The Black Crows, The Reytons, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Kasabian, David Byrne and Pulp were all playing at the last day (4) of the Mad Cool Festival in Madrid on Saturday 11th July. As much as we had enjoyed the last 3 days of music festival going, I was looking forward to this line up the most. Due to the overlap and the red hot sun we needed to make important decisions. We’d already had a lay in, we’d doubled down on the rehydration tablets so much that I was now peeing like a racehorse with a bladder infection, and the blister plasters on my toes had been replaced! We set off on our last train to the venue, armed with water bottles, sweets, a sun hat and a good bra (just for me, not Captain Caveman). The heat was relentless and we had to stop off for a beer and a Clara at a roadside bar along the way. The bar owner was the only one serving and spoke no English, in fact if you spoke English he ignored you. I don’t speak Spanish (unless you count knowing the entire Spanish lyrics to a Gloria Estefan song!) so I gave it my best shot; “Una cerveza y una cerveza con Fanta de limón, por favor”. A Spanish couple next to me, congratulated me on my desperate Spanish speaking attempt, just to get served, and I had drinks, with lots of ice in. I took the drinks to a table outside where the stools were hot to sit on! I chucked an ice cube under my sun hat and one in my sturdy bra and started to feel less overheated. We got chatting to the only English bellends for miles and then, after another round of drinks (ordered in Spanish) and with ice, we made an exit! At the venue we were just too hot to be able to stand in the sun to listen to the Black Crows. It was 44°C at 7.50pm so we went in to the only shady spot we could find, sat on the grass and ate our packed lunch before it melted!
We missed the Reytons in favour of the main stagers, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. From the minute they came on to the end of their set, Captain Caveman and I were in awe of Nick Cave! He gave one of the best performances that I’ve ever seen at a gig, impressively walking on hands and shoulders of the crowd, whilst singing! I could now see what Kylie saw in this geezer! He did a fantastic jam-packed 2 hour set which ended at midnight and then we rushed over to the 2nd stage to watch David Byrne.
I am totally biased as I absolutely love David Byrne and it was one of the reasons for me being there as I think he is amazing live. I was a little dubious with him being on the 2nd stage and it being so close to the main stage, where Pulp were due on soon. We’d also missed Kasabian on stage 2 as Nick Cave had held us captive. There was a bit of faffing about with sound and David, understandably, was making sure the sound was right. The crowds were massive and I was apprehensive of getting too near, Captain Caveman was now getting annoyed at me not liking to be crowded in so he went over to Stage 1 to watch Pulp. He’d not seen them before, but me being from the same city had, so I made the decision to stick with David. I’m glad I did, he was amazing and did all the favourite songs. He did an hour and finished with Burning Down the House, ironically he had no idea at the time that Spain would be having some horrendous fires.
I ran over to rejoin Captain Caveman at Pulp (we always set up an easy to find meeting point) and he was really enjoying the last act of the night and the 4 day event. Jarvis was great and I particularly enjoyed Babies and Disco 2000 which took us up to 2am!!! It was sad that it had finished but the last 4 days had really worn me out! My top 3 favourites had been the Foo Fighters, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and David Byrne. We got the last train back and the walk up back to the apartment for the last time was slow. Tomorrow we were back off to London after one of the most amazing times which I would remember for a very long time! Captain Caveman and I both agreed it had been one of the best music events we had ever been to (so far)!
Gratitude List 1. Surviving Day 4 of Mad Cool and the whole festival in very hot temperatures 2. Being so desperate for a cold drink that I managed to conjure up a bit of Spanish lingo 3. Seeing musical legends such as Nick Cave and David Byrne.
Before we even contemplated leaving the apartment in Madrid on Friday 10th July, I read that fans of Twenty One Pilots had been queuing since stupid o’clock this morning ready for tonight’s performance at the Mad Cool festival. People were suffering from heat stroke and there had been incidents of medical attention being needed. I had a morning of work and then we popped to Lidl to replenish the food stocks. Here’s what we bought with prices in Euros;
Lidl Supermarket 2 bread rolls 0.58 Onion 0.84 2 apples 0.88 Crisps 0.92 Coffee 0.95 Bread 0.99 Gazpacho 1.05 Salami 1.79 Fruit Mentos 1.99 Cheese 2.75 Total spent €12.74 (£10.90)
Captain Caveman was still feeling a bit dehydrated so he had a coffee drink and a cold Gazpacho drink to sort him out a bit. My blisters were pretty bad so we called in the pharmacy where I bought Blister plasters for €5 (£4.28) and some effervescent rehydration tablets for €9.80 (£8.38). There was a fire engine near the apartment and we thought it was a fire or a cat rescue, it turned out to be a falling branch.
It was insanely hot now in Madrid and we were struggling to get motivated for day 3 of the Mad Cool festival. We got there in time to see The Pixies who were excellent and definitely another highlight for us. I was particularly hopeful for Kings of Leon who followed on the big stage but they didn’t wow me as much as I thought they would. The crowd seemed to love them and maybe it was just because we were too hot. We made a sensible decision to miss the last band and leave Twenty One Pilots to the youngsters. It was still just after midnight when we got back home but the over 40°C temperatures were certainly taking their toll on us. Tomorrow was the last day and we had the horrible dilemma of at least 3 acts who were overlapping and we wanted to see them all.
Gratitude List 1. Surviving Day 3 of the Mad Cool festival 2. Seeing The Pixies 3. Blister plasters and rehydration tablets.
After more work and part 4 of the free challenge with Lisa Johnson on Thursday 9th July, it was time for us to go to the 2nd day of the Mad Cool festival. I had wanted to see Charlie Puth but Captain Caveman didn’t so we got there in time for Lorde. My main reason for going today was to see Teddy Swims while Captain Caveman was more interested to see Florence and the Machine. The venue was great but did not have much shade so the intense heat and the walk from the nearest station was a struggle. This time we brought our own water bottles in and put the tops in our pockets and I had some sweets to see me through the crowded metro. We ate food before we went so that we didn’t have to spend money unnecessarily on festival food. The drinks were quite pricey but it was so hot that we mainly stuck to drinking water to keep hydrated. Teddy Swims was very good but, as he was not on the main stage, I did feel the sound wasn’t as good as it could’ve been. We’d been spoiled by just how good the Foo Fighters had been yesterday too. Florence and the Machine were on the main stage and excellent but Captain Caveman had overdone it. The last song finished at 2am as Captain Caveman roused from a little snooze, leaning up against a barrier. We got the bus back to near Atocha station and walked back from there, desperately needing the loo and suffering from blisters on my feet!
Gratitude List 1. Surviving Day 2 of Mad Cool in very hot sun 2. Seeing Lorde, Teddy Swims and Florence & the Machine 3. Getting home at just after 3am completely exhausted.
Photo Credit – some photos from the Mad Cool Facebook page
It was late when we arrived in Atocha, Madrid, so we went straight to bed. We were awake quite early on Wednesday 8th July and had slept well in Captain Caveman’s niece’s room while the family were on holiday. The apartment was stylish and lovely, we were very grateful we were able to stay there. In the morning, I attended the 3rd session of the Offline Challenge with Lisa Johnson and did a little bit of work before Captain Caveman decided we were off for breakfast and the supermarket. We found a nearby cute cafe called Armonia which we both ordered the open style sandwiches at. Captain Caveman ordered an avocado and turkey while I got brave and tried a bacon, cheese, rocket, caramelised onion and pistachio. It was probably one of the nicest sandwiches I’d had and it wasn’t that expensive, Captain Caveman paid. I had my meal with tea, Captain Caveman with a double espresso and we both had water. Our next stop was to Lidl where we bought the following, prices in Euros;
This shopping would form the ingredients for most of our meals while we were there.
In the afternoon I had arranged to meet Emma, the Lanzarote Resort Expert, and her husband Huse. By complete coincidence they were also going to the Mad Cool Festival but just for day 1 so we arranged to meet in town and grab some food before the gig. Despite doing the same job in different places, Emma and I had never met in person so we were both looking forward to it. We arrived a little late because we had an issue with the barrier at the metro station but we soon got acquainted and started walking down the street. We ended up going to a cafe which had an eclectic mix of dishes. Captain Caveman and I had tapas, I had a Clara and he had wine. The Metro to the venue was absolutely rammed and I had another mini meltdown because I was too hot and it was crowded. Captain Caveman would not let me get off at an earlier stop as he said it would be miles to walk so I had to stay on. A Spanish lady lent me her fan but I was very claustrophobic and panicky so Captain Caveman had to fan me until the lady who’s fan it was got off. When we got to the venue, it was a long walk in very hot sun and then we got in the wrong queue for our wrist bands and had to start again. Once inside we had a wander round, took some photos to send to the Resort Experts group chat and got a drink at the bar. At the bar, we had a delay as it was not only cashless, you couldn’t pay on card either and had to top up your wristband with a QR code using your bank card before going to the bar. Luckily, a guy in the know told us what we needed to do as it wasn’t very clear. The cups were reusable and you had to give a deposit of €2 per cup. I’m not down with the kids so Captain Caveman topped his band up with €50 and we would see how far that got us. There was a limited choice of drinks so I took a chance on Tinto de Verano (red wine with lemonade) which was better for me than the Mahou lager.
Wolf Alice was on the main stage and seemed to be drawing the crowds. I’d not heard of her before and as the 2nd stage had on The War on Drugs half way through, we got to hear a bit of both. There were no seated areas near the main 2 stages so we found somewhere to perch near the bar and VIP area but trying to avoid the sun was hard. We didn’t really see much of Emma and Huse after that as they were there specifically for the Foo Fighters and went right to the front. They had to leave as soon as it finished as they had a flight back to Lanzarote first thing tomorrow. I’d not been a fan of the Foo Fighters particularly but they played a 3 hour non-stop & rivetting set. They were probably one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and I was so impressed. The portaloos and the free drinking water at Mad Cool also made the festival much more pleasant. They didn’t allow any drinks in or for you to take a water bottle in with a top on (just the bottle) so we ended up buying a bottle in there then topping it up at the free water stations. The venue was pretty well organised and when we came to leave, it was crowded but not horrendous. We got back to our temporary home at about 2am, absolutely shattered. We went to bed thinking we needed to improve on a few things for tomorrow if we were to survive another 3 days of the Mad Cool festival in the intense Madrid heat.
Gratitude List 1. Being lucky enough to stay in Captain Caveman’s brother’s home 2. Getting to meet Emma, the Lanzarote Resort Expert, and her hubby in Madrid 3. The phenomenal performance of the Foo Fighters at the Mad Cool Festival.
I spent Monday 6th July drastically trying to finish all the priory items on my to do list and failing. I did manage to squeeze in a Lisa Johnson Offline Challenge at 10am which was insightful and I learned a few things. I had toast for lunch as I was so busy and worked until 6.30pm. Captain Caveman and I had a walk to the shop where my card got declined at Sainsbury’s due to me not realising my balance was so low. Captain Caveman had to buy the water and travel sweets in Sainsbury’s as tomorrow evening we were off to a 4 day music festival in Madrid. Back home, we sat in the garden with Captain Caveman’s parents and had a glass of wine. For dinner we had chicken and salad which was lovely as the temperature was definitely on the increase now.
Gratitude List 1. The Lisa Johnson Offline Challenge 2. Getting stuff done before we left London 3. Looking forward to my first visit to Madrid.
Captain Caveman had booked tickets for the Mad Cool music festival and arranged for us to stay at his brother’s family apartment in Madrid. Our flight from Heathrow wasn’t until 8pm on Tuesday 7th July so we still had a busy day, for a Tuesday. We both worked at our separate working from home desks, I attended the 2nd session of Lisa Johnson’s Offline Challenge. At noon I packed up my stuff as there was an important event arranged. Captain Caveman’s parents had invited us to the Red Lion in Barnes for lunch and to say bye before we all jetted off on our holidays. The Red Lion is one of my favourites and the food there was excellent. We sat in a shady spot outside and it was definitely summery weather now. I ordered roasted veg on toasted sour dough for starter while Captain Caveman chose to spice up his hummus order with a bit of lamb! We had a bit of a laugh over the menu wording of the bread which made it sound like it had it’s own home on a farm, and had to order it. All became clear once the waiter explained the difference and it wasn’t just ordinary bread. Captain Caveman had a chicken dinner which got snaffled with enthusiasm, Ma ordered a burrata with salad, Pa opted for a schnitzel and I decided on the butternut squash pasta. Captain Caveman’s parents treated us to the meal which was very kind given that they were letting us stay with them and I’d tried to tell Captain Caveman we should pick up the bill. We really enjoyed ourselves and could have quite happily sat there for longer but Captain Caveman had to get back for a 2pm meeting. We finished work at 4pm, got our bags, said our farewells and we were off to Madrid. We were at the airport 2 hours before as we had been notified we had to go to check-in for our hand luggage to be checked. All was fine and we went straight through to the bar for a quick pint. On the flight I spent €12 (£10.28) on a couple of beverages and then fell asleep. We landed at 11.30pm and had a bit of a faff finding the right tram/metro to Atocha, where we were going to be staying for 5 nights.
Gratitude List 1. Free challenges with Lisa Johnson 2. A fantastic family lunch at the Red Lion 3. A good flight from Heathrow to Madrid.
There wasn’t much happening on Saturday 4th July so I caught up on some of my blogging and writing content for my business page. At one point Captain Caveman and I got to get the diaries out and he caught me up on what plans he had scheduled in for the rest of July. We were about to have some interesting times. At lunch time we had a walk round Barnes Pond and I ate some red cabbage and beetroot salad from Marks and Spencer for lunch. I showed Captain Caveman’s mom some of the photos and videos from last night’s Metallica gig and she thought it was good. For dinner we were treated to one of my favourites, a home cooked roast pork dinner – with fabulous crunchy crackling. We also had a glass or 2 of rosé wine which was rather nice. It was great being back in the UK and it was fairly warm but not quite heatwave weather (yet)!
Gratitude List 1. A relaxing day in Barnes 2. Syncing diaries with Captain Caveman 3. A lovely family dinner.
Sunday 5th July was another amazing day with some new experiences. After my mini meltdown on a hot, busy tube on Friday, Captain Caveman had been thinking of how he could avoid a repeat performance and get back for part 2 of the Metallica gig without incident. His mom had offered sage advice when I’d told her that I was definitely finding I had got worse with the feeling of being trapped; ‘get used to it and get on with it’. Captain Caveman wasn’t sure I was able to do that and had come up with an elaborate master plan within his Sunday day out. At 9am prompt, and without any breakfast, we set off on a short walk to the bus stop, then a bus to Putney where we waited for an Uber boat at Putney Pier. Captain Caveman had popped to the bakery and got us a couple of croissants which we ate at Putney Pier and I got the flakey bits in my hair. The ticket of £22.70 each to go all the way to Barking Riverside was steep but I’d never been on this journey before. It was an absolute genius move from Captain Caveman as it was an amazing 2.5 hours of sightseeing. I’ve not spent too much time in London and I had never been this far along the river Thames before. It was a very comfortable boat with toilets and a cafe on board, I even did a bit of work while we sailed along. We saw so many famous buildings and statues, we had to get off to change boats and I even spotted a blimp which had returned to the skies after 4 years and was one of only 20-25 still remaining. When we got off we walked across some wasteland and to a train station where we got the train to Blackhorse for another surprise treat from Captain Caveman.
A table was booked at Black Cactus for 1.30pm and we arrived 15 minutes early. It was a pop up BBQ restaurant in a brandy distillery called Burnt Faith and it smelled amazing as we walked in. I walked back from the toilets to where Captain Caveman had been seated at the end of the bar and he looked to be drinking a brandy! I climbed on to my high stool to find you get given one for free so I also had a brandy. Captain Caveman also had an Espresso Martini while we perused the menu. Captain Caveman took the liberty of ordering the BBQ tray which had on the following; beef, Turkey, pork sausage, focaccia, cabbage, patatas bravas, pickles, and dips. It was pretty big but we had seen the dining couple near us order something for a starter that we quite fancied. We decided we would have that at the end of we managed the shared tray. Captain Caveman had a couple of beers with his meal and I had a couple of glasses of red wine. The food was amazing and of course we managed to finish the whole tray. This meant we could order the PBJ burnt ends and they were so good – I’ve never tasted anything like them but they were my favourite from the menu. Captain Caveman picked up the bill for the meal and it wasn’t cheap but it had been excellent and I would definitely recommend it. The staff were great too and we had a shot with the manager before we left to get the bus as it was time to go to the London Stadium.
The doors for the second part of the Metallica gig opened at 3.30pm. We had arranged to meet some friends outside for a pint before going in to the gig. Vinnie was waiting for us with a pint in hand, on some fake grass. I’d last seen him when he was visiting his brother-in-law and partner in Dalyan, his wife and I had sipped prosecco together in the pool. Captain Caveman and Vinnie had met last year at an ACDC concert. Joining us were Captain Caveman’s cycling mate, Phil, and his friend from America. We had a drink together before walking to the venue. Phil and Captain Caveman know each other through their involvement with the Saigon Children’s Charity and the cycling events that they organise and participate in, in Vietnam. Phil also had VIP tickets and was going to another gig next weekend which Vinnie was attending. They were introduced and swapped numbers and we all got to the gig in time to watch Pantera. Everyone was going mad for this support band but, if I’m honest, they weren’t for me. Metallica were absolutely fantastic again, and of course the novelty of a plane flying over the crowd while the rock songs blared out, had not got tiring to me. The finale was amazing and the gig had been a real treat for me, gearing us up for more live music this summer! A couple of pints cost me £17.70 and the transport back to Barnes cost me £11.45 so I’d done well today on the budget because Captain Caveman had treated me to such a memorable day out.
Gratitude List 1. The Uber boat from Putney to Barking with Captain Caveman 2. Lunch and drinks at Black Cactus 3. The Metallica gig part 2 with Captain Caveman and our friends.
One of the reasons for my travel to London was for Captain Caveman and I to attend the Metallica gig at London Stadium on Friday 3rd July. The communication between Captain Caveman and I about the plans for the weekend had been limited at best so I went in to the upstairs bedroom and used the desk there to crack on with my day. Ordinarily, if Captain Caveman has already done his hours for the week by 4pm on a Friday, he sometimes finishes then, but I had no idea that he had planned to finish at lunch time as the gig had doors opening at 3pm. Much to Captain Caveman’s frustration that I couldn’t read his mind about what time we both needed to finish work, we didn’t get to outside the venue until 5.30pm. It didn’t help when I had a mild meltdown on the overcrowded tube when it stopped in the underground and I had to get off. This meant we had to walk and Captain Caveman thought he’d solve the issue by getting us on an overground train – which was driverless. It freaked me out that I was in the front seat where the driver should’ve been – I was not a fan. I’m not good with big crowds and directions so our first job before the No Repeat Weekend of Metallica, was to suss out our meet up points at the venue. I took photos of them as we decided on the two outside the venue and more inside the venue. We missed the first band, Knocked Loose, who I was unfamiliar with, but we did get to see Gojira for the first time. I thought they were great and it was good that we had standing tickets in the round. We grabbed drinks which were obviously pricey so there was no danger of us getting drunk. Since working in travel, I’m always on the look out for how accessible a venue is, I was very impressed with the London Stadium which had lots of wheelchair user spaces and it was very easy to get around. When Metallica came on, the crowds got excited, we were about halfway back as I don’t like being too close that I get squished. There were also a lot of very tall men about – living in Vietnam and Turkey, you see far fewer tall people in general. The band played 16 songs without a break except for when Kirk and Rob did a couple of covers while James went for a quick freshen up. We had hoped to meet a friend there but it was so busy and he was probably in the mosh pit giving it what for! I got on Captain’s nerves by getting excited when a plane flew overhead as we watched Metallica – apparently they fly over very often, but it was a first time experience for me. At the end of the gig, we were a bit peckish so decided to get a pizza from a van. I got talking to a man from Leeds and his mate who lives in Norway. We had a good laugh and the pizza was ok despite it being a bit on the expensive side. I spent a total of £51.33 on food, drinks and transport but Captain Caveman bought the tickets and bought a couple of rounds of drinks too. I was pleasantly surprised that the tap water was free but, disappointingly, the cups at the bar were all single use plastic. Back home after a bit of a walk from the stadium, it was quite late and we went straight to bed.
Gratitude List 1. First time watching Gojira 2. Metallica, who were fantastic 3. Being able to watch good live music again.
My flight on Thursday 2nd July was not until 6.30pm but I was ready for the off. The time had come to go back to the UK and spend a month with Captain Caveman. I spent the morning doing some work then put my out of office on, until it was time to say some farewells. My first one was to pop over to see Jamie and little Norman to say bye. Norman, the dog, was still doing his best to live a long and happy life but we never knew how much longer he would live – he’s 15 now. I gave him a cuddle and a peanut paw, he was happier with the treat than the affection, then had a glass of water on the patio with Jamie. I hadn’t booked my flight back yet as they were still a bit out of my budget during summer holidays. After a quick run down of where I was going to be and a bit of a chat with Jamie, I said my goodbyes and walked over to my parents’ place for the next farewell. This one was also accompanied with us going out for breakfast at Ela’s Kitchen, ironically, for bacon sandwiches. Ma and I ordered bacon and mushroom sandwiches, which were huge and came with chips and salad, Pa ordered menemen which had a few chips and some bread. We had water and coffee for Ma & Pa, Yorkshire tea for me. I was pushing the boat out as I had loads of Yorkshire teabags at home, which Richard and Michelle and very kindly brought me over on their recent visit. It was hot in Dalyan now and we sat outside in the shade trying to tackle the huge portions. I ended up taking half of mine away for the airport and Dad ended up finishing Mom’s sandwich. Here’s what we had and what we paid in lira for our breakfast;
Ela’s Kitchen
1 large water 140 1 Cherry juice 150 1 Yorkshire tea 160 1 Cappuccino 190 1 Caramel latte 210 1 Menemen 410 2 Bacon & mushroom sandwiches 1,000 Total spent 2,260 lira (£35.87)
I paid on card and tried to treat my parents but Mom insisted on thrusting some cash at me for their share. I said bye and left my parents to pick up a mirror from the shop and I walked up to the Dalyan Turkish Delight shop to get a few gifts. It was hot and I spent 2,093.20 lira (£33.23) on boxes of rose and pistachio Turkish Delight. It seemed a little extravagant but I wanted to get the freshest and best I could – it’s my favourite place to buy it but isn’t usually open in the winter. The man in the shop gave me a free chocolate helva and said that was for me! I also managed to sample a few, even after my breakfast. I walked back home along the river, bumping in to friends so I got to say bye to them too. I had time for a shower and a bit of a sit down before Sonuç came to pick me up. Captain Caveman had booked me an underseat bag and cabin luggage with an aisle seat so I was happy with that.
At Dalaman airport I investigated the new CIP lounge; it’s upstairs and costs £29 if booked in advance on Wise/Revolute. If paying as a walk in customer it’s €60 and, when I asked, it was unlimited drinks and snacks for up to 3 hours. I didn’t stay as I was just doing research and I wasn’t about to waste the money when I could get 3 cocktail tins from the fridge in duty free for less. I bought 2 Margaritas and 1 Pina Colada for €11.50 (£9.83) and had my leftover bacon sandwich with a cocktail tinny for lunch, while waiting at a random gate. I took a selfie but then blocked out the brand on my can because the advertising of alcohol in Turkey is banned. It has been for a while but as from 1st July there seemed to be a surge in fining anyone who posted it on social media. The flight was fine and full, and I arrived in to Gatwick just a little later than planned. I got the train to Barnes, changing at Clapham Junction and arrived a little earlier than Captain Caveman. He was on his way to his parents’ at the same time but I got there about 10 minutes earlier. I had an issue with my Turkish bank card only letting me tap on at Gatwick but not tap off at Barnes so it was probably going to overcharge me. My journey door to door was 7 hours and I still had some of my frozen water left. At Captain Caveman’s parents’ home, I got a warm welcome and a nice cup of tea before bed.
Gratitude List
1. Farewell breakfast at Ela’s Kitchen with Ma & Pa 2. A smooth journey from Dalyan to Barnes in 7 hours 3. A nice welcome back to Barnes from Captain Caveman and his parents.
Wednesday 1st July was my last day in Dalyan for a while, as I had some fantastic summer plans – mostly spending time with Captain Caveman in the UK and to celebrate his birthday month with a couple of trips away. But first, I was making the most of my last Dalyan day, doing what I enjoyed the most – a boat trip. I was up and about 3 hours prior to the boat trip to fanny about with banking with it being a new month. I decided that a limit of £30 per day as a budget for July would be the most I could afford and I was extremely hopeful to set it at that – not completely believing I could do it.
It was weigh day but I didn’t get weighed or do my measurements, and I was missing Fat Club today.
Our boat trip was quite a full one with it being a private trip organised by friends and we had quite a few of the usual faces. It was a choppy ride out to sea and we went out quite far, way beyond Ekincik. I’d taken extra strong seasickness tablets so I was fine until someone mentioned fried eggs (I don’t like eggs) and I had to really concentrate on not being sick.
We had our first swim stop in a turquoise bay which proved a little tricky to get back on to the boat due to the swell. Luckily, Shaun was able to help Nanny Kay and I get on safely, as I didn’t have my glasses on. It isn’t usually that bad but there were lots of big tourist boats causing bigger waves. We had a lovely couple more swim stops, we even had a photo on a rock. Cath, who is a non-swimmer even enjoyed it and we had a couple of minor scrapes from messing about on the rocks. Both Keith and I had to have a plaster on! Captain Fuat always does plenty of choice on the food, and we ate fantastic BBQ food and, as it was my last boat trip in Dalyan for a bit, we had a few wines. I was so busy enjoying being on the boat and chatting to friends that I didn’t take many photos, luckily the keen photographers onboard did. Paul got some excellent photos of the group who swam on to the rocks plus a laughing donkey who posed for him. We had a really lovely trip and I was almost sad to leave, I spent £40 on the boat trip and I forget my bar bill – definitely less than £20 on wine. I got home, did the laundry, packed my bag and did a bit of a tidy round, before getting in bed. Tomorrow, my taxi to the airport wasn’t coming until 3.30pm but I still had a few plans in the morning.
Gratitude List
1. Getting the opportunity to go back to the UK again
2. A fantastic boat trip
3. Being ready to enjoy July with Captain Caveman.
Photo Credit – photos by friends on the boat, including Paul C.
It was a rather busy day on Monday 29th June and I had to take some time away from my office desk to do some important things. My first job of the day was to meet a friend for a little walk before it got too hot. We walked along the river and then went to Kaunos tea gardens for brunch. We each had a bottle of water, a large Turkish tea and a cheese and onion toastie, with chips and olives for a total of 390 lira (£6.30).
I’d not checked my budget for this month as I expected I was way over and decided to do it all in a couple of days at month end. I had definitely underestimated how much money I would need for July, August and September being out of Turkey. After a couple of customer calls, some admin and a chat with a friend it was time to venture on a hot and sweaty bus to Ortaca. I wanted to get my hair done before my next UK and Europe trip and today was the only day Emrah could fit me in at short notice. I arrived early, and glad of the air con as Emrah and the girls worked their magic. I had to get the bus back and was meeting a friend for a farewell drink at 4pm so I asked for an updo. I paid 2,000 lira (£32.26) for the colour, cut and blow dry which I thought was very reasonable and is always so professional. I got the bus back and it was pretty packed and hot.
When I got back to Dalyan I made my way over to Ren Garden where I had arranged to meet my friend. Her and her husband were moving back to the UK and I wanted to wish them well and have a catch up before we both set off. We sat in the back room for a bit of privacy and decided to have a wine (or 2) to mark the occasion. As is the Dalyan way, we did get interrupted when some of the Dalyan Dwellers, who’d been on the yellow boat, came back from their Monday Köyceğiz market trip. Two of them came in first, a bit tiddly, asking if I had seen my parents. I replied that I hadn’t and they were the ones who had gone on a boat trip with them. Apparently, they were all meeting back at Ren Garden after getting off the boat. My parents arrived a few minutes later, also merry, and asked if I’d seen their friends who were now sat in the front bar. This went on a while as more people turned up all looking for each other within a small vicinity. My friend’s husband had joined us and all privacy had gone out of the window so we said our goodbyes and I went to join my parents and the group of boat trippers. I had another couple of wines with them and we chatted to a nice bloke, Ricky, who was staying at Grandma’s Garden, the hotel at Ren Garden. I paid a total of 1,030 lira (£16.61) for 6 wines, 2 soda waters, and 1 water, a very reasonable amount! My next stop was to join my parents for dinner where we had pizza at Heybe and it was very tasty.
Gratitude List 1. Having my hair done 2. A farewell drink with a friend 3. An impromptu catch up with my parents.
Tuesday 30th June was the end of the month and I was astonished at how quickly the first half of this year had gone. It had been both a tough year so far, in many ways, but it had also been pretty good in lots of other ways. In June alone I’d split my time across quite a few different countries. Out of the 30 days this month, this is where I actually spent my time:
Dalyan 7 days Sheffield 7 days Cruising (Budapest, Bratislava, Tulln and Vienna) 5 days Spain 4 days Sevenoaks 3 days Mallorca 2 days Vienna 1.5 days Istanbul (airport) 0.5 days
So I was on holiday for at least half of the month, despite still working most of the time. It was also time to face the music with the monthly finances too, which had certainly taken a hit! I had given myself a budget of £25 per day, so a total of £750 for June. My total spend ended up being £802 so I was £52 over! Captain Caveman had needed to help me out to ensure I got my required amount in to the Turkish bank too and I was about to start July in a deficit of £115 after paying off my credit card. I do that every month and it only has a very low limit. For July I hadn’t set a budget as I knew I was likely to spend more than I had this month and would be relying on Captain Caveman a lot too. All I did today was work as it was the last day of the month and I wanted to maximise any earnings. There was so much fun coming up from July onwards, all of which I was going to continue to do with a frugal mindset and while doing more holiday research for my potential customers.
Gratitude List 1. Being very lucky to be able to work from almost anywhere in the world 2. Having a busy day and tying up lots of loose ends 3. Looking forward to a great summer.
I was busy catching up with chores and writing content on Saturday 27th June. I was meant to go to the market to get fruit but I didn’t end up going as I got busy with dealing with some customer related stuff. The last weekend of every month tends to be the busiest for people getting ready to go away, as well as booking, due to it being pay day for a lot of people. I did manage to force myself out of the house around lunch time, just for a walk so that I actually got some exercise. Other than that I slowly tackled my never ending to do list and tried to spend as little money as possible before the end of the month, and before my trip back to the UK, where I had loads planned with Captain Caveman.
Gratitude List 1. Being busy 2. Managing to spend nothing and have no alcohol in the hope of losing weight 3. Having a short walk around town.
I’d been invited to visit friends, Janet & Ian, on Sunday 28th June and decided I would walk over, despite the heat. I put on plenty of factor 50 suncream, a dress with short sleeves and my sun hat from Vietnam. The walk was only 20 minutes but it was definitely hot in Dalyan now. Having survived the heat of Vienna, Dalyan felt a little more breezy. At Janet & Ian’s we had a lovely time, chatting and lounging round the pool and even a lovely swim. Of course I was ‘persuaded’ in to having a drink at the poolside bar so that Janet wasn’t drinking blood orange gin alone – I’m good like that! Janet and Ian have their property on the market and if I won the lottery, I’d buy it! It’s a gorgeous villa on the edge of town with a deep pool and a massive garden. They are in their 70s now so are looking to downsize. I could’ve stopped longer but it was Sunday and I had 2 more engagements planned. Ian gave me a lift in to town and I went to see Richard and Michelle off at Waterfall bar. We said bye and I was invited to see them in the UK during my summer visit, which was nice of them. We were also going to be arranging a trip to Vietnam in 2027 which would be amazing. Back home, I snaffled down the rest of the leftover curry and then went round to my parents for a drink. I’d last seen them 4 weeks ago when we went to Duble for a meal. While I’d been in the UK and Europe having a lovely time, they had also been having a great time in Dalyan. I had less than 5 days left before I went back to the UK and they had another week after I left. They were going to be joined by my niece and her boyfriend so were looking forward to some time with them. We had some wine and nibbles and arranged to meet for breakfast on my last day, so I could say bye.
Gratitude List 1. Spending time with lovely friends, Janet & Ian 2. Having a last drink with more lovely friends, Richard & Michelle 3. A great evening to round off my Sunday with my parents.
I met a friend for a walk and talk at 7.30am on Friday 26th June. We talked about how my trip to England and Europe had gone. She’d also been busy so it was a good catch up and we had to wait at Kaunos tea gardens for it to open. We just had 1 large tea and 2 waters for 65 lira (£1.05) then both went back home to get on with our days. Upon my return, I snipped as much of the unruly bushes that I could then messaged the gardening company to ask them to do the rest – it had obviously not been touched for 3 weeks at our side of the complex, but Block A looked very tidy. I finished work at 4pm, despite having a lot to do still, as I needed to get prepared for my guests. I’d invited Richard and Michelle over for a curry at mine but I needed to get some ingredients in as I’d not done a proper shop yet. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Star Gurme 1 tin baked beans & 1 jar curry sauce Total spent 300 lira (£4.84)
Yaman Büfe 2 1 bottle of Angora red wine 525 3 Dido chocolate bars 105 Total spent 630 lira (£10.16)
I didn’t need the beans or curry sauce but had walked all the way to buy curry paste and they didn’t have the one I wanted. I couldn’t remember if I had an alternative at home so I bought the jar in case I needed it to make a quick version of my chicken curry. The naan bread is just a pide type of bread but does the trick.
I threw everything in to the slow cooker and had a paste at home I could use, plus it didn’t need to be ready until 9pm so I had time; 4 hours on high. I met my friends in Retro bar for a pre dinner drink (or 2) and they brought me some gifts which was really lovely and much appreciated. I paid the bar bill this time at 950 lira (£15.32) and then we went over to mine for curry. We had another drink while I popped the rice in the rice cooker and we had a good old chat, mainly about holidays and future plans. The curry went down well and the Dido chocolate bars worked as a dessert. It wasn’t a late one as I had work in the morning and my guests were off on a boat trip.
Gratitude List 1. Walk by the river with a friend 2. Retro bar for drinks with friends 3. Hosting a curry night at mine.
I needed a rest on Wednesday 24th June and I was also not used to having to prepare and cook my own food! As it was weigh day and I was back at Fat Club this afternoon, I took my measurements to find strange results; I had put a whopping 3cm on my bust, lost 2cm off my waist and put 1cm on my hips!! It was going to be interesting to see how much weight I’d put on, using Carol’s scales, after my 3 weeks away. The home scales reckoned I’d put on 1.9kg (3.8lb), which was bad enough! At 9am there was a planned power cut which meant I only had enough battery to work until 1pm, but the outage was for most of the day. At 3pm, I was back to face the music. The weight gain was much more than I imagined, or felt, at 3.3kg (7.3lb) – more than half a stone in 1 month! I felt bad but I’d really enjoyed my various trips, maybe I would have to knuckle down and lose a bit, though! It was good to see the other ladies again after being away and there was so much to catch up on, as people had been away or were about to go back to the UK soon. I called at the shop on the way back to buy light wholemeal bread and marshmallows for 168.45 lira (£2.72) and then got ready to go out. Friends, Richard & Michelle, were in Dalyan so they had invited me to join them for drinks at the Waterfall bar and then for a meal. After a beer in the Waterfall, we decided to try out Doris Garden, which had a new owner/staff and had been getting good reviews recently. We chatted over wine, mainly about our shared interests in holidays. The food was very good, the service attentive but not too intrusive and we really enjoyed our meal, sat outdoors in the lovely garden area. We even bumped in to a couple of Dutch friends who were on a repeat visit. The beef çökertme was very tasty and went well with the Angora red wine. Michelle is not a big drinker and didn’t join us with the red wine, instead she prefers the odd cocktail so we went over to Efe bar for a nightcap. We ended up having another bottle of red wine as it was on special offer for Wine Wednesday at only 750 lira (£12) compared to 1,100 lira (£18) in the restaurant. Michelle had a cocktail and they did look very impressive too. We arranged to meet up again at the weekend and, as we said farewell, I had a feeling I might have a hangover tomorrow, after quite a lot of red wine.
Gratitude List 1. Surviving an all day power cut 2. Being back at Fat Club 3. A great meal and night out with friends.
On Thursday 25th June I had a bit of a woolly head but had to get on with a load of shit! My To Do List was huge. I also had multiple holiday enquiries to look at, which I was appreciative of. I barely had time to eat and had a Resort Experts team meeting at 1pm, where I’d been asked to do an update on my recent luxury river cruise. I kept it short and to the point as I was aware that there were others within our team who already knew about cruises, then I sent out the information on email for anyone who might be interested in it. I didn’t leave the house all day and I had to make myself stop working at 7pm to eat a chickpea curry. I briefly spoke to Captain Caveman in Sheffield to let him know I was back in Dalyan – he was looking forward to seeing me in London in 7 day’s time. The only photo I took today was of my dinner. It was an early night for me as I had so much to do tomorrow.
Gratitude List 1. Getting more holiday enquiries as a result of being away 2. Being asked to do a presentation on my cruise in the team meeting 3. Chickpea curry.
My plan to get back to Dalyan on Monday 22nd June was probably more complicated and longer than it needed to be, however it meant I had almost 12 more hours in Vienna. I’d initially thought of taking a train to Bratislava for 6am, then flying at 9am directly to Dalaman. This was the cheaper option with a Ryanair size under seat bag, which I didn’t have, and an extremely early start. Instead, I paid £88 (£24 more than the Ryanair direct flight) to fly 6 hours later in the day, with an 8kg allowance of hand luggage, via Istanbul.
This meant that I could have a leisurely breakfast at Sissy’s, who had gone to work but had left me some fresh bread from the bakery and I had it with some jam from the fridge. The schnitzel and accompanying leftovers were made into a snack for my journey as I wouldn’t get home until very late.
I worked in the morning at my laptop and then got the Metro, before my 24 hour ticket ran out, to meet Sissy. We decided to go for a quick lunch at Vapiano, a pizza and pasta restaurant where you choose what you want and they make it fresh at the counter in front of you. I also found the names of their drinks quite funny and had to order a Schartner Bombe. Sissy had a traditional herbal drink called a Almdudler, which had a familiar taste but I couldn’t place it until later – ginger and elderflower. Both drinks were great and my spaghetti was amazing.
It was sad to say bye to another wonderful host and friend, we’d had an incredible time of just under 30 hours together and I appreciated every minute and I hoped we would meet again soon for more adventures, perhaps in Turkey or Vietnam.
Sissy walked me to the train station to get the airport train, it was a bargain €5.40 (£4.63). We walked together to the platform and said bye several more times, by the time I was on the train I was emotional. The girl opposite me on the train got chatting and was an Austrian, who was on her way to Greece for a holiday but had grown up in Turkey.
At Vienna airport it was super efficient and clean, I ate my chicken schnitzel and snacks then boarded the plane to Sabiha Gökçen at 5.30pm, taking off at 6.05pm. The Ajet flight was busy but comfortable and I got an aisle seat near the back. I landed in Istanbul at 9.20pm and I had a drink and a snack for 495 lira (£7.68) in the airport while I waited for my next flight to Dalaman which was leaving at just after midnight.
Gratitude List
1. Getting a later flight back from Vienna 2. More time with Sissy 3. Austrian food and drink.
The second Ajet flight took off on Tuesday 23rd June at 00.05 from Sabiha Gökçen and landed in Dalaman at 01.25am. I had a wine on the plane for 150 lira (£2.38) and had fallen asleep by the time we landed. As I had no luggage to pick up and I was quite fast at getting out, I was in the taxi with Sonuç, who I had booked ahead, in no time. Back home in Dalyan, I had to duck under overgrown bushes to get to the steps and then up to the apartment. There was no internet so I went straight to bed and slept very well. When I woke up, I needed to put the internet on and get some food so I went out. Here’s what I bought, prices in lira;
Migros Supermarket 1 plastic bag 1.00 Yoghurt 54.95 Pain au chocolat 54.95 Olives 61.50 Total spent 172.40 lira (£2.74)
Captainnet internet 1 month 750 lira (£11.90)
I also decided to visit one of my favourite cafes in Dalyan, Mornings in Mavi, where I ordered the Nectarino sandwich, water and a cookie for a total of 770 lira (£12.22). It’s not the cheapest cafe in town, but it’s definitely delicious and I really enjoy the food there. I even took half of my sandwich home to have later. I spent the rest of the day catching up on laundry, emails, blogs and unpacking Pauline, of course. I had just 7 days in Dalyan before I headed back to the UK for another holiday.
Gratitude List 1. An uneventful journey back to Dalyan 2. A delicious brunch from Mornings in Mavi 3. Being back home for a week.
On Sunday 21st June I woke up early to a lovely sunrise in Vienna. I had arranged to disembark the Riverside Mozart ship early and spend 1 day and night in Vienna with a friend. It wasn’t the first time this month that people had thought I was being a bit silly by only visiting a place for such a short time. I was getting off early to walk to the nearest metro and go to meet my friend, only to spend a day sightseeing in a city that had a lot of things closed on a Sunday. If I’d learned anything from my 36 hours in Mallorca last week, it was that even the shortest of visits can still be the most enjoyable. I was about to meet Sissy for less than 30 hours and I had no idea at this stage, just how good that would be! I had my breakfast served to me in the dining room of Riverside Mozart, by a Bulgarian waiter. We chatted about my forthcoming trip to Sofia and Plovdiv and he said we would love it. The breakfast pancakes were excellent and the pot of tea was just how I liked it. I was there by myself for about an hour so I quizzed the staff, who we had got quite friendly with, what time my fellow Fam trippers had gone to bed. They were very coy and didn’t want to spill the beans but I gathered it was definitely a late one for some of them. Of course it had taken me no time at all to pack Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, and neck pillow. Surprisingly I also had spare knickers, a clean bra and an outfit I still hadn’t worn! My flight back to Dalaman was meant to have been from Bratislava at 9am on Monday but, as it was with Ryanair and I’d have had to pay extra for Pauline, I decided to fly with Ajet and take a later flight from Vienna. I asked the Riverside Mozart reception staff for the directions from the ship to the nearest Metro station. My instructions to get to meet Sissy seemed straight forward;
Take the Purple Line on the U6 at Stadion and get to Reichsbrücke. From there, get the red line at Vorgartenstrasse, in the direction of Alaunstrasse/Oberlaa, getting off at Schwedenplatz to change on to the Green Line, U4, to go to Rossauer Lände.
“What could possibly go wrong?”, I asked myself and fellow travel buddies, as I said farewell and departed the ship at just after 9am!
After quite a hot and confusing walk from the edge of the Danube to the Metro station, I had managed to purchase a one way ticket to where I thought I was going to meet Sissy. It cost just €3.20 (£2.74) and I thought I was heading on to the correct platform. The streets of Vienna had been empty apart from one woman who I asked if she could help me check I was going the right way. She helped me but said my written down directions were confusing so she wasn’t sure, she also got a little offended when I asked her if she spoke English. Apparently most Austrians do! By 10.15am I had to contact Sissy to check as it did look like following the directions I had, would send me in the opposite direction to what I needed. Sissy confirmed I did need the Purple Line to Seestadt but to change at Schottenring on to the Green line U4, in the direction of Heiligenstadt. I was at Stadion convinced I should go in the direction of Karlsplatz as that empty metro came in. I took a chance and I managed to find my way – I have no idea how, especially when I mixed up Rossauer Lände and Ländestrasse.
Finally, I met up with Sissy and we laughed at how rubbish I am at following directions but how pleased I was not to be travelling with lots of luggage. We walked a short distance to her delightful apartment, which was very cool inside. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case was popped down as she was not going to be dragged around town. After a quick recharge, some fabulous tap water, and a smothering of sun cream I was ready to see the sights. I’d met Sissy quite a few years ago in Phong Nha, Vietnam, when we did a motorbike tour to Hue via Khe Sanh. We’d met again a few years later and then things got in the way and we never made it to Vienna. Now I had jumped at the chance to extend my trip and squeeze in a visit with the lovely Sissy. Back at the Metro I was able to buy a ticket that would allow all travel for the next 24 hours at a cost of €10.20 (£8.74). It felt strange having to pay for things again, after being on the free Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack Fam trip for 5 days! Once in the city, armed with fans and a UV umbrella, it was time for Sissy to put on her local tour guide hat. There is nothing better than seeing a city with someone who lives there, honestly it was unbelievable the amount of things we crammed in to just one day – thankful for my comfy shoes. We walked through gardens as I marvelled at the sights of all the buildings; Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace some historic buildings and then we got to go inside of St Stephen’s Cathedral.
It was just after mass had finished so Sissy got us in for a free look around. The cathedral was very impressive and a lovely cool temperature after being in the hot sun outside. We took our time and had a good look before heading out to the sunny streets of Vienna again.
I instantly loved it, there were historic and modern buildings intermingled with each other, some old buildings now utilised by modern companies, there were churches next to shops, museums, libraries and musical references everywhere we walked. Sissy and I did so much walking and talking that we had to stop off for a spot of light refreshment for lunch. Treześniewski was a first experience for me and, if I’m honest, I would not have tried it without being with a local as I wasn’t sure what the food actually was. Sissy knows I’m a fussy eater so she helped me choose the toppings on our open rye bread sandwiches. I had lentil and beetroot on one and tomato on the other, I think Sissy chose fishy and egg based toppings. We both decided an Ottakringer beer was in order and we had our first cheers together. Sissy treated us to lunch so I’m not certain of the cost but it seemed very reasonable and the food was exceptionally good.
Feeling refreshed, we continued on with the sightseeing in what was definitely very hot sun now. The Column of Pest was very eye-catching, as was the Habsburg Palace – even the secret underground toilets were fancy.
We had a wander round the Demel Bakery where I was glad I’d already eaten as the sweet treats in there were like masterpieces. The famous Sachertorte was getting devoured by lots of customers too.
More walking was done as we took in the Green Rabbit, Prince Eugene’s equestrian statue and the opera house. I may have seen so many buildings that I forgot the names of some, I recall a library and more museums too – mainly as they had a bit of shade near them, which we were desperate to seek by this point. Just as I thought that Sissy and the city of Vienna had nothing more to surprise me with, I was proven wrong!
When Sissy suggested a sit down in a bar around 3pm, I was quite keen. We had definitely put some paces in and the sunshine was relentless. Before I knew what was happening, Sissy was greeting the door man of Hotel Sacher Vienna and sashaying her way through a beautifully decorated room to a bar. Blaue Bar was incredibly opulent, cool and stunning as we plonked ourselves down on plush velvet seats that were so comfortable. The staff were lovely and we decided to order one of the speciality drinks, a Hugo spritz, as well as some tap water. It came served to us like we were royalty and I had to check I’d definitely left the cruise ship, for a split second! Served with ice, mint, lemon and a large glass it was just so refreshing. We also got served sunflower seeds, corn snacks and juicy olives! The drinks were roughly around €13 (£11) each and were so worth it! I tried to pay but Sissy insisted and it was such an amazing place that anyone going to Vienna has to try it. We stayed there a while to take it all in and relax and I absolutely loved the decadence of the place – what a treat.
We got the bus back towards Sissy’s home and stopped off at a wine bar which had live music playing, on the way. The prosecco was pleasant and very reasonably priced, with a couple of cheeky chaps serving it outside to save customers having to go inside to order.
Our dinner was at an absolute treasure of a place too, which had been owned by the same family since 1787. Heuriger Kierlinger was a little on the outskirts and it was very busy with locals, drinking a spritz and ordering from the buffet counter or menu. Again, without Sissy being my guide and translator I wouldn’t have got very far and probably wouldn’t have enjoyed trying the different foods as much as I did. We had salad, sauerkraut, gherkin, horseradish, a buttery dip which was very moreish, cow’s tongue and pork belly, plus a schnitzel and the traditional potatoes that go with it. Obviously we over ordered but, with just one night in Vienna, it was essential I try as much as possible. The food was superb and even the bread which looked so ordinary was amazing. I learned that horseradish isn’t just eaten in a sauce and was quite partial to it as a dry side taster! The white wine spritzers were great and so cheap compared to what I’d pay in the UK or Turkey. We couldn’t finish all of the schnitzel so, of course, I asked to take a doggy bag. Sissy was in favour of this too and said it was definitely something Austrians don’t frown upon like my English mates sometimes do. She even stuffed the extra leftovers in the bag and a breadroll to make sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. It was a perfect evening, but we had to get going back to Sissy’s neighbourhood where we watched one of the World Cup football matches with a shandy each! It had been an amazing Sunday with Sissy in Vienna and I wished I was staying for longer. We made plans to not leave it so long to catch up again and I definitely needed to come back to Vienna as I had really fallen in love with the place. That evening I slept well on the sofa on account of how many steps we must have walked, trying to see the best of Vienna.
Gratitude List 1. Vienna and all I got to see and do in 1 day 2. Sissy, not just a great friend but a great local guide to spend the day with 3. Austrian food and drink.
joloyolo 