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.
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.
It was time to hold on to your hats on Tuesday 2nd June as my 3 week holiday adventure was about to start. I had managed to pack Pauline, my petite pink under seat suitcase, with everything I needed to get me as far as sunny Sheffield. I was dressed for the heatwave, which everyone in the UK was talking about, and I wasn’t even taking a coat! At 9.50am I was in the bank, making sure all was in order and that I had my holiday insurance. I didn’t have it earlier due to the bank holiday and today Murat, at the bank, sent me off to Delfin insurers to get it instead. I was going to be away for 3 weeks in the UK and Europe, including 5 days cruising down the Danube and I paid just 900 lira (£15) for my travel insurance. Next, I bought 2 packs of pills for 884.48 lira (£14.74) and then popped to Migros for essentials. I spent 124.85 lira (£2.08) on cereal bars, 1 tub of quark and some haribo jellies. I bought a simit, cheese spread and a chocolate croissant at Parlak bakery for 190 lira (£3.17) and then went to say bye to my parents. On the way I decided to drop off Jamie and Drew’s key and when I arrived, I found Drew in his underpants looking tired. Norman was just about to have breakfast while Dennis the doorstop had soggy paws where Norman had done a little wee.
I said farewell to Ma & Pa then rushed home to shower ready for a midday pick up with Sonuç, who I’ve been using for airport transfers for a number of years. At the airport I said bye to Sonuç and headed through security as I was already checked in online. I was early and, as I’m frugal, I don’t like to waste money in Dalaman airport. A good top tip for anyone flying from Dalaman airport who likes a drink; if you’re the type of person who begrudges wasting money on an airport Gin & Tonic in one of the most expensive airports, but have a couple of hours to kill, try this. Instead of paying more in the bar or a lounge, treat yourself to a cocktail tinny or mini bottle of wine (or 3) which are on sale just to the right as you leave the duty free area. Then find yourself a quiet spot, or put your noise cancelling headphones on and relax until boarding!
My flight left 45 minutes late but I did have access to a water dispenser near Gate 42 in the international departures. The flight went fine, apart from it being delayed so I had to hurry to get my 18.17 train at Manchester airport. I was meant to arrive in to Sheffield at 19.34 with plans to meet Captain Caveman in the Wellington pub, near Kelham Island. I didn’t yet know where he had moved to so this made sense, however, I ended up on the slow train and arrived almost 1 hour late. I caught the tram from Sheffield station to Shalesmoor which cost £2.50. What I hadn’t known was that Captain Caveman had arranged for our friend, Luan, to also be there to meet me, which was a lovely surprise. Luan got the round in while Captain Caveman was preoccupied with a pub quiz that was halfway through. His friend was doing it and he was helping her while trying to pretend he wasn’t more interested in the quiz than my arrival. With it being a school night, Luan left first while I listened to the results of the quiz I hadn’t entered. Captain Caveman showed me round his new home; a 2 bedroomed flat in Kelham Island near to a few bars and cafes. It was a great location and I knew it was going to be a fun week in Sheffield.
Gratitude List 1. Having time to say bye to a few people 2. Going to the UK and Europe for 3 weeks with Pauline, my petite pink suitcase. 3. Seeing Captain Caveman and Luan in the Wellington pub.
While Captain Caveman completed his last day at work on Friday 20th March, in readiness for his charity cycling event in Vietnam, I got a lot of admin done. It seemed cooler and looked like it might rain, which is usually the case whenever I have Norman, the dog. Jamie and Drew were off on holiday and Norman was going to be in my care while he celebrated his 15th birthday. I wasn’t expected to finish work until after 8pm tonight so, at 3pm, I nipped out for a quick bit of fresh air and to the shop as I needed some essentials. I checked against the budget and I had just over £18 left for this week, plus the cash I had in my purse for the market tomorrow. It was Bayram, a bank holiday for Ramadan, so I wanted to get meat before it sold out and make sure I got cash out before ATMs ran short. Here’s what I bought at the supermarket, with prices in lira;
Beef is expensive in Turkey so I’d gone mad by buying mince at over £6 for 500g but I fancied making a Bolognese this weekend. I had a cruise training session with Travelpack from 7pm so I was still working until gone 8pm, then I made a pasta dinner with a glass of wine to round off my week. I’d plan to get more content for my next book done this weekend but I was already feeling exhausted. I topped up my wine and tried to relax. Captain Caveman sent me a photo of a vodka named after me in the duty free – he was finally on his way to Vietnam for 2 weeks, and I was a little bit jealous that I wasn’t going too.
Gratitude List
1. Getting some work done
2. Excellent free Cruise Training with Travelpack
3. Pasta and wine.
Things certainly didn’t go according to plan on Saturday 21st March. While Captain Caveman had arrived in China for a 7 hour lay over but was unable to get to the lounge, I shoved the ingredients for a Bolognese in the slow cooker. I had plans to go to the market. Jamie and Drew weren’t leaving for the airport until 11.15pm but I had said I would meet them for an afternoon farewell drink and also go over to their’s for wine after dinner. I called round to Jamie and Drew’s on my way to the market, Norman was still in his bed. Unfortunately, the market had limited stalls open due to Bayram so I only bought 5 bananas and 2 courgettes for 85 lira (£1.44). Back home, I ate more homemade soup for lunch. I didn’t make the 3pm drinks with Jamie & Drew, as agreed, because I was waiting for a work related call with one of the owners of Resort Experts. That didn’t happen until much later than expected so it was 7pm by the time I left the house. When I got to Ren Garden, it was empty so I waited. Jamie and Drew had been in Sofra bar with friends. Drew arrived first, followed later by Jamie – late, ladened with shopping bags and walking Norman. Drew just had the one drink and left, as Jamie and I were talking about work. We ordered another wine and continued on about work, even though we both had to get home for dinner. My 2 wines were 300 lira (£5.08) and we left Ren Garden, intending on going home to eat dinner. I only got as far as next door in Jik’s where another glass of wine was ordered. Jamie and I parted ways after Jik’s where my glass of wine was 150 lira (£2.56), I bought a bottle of red wine from Yaman Büfe 2, to have later and rushed home to turn off, then eat, my Bolognese. When I arrived at Jamie & Drew’s to see them off, Norman was napping, Drew was drinking wine and Jamie had popped out to the bank. The electric gate wasn’t working so there was some faffing about with that and I had to look away for fear of a finger or hand being cut off. The taxi arrived and I said bye to both, Norman got kisses from Little Daddy and Step Daddy Drew, but didn’t seem unduly concerned – he was used to the comings and goings of us all now. I went inside feeling tired but poured myself another glass of wine, which I would probably regret in the morning. Going through the menopause has meant that my body cannot tolerate alcohol like it used to.
Gratitude List 1. Getting work stuff sorted 2. Norman 3. Farewell wines with Jamie and Drew.
It was my last full day and night on Friday 20th February before Captain Caveman’s arrival in Dalyan tomorrow. This meant that I had a to do list as long as my arm to try to get everything done today. I was aiming to take Sunday off so that I could spend the day with Captain Caveman and some friends on a boat trip. I finally finished for the day at gone 9pm and made myself some pesto pasta for a quick dinner. I didn’t leave the house so it was another zero spend day but tomorrow I would go to the market and get some shopping ready for Captain Caveman.
Gratitude List 1. Looking forward to seeing Captain Caveman 2. Working hard to get everything done 3. Pasta.
The day that Captain Caveman was flying to Dalyan was finally here on Saturday 21st February. This would be his first visit of the year and wasn’t quite the holiday we would’ve liked as he still needed to work as usual while he was here; Monday to Friday – 12 noon to 8pm, which was 9am to 5pm UK time. He’d stayed in the Tribe hotel at Manchester airport last night, so it meant he could have a good breakfast before his flight took off at 1.45pm. Before 9am I had spent an hour working, and could hear the builders at the apartment downstairs. The Aussies were replacing their balcony railings with metal ones and I was surprised to see them working in the rain.
I ventured over to see Jamie & Norman who were going to the market. Jamie gave me a lift there as it was raining again. I spent less than £3 this week as I had some fresh veg left at home. Here’s what I got with prices in lira;
After a quick mooch round the weekly market, Jamie dropped me off in town. I still had items on my shopping list that I’d not managed to get and I wanted to stock up, ready for Captain Caveman. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
I put the shopping away, had a tidy up and cleaned the house before deciding to tot up my total spending for February, up to today! I’d started February with £91 left from January and it had been a self imposed challenge to see if I could live off that for the first 3 weeks of February. If you’re an avid reader you will know that because of a planned night out with friends for Valentine’s, I’d almost spent it after 2 weeks in. So, I did a cheeky cheat and isolated that weekend’s splurge and carried on to see if I could still spend up to £91 plus the £37 extravagant weekend. It wasn’t easy, especially as each time I went to the shops, there were a few items I couldn’t get hold of. This meant that when I went again, it was tempting to buy extra treats that weren’t essential. Anyway, here’s the results with the night out in; Week 1 spent £25.97 Week 2 spent £57.72 Week 3 spent £38.63 Total £122.32, which meant I overspent by £31.32! If I took the night out from week 2 where I spent £37.29 extra, my total was only £20.34. which would mean a total of £85.03 and being under by £5.97. Of course, I had cheated and didn’t achieve it but I know I would’ve given up and spent more had I not isolated that blip. I think it’s still impressive to have spent less than £41 per week for 3 weeks running. It also showed me that it was possible to live in Dalyan cheaply. Lucky for me, Captain Caveman was bringing cash with him and we were going to be less frugal for the last week of February. After doing a bit of work on an itinerary for Vietnam, I had a curry for dinner and then decided to open a bottle of red wine while I waited for Captain Caveman to arrive.
Captain Caveman’s flight was due to land at Dalaman airport at 9pm, however, it took off 39 minutes late. We’d already agreed for me not to save or cook Captain Caveman any dinner but we would have some drinks with cheese and biscuits instead. At 10pm I got a message from Sonuç, our airport pick up driver, to say they were just leaving Dalaman now. Captain Caveman had only an underseat bag so he was through quickly once they had landed. He arrived bearing gifts of a brand new Oppo phone for me, 2 boxes of solid coconut, 2 vacuum bags with the stuff I left in London and new electric toothbrush heads. I was so excited to have a new phone as my old one was playing up more and more – I had hoped to get one the next time I was back in Vietnam. I cried with happiness and was so overwhelmed as it was better than my existing model. He’d also treated himself to a nice bottle of Rakı for £26 at Duty Free. We had a glass of wine and then, as it was Saturday night about 11pm, we decided to head to Sofra bar. I was surprised to find it was empty apart from a couple of people who left not long after we got there. Captain Caveman had his first Efes Malt and I had a red wine, they went down so well that we had a second. Our bill came to 660 lira (£11.19) and Captain Caveman was very happy with that price. I knew I would find spending money so freely this week a bit of a change, after my attempts to live off less than £5 per day! Back home, I prepared a cheese board and we had some wine with it. Captain Caveman seemed to react to the wine here in Turkey and I think it’s because it’s got sulphites in. We finally called it a night at 2.20am so it’s a good job the planned boat trip for tomorrow had been postponed due to unsafe water levels.
Gratitude List 1. Shopping 2. A new phone 3. Captain Caveman arriving in Dalyan.
I landed at Dalaman airport at 12.30am on Sunday 18th January and waited quite a while for my suit case, in fact I was one of the last out of the airport. I hadn’t managed to drink the prosecco on the plane so I had some to bring home, I didn’t bother with anything at Duty Free as I was going to try to cut down on alcohol. Unfortunately, while going through the nothing to declare exit, I got stopped. The staff member there opened my suitcase and, because of the last minute cramming in of produce, it was in a bit of disarray with food all over the place. The man asked me what it was and pointed at the food. I replied it was food as I was cooking dinner for my family and friends tonight. He smiled, said ok and let me go! I was so relieved because I really hadn’t want it to be confiscated. My usual taxi man, Sonuç was on his way to the UK with his family so he had sent Engin. He took my case and we travelled back fairly quickly to Dalyan where he dropped me at the gate to the apartment complex and the fare was £30. The taxi rank at the airport is only £25 but I prefer to have a driver I know when arriving in the night/early hours and they don’t always drop you at your home when coming from Dalaman. I went in, put the electric back on and decided to unpack so that I could get the food in the fridge and freezer. Despite having to leave some back in the UK, I still had loads of lovely stuff which is either expensive or unavailable in Turkey. I went to bed and although it was quite cold in Dalyan, it was still a bit warmer than London. I didn’t set an alarm as I didn’t have to be anywhere until later in the day. I didn’t have the internet with it being a Sunday so it was a nice quiet day. I did manage a bit of a walk round the town and to the bank. I got an update from 2 of my customers who were on a sleeper train, heading to Dong Hoi and were going to be staying in Phong Nha, Vietnam. They seemed to be enjoying themselves so far and I was looking forward to finding out how they would like Phong Nha. At 5.30pm I popped my new Christmas and birthday clothes on and I met Jamie at Ela’s Kitchen for a Sunday dinner. I’d been a bit reluctant when he asked to book it in as I thought I’d have had enough English food but I decided to go for the Sunday dinner. It was a relatively new thing at Ela’s, with soup for starter, beef for main and cake for afters. They offer choice of chicken or nut roast at 850 lira (£15), beef at 950 lira (£17) or lamb at 1,100 lira (£19) which included the 3 courses. The food was really good and I was super stuffed, I also had a glass of red wine to wash it down with. When we went to get the bill, Jamie insisted on paying for it as a birthday treat, which was really lovely.
Gratitude List 1. Getting back to Dalyan with a suitcase full of treats 2. Having a good sleep 3. Sunday dinner birthday celebrations with Jamie.
My flight from Gatwick to Dalaman was scheduled for 5.15pm on Saturday 17th January. It was my last day in Barnes and we had great plans for my last morning. My friend, Claire and her daughter were on the way over to join us for breakfast. Even though I’d been in England for 18 days (plus 8 in Morocco), it had been quite tricky to meet up with friends. I appreciated most had family or Christmas and New Year commitments so it had only been possible in the last week, but I’d already planned to be back at work and celebrating birthdays with my sister. I really understood that not all friends could put themselves out for me being back in town but I really appreciated the ones who did. Claire drove from Kent to Barnes where Captain Caveman had cooked a superb breakfast for us all – even popping to Barnes Farmer’s Market for fresh produce. Of course, I had decided to repack my case in the garden room and was mid pack when my friend arrived. They helped me try to get my massive case with all the food in, to under 15kg. Gill brought down the scales and we weighed them several times until we were sure they were under the weight limit. After catching up and planning to see each other more in 2026, it was time to get to the airport. Captain Caveman isn’t one for airport farewells so I knew he was hoping I’d leave him in Barnes so he could get on with playing some Bridge. I decided he should come with us so at least if my suitcase weighed heavy he could take some stuff back home. Being the practical sort, he agreed and brought my empty rucksack which we had already decided wouldn’t fit in my case.
We had a nice drive to Gatwick airport from Barnes and I was grateful to spend a bit more time with Claire who had very kindly offered to take me to the airport. It costs £10 now to drop someone off at Gatwick which was a bit extreme and Claire ended up paying that. We said our farewells and we had a plan to get together in the summer which I was very excited about. Captain Caveman came in to the airport and to the bag drop where things didn’t go to plan. My case weighed 17.8kg on the easyJet scales and I had to remove items. Captain Caveman was on it and took out some of my clothes, the frozen crumpets, tomato paste and curry pastes which I had multiple of. He took out some other products and when we weighed at just over 15kg the member of staff said that was ok. As they got distracted with another member of staff asking about my hand luggage, Captain Caveman slipped a few items back in to the case. Those scales were very biased so we were a bit annoyed and I was glad Captain Caveman was there. The goodbye wasn’t too bad as Captain Caveman had already planned to come out to see me in 5 week’s time, but I still got upset. We had spent almost a month together and I had felt very lucky at all the treats and experiences I’d had with him – even spending Christmas Day in Barking had been fun.
Once through security at Gatwick airport, where I didn’t need to take anything out of my bag and more than 100ml liquids were allowed, I decided I would have a look for some new headphones. The ones I had been borrowing from Captain Caveman had fell apart so I had left them with him. I decided I would use the rest of my birthday money to get myself a good pair, they did cost £49.99 but were noise cancelling, which I wanted. At the gate, my hand luggage underseat bag got checked and the man behind me had to pay extra for being a few centimetres over as easyJet were being really strict – he tried to argue as he works for easyJet but they were having none of it and charged him £34. On the flight, I was sat in 14D which was an aisle seat behind the exit row and had a couple sat next to me and 2 young women in the seats across the aisle from me. When the flight attendant came round she asked if the 3 of us in our row were together, I said not and she asked me and the 2 women across the aisle to move forward a seat, to the exit row. The man on my row wasn’t too happy about that as he wanted to move but the staff member said no to him, without a reason. Ironically, my underseat case which now had the wheels off to fit the specification, had to go in the overhead locker and I could put the wheels back on.
During the flight, I decided to celebrate the end of my fabulous 26 day holiday with the 2 for 1 prosecco and a chicken teriyaki with jasmine rice. It cost me £23.95 which was expensive but I really enjoyed it. I watched something on Netflix and filled in more of my copy of The Handy Travel Planner with all the new travel plans I had for 2026; Madrid, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Brussels, more Turkey and a couple of unknowns yet. I ended up spending another £12.50 on more Prosecco and I opened the midget gems which I’d stuffed in my coat pocket. I fell asleep before midnight and was due to land by 12.30am.
Gratitude List 1. A delicious Barnes breakfast with everyone 2. Getting to see Claire and her daughter 3. Having had such a great 26 days away that I was sad to be leaving.
I was very busy on Monday 15th December and started my day at 5.15am – it would turn out to be a very long day. Norman was back to normal and I was grateful for no accidents this morning. It was my last full day and night with him as Jamie and Drew would be back in Dalyan tomorrow. The weather forecast looked good up until the weekend. I’d been invited to a friend’s birthday drinks from 4pm but I just didn’t have the time so had to decline. I checked to see if there were any updates on the proof reading of my planner but Captain Caveman had got home late last night from a weekend away and hadn’t checked if he’d got it yet. When he did, he had to start work so said he would try to do it tonight! I lost a holiday booking because the potential customer decided to book it direct and didn’t give me the chance to see if I could match the price, which it turned out I could have, so I was a bit disappointed about that. I had lots of things that seemed to be preventing any success today and I fought hard not just to give up and go back to bed. I put some veg in the slow cooker to make a soup but then couldn’t find a stick blender or masher to finish it off. I didn’t have time for breakfast so had toast for lunch then got a bit of good news. You may recall I’d bought some books at the Dalyan Winter Fair and had 8 tickets entered in to their raffle to win the chocolate hamper. I had won! I was so pleased as I never win stuff. Ali said she would be at Ozzy’s Bar until 4.15pm to pick up my prize and when I got there, she was in the middle of a game of Rummikub. I sat down while she tried to tell me the rules of the game and I ordered a soda water for 55 lira (98p) while I waited for the game to finish. Just after 4pm the game finished and the prize was taken out of the fridge. I said thanks to Ali and I agreed to get in touch with Penny to share some of the chocolate seeing as she had bought so many tickets. I quickly called in to the supermarket where I bought some jellies for 19.50 lira (35p) as I was feeling a bit weak from not having eaten anything substantial. I also picked up some chicken strips for 170 lira (£3) to have some of them in a wrap when I got back and before walking Norman. I dropped off my prize at home then hurried back for Norman’s walk and feeding. I rushed my own food down and then Norman decided he didn’t want to go for a walk. I thought I’d better make him, as he might not get one until later tomorrow, once Jamie and Drew were back. We managed about 15 minutes before he wanted to turn back. I waited patiently for Captain Caveman to open my planner and check it but I was falling asleep on the sofa by 7.30pm. I started watching The Glass Onion, a murder mystery, which was quite good. At 9pm, I got a video which Captain Caveman had done of him opening my author’s proof copy with some chat. It was pretty good to see ‘The Handy Travel Planner’ in print – even Captain Caveman said he thought it looked good (and he’s not one for token praise or compliments). It was just a shame that it might now be too late to have it published and ready before Christmas. Captain Caveman sent me over the corrections of which only 6 out of the 180 pages, were affected and an issue with the page numbering of the pages I needed not to have page numbers on! It was frustrating that I had corrected that part several times and they had still shown up on the proof. I stayed up past midnight to do all the corrections and then resubmit my internal pages to Amazon for approval. I finally got to bed at 2am, completely exhausted but relieved to have at least submitted the corrected version of my planner.
Gratitude List 1. Winning the chocolate hamper 2. Norman recovering from a poorly tum 3. Captain Caveman finally opening my planner, sending me a video of it and then proof reading it.
After just 4 hours sleep, I was awake on Tuesday 16th December and letting Norman out in the dark. Today was the day that Jamie and Drew were on their way back to Dalyan from the UK after a weekend in the Maldives. I left Norman asleep at 3.30pm and went home to carry on with work. I was going to miss him as he’s just so cute. I worked until 11pm and went to bed knackered, having just had snacks to eat. Fat Club tomorrow was not going to be good as I’d not really stuck to a healthy plan this last week.
Gratitude List 1. Having had 8 days with Norman and he was still doing well at 14 years old 2. Keeping busy 3. Knowing I could sleep in tomorrow.
The day of Captain Caveman’s arrival was finally here on Saturday 22nd November – I was super excited and quite hungover! Having consumed wine with dinner, 5 mulled wines and a further 250ml of red wine as a nightcap, I had totally overdone it with Jamie and Drew last night! It had been good to let my hair down but now, as I went to feed the cat at sunrise, I desperately wanted to be having a lay in, keeping warm under the duvet. I was back home by 8am, with no wandering round Dalyan unnecessarily this morning. I was going to go back to bed but instead I had a Yorkshire tea and a litre of water before deciding to move my office back upstairs in to the spare room. I moved the spare table first and it wasn’t that difficult, but my beloved red office chair was a little more cumbersome. I had to have a sit down when I got them in place but I was pleased as I was hoping to have a reduced work schedule this coming week so wouldn’t need our dining table as a desk. That morning, I finished my internal pages of ‘The Handy Travel Planner’, uploaded that and my book cover by Nicole at I Am Claire Clarke on to Amazon and hoped they would vet it and agree to publish it quickly! They said it could take up to 10 days, which was a bit long but there was nothing I could do and I just had to wait now! Overall, I was very pleased and excited with it but I was still annoyed with myself for not having got it done sooner so that Captain Caveman could bring me a copy to see!! For lunch I had beans on toast and got a message from Captain Caveman who was getting the train to Manchester airport ready for his 13.45 flight. He was due to land at Dalaman at 21.00 so I still had all day to wait. After doing some last minute work, I decided to pop out to the shops, help my Mom by getting her the stationer’s email address and feed the cat again. Here’s what I bought from the various shops with prices in lira;
Şarküteri 1 Chicken Tikka sauce 190 lira (£3.45)
I rarely buy the ready made sauces from the import shop as they are pricey but I decided I’d left it too late to make a curry for dinner.
Migros Supermarket Mentos 20.95 Marshmallows 39.95 2 Nut Dido chocolate bars 60.00 3 tins of chopped tomatoes 149.85 1kg chicken breasts 172.09 Total spent 442.84 lira (£8.05)
I was so excited to get the tinned tomatoes, finally!
Yaman Büfe 2 2 Efes Malt beers 170 1 bottle of Red Rituel wine 288 Total spent 458.00 lira (£8.33)
After buying some booze to have with dinner, I went home to chill out, finish some blogging and await Captain Caveman’s arrival!
I managed to finish a few blog posts, check the coming week’s weather forecast, start my marketing plan for ‘The Handy Travel Planner’ and schedule a week’s worth of Resort Experts posts before I got a text to say Captain Caveman was on his way. Luckily, the curry was done and simmering away, the beers were cold and the apartment was nice and tidy. It was gone 10pm when he arrived, hand luggage only but with half of his bag full of treats for me! He’d got a transfer from Sonuç at Dalyan Transfers. By 11pm Captain Caveman had unpacked his wares which included; 2 bottles of Kahlua from Duty Free for £31 A 2026 Diary A power bank 5 cheeses 2 butters Steradent tablets An Advent Calendar for Nanny Kay
I was so pleased that Captain Caveman had managed to bring so much in his hand luggage this time. We cracked open the beers and I dished up the chicken curry with steamed rice. It was almost midnight by the time we had finished eating, which was extremely late for me but Captain Caveman was 3 hours behind, on UK time. I set my alarm for in 6 hours time as I needed to make sure I was up for the cat feeding. Captain Caveman had also organised a Sunday Walk for tomorrow. There was so much to go on my Gratitude List today that I had trouble narrowing it down to just the 3!
Gratitude List 1. Finally submitting ‘The Handy Travel Planner’ to Amazon to be published 2. Captain Caveman arriving in Dalyan 3. Getting some treats from Captain Caveman.
I worked all day at the dining room table on Thursday 2nd October. There was a Resort Experts team meeting and I also received a delivery for Jamie. Captain Caveman got in touch to say we would no longer be going to Vietnam for Christmas as he had been offered work in the UK over the Christmas period. I didn’t mind so much as I couldn’t justify the cost of the flight and didn’t really want Captain Caveman to have to pay for me. It was also cold in December and January where we wanted to visit. He was going to go in March instead, but I was already booked for dog sitting until the 31st March. Captain Caveman suggested I could fly out to join him in Vietnam for Easter instead, so there was still a possibility that I would get back there. It was disappointing but made sense and it wasn’t really my decision to make. We don’t celebrate Christmas as such so it made no difference to me. Captain Caveman suggested that I might be able to come over to London to see him, rather than stay in Dalyan on my own. The flights from Dalaman to the UK in winter, only fly on Tuesdays and Saturdays so we said we would have a think about it. It meant that our 14 year anniversary would probably be spent apart too. Captain Caveman also said he would take a look at coming to Dalyan at the end of November if he could. I made a leek and potato soup and it looked like a storm was due so I walked Norman early. I saw my parents at their gate – they had not gone to Göcek today, after all, and had just been at home chilling. They were off out with their friends so they had to rush off to get ready and I said I might see them at the weekend. I let Ma know the storm would start just after midnight and returned back to Jamie’s to feed Norman. Norman and I had a cosy night in, and I enjoyed my homemade soup with fresh bread that I had managed to fetch for myself. It got quite chilly and as the storm loomed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to move the sunbeds and mattresses because of my bad leg but I decided to move the cushions. I had to carry them one by one due to using the crutch and hobbling so it took me 25 mins. It felt like a massive achievement, though. I closed the windows, moved the loose stuff in the outdoor areas and got ready for the bad weather to come. I even had to put a duvet on as I was very cold when I went to bed.
Gratitude List 1. Planning to still see Captain Caveman before the end of the year 2. Homemade soup 3. Norman being so cute.
The storm started about 1am on Friday 3rd October but luckily Norman, the dog, slept through until 7.15am when I woke him up. Jamie had told me he won’t go out in the rain but off he trotted for a pee, getting absolutely soaked. After drying Norman off and feeding him, we got ready to stay indoors today. I moved the farewell drinks with the Aussies to tomorrow as it looked like nobody in Dalyan was going anywhere in this weather today. I pre-recorded a message for a friend I was due to have a call with today as the power kept cutting out and I didn’t want to not be able to speak to her. Norman got a dry, a brush, a few spritzes of doggy cologne and lots of attention in-between work stuff. I had more homemade leek and potato soup for lunch then a chickpea curry with a wrap, for dinner. It was another evening on the sofa as the rain continued all day and in to the night – we couldn’t even go for a walk. It was now a month since I broke my 4th & 5th metatarsals and I was still on the painkillers which prohibited me from drinking alcohol. I took the last tablet this evening and wondered if the pain would be bearable tomorrow without them. Oddly, I’d not really missed the drinking alcohol and with the state of the uneven paths and roads in Dalyan had not wanted to be trying to walk a bit fiddly anyway. I got some excellent news before bedtime; Captain Caveman booked his flights and was coming to Dalyan in 7 weeks time. It will have meant we hadn’t seen each other for about 11 weeks!
Gratitude List 1. Spending time with Norman 2. Eating well 3. Captain Caveman coming to Dalyan at the end of November.
Sunday 7th September was a busy day as I prepared for Captain Caveman leaving and my parents arriving. My parents’ flight was due to land at 10.20pm and Captain Caveman didn’t need to leave to go to the airport until 11.30pm at the earliest, however, I thought it would be a lovely idea to arrange for Captain Caveman to say hello (& goodbye) to Ma & Pa at the airport. My ‘crazy’ idea was that Captain Caveman and I would set off to Dalaman airport much earlier than required for his 1.20am flight on Monday morning. We could be at the Arrivals exit to jump out of their taxi, say hello and then leave Captain Caveman while the 3 of us headed back in the taxi to Dalyan. My parents last left Dalyan almost 10 months ago so I was also thinking they might need some help putting on the electric and sorting out their apartment so they could get to sleep quicker and I could perhaps help. Captain Caveman had agreed despite knowing he would be stuck in the most expensive airport for way too long, I wrongly assumed my parents would like this idea. Ma replied to say they would rather get straight off as they didn’t want to be hanging about. My first mission for the day was to very slowly make it out for breakfast. Captain Caveman and I decided to go for a last day breakfast and treat ourselves to a large full English at Ela’s Kitchen. It’s not for the fainthearted (or those supposed to be doing Slimming World) but it is fantastic. Here’s what we had with the prices in lira – not the cheapest place in town but in my opinion it is one of the best;
1 Large bottle of water 100 1 Espresso 130 1 Yorkshire Tea 150 2 Large breakfasts 1,190 Tip 100 Total spent 1,670 lira (£30.36)
What a treat and we even asked for extra toast which we weren’t charged for – my eyes were bigger than my belly, even though I gave Captain Caveman my eggs and tomatoes (why he needed more toast). While we were at Ela’s we noticed a sign which stated they would not serve people who were half naked. This was a good move, however, a guy sat down under the sign and then took his shirt off! He didn’t get served and had to take his order away but the young waitress was clearly really embarrassed. While I crutched back home, Captain Caveman nipped to the shop for peppers and courgettes.
I rested up all afternoon while Captain Caveman sorted his packing and the moving of anything I might need/not around the house. We obviously didn’t need a lunch and I wasn’t mobile enough to do any cooking. Captain Caveman decided we should enjoy his last meal at Duble, another one of our favourite places to eat in Dalyan. Here’s what we had with prices in lira;
2 Lentil soups 250 1 Haydari 155 1 Beetroot 160 1 Hummus 170 1 Potato croquettes 165 1 Prawns 495 1 Liver & Onions 295 1 Red wine 140 1 Big Water 95 Tip 200 Total spent 2,125 lira (£38.64)
The food was fantastic and I felt so lucky to get all the prawns to myself as Captain Caveman can’t eat them. Ibo, the owner, was still chatty despite the place being really full. A couple even got turned away and told to come back later as it was so busy. I really had been spoiled today although I was quite drowsy from the medication and the walking about when I had to say bye to Captain Caveman. Sonuç picked him up at 11.30pm but I didn’t go to the car to wave him off on account of me not wanting to come back up the stairs in the dark without any help. Hopefully, Captain Caveman would be coming back again in October, so I might get to see him soon.
Gratitude List 1. An amazing breakfast at Ela’s Kitchen with Captain Caveman 2. A wonderful dinner at Duble with Captain Caveman 3. Having had the best time with Captain Caveman in Turkey.
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
On Wednesday 3rd September Captain Caveman and I were due to check out of the Mithra Cave Hotel and were thinking of staying 1 or 2 nights in the Göreme Cave Suites, which was fancier and had a pool. We were undecided as Captain Caveman had hoped to travel back to Dalyan via Eskişehir and take a scenic train back to Denizli. I was still sceptical that we could fit the trip in and return to Dalyan in time to see friends before Captain Caveman left Turkey. Captain Caveman decided he would get up to see the balloons again. The hot air balloon flights were super cheap at this time of year, at less than 50 Euros per person. However, neither of us wanted to do it. We were still to decide what to do and we were thinking we might go mad and stay in the nicer hotel for a night or two. Captain Caveman had been looking at flights, trains and buses and weighing up the affordability. I was reluctant as I didn’t feel I should ‘waste’ the money. After breakfast, I had to get my laptop out to do some work on a booking. We finally decided we should get back to Dalyan so Captain Caveman sorted out a flight and a transfer. I asked reception what time check out was (11am) then ask to extend until 2pm. Captain Caveman went off to buy more water and some travel snacks while I did a few things on my laptop. After checking out, I sat with the bags on a seat outside while Captain Caveman went sightseeing for the afternoon. At 5.30pm we were in a minivan on our way to Nevşehir airport for a flight to Istanbul. I remember two annoying passengers with tons of bags sat opposite us and that the driver had chatted up and taken the phone number of the young lady in the front seat, 7 minutes before we arrived at the airport. We were delayed a bit which was eating in to the Lounge time at Istanbul that Captain Caveman had booked for us. There wasn’t an awful lot of food left at the Lounge so I had some vegetables, rice and then later a plain bowl of pasta. I had 4 glasses of red wine, though. Captain Caveman drank beers and had a lovely chicken dish which I avoided in case it was too spicy. We boarded our flight from Istanbul to Dalaman on time and I fell asleep straight away.
Gratitude List 1. Getting to visit Cappadocia with Captain Caveman 2. Last minute flights and transfers working out 3. The Lounge, which was £20 approx each, so worth it.
We landed at Dalaman airport around 2am on Thursday 4th September and Sonuç, from Dalyan Transfers, was there to meet us. After some sleep, I woke up about 9am and Captain Caveman was getting ready to go Bumming with the Riverbums. Unfortunately, my day was not going to be quite as pleasant as picking up other people’s litter. I’d done something to my foot when I didn’t see a very shallow step and thought I’d stepped on a twig which had crunched. It was hurting, so I decided to go to the hospital to get it checked out. While Captain Caveman went to Riverbums, I tried to make a hospital appointment but I was in a bit of pain and couldn’t really concentrate. I decided to ask Sonuç to take me to the Yucelen Hospital in Ortaca and get checked out. Captain Caveman had arrived back by the time I was leaving but he didn’t come with me. Sonuç had made me the appointment but when he looked at my foot he said he didn’t think it was broken and probably didn’t need to go. As I’d injured this leg 5 years ago I wanted to just check. I saw the orthopaedic doctor who touched my foot gently to see if it hurt, at first it didn’t, then I screamed out when he touched the bit that hurt. A translator was sent for, an x-ray was booked and I had to give my insurance documents and residency card to another receptionist. The walking between the different bits was starting to get tricky and extremely slow, but I managed. The translator, Umut, was really good and we got talking about his trip to Japan. The x-ray person was friendly too and we went back to the doctor after, for him to tell me I had broken my 4th & 5th metatarsals. Oh dear. He gave me a prescription and told me to come back in 10 days for a check-up. I walked back to the pay desk where my insurer had already confirmed they would pay my bill, all but 875.16 lira (£16.21), and I had to sign a piece of paper. At no point was I told not to walk on it but I had crutches which Sonuç had picked up from Tay at Rehab bar. I was impressed with the service at the Yucelen and was back home by 3.25pm. I paid 2,000 lira (£37.04) for Sonuc’s services, too, which given he’d driven me about and waited there the whole time was a good deal. Although he’s not an official translator for medical stuff, he’d come in very handy and was great at taking my mind off the pain! I managed to cheese Captain Caveman off by not hobbling in to the chemist on my way back and assumed he would be ok to go and pick up my prescription for me. He was a bit put out but went anyway. The prices were as follows;
Balcı Pharmacy Ketoprofen Painkillers 108.69 Naproxen spray 159.10 Frenag spray 247.21 Support Bandage 450 Total 965.00 lira (£17.87)
I was hungry as I’d not eaten yet today so Captain Caveman suggested we eat at Lukka, so I didn’t have to walk far. Here’s what we had with prices in lira from Lukka bar;
The food was lovely and a generous portion size – I’d somehow forgotten to eat sensibly this holiday! I went back home for a rest and to put my leg up, the medicine can’t be taken with alcohol and I hadn’t known this so I would have to start the pills tomorrow as I had already consumed 2 halves of draft lager with a bit of lemonade. We had no food in at home, on account of us coming home earlier, so for dinner we went out again. It took me far too long to hobble along to Ayaz, a fairly new local eatery. It was quite late so the staff were very apologetic to have run out of all lamb dishes. I had a chicken shish and Captain Caveman went for a chicken iskender. I had a fresh pomegranate juice and the whole meal was amazing at a great price, even though I forgot to note the prices. On the way home, I bumped in to Aytaç Burçak Saraymine, my insurance broker. He wanted to check how I was and also how the service had been with the insurer. I knew the insurer would only pay up to 80% of any outpatient costs and I was happy with that. Aytaç invited me and Captain Caveman for a cup of Turkish tea with him and we sat and had a chat. I had been so happy that I had taken out the insurance with him. Lots of people (obviously, not experts) had told me that the cheaper insurance for residency wasn’t worth having but I certainly disagreed with that. My injury could’ve been a lot worse and cost me quite a bit just for not noticing a really small step!We stayed out until 11pm and I needed to rest my foot when I got home. The sprays were really helping and tomorrow I could start the stronger painkillers.
Gratitude List 1. Sonuç being available for hospital visiting 2. Not having a cast on my foot 3. Health Insurance covering 80% of the cost of my injury.
I went downstairs in the early hours of Sunday 31st August to find Captain Caveman fully dressed and asleep on the sofa. I had barely slept upstairs while full of cold and my alarm went off at 2am. Sonuç was insistent on taking us to the airport early, as he thought there may be queues even for the domestic flights. He arrived at just after 2.30am, the fare was £30 and we were at the airport before 3.15am. Captain Caveman was a bit mardy when we only took 5 minutes, maximum, to get through to the gate and, of course, it was too early for us to know which gate for our flight at 5.10am. Captain Caveman had booked us on a cheap flight to Ankara for less than £25 each and we would arrive at 6.25am. We landed a bit early and made our way to the Havaş shuttle bus which took us from Ankara airport to the main bus station. I forgot the price as we paid cash but it was cheap. Captain Caveman had booked us a Flixbus from Ankara bus station at 9am to take us to Göreme in Cappadocia which was less than £15 each and took about 4 hours. The bus station at Ankara is huge and we sat and ate our Ela’s Kitchen sandwiches there. There were toilets which had squat and western ones but you did have to pay to use them. I bought a water, a coke and some travel sweets in the bus station for 100 lira (£1.85).
The Flixbus was good, it had a toilet on but we also stopped for a loo break. We arrived in Göreme, Cappadocia, a little early after a couple of tours round the bus station. There was a bit of a walk up the hills to our cave hotel and it was hot and sunny. This was Captain Caveman’s first time in Cappadocia and he already looked impressed as he sped off up the hills. I had to shout him to wait to take my heavy bag at one point. We were early for check-in by an hour at Mithra Cave hotel, but the room was ready. Our room had a round bed and was inside a cave suite, I thought we had booked a room with a view and that the hotel had a pool but their Website was a little misleading and neither were available.
After unpacking and drinking all the water in the minibar we went off to find a tour company to book our Red & Green tours with. Originally, I’d asked a lovely guide called Ozzy but he was booked up already. It cost us €220 (£191) for each of those for both of us with Cappadocia Visitor. We also got a free bag from the guy in the office, which I was happy about. We went in to an off licence where we didn’t find any screw top wine so we just bought a big water for 25 lira (46p) and a big bag of crisps for 75 lira (£1.39), before making our way back to the hotel.
It was so good to be in Cappadocia with Captain Caveman. We had a stop off at a cafe for soft drinks, here’s the prices in lira;
1 small water 80 1 Lemonade 120 1 Double Espresso 170 Total spent 370 lira (£6.85)
It was definitely more expensive than being in Dalyan and I drew out more cash at the ATM. I had to check the budget later but I had a feeling August had been an expensive month. Captain Caveman and I were still on holiday in Turkey for another week too, so September was also likely to be extravagant in the first half. We walked back up to the Mithra Cave Hotel and had a rest in our cave suite before I attempted a bath. It leaked and the water went everywhere so I didn’t try the jacuzzi part. The toiletries were also screwed to the wall and not near the bath.
For sunset we walked around the hotel then sat on the hotel terrace with a glass of wine each and took the obligatory Cappadocia skyline photos. I went to pay the bill and was quite surprised to find it was 880 lira (£16.30) for 2 glasses of red – luckily we just had the one!
Captain Caveman had chosen a rooftop eatery for dinner, close to the hotel. At Zukra we had a glass of wine each, a bottle of soda water and 2 tubs of very tasty mantı (Turkish ravioli) for 1,800 lira (£33.33). Not the cheapest meal but we enjoyed it, despite the paper container and wooden fork to eat it with. The staff were lovely and they also had a beautiful dog which we petted. I was begging for mercy by 10.30pm having still got cold and being dosed up on Theraflu. I checked the budget spreadsheet and found that despite a £1000 budget for August, we had gone over that. I’d put in £844 and Captain Caveman had contributed £900 but we still had £310 left to go in to next month. I was happy to have spent less than £1500, given that I had been in the UK for 11 days and Captain Caveman had been in Turkey for 9 days already – we spend more when we are together. I was tired so it was an early night, ready for our full day tour tomorrow.
Gratitude List 1. An easy (& cheap) journey from Dalaman to Göreme, Cappadocia 2. A holiday in Cappadocia, staying in a cave hotel with a round bed 3. Being able to afford a short trip to Cappadocia!
joloyolo 