Antalya & Belek – 13th October

I was up early on Monday 13th October so that I had time for my last buffet breakfast at the 5 Star Selectum Luxury Resort hotel in Belek, near Antalya. Debby and I had breakfast together and we learned from some of the others that it had turned in to a late night for some of the party animals. We laughed that we were getting old as we were in bed with a hot drink before midnight. I decided to stock up on pastries and take some back to the room in case Jamie and I needed sustenance for the 4 hour journey home.

The Manchester Travel Agents were flying first, then the Gatwick ones. Check out was not until midday but I went back to pack, ready for getting back to Dalyan. Although I had managed very well with my broken foot and crutch, I was definitely tired and was looking forward to a rest – and less walking!
I met Jamie and some of the Anex staff in reception, and everyone was talking about how good a time they had been having on the Fam trip – we really had been well looked after. Before we knew it, we were heading over to the bar area where Amanda ordered a tray of Baby Guiness and offered them round to the 6 of us. Amanda and Stacey, from Anex, had the idea that Jamie and I should join them at the Kremlin Palace hotel tonight.They were already booked in for a few nights there so Jamie got on a video call to Drew to check if he minded and could he dog sit for one more night and, of course, he was fine with it. We did consider Drew coming to join us but it would not have been Norman’s cup of tea. I googled the bus times from Belek to Dalyan and the bus had already left Belek at 9.55am. There was a bus from Antalya at 11am which would mean getting a taxi to there, immediately! The bus would also take over 7 hours with stops in either Aydın, Fethiye, or both, then Ortaca. Stacey got on the phone to check availability and get us a discounted price to share a room at the Kremlin Palace while the attentive bar man placed more shots at the bar.
Our discounted price on an All Inclusive basis at the Kremlin Palace was £160 per room, so £80 each, and although not within my budget, I hadn’t spent anything in the last 4 days. We accepted the kind offer and took a Baby Guiness!
Having checked out of the Selectum, we went to wave off the Manchester lot as they boarded the bus for Antalya airport. It had been great to meet so many lovely people but we were surprised that the farewell committee consisted only of the Anex staff, Debby, Jamie and me.
I had some chocolate strawberries in reception and discovered there had been a cake bar just metres away from reception – I’m glad I’d not noticed it earlier. Jamie also found out that you could get soft drinks at any of the bars!
The Gatwick Travel Agents left next and we, of course, formed a very small farewell committee with the Anex staff. Jamie tried to convince Fulya to come with us to the Kremlin Palace but I think she was looking forward to a well deserved rest.

Once Jamie had drank enough soft drinks and coffee, we arranged to drive over to the Kremlin Palace, which wasn’t far, and meet the Anex staff there. I had work to do so I logged in at a table in reception as our room wasn’t ready until 2pm.
Jamie and I had people in mind back in Dalyan who would love a stay in the Selectum but either didn’t have a car or were unlikely enough to be sober enough to drive a hire car back to Dalyan after an All Inclusive break.
I messaged drivers in Dalyan to ask how much they would charge for a transfer. One was a bit shocked that anyone would be flash enough to pay for that and quoted £320, while the cheapest one way journey was a bargain in comparison at £200.
A hire car or the bus were still the better options.

After a few work related tasks, we had more of the Kremlin Palace’s champers and I had some Turkish delight. At 2.30pm, we went to our room which had a double and a single bed and had a bit of a sea view. There were snacks, fruit, drinks and toiletries as well as a complimentary bottle of Vodka, Whiskey and Prosecco, which was nice. I decided that as I was going to be paying £80 for an extra night, I was definitely going to make the most of it. I polished off the cookies and the baclava then we went to meet the 3 Anex staff; Amanda, Stacey and Tracey. Of course we waited at the beach bar, where Jamie was not impressed that we had to drink our all inclusive beer and prosecco from plastic cups. I spoke to the waiter and got free snacks to soak up the fizz. I tried the red wine and that was pretty good too.

The girls joined us and we had a good laugh as they had a great sense of humour and we were all on the same wavelength.
There was a shop at the Kremlin Palace that sold loads of stuff, including Salt & Vinegar crisps – ideal if you’re there with kids or drunk people, or both!
The restaurant was a bit of organised chaos and definitely had that ‘we don’t queue’ vibe from 95% of guests in there. Having said that, there was also a drinks waiter who was very generous on the wine pours and I thought the red wine was very good. As for the food options, there was so much choice and from various cuisines that it would suit even a fussy eater like me. All of the dishes were clearly labelled so that those of us with allergies could at least work out for ourselves if they were suitable. I had a chicken and rice dish with chips and some salad and it was very tasty. I didn’t really fancy a dessert but, as I’d paid for it, I got a bit of cheesecake down me – it was pretty good.
After dinner, we took a walk around the grounds where we tested out the (children’s) mini cars and had a race! It probably wasn’t wise with a broken foot but, to be honest, they were very easy to use and meant I was the speediest I’d been since I arrived in Antalya. Poor Tracey took a wrong turn and the man in charge had to chase after her. Reversing on cobbles also turned out to be trickier than it looked.
We decided, although it was technically a day off for us all, we needed to check out the Kremlin Palace indoor bar. Not everyone was impressed; the bar man was fast, abrupt and gave dangerous measures, the lighting was dim and the bar lacked atmosphere. However, there were ramps, the bar was near to the toilets, and there was a seating area with round booths which were ideal for chatting to your companions in. If you know what you want to drink, the bar man isn’t an issue – if you like your (premium) vodka and coke so strong you have to ask for a separate coke, you will love this place! There was also very few English guests so it did actually feel like you were on holiday, rather than down a Wetherspoons. I actually enjoyed the Kremlin Palace and would definitely recommend it for the right sort of person. I knew we were very lucky to have had the extra night and I’d enjoyed getting to know Amanda, Stacey & Tracey more.

Gratitude List
1. Farewell breakfast with Debby who had been a great room mate
2. Staying an extra night in another hotel, the Kremlin Palace
3. Getting to know the Anex girls and sharing some great stories together.

Photo Credit – some photos by Jamie and Amanda

Antalya & Belek – 12th October

It was our last full day and night of the Anex Fam trip on Sunday 12th October. We had another early start with the last of our hotel inspections, a planned boat trip and a visit to Side old town. We had been told that the evening was ours to enjoy the hotel restaurant at our leisure and we could do as we pleased that night before our checkout and return journeys tomorrow.
We had a good old nosey at the Astoria Bloom hotel which had super comfy beds and pillows. I think it was this hotel or the Selectum Family Comfort Side, where cake was offered to us but I declined as I’d had lots to eat at the buffet breakfast. At lunch time we had driven out to a remote place to have a boat trip but unfortunately, the wind was up and it wasn’t safe for us to go. Instead, we were invited to sample a local eatery where we were served BBQ chicken with accompanying veg and pasta. As we had been spoiled in the 5 Star hotel restaurants, it was a bit basic and it was the only time nobody went for seconds. Next, we called at a tourist trap shopping centre where they charged a whopping €35 for a kilo of Turkish delight. Of course, living in Turkey, Jamie and I could see the ripping off a mile off and didn’t buy anything. Back in the car park while waiting to get on the buses, we sang happy birthday to a Travel Agent and she was given a cake, then we had to decide where we would prefer to go next.
We could choose between Side old town or going back to the Selectum Luxury Resort hotel. Having been to Side before but knowing I would find the walking a bit of a stretch, I went with going back to the hotel. I was looking forward to a rest or maybe even a massage in the spa.

On arrival back at our hotel, we were given the opportunity to stuff chocolate covered strawberries in our mouths and drink a glass of fizz. Debby had gone to Side so I had the bathroom to myself and even had a lay on the bed before doing a few emails and a couple of customer quotes.
At 7.30pm a few of us met in the bar and then went for dinner. The Side bus got back very late and they all looked exhausted – I was glad I’d not overdone it by going. Instead we had been given a tour around our hotel to the more family friendly accomodation which was great. I got taken on a golf buggy while drinking champagne! I could get used to that.
The meal in the restaurant was lovely and of course I overindulged on the food big time! After the dinner we retired to the bar area where I ordered a glass of wine. Debby and I decided to go for a walk to the beach bar, where we found most of the fun bunch. We had a quick drink there with everyone then it started to turn a little cold. I retired to bed early, knowing we were due to leave after breakfast tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. More hotel inspections
2. Getting to enjoy more of our hotel
3. Making the most of our last night of the Anex Fam Trip.

Photo Credit – some photos by attendees of the Anex Fam Trip

Antalya & Belek – 11th October

Saturday 11th October was full on for our next day of hotel inspections on the Anex Fam trip. I was so glad that I wasn’t trying to do it with a hangover, which could easily have been the case with the amount of all inclusive drinks available last night.
We had a full day of hotel visits with Anex; including the Asteria, Kremlin Palace, Noa, and Selectum Family – focusing on both couples and family holidays. We had a good laugh, although my temporary disability prevented me from walking on the beach, so I checked out the food options (obviously)! I don’t eat seafood but if you do, there was plenty of options for that too.

Today’s hotels, I felt better suited the more discerning traveller and anyone with impaired vision or mobility issues would be well catered for here. There was only one instance where the lift decided to let us know we were too heavy and we all had a good old laugh – blaming the fab meals we’d all been enjoying. The Kremlin Palace certainly had far less UK guests and seemed to be more European and Turkish, however, I bumped in to a group of Scousers on a lads golf holiday and they were so impressed with the price of accommodation compared to the other hotels with more UK guests, that this was not their first time here.
I did so well at inspecting the food and drink choices that I nearly missed the bus after lunch and I had to quickly do a takeaway with what I still hadn’t finished! Luckily, I had help from my fellow diners who were on hand to get me plastic cups – there was no way I could leave the carrot cake, the brownie or the very generous pour of excellent red wine!
The hotels we inspected were ideal for fans of an all inclusive that was of superior quality! As I was a slow walker I did find myself at the back most of the time but that was ok and I always had company.
Back at the hotel it was time to get ready for another treat from Anex and this time I was wearing a black dress!

Debby and I got ready in our boudoir style room at the Selectum Luxury Resort hotel. We decided to both wear our black dresses although I was disappointed I still had to wear my white sandals for my broken foot. Tonight, Anex were putting on a lavish gala evening with food, free flowing drinks and more breathtaking entertainment. Debby and I were of the first to arrive and we didn’t know there was a lift. The member of staff told us to use the stairs and I did manage them but for anyone with bad eyesight and mobility issues it would be better to insist on the lift – which happened to be there but we just didn’t see it. There was a very fancy bar with different cocktails available, some with dry ice surrounding them as a special effect. A photographer took everyone’s photo as they entered the event and we got to have a go on a 360° turning podium for another photo – perhaps not the best thing to do when on crutches, but I managed it. My gin cocktail was a little strong so I decided to try the whisky one, which was much better.

We made our way from the Diamond Hall, in to the dining/event room which was decorated so well and we really were in for a treat of a night. I managed to get sat at a table which included Debby, Suzi, and Adam and included an ample portion of vegetarians. The food was fantastic, I don’t eat fish so I skipped that course but the chicken parcel and the beef main dish were very good. I even had a bite of the vegetarian option, which was similar to the chicken parcel but just with vegetables and was tasty. I ended up having 2 of the beef, as did Adam – just to help out the vegetarians. I drank fizz all night and even spotted the waitress, Meyve, from last night’s party who was super helpful. This meant that I kept getting refills without asking, which was nice!
A lady got something in her eye and needed urgent attention so I took her to my room for eye drops before the dessert. When I got back to the table, I had what looked like a tomato waiting for me and it was very strange. It was actually mango and passion fruit parfait which looked like a tomato in soil and it didn’t half mess with my head!
We had a dance group, musicians, acrobats, singers and a speech from the Anex boss, Andrew. I felt we had been treated like royalty and I was definitely looking forward to being able to add the Anex selection of hotels and package holidays to my Resort Experts repertoire. A few people went up to the bar after the gala dinner but I was already flagging and needed rest before our last hotel inspecting day tomorrow. Jamie was happy to take advantage of the all inclusive drinks and insisted on us going ‘for one’. While the others knocked the drinks back and got to know more about each other, I made my drinks last. It was a great night but on a visit to the loo, I simply sneakily went back to my room as it was already after midnight and I needed my bed.

Gratitude List
1. More of the fabulous Anex hospitality at other hotels in the area
2. The food – not Slimming World friendly at all!
3. An amazing Gala evening.

Photo Credit – some photos taken by attendees of the Anex Fam Trip

Antalya & Belek – 10th October

We had the morning to ourselves on Friday 10th October, the first official day of the Anex Fam Trip. While my room mate, Debby, slept I made my way down to breakfast. The breakfast buffet and cooking stations at the Selectum Luxury Resort hotel were very impressive and it was difficult to choose what to have. The waitress brought me Turkish tea and orange juice but everything else you just went up and got it yourself.
When Debby woke up I introduced myself and I felt like I was very lucky to have a nice room mate. We got on the bus to go to our first hotel inspections of the trip. This afternoon we were visiting the Land of Legends hotels and the theme park. We got split in to 2 bus loads and we looked at the hotels. Our group started with the Land of Legends Kingdom hotel which is 5 Star and absolutely fantastic for families. Of course Jamie had to test out the kids club facilities just to make sure it was up to scratch and I decided I would do the bed and bathroom testing. As I was crutching about I found it tricky to make notes but a couple of the other travel agents offered to help me get about and share their notes.

We visited the hotel bedrooms, which were amazing and we even saw the dining places which were not just tailored for children. The Nickelodeon hotel, again 5 Star, was very impressive too and as I waited for the lift I asked a couple of children what they thought of it. They never wanted to leave and looked to be having an amazing time. There was a sweetie area where anyone could help themselves to a few treats – a great idea. Both the hotels had comfy beds, great themed rooms and gave free access to the Land of Legends Theme park where all the rides and swimming pools are located.

After the tours and a walk around the massive shopping precinct, we were given a bit of time to go and enjoy the theme park for ourselves. I didn’t take my swimmers but some people did and I wandered around by myself, slowly. There was a system in place where you can top up a wrist band with money from your bank card to enable you to buy beers, food and souvenirs. I didn’t partake in this as I’d taken water from the hotel with me. I met up with more travel agents and got friendly with Suzi and Louise, who were more my pace. Suzi and I bonded while getting a bit lost in the theme park – which is easily done. After 2.5 hours of wandering around it, I still had only seen half of it!

On the first evening, all together at Selectum Luxury Resort we were treated to an amazing Bohemian themed evening by Anex Tour UK.
The food was absolutely superb and my dining partner, Shahid, was able to help me snaffle down so many courses. The beef melted in the mouth, the prawns were great and there was just so much food. Cocktails flowed for those who wanted them but I stuck to the champagne! I was not missing out on the excellent food that just kept on coming out. As a temporary disabled person, I was worried about getting sat on the floor and getting back up but there were plenty of helpers around, should I have needed them. Shahid turned out to be a great dining partner, as he was also a food lover.

Dancers, saxophonists, fire and light shows followed but I didn’t miss my dessert. It was a really lovely pud but I was the only one who had one as the others had gone off to the bar and to watch the evening entertainment.

I managed a little dance with Fulya Çelik, the Anex Turkish contact, before sneaking back to my room for a camomile tea and a piece of fruit before bed.

Gratitude List
1. Getting to visit Antalya and Belek on a work trip
2. Being very lucky with my room mate, Debby
3. A fantastic Bohemian party with Anex Tour UK at Selectum Luxury Resort hotel.

Photo Credit – other guests and staff on the Anex Tour UK Fam Trip

Dalyan to Antalya – 9th October

I was packed and ready by 10.30am on Thursday 9th October when Jamie came to pick me up. Although the Anex Fam trip included flights from Manchester or Gatwick, Jamie and I had arranged to meet everyone in Antalya. Jamie had kindly offered to drive so we could take any luggage we wanted and I had thrown in a few dresses for the fancier evenings. We were given 4 nights accommodation at the 5 Star All Inclusive Selectum Luxury Resort in Belek. On the drive there, we had the Resort Experts team meeting which we did on the move.
When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by staff who drove Jamie’s car to the car park, took our bags and told us to be seated at the check in desk. We were given a welcome drink and told who we would be sharing a room with. Jamie was going to share with Shahid and I got a lady called Debby. All of the other Travel Agents and Anex Tour UK staff were arriving after midnight so Jamie and I went to our respective rooms and unpacked before meeting back up in the 24/7 cafe bar. On entering my room, I was struck by the red and black decor which reminded me of a bit of a tart’s parlour. I chose the bed nearest the window as I preferred not to sleep in the bed next to a massive mirror. The bathroom had all the toiletries, a separate shower and bath but no door. Just some beaded tassels on the edge of where a door would ordinarily be. There was also a well stocked fridge that took some working out how to get in. Jamie described his room as sexy, and his was not red & black. It certainly wasn’t a hotel room I would recommend for just anyone and was definitely designed for a more romantic trip away – think Moulin Rouge!
We shared a Turkish spring roll and ordered pizzas at the 24/7 cafe bar. Jamie had a beer and I chose a red wine while admiring the sea view. My mushroom pizza was good and Jamie enjoyed his chicken caeser salad one.

Our next venture was to check out the pool, the spa, the gym and the beach. There is a pier where you can pay a little extra to hire a sunbed area which has direct access, via a ladder, in to the sea. It comes with your own bar staff between 10am and 6pm – ideal for those people who really like to rinse the benefits of the All Inclusive. I took it upon myself to feet out the sunbeds, which came in single and double
Jamie and I decided to have a little rest before dinner and I rested my foot. I was finding it easy enough to get about with my crutch at the Selectum but it was just so big and I was very slow.

When we got back to our rooms, there had been a delivery of a bottle of red wine and a bowl of fruit with a message from guest relations – how lovely. I made myself a herbal tea and decided to have a bath. Unfortunately the bath plug didn’t work so I had a shower instead. There’s nothing nicer than popping on a fluffy robe in a hotel after a hot shower.
Jamie and I met back up and had a good look at the restaurant, it had such a vast selection of food to help ourselves to and we then retired to the bar area. We decided we would try to stay up for the Manchester flight which was due to have some Travel Agents arrive by 1.30am. I was still taking it relatively steady, despite the all inclusive alcohol, as I didn’t want to fall over. The hotel decor was quite dark and even the toilets were black and red. I remember thinking it wouldn’t be an ideal hotel for anyone with poor eyesight, like my dad. On a trip to the loo, Jamie returned with a goody bag from Fulya, the lady from Anex Antalya, who was organising the trip. Inside we had a handmade pot, an eye mask, a notebook and pen and a really great hooded top. Jamie and I put the tops on and were really impressed. Fulya came over to join us, to stay up for the Manchester contingent.
The Manchester lot arrived and we went to greet them at the 24/7 cafe bar. I ordered some baclava and a tea while most people were ordering alcohol but I’d had enough. I introduced myself to a man who said he didn’t drink alcohol and so he joined me with the baclava and tea. It would turn out that this fella was going to be Jamie’s room mate, Shahid!
The Gatwick Travel Agents were due to arrive around 3.45am but I decided I could not stay up for that, even though Debby my room mate was one of them. I left Jamie with the Manchester crowd and went to bed. I kept a light on so that Debby could find her way about and went to bed – I never heard Debby arrive.

Gratitude List

Getting to go on a free Fam Trip to Antalya with Anex Tours
Jamie driving us to Antalya
Great food and drink in the amazing Selectum Luxury Resort Hotel.

Photo credit – some photos by Jamie

Dalyan & Ekincik – 11th September

Jamie had invited me to join him and some friends on a boat trip on Thursday 11th September and it had been booked long before I broke a couple of metatarsals. I had already paid my money to Sioned to go on Captain Unal’s Duran Duran boat and didn’t want to miss it because of being in pain. It has been a week since I’d not seen that very small step! It was also a good chance to catch up with my parents, Nanny Kay, Jamie, Josh & Martha, Ann & Stuart, Karen & Shaun, Julia and Evie. The boat was moored the nearest to home that it could be, which was good for me crutching to get there. I took a seasickness tablet as well as my medication and I was well away before 10am. We sailed to Ekincik and, as usual, we were served welsh cakes and other nibbles with our hot beverages. It was a lovely day out albeit limited because of my mobility but I did manage to get down the lovely disabled friendly steps to go for a swim. The lunch was great and my mom was kind enough to do the buffet run for me. The food was amazing with extra meatballs being dished out by Ünal. In the afternoon there was a delicious cake with fruit. It was probably one of the best I’d had on this boat too – I really did need to just stick to the fruit next time! I was a little sad that Captain Caveman was back at work in the UK and unable to be here for this trip. Due to my medicine it was another alcohol free day, too, and I wasn’t really missing drinking.
After the trip, I was tired and resting up on the sofa while adding stuff to my to do list for tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. Being on another one of my favourite boat trips with lots of friends and family
2. Going in the sea and managing to get back out without further injury
3. Amazing food on the boat.

Dalyan – 6th September

Captain Caveman and I were having breakfast at home on Saturday 6th September. He was contemplating going to the dog shelter to walk some dogs. I was going to do a few bits of content editing for next week, being back at work, so that my 2 weeks off went smoothly. I also had loads of stuff to share from this holiday, with Captain Caveman, and couldn’t wait to get it on my business page.
Our friends Josh & Martha had arrived in Dalyan to join their family and they had booked the Princess of Ekincik boat for a private day trip, after I had recommended it. There had been a group chat to discuss requirements for the wheelchair user on board so I hoped it would be suitable and comfortable for all of them. For those who might need to know, a wheelchair up to 60cm wide will fit!
Martha got in touch to say that her and Josh had been delayed on their flight, after another passenger had a medical emergency, so they were super tired. She wanted us to join the trip so that we could catch up and help keep everyone lively. I was on the strong medication and lidocaine based sprays, so I was away with the fairies and said yes. I hadn’t accounted for the fact that I needed to walk all the way to the boat which took me absolutely ages. When I got there, Ismail mentioned that they do have a mobility scooter that they can collect disabled guests on, should I have needed it. I got a hot drink and sat myself down with my leg propped up until the others arrived.
When everyone got on board; Martha, her parents, brother and Josh, it was really nice to see them all and we got on great straight away. The wheelchair went on and off fine and was parked up so that Zac could see the amazing scenery as we sailed down the river to the sea.
The crew, the boat, the food, the drinks and the company were absolutely perfect and to see Zac be able to enjoy a boat trip in Dalyan was just fantastic. We had a couple of swim spots and even a visit to the back of the beach, Little Dalyan, where I kept Martha’s mom company on the boat while the others went off for a bit of adventure. I even had a cherry juice in a wine glass so that Trish wouldn’t feel alone in her red wine enjoyment – it was a real pleasure to see her have a bit of time to herself and not worry about Zac, who was in very capable hands.
When the family got back, they had enjoyed a jaunt over the beach to the sea and Captain Caveman didn’t fall for the joke of me having red wine in my glass – he knew I wouldn’t be drinking against Doctor’s orders. We then decided to go to the boat end of the beach so that we could see the tourist part and it was very busy. We saw turtles which was great as some of the guests on board hadn’t seen them before in Dalyan. We all enjoyed a really lovely lunch on board which, given that Captain Caveman and I had decided to join only this morning, was plentiful.
After spending the rest of the afternoon on the boat and enjoying ice creams, then some cake with fruit, we returned to Dalyan at gone 5pm. I’m not mentioning any names but I think more than 1 of us had a power nap, as we were just so relaxed.

That evening, after resting my foot, Captain Caveman took me for a slap up dinner at White House. We both had my favourite meal, the beef wellington, which is just so good. Captain Caveman had wine and cocktails but I had water and a friend booked our table while waiting to chat to her boyfriend. Our bill was 4,000 lira (£72.73) which I thought was reasonable. Because of having eaten so much, though, I had to take half of mine home. Tomorrow was Captain Caveman’s last day in Dalyan and I wasn’t looking forward to him leaving.

Gratitude List
1. Having such an amazing day that it was difficult to pinpoint just 3 things to be grateful for!
2. The Princess of Ekincik boat trip, being so good.
3. Beef Wellington Dinner with Captain Caveman at the White House.

Photo credit – some photos by Martha and her family

Köyceğiz and Dalyan – 26th August

I was back on the balcony of the Kaunos hotel in Köyceğiz at 6.20am on Tuesday 26th August, trying to see the sunrise. Captain Caveman was sick and stayed in bed. By 8.30am I had been to the chemist to stock up on cold and flu medication for Captain Caveman. I took a few photos and had a nice walk along the lake and back.

At breakfast Captain Caveman barely spoke and was blowing his nose quite a bit, I thought we would probably have to cancel today’s plans. The breakfast wasn’t bad and there was quite a selection but with Captain Caveman suffering man-flu it was a bit disappointing. We had arranged to meet Janet & Ian and Sezgin & Nur over in Köyceğiz but we hadn’t had a reply from Sezgin. I was happy to check out after breakfast and then wait until the pool opened, as I was determined to have a swim. I’d also wanted Captain Caveman to take some photos of me (or us) in the pool perhaps, but he wasn’t up for it.

Of course, the swimming pool was in the shade, it was numbingly cold to swim in at 10.15am but I suffered it. Captain Caveman lay on a sun lounger on his phone and at noon we met up with Janet & Ian for a lovely walk through the park which I didn’t even know was there. The sun was hot and I was glad I had my cycling shorts on to prevent the chub rub. We stopped for a drink at the council run cafe where there’s a small bit of beach. Captain Caveman must’ve been on the mend as he ordered a shandy! For lunch we went to Ayaklı Göl restaurant which I’d been to before with Janet and Ian. It’s located on the waterfront and has a really good choice of food, which is very tasty. The place mats are maps of the area so I kept one to bring home. Here’s what we ordered with the prices in lira;

Ayaklı Göl
2 small beers 160
1 Orange juice 170
1 large beer 205
1 potato omelette 220
1 Crab soup 250
1 Chicken Quesadillas 430
1 Chicken wrap 430
1 House salad with prawns 480
4 Turkish teas FREE
Total spent 2,345 lira (£43.43)

Just over a tenner for lunch by the lake seemed a good deal to me. Captain Caveman was definitely feeling better as he had a Belfast beer. We strolled back, feeling full and then Ian drove us all back to Dalyan. We had intended on going home, however, we decided to have a stop off at Janet & Ian’s where we all got in the pool. It had been a very hot day so it was really nice to cool off, and their pool was very lovely! After rehydrating with water, I had a glass of wine, Janet and Captain Caveman had some flavoured gin and Ian doesn’t drink alcohol. We had a really good laugh and didn’t even realise the time until it had gone dark and we thought it prudent to go home! I still had a load of cheese in my bag and all the bits we didn’t eat last night, because of Captain Caveman’s sickness.

Gratitude List
1. Getting medication for Captain Caveman
2. Finally getting to swim in the pool
3. A great afternoon with Janet & Ian.

Sevenoaks & Pett – 23rd July

In the morning of Wednesday 23rd July I didn’t get weighed despite it being weigh day, my 2nd one since being in the UK. I did take my measurements though and was surprised they weren’t worse;
Bust -1cm and under target, Waist -2cm and on target, Hips -1cm and also on target!
Claire and I worked from her home, with me doing some enquiries which included the Con Dao Islands and Gia Lai, both in Vietnam. I also saw an interesting Facebook post on ways to stay organised. My 3rd session with Ade on Substack was at 10am and also clashed with day 3 of Matt Hall’s Audience Growth training. I played catch up on that session but it’s not the same as doing it live. I did more work on my travel planner which involved key words and categories for marketing purposes. I had another zoom call about book publishing at 3pm and that went really well.
By 5.30pm Claire, her daughter, Mark and I were in the car on our way to the seaside. Mark had something to attend to at their holiday cottage in Pett and Claire thought it would be a great opportunity for us to join him. The initial plan was for us to have fish and chips there too but when we arrived in Pett (not too far from Hastings), the fish and chip shop was closed on Wednesdays. What a shame, so we went for Plan B and went to Peking Takeaway for a Chinese takeaway instead. We must’ve been hungry as we ended up getting £50 worth of food for the 4 of us, including half a crispy duck with pancakes. The holiday cottage was lovely and it was great to be there, the Chinese food was fantastic and must have been my first in such a long time. There was loads left so we bagged it up to take back with us.

After stuffing our faces and Mark doing all his jobs, we drove to the beach. It was still light at 8.45pm and the beach had a glow about it. We had a laugh trying to copy Mark skimming stones in to the sea and I got a few photos of us on Pett beach. The drive back felt long as we were all a bit tired and there were road closures but it had been totally worth the trip out. Tomorrow would be my last full day and night with Claire and her family as I was heading up to Sheffield next – the time had gone so fast!

Gratitude List
1. My measurements still being good after 12 days in the UK
2. Chinese food for dinner
3. A fantastic impromptu visit to Pett.

Dalyan & Ekincik – 21st June

It was Captain Caveman’s last day in Dalyan on Saturday 21st June and he’d not been feeling 100% the last few days. He was so busy at work and I don’t think he’d enjoyed working from home in Turkey as much as he’d hoped he might. The internet on our Turkcell hotspot had been fine for him but with staff shortages it meant he couldn’t step in and do nights in London to help out. He did book himself on to jobs to do that as soon as he got back to England, though.
To start the day, Captain Caveman wanted to eat breakfast at La Sorella again and this time he chose the avocado croissant which came with scrambled egg and cheese in it. I didn’t eat as I didn’t want to have a bad reaction for our day trip. Here’s what we paid for breakfast, with prices in lira;

La Sorella
1 Turkish tea 30
1 Double Espresso 120
1 Avocado croissant 390
Total spent 540 lira (£10.19)

Our next bit of excitement for the day was on the Princess of Ekincik boat trip and I really hoped Captain Caveman would enjoy it. When we arrived at the boat, our Captain said that, due to rough seas, he was thinking of changing the destination from Bacardi Bay to Ekincik. I knew Captain Caveman would be disappointed as he prefers Bacardi Bay. Ismail explained to everyone that the sea had been particularly choppy over at Bacardi Bay yesterday and he didn’t want it to ruin people’s day trip. I was glad I’d took one of my trusted Avimone sickness pills and everyone agreed that the Captain would know best about our destination. The group of people on the boat were fantastic and I even knew Rachel, and her family, from Turkish class. It was really great to see that everyone was polite and there was lots of room for everyone to get comfy as we set off towards Ekincik for the day. We tucked in to the homemade biscuits with our hot drinks, of which there was an impressive tea selection.

The Princess of Ekincik boat trip turned out to be the best we had been on so far. The boat was roomy and comfortable, the 2 children onboard were well behaved, the adults were too and even the one smoker was considerate and hardly noticeable which made the trip more pleasant. The food was also of the best I’ve had on a boat trip with great choice of drinks and food. The swim spots were fabulous with not many other boats and our captain and his second mate were wonderful. The boat steps were very similar to those on Duran Duran boat and meant they were really good for anyone with mobility issues. I loved being in the water in the quiet coves – it was nice to enjoy drinks after a swim while sat on a comfy bean bag. There was fruit and cake in the afternoon which is always a nice touch too.
We paid £35 for the boat trip and we did go a bit mad with the drinks, spending about 1,800 (£34) between the 2 of us. I was a bit tiddly and ended up kicking the side of the boat when I was walking to the bar. It hurt a bit at the time but I thought nothing of it, until I got off and put my shoes on. We’d got dropped off near the end of bar street and had thought we might go for a drink. It was so hot out of the breeze of the boat that we just went home, with me limping, to shower and change. I took photos of the bus station notice boards on our way, for all the day trips they do.

It was apparent that I had probably broken my little toe when I hobbled out of the shower. Captain Caveman and I were due to go out for a last meal together and then be ready for his pick up tomorrow at 4am. To celebrate his working from home break of 12 days in Dalyan, we decided to venture back out. We had a drink in Heybe’s and a quick chat with Donny before deciding we would no longer go in to the Turkish Quarter for dinner. I said I would be able to hobble over to wherever Captain Caveman fancied but he decided he would like our farewell date night to be at Lukka bar. I love Lukka and the owners and staff there are considered good friends, however I’d not been able to go out much of late and hadn’t been for such a long time. I was also a bit reluctant to spend a lot of money on a night out when I still had so many things on my essentials to buy list. Captain Caveman said not to worry and we were going there.
We were welcomed in and given a table in a good location and we looked at the menu. It was the first time I’d eaten there since the new chef so I wasn’t sure whether to go for an old favourite or try something new. Captain Caveman ordered wine and water, then suggested a mixed meze plate. He ordered lamb and I stuck to the sweet and sour chicken.
All the food was great and I really enjoyed our last night together. Here’s what we paid, prices in lira;

Lukka bar
1 large water 110
Mixed meze plate 430
Sweet & Sour chicken 770
Lamb Shish 875
1 bottle Angora white wine 950
Tip 200
Total paid 3,335 lira (£63)

Captain Caveman thought it was very reasonable and we were both impressed with the food and service. After a lovely meal we popped next door to pick up a Citronella candle too which smells amazing.

Maizie Moo
1 Citronella candle 400 lira (£7.55)

Today had been the most money I had spent this year, in just one day, so I was still feeling a bit like I needed to get back on track when Captain Caveman left. We set the alarm and Captain Caveman finalised his packing before bed to try and get 6 hours sleep.

Gratitude List
1. Princess of Ekincik boat trip
2. Meal out at Lukka bar
3. Splashing out on treats for our last day together.

Photo credit – some photos by Captain Caveman

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.

Kuşadası to Dalyan – 28th April

Captain Caveman’s flight back to Manchester wasn’t scheduled until 8.50pm on Monday 28th April so he had a long day. I was expecting a bit of a lay in but Sezgin, Nur, Debbie and Mike had already had breakfast and were ready to check out of the Sunday Beach hotel by 9.30am. When we went downstairs for breakfast our 4 friends were ready to leave so they decided to go on a sightseeing trip to a castle on an island while we had breakfast and then got ready. Captain Caveman would then drive me to them around 11.30am so that I could go back to Dalyan with them. The storm forecast could start this afternoon and there were also some road closures so Sezgin was keen to set off back in good time.
Our breakfast was very nice – buffet style with lots of choice. I kept it simple and avoided all the Turkish börek which might affect my stomach. Captain Caveman had dialled in to his 9am (UK time) team meeting, even though he was officially on holiday, and I checked my emails and responded.
We checked out and I went to the ATM to get some cash out for Captain Caveman, but none of the machines were working. This left us in a bit of a fix as Captain Caveman was going to need to get more petrol and spending money for whatever he was going to do all afternoon. I decided I would give him my cash card for my Turkish bank so that he could use it until he left tonight. I could use my credit card until I got it back from him. When we got to meet the others in a retail park it was time to say bye to Captain Caveman and head back to Dalyan. The drive back was pleasant and I felt like I would sleep well when I got to bed tonight. On the way we stopped at Ateş Doner and I had a chicken wrap and a lemon soda for 175 lira (£3.38) which was ok but I couldn’t finish it all, as was thinking about my stomach being affected for the drive. It turned out to be fine which I was pleased about. We were back home by 4.30pm and Captain Caveman’s flight was delayed by almost an hour. He had managed to spend 877.45 lira (£16.97) on parking, petrol and some food, which was very frugal.
I noticed the pool and garden was being worked on but the pool was still empty.

Gratitude List
1. Breakfast with Captain Caveman
2. Not being ill from the kebab shop lunch
3. Being back home after a wonderful weekend.

Çeşme to Kuşadası – 27th April

After a lovely breakfast on Sunday 27th April, at the Kerman hotel in Çeşme, it was time to check out and restart the 2 car convoy. The plan for today was for the 6 of us to drive to Kuşadası with a stop or two on the way. I took a last photo of the small beach beside the hotel and I got in the car with Captain Caveman while Sezgin took the others in his car.
Captain Caveman had got his phone on Google Maps and had programmed our hotel address in, for if we got lost. That turned out to be a good move as we lost the other car when we stopped for petrol. I paid 691.92 lira (£13.51) for petrol for Captain Caveman’s hire car and 15 lira (29p) for a small bottle of water before we decided what to do. There was no sign of Sezgin and we thought he may even have been taking the toll road. Captain Caveman wasn’t sure how the toll road worked for a tourist in a hire car and wanted to avoid it so we chose to head directly to Kuşadası. We arrived around 1.30pm and couldn’t work out where the car park was, I went to the hotel reception and asked and it was in the main public car park behind the hotel – and free. At the Sunday Beach hotel reception we had a bit of confusion as they weren’t sure the rooms were ready to check in. After explaining there was just 2 of us and 4 would arrive later, we were given a key. I paid 2600 lira (£50.78) for 1 night in a double room with sea view and breakfast. and the room was really lovely with a great view, it even had tea and coffee making facilities so I had myself a cup of tea. Captain Caveman was tired so he had a bit of a rest while I had a shower, unpacked, repacked and did a bit of work. Although Captain Caveman had taken Friday and Monday off, I hadn’t so I was a bit behind on my posts for this week – ironically, while in a great holiday resort in Turkey!

In the afternoon, while our friends were still making their way to Kuşadası, Captain Caveman and I had a stroll along Ladies Beach, all the way to the end then back. I noticed there were waiters at most places trying to encourage you in to their establishments, some trying to insult us to make us laugh which had the opposite effect.

Captain Caveman and I decided to have a late lunch at Blu Notte as the others were still off exploring the area and hadn’t arrived yet. I had a glass of red wine, and Captain Caveman ordered an Efes Malt while we perused the very promising menu. We decided to share a vegetarian pizza and admire the sea view on such a lovely sunny day. There were quite a few people in the sea which I was surprised about – I hadn’t brought my swimmers. Captain Caveman is always prepared for any eventuality so had packed his. We had another round of drinks before paying the bill, prices in lira;

Blu Notte
1 veggie pizza 310
2 Efes Malt 280
2 glasses of Red wine 400
Total spent 990 lira (£19.34)

It was funny that I would ordinarily have found that expensive for Turkish prices but we had being pay that for just 2 drinks in a London pub so Captain Caveman found it cheap.

After a short walk, we decided to find another bar and let the others know where we were, we were at Ladies Beach Hotel and Restaurant which you couldn’t miss. We had another round of drinks, which were a bit more pricey. An Efes Malt was 150 lira (£2.93) and a red wine was 240 lira (£4.69). By 6pm it was getting a bit chilly so Captain Caveman nipped back to the hotel to get jumpers while I sat admiring the sea view.

By 7pm we were back in the room, watching the sunset from the balcony. We had some wine left from last night, which Mike had given us to bring back. We didn’t drink it as we were saving it for the others, who unbeknown to me had arrived but I didn’t realise it at the time and thought we were waiting for them.

I took my time getting changed in the room and put on my recently purchased New Look size 12 dress. When we went downstairs, our friends were sat in the hotel bar having a drink. Sezgin looked tired from all the driving. Debbie filled us in on what a great day they had seeing the sights today. It was a shame we had missed it however, it had been nice to relax a bit with Captain Caveman. We ordered a beer and a red wine but I was already quite merry by this time. All of us agreed that we had really enjoyed our weekend roadtrip and we would have to plan another one later in the year, it had been too short. We got chatting and we had not realised that the others weren’t going to be going out for dinner so we had another round and our 4 drinks came to 800 lira (£15.63) – half the price of a similar round in Barnes, London. When we realised Sezgin, Nur, Debbie and Mike had already eaten, it was 9.15pm so Captain Caveman had a look of urgency in his eyes – he’d only had half a pizza 6 hours ago!
We decided to go get some food and, as it was our last night together, we splashed out a bit, at the only decent place still serving food. It was cleverly called Somewhere Else and was rather busy inside. We threw caution to the wind, as we were tiddly, and Captain Caveman ordered a bottle of Angora red wine with our meal of 2 starters and 2 main courses. Here’s what we had, with prices in lira;

Somewhere Else
Garlic Mushrooms 198.50
Onion rings 207.50
Smash Burger 487.50
Sweet & Sour chicken 699.50
1 bottle of Angora red wine 990.00
Total spent 2,583.00 lira (£50.45)

Our day and hotel stay in Kuşadası had cost approximately £160 in total but I’d really enjoyed myself and at least Captain Caveman had got the chance to unwind. I wasn’t looking forward to saying goodbye to him tomorrow. When we got back to the room it was late, Captain Caveman checked the times and feasibility of buses from Kuşadası to Dalyan so that we might perhaps have another day together tomorrow, before Captain Caveman’s late flight back to the UK. It was doable but with changes that could go wrong and I didn’t think I should risk it. It had started to rain and there were storm warnings so I preferred to get back safely with our friends.

Gratitude List
1. Time spent with Captain Caveman
2. Sunday Beach hotel and the stunning Ladies Beach, Kuşadası
3. Having more than my fair share of wine to celebrate our last night together.

Photo Credit – some photos by Captain Caveman

Dalyan to Çeşme – 25th April

I was up and out by 7.30am on Friday 25th April, having had a Yorkshire tea, a slice of buttered toast and a travel sickness tablet.
I was the first to arrive at Sezgin and Nur’s house, ready to meet Debbie and Mike for a weekend road trip. We had arranged for the 5 of us, driven by Sezgin, to have a trip around the İzmir area of Turkey. Captain Caveman would meet us in Çeşme, at the Kerman hotel after picking up a hire car from İzmir airport upon landing, later tonight.
We left around 8am with me sitting in the middle of the back seat to start with. After a couple of hours on the road, we stopped next to a reservoir/picnic stop so that Sezgin and Nur to eat whatever breakfast we had brought. I avoided any gluten or stodge by having a banana for my snack while the others shared their food. Sezgin pointed out places of interest along the way and we stopped for comfort breaks, our next one being in a lovely fishing village called Urla. Sezgin and Nur had previously lived in İzmir so it was good to get first-hand local knowledge about the surrounding areas and see where they had lived before Dalyan. Sezgin told us a funny story about him, his friend and a famous singer in the Dokuz Pub, as we walked past it. There were all types of fish available, which could be browsed in the stalls outside.

I took a turn in the front passenger seat in the afternoon as I’d been fighting the affects of the travel sickness pill which I realised was one of the stronger drowsy ones. We visited a beach and I ate quite a few sweets, trying to stay awake. We stopped at the Altın Yunus (Golden Dolphin) hotel, where everyone had took the mickey out of me for not realising a joke about the wind turbines being there to cool us down when it got too warm. Debbie and I had a Turkish tea while enjoying the lovely sunshine and views of the marina below us.

The last leg of the journey took us on a detour to a very unusual house which had live fish and octopi, plus a random eel, in the walls of the garden. It didn’t look like the creatures had a great existence, although I was assured the owner loved and cared for them! It was definitely one of the weirdest houses I had ever seen. From that point we could see our hotel across the bay.

It was just 3.20pm, when we checked in to our sea view rooms at the Kerman Hotel in Çeşme. Sezgin had negotiated some discount so we paid 3,500 lira (£68.36) for a 2 night stay in a double room, for 2 of us including breakfast. We had originally looked at staying at the The Ilıca hotel which was a bit more swish but to keep the costs down I think everyone was happy to choose the cheaper alternative. I was happy with the Kerman as the rooms were clean, comfortable and basic with a small balcony and an amazing sea view which was definitely worth paying the extra for that room type.
Captain Caveman’s flight wasn’t due to land until 8.10pm so we took a walk around the town of Çeşme. I really liked it and had a chuckle to myself on how the Cheap Chasers in Dalyan would react to the prices of alcoholic beverages at some of the bars. We didn’t even drink in our own hotel because they kept changing their minds about the cost of beers in the bar downstairs. It was empty, yet they raised the price to almost 300 lira (£5.86) for an Efes stating that it was to pay for the live music which was on later. The cheapest I saw advertised on a board, was 175 lira (£3.42) for an Efes. The town was a mix of old and new and it felt very calm, I didn’t notice any English people and most of the bars along the water front were empty.

We came across an eatery which had the perfect name; Friendly Corner Steak House. It was ran by a friendly Turkish guy who had lived in the UK for a while and the restaurant was located on a sunny corner. They also sold steak but we had beers first then some delicious hot chips. I’m always a bit boring and go for the steady option to placate my iffy stomach and to ensure the restaurant is unlikely to serve me a rubbish meal. I plumped for a chicken shish which was served with rice, chips and a fair amount of salad. Sezgin ordered the chicken schnitzel and Nur the chicken strips – I tried the schnitzel and it was very good. Debbie took me by surprise a little by ordering sardines which Sezgin checked if they were fresh with the staff, they were frozen but Debbie was fine with that. There was about 8 sardines and some salad. Mike ordered a pizza which wasn’t great but he managed about half of it. To give an idea of costs, I paid 1,000 lira (£19.53) for my share of the meal and drinks (including discount and tip). I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner and was actually thinking I should have been a bit more adventurous with my choice.

We had a post dinner stroll while watching a lovely sunset over the harbour. We got as far as a mermaid sculpture when Captain Caveman’s plane landed. I didn’t expect he would call or text me so we had been tracking the flight, which landed just 10 minutes late. Captain Caveman had booked a hire car from İzmir airport and we worked out he would be due to the hotel by 10pm. Our hotel now had a rather loud, and not that great, live band on so we didn’t fancy the hotel bar. Many of the bars were telling us they didn’t sell Efes in the area, which we knew they did so we avoided them. We called at the shop where we bought some beer (Efes) and wine and took it to my room to wait for Captain Caveman’s arrival. He didn’t have a Turkish phone and his English phone probably wouldn’t work so I just had to hope he arrived. By 11pm we had all retired to bed having got no answer when I called any of his numbers. Sezgin went outside to walk about and keep a look out for him and I was a bit concerned he was this late. By midnight, Captain Caveman was still not in Çeşme and we had no word from him. I reassured myself that he’s extremely well travelled and would be fine. I would go to bed and hope he arrived or contacted one of us soon.

Gratitude List
1. A lovely drive to Çeşme, taking in some fantastic sights
2. Kerman Hotel sea view
3. A wonderful evening with friends at Friendly Corner.

Photo credit – some photos taken by my fellow travellers.

Barnes – 4th & 5th April

Both Captain Caveman and I continued to have a busy working day on Friday 4th April. The difference being that I’d got used to working the evenings and weekends so I wasn’t used to logging off at 5pm on a Friday night. Captain Caveman had plans for us and we had also toyed with the idea of catching up with friends in London. I had 2 friends cancel so we decided we would have a night in Barnes rather than heading in to the Big Smoke. My friend and Resort Experts colleague in Majorca, Dagne, had finished my book and sent me a review which I was really pleased with. While Captain Caveman was in his morning meeting, I had my breakfast of beans on wholemeal toast, which I loved! At lunch we both ate at the table together and had sandwiches; mine was cheese and rocket (pickled onions on the side!), his was peanut butter and marmite. We both had meetings or training sessions in the afternoon and I was making progress on my Planner Ideation course.

After work, we walked along the river again and I got a text from one of my old school friends, Joanne, who had bought my book and I was so happy to hear from her. She sent me a fab selfie with the book and it made my day.
Captain Caveman took us for a drink in a pub which could have been the White Hart, where he had beer and I had cider for £15.
Our next pub was a visit to the really lovely Brown Dog. It was easily my favourite on account of it having several dogs in. I also ended up having a pint of rather strong rhubarb flavoured beer and being a bit tipsy on the walk home. It was £16.50 for 2 pints in there and a bag of crisps were £1.50!!
We walked home and, while Captain Caveman made us a chicken pasta dinner, I went back out to the shop to buy bread and wine. It all got a bit complicated at the self scanner when the assistant had to put in a code for me buying alcohol and then didn’t give me the wine back. He had taken the anti-stealing device off but left the wine by the door. I had to check with the Sainsbury’s security guard if it was my wine, he didn’t know, but said to take it. I paid £1.39 for a loaf and £9.50 for the wine.
Our dinner was really tasty and we tried to watch Celebrity Big Brother. Unfortunately, even after googling the contestants we only knew a couple of them and thought it was a bit boring.

Gratitude List
1. More great feedback for my book
2. English food
3. Going down the pub on a Friday night.

We had ideas on Saturday 5th April to either go to see a friend presenting at the Ideal Home Exhibition, do a trip to MI5, or spend some time at Richmond park. It was cold and I ended up doing some work, eating beans on toast again and then we didn’t go to any of our ideas. Instead, we decided to visit Marc Bolan’s memorial at the tree where he died in Putney. We decided to have a walk around the area and the sun did come out so it got warmer. We stopped at a cafe in a park for a hot beverage. Loo Loo’s cafe in Putney had homemade sausage rolls which we shared one of, with mint tea for me and a double espresso for Captain Caveman. It came to £10.50 and we sat outside the cafe looking at all the dogs that came in. So many more people in the UK seemed to have dogs than I remembered.

After the park, we walked towards Fulham football ground and, of course, my stomach had started to react badly to the sausage roll. We had to motor on until we found a pub so I could go to the toilet. The Crabtree in Fulham was the busiest pub I’d seen in a long time and there were 3 deep at the bar and queuing in the toilets. I almost shit myself outside a disabled toilet but I managed to make it to the normal toilet. When I got back, Captain Caveman was only just being served and when we found somewhere to sit we realised why it was so busy.

We watched the Grand National where Nick Rocket won and no horses died. We also did some banking while waiting to see if my sausage roll situation was over. It was, so we continued walking along the river and nearly got involved in learning how to argue better. I had a laugh at the Learn to Row poster which I’d pronounced as in arguement, as we didn’t need any help in that area. We saw Hammersmith bridge and then had another drink in the George & Devonshire in Chiswick. Compared to the last pub, it was so quiet but was a lovely pub with comfy seating.
We decided to splash out for dinner tonight and get the Indian Dine in deal from Marks & Spencer where we got the following;

M&S Food
Starter – Baji, pakora and samosa
Chicken Tikka Masala
Lamb Rogan Josh
Pilau Rice
£15 for the Indian meal deal
Carton of mixed Crackers £2.90
Brie £2.10
Total spent £20.00

It was a bargain and tasted amazing. I’d not had Indian food for quite a while and I guessed it wouldn’t be my first while in the UK. Captain Caveman drank Guinness with his and I just had tap water. Tonight was our last night in Barnes as we were heading north tomorrow for just a few days.

Gratitude List
1. Having a day off with Captain Caveman
2. Going for a walk around the area
3. Curry for dinner.