the pool and he was talking to someone. We decided to call in, Jamie was in the pool with a drink and had been talking to Edna, who had been laid to rest in a big plant pot, with plants and a few items to remember her with. It was the first time we had seen Jamie since Edna’s death so we all had a good chat and a bit of reminiscing. Captain Caveman joined Jamie with a G&T while I drank a pint of water. Norman, the older dog, was fast asleep but had been doing well and was making the most of getting extra treats and more cuddles than usual.

Gratitude List
1. Breakfast at Saklı Bahçe with Captain Caveman
2. Dinner at Eylül with Sezgin and Nur
3. Getting to see Jamie and give him a hug.

Dalyan – 13th June

At 1am on Friday 13th June, I got a message from Jamie to say that he wanted to tell me in person, but couldn’t speak right now because he was absolutely heartbroken.
Edna, his youngest dog, had passed away!
I called Jamie straight back, both of us trying to stop the tears, and he let me know what had happened; he had been at the vets with her when he rang me but the signal had been rubbish. He’d had to drive to the Köyceğiz vet as the local one was closed, they had given Edna medicine for her existing heart murmur but, unfortunately, she died in his arms shortly afterwards. Luckily It had been quick, very sudden in fact, but pain free – I was also in bits. Captain Caveman came back down from bed to console me, he was also upset. I messaged Drew, who had flown back to the UK that morning, and of course he was heartbroken too. Edna was such a great dog and we all loved her, in fact I know a lot of people who read my blog will be upset too. We went to bed, knowing that we would all miss Edna, a lot, but with the comfort that she would now be reunited with Graeme, her Big Daddy.

After not much sleep, I had to get up and go on a Birthday boat trip, which I was no longer in the mood for, if I’m honest. We were about to have a full-on day aboard Captain Fuat’s Adıl boat at £30 (or 1,560 lira) for the trip. We set sail and were off out to sea so I had taken a travel sickness tablet, Avimone, which makes me really drowsy but works.

While Captain Caveman worked from home for the day, it meant that I was without a working phone, as I’d left home the hot spot. Vanessa had invited Captain Caveman on the Friday Bar crawl and she was going to message him with where they were so he could join them at 7pm (5pm UK time), when he finished work.
The first stop of the boat trip was to the caves on the way to Ekincik where you can swim through the cave, around and back to the boat. It’s quite challenging for a general swimmer and is very often on the choppy side. I’ve swam it a couple of times but I’ve also seen people get in to difficulties there. Today, was particularly choppy and the few other boats that were there, had already gone by the time some of our group had got in. Only the brave had swam through the caves and the others had gone out in to the open sea. I stayed on the boat which was swaying a lot and I had to stare at the horizon to not be sick. Some people did find it rather arduous swimming back to the boat against the current. Captain Fuat had to help get some people back in and I was glad I’d decided to not go in. Our next stop was decided with a slight change to the route – back towards hole island where it was calmer. I had a little swim but I was still feeling a bit seasick – one of the ladies onboard gave a couple of us a ginger sweet, which worked.
We had a lovely BBQ lunch in a secluded bay and another swim stop later, where people didn’t really get off for a swim. I had a pomegranate juice which was so lovely. Mark & Kate got dropped off at the jetty to their house saying they weren’t going back out, and I went back in to town to walk home so I could get WiFi again.

When I got in, Captain Caveman was still working but he had not heard from Vanessa or any other bar crawl participants yet. We decided to meet back up with my friend to celebrate it being her birthday. Captain Caveman and I walked to Caria Hotel for 7.30pm. It’s the new place which has replaced the Tezcan hotel, where they have a lovely riverside bar. We ordered a bottle of Turkish rosé wine for 900 lira (£17). Turgay our waiter, brought us a cheese and fruit plate over, which was really lovely, great views and the menu had a good choice. I paid the bill and then we got a message from Vanessa saying they were in Ozzy’s. Our friend went home and Captain Caveman and I went to join the bar crawl, or who was left of it. When we got there, Vanessa and Matt (who had been out since 2pm but had forgot to message until now) were on their last drink and were leaving as we arrived. Kate had already left Mark who was there with Tracey and Vinnie so we joined them for a drink. We only stayed out for a couple as Mark, Vinnie and Tracey were being sensible and going home before they got too drunk. We had a group photo with Ozzy and one of the bar men before walking home to get our dinner.

Gratitude List
1. An entertaining birthday boat trip with Captain Fuat on Adıl Boat
2. Drinks at the new Caria Hotel
3. Joining the tail end of the bar crawl with Captain Caveman.

Dalyan – 12th June

I had a busy day planned on Thursday 12th June; I had agreed to an impromptu doggy day care for a cute little puppy. I’d met Sassy before but I’d not looked after her. I left Captain Caveman working from home, in possession of our hot spot phone and walked over to Mel’s, not really knowing which was her house.
After walking round the house a few times and waiting outside, I ventured up some stairs and found the right place. Sassy was very cute and a little bit cheeky. Mel had the AC on and fans so the house was nice and cool. She made me a cup of tea and we ran through the requirements for the doggy day care.
My first meeting of the day was a free mini course on Visibility with Lisa Johnson (a first of 3 parts for just 30 minutes). It was really interesting and I got a lot out of it. I was meant to have lunch at 12 noon, but I was too busy trying to make sure the puppy was not getting in to any bother. After giving attention to Sassy for a while I got back on to the laptop and dialled in to our Resort Experts Team Meeting.
The meeting went well, and we followed it with another meeting of just me, Dagne (Majorca) and Helen (Italy) to talk about more work related plans and to help each other. I finally ate the salad I brought at about 3.45pm and little Sassy was keen to get a piece of chicken out of me, which of course she did.
I finished work around 5pm and took the dog for a walk. She was hilarious and wanted to be petted by everyone she saw. We also got as far as the Little Migros roundabout when she decided she had walked far enough and sat down. I walked her back home and then she was done for – even snoring a little.
I checked the house for wees to clean up. Mel had informed me she would go on the puppy pads. The only guaranteed dry bits were the puppy pads and she had done a big poo in Mel’s office. Sassy watched as I picked it up and put it down the toilet, then cleaned the floor. Around 8pm, I left her, as Mel was due back – she had been a bit cheeky but so cute and she loved playing fetch with Mel’s slippers.

I walked back along the river as the sun was setting and went home to see if Captain Caveman had finished his working day.
We decided to go for a drink at Retro Bar, where Captain Caveman had an Efes Malt and I had a red wine. It was 90 lira (£1.70) per drink and I paid 200 lira (£3.77) with a tip – a bargain!

We decided to eat out, as I’d not had time today to prepare anything. As Captain Caveman is rarely in Dalyan in the summer, it was his choice of where to go. He’d never been to Firat’s before and wanted to try it, as lots of us rate it as one of our favourites.
We decided to have a bottle of Angora red wine, a large water, courgette fritters, beetroot, green beans in tomato sauce, garlic yoghurt, a chicken shish with rice, salad and chips plus complimentary lavaş (balloon bread). We shared it all, it was delicious and we both really enjoyed it. The bill came to 2,140 lira (£40.38) of which 800 lira (£15) was for the wine. We also left a 200 lira (£3.77) tip which they were very happy with. Captain Caveman was thrilled at how we were both stuffed and had shared a bottle of wine for less than £45 for the 2 of us – he would struggle to find that back home. Firat’s was also now on his favourite restaurants, in Dalyan, list. We were getting ready to leave when I got a call from Jamie. I answered it but there was no one there. I assumed he had called me by mistake as it was quite late and almost 11pm. I tried to call back but couldn’t get through. I sent a message but no reply, so we walked over to Ozzy’s bar for a night cap.

Captain Caveman went on to beer and I had red wine, we chatted to Ozzy and admired his new beer mats. Our drinks with tip came to 300 lira (£5.66) which was still reasonable. It was midnight by the time we got home, having had a lovely evening. I was still worried about Jamie, though, and was not prepared for what I would hear when I did get to speak to him.

Gratitude List
1. Looking after a puppy who was super cute
2. Great Resort Experts colleagues and meetings
3. Having a wonderful evening out with Captain Caveman.

Dalyan – 11th June

Captain Caveman arrived before 2.30am on Wednesday 11th June. At Manchester Duty Free he’d bought us a bottle of Hendrick’s Gin for £29.99, then on landing at Dalaman he’d bought 2 bottles of Prosecco for €31.80 (1,443.08 lira). He’d also brought me the following treats, some of which I’d asked him to; Chopsticks, Eye mask, Tea Towels, Robinson’s cordial and Thai Curry pastes.
After a bit of sleep, I was up first to start work and get weighed. My home scales surprisingly said I had lost 1.6kg (3.5lb) but that couldn’t be right. My measurements showed my bust and hips had stayed the same but I’d put 1cm on my waist – that will be the alcohol at the weekend! I topped up the Turkcell with 50GB of data for 425 lira (£8) as Captainnet isn’t always reliable and there was now 2 of us working from home.
By 11am, Captain Caveman was on his morning video call and he was so loud, I expected the neighbours to complain. I left him shouting and complaining about not having any coffee and went to Turkish class at Lukka bar. I made us a salad for lunch and then I went to Fat Club in the afternoon. Carol’s scales were not as forgiving as my home ones but I was still shocked to find that I had lost 1kg (2.2lb). We had a bit of a laugh that the wine & Prosecco diet had done me well this week, but now I had to watch putting on weight next week! I called at the shop on my way back and here’s what I bought, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Milk 33.95
2 Dido chocolate bars 43.90
2 tins tomato paste 59.90
Roasted red peppers 79.95
Walnuts 98.50
Coffee 164.95
Total spent 565.65 lira (£10.67)

Captain Caveman had been less than impressed that I’d given him a coffee made from Jamie’s decaf this morning and had insisted I get proper ground coffee – he was missing Vietnamese coffee! He didn’t have one though as, as soon as he had finished work at 7pm (5pm UK time), I was whisking him off to meet people!
I’d arranged to meet Jamie, Drew, Norman and Edna after their dog walk, in Lukka bar, for a quick hello/goodbye drink. Drew was heading back tomorrow so he and Captain Caveman are rarely in sync and it would be a quick meet up. Edna was the most excited to see Captain Caveman and I think she had hoped to get some wine. I ordered a soda water and Captain Caveman had his first Efes Malt of the visit. We all noticed that Edna was doing a little cough and I know she does that sometimes for attention. Norman got a stroke and was happy checking the floor for any scraps he could eat. Captain Caveman and I decided to have another drink, as we were having a roast chicken dinner at home for our meal and it was still in the oven. We tried a glass each of the house red wine and we chatted about all sorts. Drew mentioned Edna had been slightly off her food that day (which never happens) so Jamie was taking her to the vets before I dog sat on Monday – just in case.
I paid the bill for Captain Caveman and I, prices below in lira;
1 Soda water 60
1 Efes Malt 160
2 Red wines 380
Total spent 600 lira (£11.32)

Despite it being on the more expensive scale to what I’m used to, here in Dalyan, Captain Caveman was impressed at how cheap it was compared to the UK.
We said our farewells and headed home for our chicken dinner which was delicious. I forgot to take any photos and we had a relatively early night as tomorrow we were both very busy.

Gratitude List
1. Captain Caveman arriving in Dalyan (& with chopsticks!)
2. Losing weight despite a messy weekend
3. Seeing Jamie, Drew, Norman & Edna.

Dalyan – 9th & 10th June

I had a busy day on Monday 9th June as I had decided to embark on a course to work on publishing a travel planner. After spending many an unsuccessful browse in book shops and stationers I’d realised there was a gap in the market for this book. I wanted to design, write and publish a planner that would enable buyers to plan their year of either small holidays or the big bucket list trip. It was a product I’d needed for myself, in the past, and I thought it might be really useful for others and to also add to my passive income stream. I had veggie noodles for breakfast and then got on with work. I attended another training webinar for a hotel chain in various European locations which was really good.
I didn’t have lunch until gone 3pm and then it was a warmed up curry with steamed rice. I worked until 8.30pm and then messaged friends I had missed yesterday to apologise for me being AWOL. At 9pm I made myself 2 small pizzas from tacos, which were very nice. I spoke to Captain Caveman who was at work and cold in the UK.

Gratitude List
1. Starting to produce a Travel Planner
2. Good food
3. Training

There was a bit of excitement in the air on Tuesday 10th June as it was the day that Captain Caveman was travelling from Manchester to Dalyan after work tonight. While he worked in Warrington all day, I worked from home and tried to get quite a lot of my to do list done so that I could take the weekend off. At lunch time I nipped to the shops and here’s what I bought, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Green tea 34.95
2 Quark 70.00
A 2.2kg Chicken 219.69
Total spent 324.64 lira (£6.13)

Unfortunately, I saw a tortoise wandering towards a gate which it thought it could get under, so I had to move it.
I rushed back to attend a webinar at 1pm which was about the new improved Quote Away platform and was very informative.
I had a late lunch of jacket potato with cheese, done in the Airfryer and served with lettuce and carrot – a last ditch attempt to be healthy before tomorrow’s weigh-in!
At 3pm I got a request from Captain Caveman to check he had his sunglasses here, and he did – he was finishing work soon and was heading to the airport for his flight at 7.20pm. I let Sonuç, of Dalyan Transfers, know that he’d be arriving at 01.35am tomorrow.
Before dinner I went back out to the shops to get some provisions ready for Captain Caveman’s arrival and also because I wanted to take advantage of some offers that were on. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Şok Supermarket
Marshmallows 37.00
10 Eggs 71.50
Total spent 108.50 lira (£2.05)

Dalyan Şarküteri
1 tin baked beans 65.00
1 tin coconut milk 75.00
250g Lurpak 220.00
Total spent 360.00 lira (£6.79)

Parlak Bakery
1 loaf 15.00
1 simit 15.00
Total spent 30.00 lira (57p)

At 9.30pm I got a photo from Captain Caveman who was on the plane and it wasn’t even full so he had extra space to spread out. He also sent me a list of the holidays he had requested from work.
I had planned on going to bed but I decided to wait up for Captain Caveman and I caught up on my Turkish homework while I waited.

Gratitude List
1. Rescuing a tortoise
2. Finding a big chicken
3. Captain Caveman was on his way to Dalyan.

Dalyan – 7th & 8th June

I worked most of the day on Saturday 7th June. I was trying to stay frugal but as it was so nice and sunny and I hadn’t had an alcoholic drink for a bit, it was tempting to go out. I worked on a few quotes and even got a couple of potential new customers who I didn’t already know. I was busy with holidays for next year, mainly, and it reminded me of the days when I used to be so organised at booking things way in advance.
Eventually, I had a break to go to the weekly market, by which time it was pretty hot, but still with a breeze in the air.
Here’s what I bought at each of the stalls, which I had noticed was getting a little pricier. How does it compare with what you spend on fruit and vegetables, where you are?

Stall 1
Potatoes, onions & garlic 100 lira (£1.89)

Stall 2
Sage (for tea) 50 lira (94p)

Stall 3
Strawberries 150 lira (£2.83)

Stall 4
Cabbage & lettuce 90 lira (£1.70)

Stall 5
Peppers 50 lira (94p)

Stall 6
Spring onions, tomatoes & cucumber 40 lira (75p)

Total spent 480 lira (£9.06)

Lettuce and strawberries are still quit pricey in Dalyan but, overall, I was pleased with my weekly market shop.
I was back home by 1.30pm and warmed up some cauliflower and cashew nut soup which I ate with wholemeal bread and butter. It was deceptively tasty and I carried on with more work. Vanessa had messaged to say she and Matt were at Retro bar, near to me, and I should come meet them for a drink. I said I would finish work at 4pm and pop along ‘for one’.
Just before 4pm I got another text from Vanessa to say that they were having some food and one more drink. I still decided to go and I ordered a white wine and soda water with ice. Retro bar is back in favour with some of the Dalyan Dwellers as beer and wine was only 90 lira (£1.70) – an absolute bargain. Soda water is 50 lira (94p) and I shared one over 3 glasses of wine. Vanessa had already had her fill of wine and had a water, Matt had finished his drink and they were ready to go. After a quick catch up, they left and I ended up carrying on the afternoon with Sarah, Kate and Mark. After paying 590 lira (£11.13) for 6 wines and a soda water, for an afternoon/night out in Retro it was time to go home. Kate insisted we go to Sofra bar to do karaoke. I’d already worn a Kermit the frog shirt while singing and dancing then had Kate’s spare knickers on my head for a laugh – I really should’ve gone home but ….
I ended up having 2 red wines for 300 lira (£5.66) in Sofra and sang several songs, quite badly. Jamie, Drew and all his friends were in too, Sioned joined Kate for a Meatloaf karaoke and I think once Kate and I got in to Teenage Dirtbag, it was too much! We bumped in to Brigette from Fat Club and it was nice to be out on a very rare Sofra visit from me, these days. When I started pouring Mark a glass from the bottle we had brought from Retro, it was perhaps time to leave!

Gratitude List
1. Fresh fruit and veg from the weekly market
2. Going out for one with Vanessa and Matt
3. Ending up out out with karaoke thrown in for good measure.

I did something for the first time this year on Sunday 8th June; my phone was off!!!
I didn’t know it until quite late in the day and I’d accidentally managed to worry people because if it, without realising. I am never not contactable via messenger as I am constantly using Facebook for work. I’d had a heavy night and had woken up at Mark and Kate’s house under a duvet (which was too hot) in their upstairs bedroom.
I went downstairs, it was already 11am and I was meant to have been going for a walk with Vanessa at 10am. She had already been to call for me and had assumed I was still in bed. No one had a phone charger to fit my phone and I had a bit of a panic that I might need it. We established not having my phone on for a change would do me good, but I had to ask Mark to call Matt to explain why I wasn’t at home. Mark made me a cup of Yorkshire tea and Kate made me a slice of homemade sourdough toast with homemade marmalade for breakfast. By 11.30am Glynn had popped round and offered to give me a lift in to town when he left so I thought that would be a good idea. However, once Mark’s sister, Tracey and Kate were in the pool it seemed like a good idea and I got in, wearing my cycling shorts and sports bra. I was meant to be meeting other friends, with it being my only day off and I’d likely made loose plans.
Oddly, it was quite liberating not having any battery left in my phone and I missed my lift with Glynn when he left while I was still in the pool. Mark became the host with the most as he opened a bottle of Prosecco for Tracey, Kate and I and we stayed in the pool for the rest of the day. It was the first time this year I had been in a swimming pool and it felt amazing. The Prosecco was still going strong from when they had bought a very generous job lot which almost filled a spare bedroom.
Kate had bought Mark a toy that you put in the water and it drags you around so he let us all have a go on that. It looked slow but it didn’t half get going and was making my pants fall down. We had a great day and it soon turned in to evening with more Prosecco and some sausages. I did go home but had been wearing my sunglasses with transitional lenses so I was a bit confused when I walked home using a really bright, borrowed torch which I thought was dull. I walked past Sofra and checked with Şükrü that I’d paid my bill last night and apologised for the singing – he laughed and confirmed I wasn’t barred (yet). I also had a quick chat with Carol from Fat Club, who was there with her family. It was only when I got home that I realised I’d walked home in sunglasses and had left my watch and my credit card at Mark & Kate’s.
I had a shower and was about to get ready for bed when I noticed just how sunburned I was! June had certainly started to warm up. After charging it, I turned my phone on to apologise to a lot of people who had all been really worried that I had not be available.
Oops – I felt bad but the break from devices had certainly done me good and it had made a nice change to see friends.

Gratitude List
1. 12 hours without my phone for the first time this year!
2. Prosecco
3. Seeing Mark, Kate and friends for a really great impromptu weekend.

Photo credit – pool photos by Mark

Dalyan – 5th & 6th June

Thursday 5th June was a working day but I decided to spend the morning on my laptop, outside on the balcony. I even heard the gardener doing some work which was good to know. After he had cleaned and topped up the pool, I went and took some photos while it looked good. I noticed we seemed to have a lot of ants on the back balcony so I ate a banana and chucked down the skin. Ants hate bananas so it helps to get rid of them. I have ant powder but it doesn’t seem to deter them at all.
Our Resort Experts team meeting was a good one where the second version of our quote tool, Quote Away, was being launched. Of course, Jamie and I were always on hand to volunteer to break it.
For dinner I tried to recreate the noodles from Simple, mine weren’t as good but they did the job. I’d also made a big batch of cauliflower and cashew nut soup in the slow cooker, it’s really creamy but low fat and the nuts can be counted as part of the B Option on Slimming World. I was determined to get back to healthy eating and being frugal, before Captain Caveman arrived.

Gratitude List
1. The pool looking good
2. Working outside
3. Great colleagues at Resort Experts

I mainly spent Friday 6th June at home and on my laptop. I had beans on toast for breakfast, worked on the kitchen balcony until soup for lunch and then worked inside when it got a bit breezy. I checked out flights to go back to the UK in July and found that the week before Captain Caveman’s birthday was looking cheaper.
For dinner I warmed up chicken curry with steamed rice and made a cheese and garlic naan bread using 2 wraps in the airfryer. I even treated myself to an Efes beer to go with it and dined on the balcony.

Gratitude List
1. Great food
2. Cheap flights for potential UK visit
3. Being able to work outdoors again.

Dalaman to Dalyan – 3rd & 4th June

I landed in Dalaman airport at 2.55am on Tuesday 3rd June and was the first to the luggage carousel which had not been put on yet. I headed to the toilet and, as I did, I noticed that there were several areas where there were bits of concrete/rubble on the floor in the airport, which was odd. After a slow walk back from the toilets while I turned my phone on, I saw updates on Facebook that there had been an earthquake which had affected Dalaman and Dalyan. I decided to spend a bit of time in the Duty Free while waiting for my suitcase and, as I had already bought a litre of spirits in Gatwick, I could only get a couple of bottles of wine.
I bought 2 bottles of Prosecco for 854.38 lira (£16.12) and, once I had my case, I went outside to my booked pick up with Sonuç of Dalyan Transfers. He updated me on the earthquake and said it had certainly been felt in Dalyan, it had woken people up from sleeping. My taxi cost £30 which I paid in English and we got back to Dalyan by 4.30am.
Once home, I had a quick check around the apartment to make sure there was no broken items from the Earthquake, as some people had reported that happening. All was fine so I got in bed as I was so tired. I didn’t wake up until 8.50am and then just had herbal tea. I unpacked a bit and then got on with work, breaking off at lunch to have cheese spread on toast.
I booked Captain Caveman a pick up with Sonuç as he had booked a flight to come over to Dalyan next week! He would be working from home for the first time in Dalyan and I was really pleased.
The pool and garden looked to be in a respectable order now and the weather was hot and sunny with a bit of a breeze. It still wasn’t hot enough to need the AC on, though.
I hadn’t had chance to go food shopping but I did quickly nip to the bank and to Captainnet to put the internet back on. On the way back I popped in to Migros, here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Cashew nuts 84.50
3 Quark 105.00
Total spent 189.50 lira

For dinner I had beans on toast which was lovely and I was in bed by 10pm. I was starting to feel better from the water infection but I was incredibly tired.

Gratitude List
1. Arriving after the earthquake and to no damage
2. Finally getting in bed to sleep
3. Being back in sunny Dalyan.

Wednesday 4th June was a a fairly busy day for me in Dalyan. But my first job was to face the scales to see how much weight I’d put on while I was away. My weight increase was just 0.3kg (0.7lb) on my home scales but we would see what the real damage was on Carol’s scales later.
My measurements were good; no change to bust or hips and 2cm off my waist – it’s amazing what a week of zero alcohol can do!
I worked in the morning and, as I was still unwell, I didn’t go to Turkish class at 11.30am. I did arrange to pay for the lessons I had missed and Sioned agreed to leave me the lessons at Lukka bar for me to pick up.
After very little to eat, I was on my way to Fat Club at 3pm. In the 3 weeks I had been away in England, I had put on 1.4kg (3.1lb) which doesn’t seem much but it now meant I was 2.4kg (5.3lb) over my target! After the group, Carol and I had a visit to the grocery shop in the old market square. Word had it that the old fella who owned it had got his son running it and he had given it a bit of a spruce up. It was impressive, eggs were cheap and they even sold celery and lemongrass now.
At Uygun Manav I bought a melon, plums, bananas, courgettes, mushrooms, peppers, onions and carrots for a total of 534.00 lira (£10). Next, I collected my Turkish lessons at Lukka and popped next door to Maizie Moo to buy a Citronella candle. They had run out but Katrina was making more and I bought their famous natural Mosquito Repellent for 300 lira (£5.66). Of course, there are cheaper products like Off and Sinkoff in the local shops but I prefer the natural product which is better for my skin. I no longer have eczema but I don’t want it coming back.
I made a chicken and vegetable curry with steamed rice and had an early dinner, making sure I put some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. It tasted lovely and I was ready to have a night in but I’d said I would go over to Vanessa’s with her stuff. I checked my parents’ place as I walked past it and the pool was looking good and had been cleaned and filled. The maintenance and gardener they have is much better than ours.
When I arrived, they already had new throws on the sofa so it meant we needn’t have bothered carrying the big thick ones from England! Matt had since had some made in Dalyan and they did look nice but he could’ve said we didn’t need to carry the others!!
I gave Vanessa the throw and the rest of the stuff I had brought over and we had a cup of tea. They were driving back to England, via Europe in 15 days time so they had plenty of Weetabix and Branston to get through in a fortnight!
On the way back home, I decided I needed to go food shopping, as I wouldn’t have time tomorrow and I needed more provisions. Here’s what I bought with the prices in lira;

A101 Supermarket
1l Milk 24.00
400g Diced Beef 245.00
Total spent 269.00 lira (£5.08)

Migros Supermarket
Linden tea 38.50
Wholemeal bread 62.50
Fabric Softener 104.95
Feta cheese 127.50
Spray oil 129.95
Total spent 463.50 lira (£8.75)

Beef is expensive in Turkey but I had bought it while it was on offer, thinking I would make something nice like a curry or casserole.
I was home and ready for bed by 10pm, still feeling a bit tired too.

Gratitude List
1. Still being not as fat as I used to be, despite putting weight on in England
2. Being able to splash out on fresh food
3. Seeing Vanessa and Matt.

Barnes & Gatwick – 1st & 2nd June

The medication was starting to do its thing by Sunday 1st June and I was glad as it was my last full day and night in the UK. I was off back to Turkey tomorrow so the plan had been to have a lovely day together, while Captain Caveman had a day off. We’d talked about going to Kew Gardens, as I’d never been, but I wasn’t well enough for an outing. Instead, I checked my stats for my blog to find that I was up 42% on views from the previous month. My top readers were located in the UK, Turkey and USA and I even had some new reader in Botswana. I was hoping for a good month and I even saved a post from my colleague, Helen the Resort Expert in Italy, which was promoting Joyful June – we could all do with a bit of that. Captain Caveman and I were very grateful to his parents for letting us stay, even more so when they potentially unwittingly allowed us to do a load of laundry. At lunch time, Captain Caveman and I decided to have a little walk to the shops in Barnes to eat our lunch in the park, near Barnes Pond. Here’s what we bought, prices in pounds;

Sainsbury’s Supermarket
2 tins of Baked Beans 0.80
1 Double Decker chocolate bar 0.85
Fairy Liquid 1.25
6 packs of Mini cheddars 1.50
Parmesan cheese (for Carol) 3.95
Weetabix (for Vanessa) 4.00
Total spent £12.35

There wasn’t much going on for lunch options in Sainsbury’s, not for the first time, so we went to Marks & Spencer – my favourite! Here’s what we bought, prices in pounds;

1 pack mini sausage rolls 2.10
1 pack raspberries 2.65
1 salad box with edamame and nuts 2.90
1 Feta & sun dried tomato pasta 4.25
Total spent £11.90

My salad was delicious – I wish I’d bought two, and the raspberries were so lovely. We ate them sat on a bench while watching a young family who were attempting to let their young boy climb a tree, rather badly.
Of course, after they had moved and we had eaten, Captain Caveman had to shimmy up the tree to show how easy it was. We also discussed the idea of me flying back to the UK on the 17th of next month to help Captain Caveman celebrate his birthday. The flight was only £53 and we contemplated booking it but decided to wait.
The rest of the afternoon was spent sorting laundry and me packing, then we had a walk to the Brown Dog pub. Captain Caveman had a pint of a new beer that was on while I had a tap water. I was only functioning at 50% and needed to be ok to travel by tomorrow. I still had 2 more days worth of antibiotics but I think they were starting to have a positive effect. That evening, Captain Caveman’s parents had prepared us another tasty home cooked chicken dinner and then we watched a TV programme of Guy Martin in Vietnam. It was a relatively early night for me and I was rather upset that my last few days and not been as good due to being sick.

Gratitude List
1. Progress on the Blog views, it was still being read!
2. Being in Barnes, which is idyllic, to eat our lunch (and climb trees).
3. Captain Caveman’s parents being so easy going.

My flight from Gatwick was not until 8.50pm on Monday 2nd June so we were both working from home in Barnes. I checked in online for my flight and was given an aisle seat near the front. There was still some laundry drying so I did a bit more packing and, at lunchtime, Captain Caveman and I had a walk to the shops. I bought something for lunch and also something for later, here’s what I bought with the prices in pounds;

Tesco Supermarket
1 Sausage Roll 0.73
5 Bananas 1.35
1 Naked Smoothie 1.61
1 Hoisin Duck Wrap 1.66
1 pack Jacob’s Cream Crackers 1.80
1 pack Raspberries 2.10
2 packs Edamame beans 3.50
Total spent £12.75

I ate some of it for lunch and saved the rest for the flight. In the afternoon I got notification that I had been paid from my book royalties and it was my first proper month so I was quite pleased. It wasn’t an amount I could retire on just yet but it was enough to top up my income for the month. I was pleased to see that I had sold more than 1 copy per day on average and I had already started to get some great (5 Star) reviews.
At 5pm, Captain Caveman and I had finished work and were ready to set off to Barnes train station. Captain Caveman came with me as far as Clapham Junction so that he could help with my case. Interestingly, there were announcements saying the lifts weren’t working and I thought I’d struggle with my case, but they were all working fine. Captain Caveman waited with me for my train connection to Gatwick and we said our goodbyes. I was a bit sad because we had enjoyed spending time together so much and had not had one argument, which is an achievement in itself with Captain Caveman and I. The fare from Barnes to Gatwick was £15.60 and took less than an hour at rush hour.
Once at the airport, I had to get in to the queue for the bag drop, and it was a good job I went early as it was rather long. By 6pm I was getting some English money from the cash machine to use for boat trips in Dalyan. I strolled through Duty Free and was unsure what to get, so messaged Captain Caveman to see what he thought was the best value. By 7.10pm I had bought one of my own favourite tipples a Ron Zacapa Rum for £48.19. I saw that there was a Wagamamas, which I love, and decided I just had enough time to eat something there. I ordered a vegan rice dish of pulled shiitake donburi for £13.50 and it was amazing! I boarded the flight and had plenty of Netflix Downloads to keep me busy. I was glad of the aisle seat as I was constantly up and down for the toilet. Although feeling much better, the water infection was still there.
My flight with the 20kg hold luggage had cost just £49.99 which I thought was very reasonable, and I was due to land in Dalaman at 2.55am tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. Passive income from ‘You Can’t Shit Yourself on a Bicycle’
2. Edamame beans – I love them
3. Captain Caveman’s help to Clapham Junction.

Sheffield to Barnes – 31st May

Captain Caveman came back to the Jonas Hotel in Sheffield in the early hours of Saturday 31st May. I woke up because he had to turn on the light and go to the bathroom. He’d also not been able to get in with his key as, when I had asked for another, they had cancelled the first one. I didn’t get much sleep due to Captain Caveman’s snoring and we were up for breakfast early. The hotel included a hot beverage and a croissant (plain or chocolate) which was very nice and meant I could take a tablet. I was meant to be calling in to see my parents but I was still quite unwell and decided it would be better to push on and get the journey down to London over with. I’d already warned Captain Caveman that I’d need to stop for several toilet breaks along the way. Our first stop off was at Dunston Hall Garden Centre where I had a soup with a pot of herbal tea, Captain Caveman ordered a sausage sandwich and chips with a coffee. The food was good but the service seemed a bit chaotic and amateur. Captain Caveman paid the bill while I had another toilet visit and got stuck in the one way system of the Garden Centre.
We drove down to London, with just one more very brief pee stop and finally got to Barnes in the late afternoon. Captain Caveman and I were welcomed by his parents and sat out in the garden, meeting some friends of theirs. There was wine but I just had a juice and some of the crisps.
I went to unpack and managed to have a little lay down but no sleep and then we were given a lovely home cooked pasta dish for dinner. I was fit for nothing and in bed very early which was a shame as I’d not seen the in-laws for such a long time.
I managed to check my finances as I was very keen to see if I’d managed to come in within the £400 budget I had set for myself this month. With 11 days in the UK, mostly with Captain Caveman, I doubted that I had managed it so at first I was only going to count my Turkish Bank, which I only use in Turkey. I had put 20,716 lira (approx £400) in to that account for my budget. Unbelievably I had managed to spend 20,598 lira including 2 water bills, the electric bill and paying my credit card off in full. I was pleased at that but then I looked at my Wise account which I use mainly in the UK. Between me and Captain Caveman we had deposited £603 in total, unfortunately we had then spent £673, with £261.55 being spent on stuff that was only related to me! This meant I’d gone over budget by £260 at least in May, this also didn’t include anything that Captain Caveman had paid for directly. June was going to be tough and I needed to keep under budget to be able to start to get some savings in again. May had been such a fantastic month, though, and I was finally feeling like things were getting better financially.

Gratitude List
1. Making it to London despite feeling rather unwell
2. Seeing Captain Caveman’s parents
3. Being able to have some treats which meant going over budget.

Sheffield – 30th May

Friday 30th was meant to have been my last day to catch up with various people I’d not seen yet, as well as some I already had. The plan had been to finish work early and meet Louisa then, when Captain Caveman finished work, he would come join along with Vanessa and some of her family before attending Caz’s birthday celebrations that night. My sister was hoping to be able to meet me too before she went on holiday and I needed to say bye to my parents before I went back to Turkey. Captain Caveman and I were driving back to London the next day and I would get to see his parents before I flew back to Dalaman on Monday.
Unfortunately, I woke up feeling worse and the cystitis medication was doing bugger all to alleviate the pain, or the symptoms. Most of the day was spent in pain, feeling nauseous and a bit blurry.
Vanessa was dealing with a delivery of a couple of sofa throws which had been ordered for her settee in Dalyan and they were really nice, but heavy and big. She’d asked Matt to get some made in Dalyan to save paying for luggage but he’d not been able to get any. I agreed to take one in my suitcase as I had enough room and was already taking a jar of Branston, which they had forgotten on their last trip out, plus a couple of bits. I didn’t mind at all but I only had space for 1 of them, poor Vanessa would have to take the other in her under seat bag.
I started doing some packing while Captain Caveman was in meetings and Vanessa went out to meet her son and his girlfriend, with arrangements to see us at the Lescar pub later. I doubted I would be able to go but I really wanted to see people before I left as I didn’t know when I would be back.
At lunch time, Captain Caveman gave me a 2 minute warning that we needed to pack up and leave during his lunch hour as he had another important meeting and we needed to get across town. Months ago when Captain Caveman had arranged to go to Caz’s birthday celebrations he had thought he would stay at a hotel he had used before, the Jonas hotel, Endcliffe. I wasn’t quite with it as I hastily packed and rushed to the toilet in between as I still was in a predicament.

We arrived at the hotel which is located in a student area and is really stylish. Captain Caveman logged on in the communal working area ready for his 2pm meeting and I ordered a cup of Yorkshire tea and a cake for £4.50 as my lunch (there were no sandwiches left).
I took the key and went up to the room where I tried to have a little sleep but I felt quite sick. I googled my symptoms and decided I needed to see if I could get antibiotics from somewhere and set off walking to Boots on Ecclesall Road. I got as far as the Tesco Supermarket and was nearly peeing my pants so went in to find a toilet. They didn’t have one, but I did find an adaptor plug for £4.
At the pharmacy, still desperate for a wee, there was a massive queue and I could hear the on duty pharmacist saying he would love to visit Turkey for a holiday to one of the staff. That member of staff then told the woman in front of me that there was not a prescribing pharmacist on duty today so she would need to go to the walk-in centre. I was already distressed and desperate for a pee so I decided to ask the lady at the counter if I could speak to the pharmacist in private. Mo, the on duty pharmacist, obliged and we went in to the room next door where I explained my predicament. I also told a bit of a fib that I was due to drive to Gatwick tomorrow to get my flight back to Turkey and that I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to travel. We chatted about Turkey, politics and how if he needed a pee sample I could probably fill a bucket while crying, right now. He prescribed me Nitrofurantoin and said it was probably a bladder infection. By 4pm, I left the Boots Pharmacy, having paid £9.90 and was so relieved to have seen Mo. He was a lovely fella and really helped me out in a predicament.
I located the nearest chain coffee shop for the toilet, in desperation. I had to buy an overpriced bottle of water (£2.25) to get a code to get in for the biggest (painful) pee of the day. I was so relieved and took my first tablet while on the loo.
I walked back to the hotel but got lost and ended up walking quite far out of my way, up and down big hills, which I’m no longer used to. I got back and went to bed, which was super comfy but would’ve benefited from extra pillows.

I’m not much of a tablet taker so I immediately noticed that the Nitrofurantoin was having a weird effect on me, in the afternoon. I’d already had to start letting people know I wouldn’t be in any fit state to see them today. I needed to take my next tablet with or after food and needed to avoid citrus and spicy food. It was such a shame as Captain Caveman had finished work and wanted to go out for a nice meal before going to meet Caz and all the others at the Lescar for drinks. We decided to walk down the hill and find a restaurant to get a meal and I could take my next tablet. After mooching about and me not fancying anything because the thought of eating didn’t appeal, we settled on a Spanish Tapas place. That way, I could nibble on something and Captain Caveman could enjoy a nice meal with a drink or two. Here’s what we had with prices in pounds;

Iberico Restaurant
Olive oil with Balsamic 1.00
Alioli (extra) 1.00
Bread 3.50
75ml sherry 4.00
Belly pork 5.00
Chorizo with honey and toast 5.00
Artichokes 5.00
Tortilla 7.00
Ham Croquettes 9.00
250ml red wine 11.00
2 Manchego with Membrillo 12.00
Lots of tap water (free)
Total spent £63.50

I loved the Manchego cheese and even managed to eat the meat dishes but, when the tortilla came, I had to make a dash for the toilet to be sick. Eggs can often make me feel nauseous when I’m ill but I was in a state and needed to lay down. As we were so near to the Lescar, we decided I would go and wish Caz a Happy Birthday, say thank you and farewell to Vanessa and hopefully see some of the other friends while I was there.
Captain Caveman and I were the first there, shortly followed by Caz and Tim. I said hello, apologised for being ill, found out water infections are more common during menopause and drank just half of my tap water. I was in a bit of a state but I did have time to at least say hello to Caz and friends and get in a photo. I had to run to the loo to pee and throw up but was conscious of wasting the antibiotic so swallowed it! Vanessa and Brad didn’t arrive and I couldn’t wait any longer so Captain Caveman and I left, he would return after walking me back. My sister messaged to say she was sorry she hadn’t been able to meet me but was at a family meal at Gill’s & Co on Ecclesall Road. We were walking past it, so we went in just to say bye to everyone. I had a soda water, Captain Caveman had a drop of the bottle of wine on the table and my sister was on good form. It looked like a lovely place to dine. I paid visits to the toilet more than once and then I just had to get back to the hotel for a lay down.
I said bye to everyone with promises to see them in the summer, so not too long to wait. Captain Caveman left to rejoin Caz’s birthday bash and I walked back up the hill to the hotel. I could see the hotel so went in my bag to get the hotel key, only to realise that I didn’t have it. I called Captain Caveman and text but no answer. When I did speak to him, I was already in the hotel reception toilets, trying not to throw up. He wasn’t about to come back with the key so he said to ask reception for a new one, which they were very accommodating about. I had the second shower of the day and put my PJs on to go to sleep, just hoping I would be well enough to get to London tomorrow. At 9.20pm Vanessa messaged to say they were still at Grandma’s having had a Chinese so wouldn’t be able to make it out, after all. She wished me well for my journey and I her for her flight tomorrow and I would see her in Dalyan next week.

Gratitude List
1. Mo, the pharmacist – life saver!
2. Iberico – I will have to visit again when I’m better to fully appreciate it.
3. At least seeing Caz (and friends) on her birthday night out and saying bye to the Lessing family.

Photo Credit – some photos from Caz

Sheffield – 29th May

Captain Caveman was working in Stoke all day on Thursday 29th May and I decided, as Vanessa was going back to Dalyan before me, I would take the afternoon off to spend time with her.
After tea and toast for breakfast I did a full morning of work, including our Resort Experts team meeting. I’d finished around 12.30 and we got the tram to Crystal Peaks. Vanessa and I were both really surprised at how neither of us had got a hangover, especially after at least 6 rum & cokes and 3 ‘Blow Jobs’ yesterday. Oddly though, I had a strange pain in-between my stomach and groin area, which I’d never experienced before. Vanessa thought my symptoms seemed like it could be Cystitis and she used to be a doctor’s receptionist so I took her word for it. Our first stop was at the retail park and Boots where I bought mini face wash, mouth wash, moisturiser, plus a bottle of water and some cystitis medication for a total of £6.80. Our mission of the day had been to have a KFC because it’s our favourite junk food. Usually Vanessa would just have a 1 piece meal but today we both ordered a 2 piece meal, I went large but Vanessa had normal with BBQ beans. I had water and she had a strange drink I’d never heard of before and it looked like a milkshake but with things in it. The food was great but my pain was getting worse and I did not feel well at all.
In Marks & Spencer they had bras in my size but, because of all the weight I’d lost I was now a 34B and I’d been a 38E at one point! If only I could shift that much from my waist! I bought a pack of 3 for £20 and I didn’t even need underwired anymore! I’d always thought I’d got big boobs but it turned out I was just fat! While in M&S I started to feel even more unwell and I needed to pee 3 times. Granted, I had drank quite a bit of water before bed last night and again this morning plus the cystitis meds but it felt different – like it was coming on all of a sudden. Our next shopping stint was in I Love Sweets, a traditional sweet shop which had every type of childhood confectionery you could think of. We were like the proverbial kids in a sweet shop and I bought Floral Gums, Yorkshire Mixture and Sherbet Pips – I could easily have bought more and if you’re in the area I can highly recommend the place. We had a lovely nostalgic chat with the owner and I loved the shop.
Unfortunately, as we left I needed to pee again and felt a bit woozy. I wasn’t sure what was happening as one minute I was absolutely fine the next I thought I might collapse. I had started to really need a lay down so, as Vanessa headed over to Poundland to see if they had Weetabix, I had to nip to the loo again. I ended up in Peacock’s where I bought some size 12 pyjamas (without trying them on!) and another bottle of water as I was now desperately thirsty. I paid £12.75 and didn’t realise until later that I had picked lilac and grey, which were Vanessa’s colours.

I had to cancel my plans for the evening and I really struggled to make it back to Vanessa’s without pissing myself. I was now at the stage where I didn’t know if I needed to pee or not and when I did I was crying out in pain.
I had a rest on the bed and Vanessa made us all fajitas for dinner which was a lovely meal. I was a bit upset that I’d had to cancel my evening plan to meet friends but I felt so poorly. Even Captain Caveman, who was meant to be going to a caving catch up before joining me and my friends, didn’t go out. I took more medication, drank loads of water and went to bed early, hoping I’d be ok for tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. KFC for lunch with Vanessa
2. Bras
3. I Love Sweets

Apologies for lack of photos, I was too busy feeling poorly.

Sheffield – 28th May

Wednesday 28th May was certainly not the day we had planned although it all started off like a regular Wednesday. It would not end that way. Both Captain Caveman and I were at our laptops from 9am, he had a meeting first thing so was in the bedroom while I used the desk in the living room. Captain Caveman made me toast and Vanessa was getting ready to go out for lunch with her mother-in-law and daughter. We’d decided we were going to have fajitas for dinner and plans were going well for Captain Caveman to work until 5pm. I needed to buy some bras and perhaps something to wear for the weekend, so I decided I would meet Vanessa in town around 3pm.
With it being a Wednesday, I got weighed and did my measurements. It was not a great result after 1 week in England; I had put on 1.1kg (2.4lb) and was now 2.7kg (almost 6lb) over target. My measurements showed I had put 1cm on my bust and waist but had lost 1cm off my hips. Interestingly, my waist measurement was the biggest it had been in a long time and was 5cm over target. I was starting to notice that when I put weight on in the UK it goes on to my waist very easily. I was definitely eating less fruit and vegetables too. I still had 5 days left in England, 2 of them in London.
By 3pm, I had got on the tram, bought a day saver for £5.70 and I was heading to Marks & Spencer’s to go bra shopping. Vanessa had been for lunch at the Banker’s Draft and would meet me there as she wanted to try a new pub nearby. When I got off the tram, at Sheffield Cathedral, Vanessa and her daughter, Alicia, were waiting for me. We did the introductions and then said we would meet Alicia in the pub after I’d been shopping. I didn’t get any bras as they didn’t have my new size or the style I liked so off we went to the pub. Unfortunately, the one Vanessa has heard of being a new opening was not there so we stuck with what we knew. As we walked to where we were going we cut through the Banker’s Draft which I’d not been in for many years. It was definitely an eye opener and I did not expect it to be rammed full with a game of bingo going on at 4pm in the afternoon.
The Dove and Rainbow is one of the best pubs in the centre of Sheffield and it had been a while since my last visit. For just less than a tenner, Vanessa had a cider, I had a pint of tap water (free) and a pint of Guiness and we went out the back to sit with Alicia and her friends, Jamie and Lucy. I messaged Captain Caveman to arrange for him to come join us after he finished work, as it’s a favourite pub of his.
Once Vanessa and I had joined Alicia on the rum and cokes, it was pretty obvious things were going to get messy. When another friend, T, turned up, Lucy got a round of ‘Blow Job’ shots in and we all enjoyed them. Vanessa had a bit of trouble getting hers down in one, because of all the cream. By the time Captain Caveman arrived, he had missed more ‘Blow Jobs’ from Jamie and Alicia and we were all on our merry way. We were all having a great time but it was about to get even better when, at 6.30pm, I noticed the sign for a quiz. It’s on the last Thursday of every month, starts at 7pm and it got pretty busy. The drinks kept flowing as we did the quiz and another friend joined us so we split in to 2 teams of 4. I have no idea what time we left but I vaguely recall us getting a takeaway from Gleadless Townend on our way home! Captain Caveman and I shared a pizza and some chips, while Vanessa ordered a doner kebab. When we got back to her’s she didn’t eat the kebab at all, as her stomach couldn’t handle it.

Gratitude List
1. The Dove & Rainbow pub
2. Meeting Vanessa’s daughter, Alicia and her friends
3. Having a really good night at the quiz.

Sheffield – 25th to 27th May

On Sunday 25th May Captain Caveman and I decided on an outing in to Sheffield town centre. I needed a hairbrush and some clothes and Captain Caveman had said he would treat us to a trip to the Curzon cinema to see The Phoenician Scheme. As the cast of this Wes Anderson sounded good, I had agreed and was excited to finally be going to the cinema. The last film I’d seen had been a disappointing Barbie film in Fethiye. In the morning I did a bit of work as I had forgotten it was Bank Holiday Monday tomorrow so Captain Caveman was off for the day.
We got the supertram in to town from Gleadless Town End at £3.40 each. Once in Sheffield, our first stop off was at Superdrug, here’s what we bought with prices in pounds;

Superdrug
Ibuprofen 0.39
Sanex Stick deodorant 2.49
Sudocrem 2.99
Hair brush 4.50
Total spent £10.37

I went in to Primark, Captain Caveman isn’t a fan so he mooched about while I bought 5 pairs of socks for £3.50. I saw a large suitcase for only £38 and wanted to get it but we were going to the cinema. I wanted clothes but there was nothing to my liking so Captain Caveman suggested Blacks. Here’s what we bought, prices in pounds;

Blacks
4 tops (for me) £31.44
A coat (for him) £59.00
Total spent £90.44

While I looked and found nothing in New Look, Captain Caveman went back for the £38 suitcase from Primark. We shoved all our stuff in to the case and took it to the cinema, as you do.
The Curzon was very nice and Captain Caveman had a beer, I had a glass of wine but no popcorn! The film was a massive disappointment and I’ve never been in a cinema where most people around me were snoring at one point or another. Even I fell asleep!
We left in confusion and rain, wheeled our new suitcase to the bus station and got the bus to Mosborough, which cost £2.60 each. We called briefly to see my parents and pick up the van before going home for a nice meal at ‘home’ with Vanessa. She had been to her grandson’s birthday party where one of my other Sheffield friend’s son had gone. They got chatting and worked out they both knew me and that I had invited Vanessa to Caz’s birthday celebrations next Friday. It’s a small world.

Gratitude List
1. Captain Caveman taking me shopping
2. A new suitcase
3. Having a nap in the cinema.

As it was a Bank Holiday in England on Monday 26th May, we decided to have a day out in Sheffield. Check out the old stomping ground and see the sights. I’d been waiting to hear from my Mom who needed taking to an appointment but luckily my sister could take her so Captain Caveman’s offer of a lift wasn’t needed and we could go out.
We got the bus in and had a wander along a canal, down by the old Castle Market area and then along to our first pub stop, The Harlequin. A great bar where Captain Caveman had a proper beer and I had an Ascension cider.

Our next stop was Riverside where it had now started to rain so more drinks were had as we took shelter. By this time I was getting peckish and the menu looked good.

Captain Caveman had an alternative plan and took me for a mint tea and vegan sausage roll at Gaarde. I was dubious at first as to if the sausage roll was vegan as it was one of the best I’d had in ages.
We had a trip to the Wellington and had pork scratchings with our beers there, intending to get the tram. There were track repairs and a bus replacement that went past us. After that we had an uphill walk through Sheffield to the cathedral where we caught the tram back to Vanessa’s as there was a curry and rice waiting for us, made in the slow cooker. It was delicious and we watched Race Across the World on TV which Captain Caveman loves.

Gratitude List
1. An impromptu day off
2. Spending time in my home town with Captain Caveman
3. Great night in front of the TV with Vanessa.

Both Captain Caveman and I worked all day on Tuesday 27th May while Vanessa went out with a friend in the afternoon.
At lunchtime we drove to the nearest Asda to buy some more shopping, here’s what we bought with prices in pounds;

Asda Supermarket

Lasagne sheets 0.64*
2 garlic bread 0.70
Bananas 0.85
Orange juice 1.62
2 sausage casserole mix 1.90*
2 Thai curry paste 2.40*
Toilet roll 2.76
3 Fajita packet mixes 3.15*
Chicken 4.42
1 bottle of red wine 7.27
Total spent £25.71
The items with a * were for me to take back to Dalyan in my suitcase.

In the evening, Captain Caveman made a Spaghetti Bolognese for us all and we watched more Race Across the World on TV.

Gratitude List
1. Shopping at Asda
2. A lovely meal
3. Spending the evening with Captain Caveman and Vanessa, watching TV.

joloyolo

The ramblings and observations of a fortysomething lady of leisure