Dalyan – 1st to 4th November

All plans went out of the window on Saturday 1st November as I had a few Resort Experts quotes to do. I didn’t bother going to the market and went back to bed with a cup of Yorkshire tea, for the first time in quite a while!
I faced the income versus expenditure spreadsheet with a little trepidation as I knew I’d spent too much this month. My budget for October was set at £500, which included Captain Caveman giving me some cash. Unfortunately, I ended up spending just short of £900 including all bills, the course for making my new planner and a flight to the UK with luggage. It meant that I really needed to be extra careful in November and that I was starting the new month on a minus figure of £106. It was going to be a tough month and Captain Caveman was coming to visit at the end of the month which means we always spend more then.
Captain Caveman had already been in touch as he had decided he wanted to go to a music event in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for his birthday next year. He’d bought 2 tickets for the 3 day Phillgood gig which had bands such as The Cure, Gorillaz, and Moby headlining. So, I spent some time looking at flights and hotels for Plovdiv and Sofia in Bulgaria for the 2 of us.
I had to cancel going round to Kate’s to meet the new kittens as I was too busy faffing around. I managed to get to the bakery where I bought a croissant and a fresh loaf for 105 lira (£1.91) so had lunch while still working, but then had a belly ache.
For dinner I made a chickpea and spinach curry with steamed rice and booked the Old Legends hotel in Plovdiv for Captain Caveman and I. Surprisingly, I got a better rate than Booking .com on a hotel in Sofia so I booked that for 2 nights prior to the gig, so that we could have a look around the capital. Neither of us have been to Bulgaria before and it was on our list of places to visit. I was excited as I miss going to concerts and hearing good live music.
I then decided to look at holidays for January as Captain Caveman really wanted us to go away, despite me saying I couldn’t afford to spend money on holidays while I was still building my empire.

Gratitude List
1. Dealing with budget issues instead of ignoring them
2. Captain Caveman insisting on a trip to Bulgaria in 2026
3. Getting some good deals with Resort Experts for our own holidays.

On Sunday 2nd November there was a bit of excitement in the air. I booked our own holiday to Morocco, through Resort Experts of course. We decided we would be staying in Marrakech for a week on a Bed & Breakfast basis, in a cute little riad for around £900 for the both of us. We were both excited and thought that was quite a bargain.
Nanny Kay popped round with some gifts; spare plates which she was getting rid of and I never have enough if I invite people over for dinner. She also gave me 3 black tops which were ideal for winter.
Later I met Vanessa and another friend in Ozzy’s as Vanessa had just arrived back in Dalyan for a few weeks.
I had a strawberry milkshake and a soda water for 210 lira (£3.82). For dinner, I just ate chicken nuggets for my one meal that day as I’d not had time to make what I had planned.

Gratitude List
1. Booking a holiday to Marrakech with Captain Caveman
2. New plates and tops from Nanny Kay
3. Out with friends for an entertaining catch up.

I had a busy Monday morning on Monday 3rd November; mostly content writing and scheduling. I also had several interactions with Captain Caveman, including messages before his 9am start. He got me researching the flight times and prices for our trip to Bulgaria. We finally plumped for the ones with BA and they were cheaper to book direct so Captain Caveman booked those and he paid for Morocco and the Bulgaria hotels. He’d also booked us tickets for Faithless, with cousin Anna, and a Metallica weekend ticket in July – both of which we were really looking forward to.
I didn’t have lunch until 2.30pm and just had soup with pasta in.
When I finished working for the day, I popped out for a walk and to get some shopping. Here’s what I got with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Green peppers 10.49
Red onion 14.49
Milk 21.80
Red peppers 26.99
6 eggs 49.50
Wholemeal sliced loaf 84.95
Bitter chocolate 87.50
2 Quark 91.90
Total spent 387.62 lira (£6.96)

There were still no tinned tomatoes so I went to the next shop;

Şok Supermarket
1 Dido chocolate bar 46.50
775g chicken 189.63
Total spent 236.13 lira (£4.29)

No tomatoes still!
I wasn’t hungry, so for dinner I just had chestnuts and had an early night.

Gratitude List
1. Booking our own holidays
2. Shopping
3. Having an early night.

It was the calm before the storm on Tuesday 4th November. I split my day between Resort Experts and designing my new planner. I was getting rather impatient with Canva as I was half teaching myself and half following instructions from Claire Clarke from her videos. I had never realised it, but I’m not good at following spoken instruction and would much rather read the instructions.
It was 4pm when I finally got some lunch which was a warmed up chickpea and spinach curry. Captain Caveman had booked his trip to Vietnam without me for March as I was already busy then. We had discussed me getting a flight to London on the Easter weekend to meet him on his return but they were £74 one way, without luggage. Also, I had a couple of work related events/more Fam trips which may be happening in April and I didn’t want to miss out on those. I worked hard that day and didn’t realise until 10.30pm that I had not moved from my desk! At 11pm I just had chestnuts for dinner (again).

Gratitude List
1. Curry for lunch
2. Captain Caveman finally getting a trip to Vietnam booked in
3. Chestnuts.

Dalyan – 2nd & 3rd October

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.

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

Dalyan – 20th to 22nd August

Weigh day certainly seems to come round a bit too quickly; Wednesday 20th August was meant to be my last good weight loss before Captain Caveman arrived for our 2 week holiday. I’d definitely cut down on the alcohol and only had 5 glasses of wine all week but I had been round to a friend’s for dinner and been on a boat trip this week, so I hadn’t avoided 2 lots of desserts. At home I’d lost 0.45kg (1lb) but we would see if Carol’s scales differed later. My measurements were good and I’d put 1cm on my bust but lost 2cm from my waist and 1cm off my hips. I got on the bandwagon with the water bottle to make sure I drink more water. I always drink at least 2 litres per day but, as it was hot, I was aiming for 3! I popped over to Jamie’s for a quick Resort Experts conflab and I intended to pick up his loppers and pruners but forgot them – we were too busy chatting about holiday destinations. On the way back, I remembered as I went in the Block A entrance rather than Block B, that side looked much better, as if the gardener only does that side of the complex then gets bored.
At Fat Club I was pleased to find I’d lost 0.6kg (1.3lb) although I was still 4.35kg (almost 10lb) over my target now. It just goes to show how much crap I was having in the UK, how quickly I was putting weight back on when I went there and wasn’t following the plan. It would be interesting to see how much I put on when on a 2 week Turkey holiday with Captain Caveman in just 3 days time! I missed a Zoom call about my forthcoming travel planner which happened to clash with Fat Club and then I also had to get back for a client call. This one was the start of a special enquiry as it was with a friend’s husband who was wanting to organise a surprise trip for a specific birthday next year. I can’t say too much on here as she will probably be reading it and it’s going to be one of the best kept secrets! The call went so well and I actually couldn’t wait to see what I could find on this one. We had quite a long discussion and there were lots or requirements and a specific budget but it was a good ‘un! Jamie popped his gardening tools over to mine so that we had them ready for Captain Caveman.
For dinner, I had a mystery meal from the freezer with mushrooms in (forgot the photo as I was hungry) then decided I needed to go shopping at 9.30pm.
I had hoped the supermarket would be less busy at that time but it wasn’t. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Pasta 13.95
Milk 19.90
Chickpeas 32.95
Bananas 67.17
Cashew nuts 84.50
2 Quark 91.80
Walnuts 98.50
Cheese 114.90
Total spent 523.77 lira (£9.61)

It was certainly a sign things were better than at the start of the year as I would have thought twice about buying nuts as they were a treat. I was still concerned at the sharp rise in Quark prices, though.

Gratitude List
1. Losing weight this week (even if it wasn’t much)
2. More new enquiries for my travel business
3. Being able to rely on Jamie for gardening tools.

There was a bit of excitement on Thursday 21st August as I had been invited round to a friend’s after work. I was really apprehensive about taking time off when Captain Caveman arrived but I knew how much he needed a holiday, and I probably did too. I didn’t want to be spending the money we were getting in just yet, as I really wanted to build back up some emergency funds and rainy day money. I was also a little worried that I might miss some precious holiday bookings and book sales. I was still at the stage that each opportunity was important and every bit of commission counted. I was keen not to be ‘unavailable’ should a potential customer want to book. Captain Caveman wanted to travel around Turkey and some of the journey by train, which meant I probably shouldn’t take my laptop with me. It’s a fine line but I would see how the first week went, I was already pre scheduling all my social media posts up to the end of the first week of September, just in case.
I had quark with berries (no oats) for breakfast then I worked all day. In the morning I had a catch up with my friend and colleague, Dagne, in Majorca. There was a Resort Experts team meeting too at lunch time, so I ate beans on toast around 2.15pm. In the afternoon I played telephone tennis with one of the suppliers I had asked to price me up a bespoke trip.
I switched the laptop off at bang on 5pm and walked over to Janet and Ian’s villa. It was precisely 24 minutes but would have been 25 had Ian not come to meet me at the shortcut through some bushes. I met their friends, Sam & Lucy, who had a lovely daughter and they seemed somewhat familiar. We hit it off right away and we all had a lovely afternoon. I joined Janet with a glass of wine or two and it was very relaxing just sat by their pool.
On the drive back to take me home, Janet, Ian and I decided to nip to Mono and More for a bite to eat. Janet had been telling me about the scampi she had tried so I was keen to eat that. We both ordered the same with a glass of wine while Ian had soup and fish and chips. All the food was very lovely and at a reasonable price for non-Turkish meals. The scampi was whole-tail, not the reformed stuff, and I really enjoyed it. I did see one of the owners eating a Chinese dish which looked amazing. Funnily enough I only ever eat a Chinese meal when I’m in the UK and even then, not very often but the portion size and the food looked impressive. I was even invited to try a mouthful, on account of my eyeing up of her food, but of course I politely declined. I’d had a really lovely evening and we made plans for when Captain Caveman arrived too. Ian offered to drive me home but I decided it would be a good idea to walk off my meal.
Recently, I had seen various Facebook posts and news articles saying how quiet Dalyan was. If the streets by the mosque were anything to go by, that wasn’t true. It was 11.20pm as I walked past lots of tourists either on their way to a bar or doing some browsing in the shops.

Gratitude List
1. Being able to have a holiday with Captain Caveman
2. Eating great food
3. Having a wonderful time with friends.

It was only 23°C when I awoke on Friday 22nd August but, looking at the forecast for today and the week, the weather was looking great for Captain Caveman’s visit. I was super excited and his flight was tonight at 9.50pm from Gatwick. We both still had our last day at work to go but I had already put on my out of office and had a to do list longer than my arm. In my lunch hour I nipped to buy eggs from Şok and ended up getting 15 eggs and some jellies for 104.95 lira (£1.93). I also bought a Turkish loaf and a simit for just 30 lira (55p) from the bakery. I ate the simit for lunch and got straight back on to the to do list for another hour. Captain Caveman called me while he tucked in to a more substantial lunch (I think a fish finger buttie) and he was really looking forward to getting back to Dalyan. I tidied up, changed the bedding, did the laundry and ran out of time to do more cleaning up before dinner. I ate a chicken and mushroom Slimming World concoction for dinner at 10.15pm, but didn’t particularly enjoy it. I went to bed, knackered and thinking I’d probably forgot to do something important.

Gratitude List
1. Sunny weather in Dalyan
2. Captain Caveman coming to Dalyan in just hours
3. Getting a lot done, even if I still didn’t finish everything.

Dalyan – 15th August

I had a busy morning with holiday enquiries with Resort Experts on Friday 15th August, a few friends had asked me to do them some quotes for winter sun holidays. I’d suggested Turkey to a few of them as it tends to stay nice weather until the end of October, and they can see me if they want to, too.
I didn’t eat lunch until 2.50pm, fried rice, as time was running away with me. I was acutely aware that while I’d been in the UK I had eaten much less fruit, so I took a walk to the shop after lunch to get some fruit. Here’s what I got from the shop, with prices in lira;
3 onions 4.10
4 nectarines 69.30
4 bananas 101.46
Total spent 174.86 lira (£3.21)

The bananas were more pricey as it’s not the season but still I needed fruit!
I’d had a request from my friend, Sausage Dick, to meet up with his daughter who was in Dalyan. He had bought a copy of my handy travel tips book, ‘You Can’t Shit Yourself on a Bicycle’ and wanted me to sign it for him. Georgina was staying at Central Park, a lovely small hotel in the Gülpınar area with a really nice pool. I agreed to arrive at 6.30pm and I was about 5 minutes late. When I went in, there was no one around and Kudret the owner wanted to check who I was and what I was doing before letting me in (a safe hotel). I sat in the bar area outside and the only 2 people I could see were snoozing face down on sun loungers. Kudret told them I was here and Georgina joined me first. Shortly after, Tom grabbed a beer at the bar then came to say hello. We exchanged stories of Sausage Dick and I gave her the signed book, which was in a bag. She didn’t look at it but promised she would take it back home. I was only there an hour tops and then walked back home to start dinner. I made a meatball and mushroom pasta which I portioned up for the freezer too. It was 9.20pm by the time I ate dinner and then I was back booking hotels until 11pm, including one for myself.

Gratitude List
1. Getting some fruit
2. Sausage Dick buying a signed copy of my book
3. A delicious dinner at home.

London – 11th August

My last day in the UK had arrived and I was sad to be leaving London on Monday 11th August. I could easily have stayed longer if it wasn’t for Nanny Kay’s 80th birthday celebrations tomorrow and the fact that it was so much more expensive being in England than Dalyan. Captain Caveman and I started work early but did break for an early lunch together and to get some shopping for dinner. Here’s what we bought with the cost in pounds;

M&S
White sliced loaf 0.75
6 eggs 1.45
Rice noodles 1.60
Pineapple smoothie 2.10
Nutty salad 2.90
Tabuleh salad 4.50
Pasta, garlic dough balls & pesto deal 7.00
Total spent £20.30

The rice noodles were for me to take back to Turkey, the salads for our lunch, which we ate on Barnes Green. We went to pick a seat near the tree (which Captain Caveman climbed on my previous visit) but were met with a huge disappointment. ‘Our tree’ had been recently cut down and we were both quite perturbed about it. I tucked in to my favourite Marks and Spencer’s salad, the one with nuts and edamame beans in. Captain Caveman was met with more disappointment as he tried to snaffle his salad which smelled and tasted like freshly mowed lawn! He wouldn’t be having that one again.

Back at the house, Captain Caveman found me a water bottle so that I could take it on my journey and we both had calls and meetings to get on with. At 3.15pm I shut down my laptop and decided I had done for today, I packed my hand luggage only but had to leave a few items of clothing and some food weighing scales behind.
I decided to go to the shop to see if I could get some nice travel sweets but I ended up buying myself a bar of chocolate and some Mentos for £2.05 in Tesco. I enjoyed my last walk through Barnes and pondered when I might next come back to England – probably 2026.
My flight wasn’t until 9.45pm and I was meeting Drew at Gatwick to fly back to Dalaman together. My train tickets allowed any-time travel so we decided I needed to leave Barnes station at 6.30pm.
Captain Caveman finished work just after 5pm and came in to the room with quite an urgent sounding question; he asked if I fancied a quick…(Now, at this point I honestly thought he might be about to ask if I fancied a ‘quickie’ but I had unnecessarily thought wrong)….game of Scrabble.
He’d obviously been thinking that he would like to even up the score from yesterday as it was the first time I’d beaten him. We quickly got the Scrabble board out and were up against the clock as we still had to cook and eat dinner. Of course, I let Captain Caveman win at Scrabble just so that we could eat without me missing my train or flight. We had the pasta with dough balls of which Captain Caveman had 9 to my 3!!! Then it was a bit of a rush to get out of the door for the short walk to Barnes Station. I was sad saying goodbye to Captain Caveman but I would see him again in 11 day’s time, when he arrived in Dalyan.

My train arrived in to Gatwick at 7.40pm where I met Drew in the Whetherspoons for a quick drink. I also bought 1 litre of Bombay Sapphire gin for £13.76 in the Duty Free. On the easyJet flight I was in row 2 and Drew in row 3 but there was a bit of jigging around and people in wrong seats so we both ended up in row 3 with our preferred window and aisle seats. I spent a small fortune on pink prosecco, water and pringles while on the plane, had a laugh with Drew, watched some rubbish I downloaded on Netflix and fell asleep. We were due to land at 3.45am tomorrow.

Gratitude List
1. Being able to have a last lunch in the park with Captain Caveman
2. A quick game of Scrabble before I left
3. Having Drew as my travel partner for the first time.

London – 10th August

We had all the plans to make the most of my last day in London on Sunday 10th August. Captain Caveman had mentioned a walk, perhaps Kew Gardens (which I still hadn’t been to), or a Sunday lunch at the Brown Dog.
Unfortunately, none of that happened and I had to nag Captain Caveman to get up and eat breakfast. I think he had overdone it yesterday so he was in bed just playing Bridge on his phone. I’d like to think it was his way of coping with the fact that he was sad that I was leaving and that he would miss me. That was not the case, though, as he had booked a flight to come to Turkey in less than 2 weeks time and he had his first fortnight off work since he started there.
By 11.30am we were only just having breakfast, and we had got some food in for a BBQ tonight so I suggested we didn’t bother going out for Sunday lunch. The Brown Dog wasn’t doing Sunday lunch today anyway, and I wasn’t bothered about trying the regular menu. I probably shouldn’t have said anything as that then was interpreted by Captain Caveman that we would not be doing anything together at all today.
When it got to 3pm Captain Caveman was still horizontal on the sofa playing Bridge and I had lost my patience. I made myself some lunch, Captain Caveman didn’t want anything. I caught up with some content ideas for my travel planner and updated my blog.

At 4.30pm, Captain Caveman surfaced to put his phone on charge and we decided to go for a walk. We ended up in the White Hart, a pub by the river, which is always rammed packed and today was no different.

I had a pint of cider, Captain Caveman a couple of ales, then we walked back along the Thames for the last time. We passed some lovely houses including one of a famous TV presenter, which is fantastic.
Back home, Captain Caveman still wasn’t hungry and I was a bit worried about him as he’d not eaten since breakfast and all he wanted to do was be on his phone. I was miffed because I had hoped we might make the most of our last full day together but I wasn’t a priority today. It was disappointing after such a great day yesterday but this often happens and he doesn’t want any interaction.

Eventually, Captain Caveman decided he would cook the burgers and sausages in the house but we would sit in the garden to eat. We opened a bottle of wine and the weather had been quite nice – typically the summer was back now it was time for me to leave. We didn’t eat until 8pm by which time it was a bit chilly for me to be outside but I persevered without getting my fleece. Despite Captain Caveman saying he wasn’t hungry, he managed to eat his own burger, a hot dog, salad and coucous plus half of my burger as it was a bit underdone for me.

We went indoors and before Captain Caveman got into a mammoth doom scroll on his phone again, I suggested a quick game of Scrabble. He loves Scrabble so he agreed and although I find it slow and tedious, I managed to win! I was so pleased as I have never won Captain Caveman at Scrabble but this only assured me that he wasn’t his usual self.

Gratitude List
1. My last English breakfast for a while
2. Eating outside in the garden
3. Winning at Scrabble

London – 9th August

With just 2 more days left for me in the UK, Captain Caveman really pulled out the stops again on Saturday 9th August. He had told me he was taking me out for a surprise in the afternoon so I was excited to know what it would be. He had got in from work at 4am and had slept for just 6 hours after working all day and night!
In the morning we had a wander round the Barnes Farmers market, which is so lovely. Captain Caveman bought his usual black pudding, bacon and sausages but we didn’t get any sausage rolls or belly pork this time as we were off out for lunch. I always admire the Cakehole stall but I never allow myself a treat from there – the cakes look amazing though. I did have bacon, a sausage, beans and toast for breakfast, cooked by Captain Caveman and it was delicious.
We also booked my train ticket from Barnes to Gatwick for Monday evening, which made me a little bit sad. After more than a month in England you’d think I would be itching to get back to Dalyan but I had really enjoyed being back and the month had gone so fast.

The time had come to set off for our afternoon surprise and I definitely would not have guessed what it was.
We arrived in Brixton Village at a place called Fish, Wings & Tings and we found the only 2 seats available outside in the sun. Time was of the essence so I hurriedly chose chicken wings, Captain Caveman ordered cod fish fritters and we both had a Carib beer. When it came, mine was super spicy and my mouth was a bit numb from the chillies (which I thought I’d picked out) so Captain Caveman got to eat all 6 of his fish fritters and half of my chicken wings. I had to order second beers as my mouth was on fire and I hoped whatever activity we were in a rush for next, did not involve having a good stomach. Our total bill for lunch with 4 beers came to £38 and that wasn’t the surprise.

The surprise was amazing and I soon forgot about my mouth being on fire. Captain Caveman had booked us tickets to a film at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton. He went to the counter to pick up the tickets and I still had no idea what we were going to see. The cinema was quiet and we didn’t get any popcorn or other snacks.
As soon as the film started, I knew exactly what it was. One of the best concert films of all time, especially if you’re a Talking Heads fan; ‘Stop Making Sense’ was made in 1984 and is just fantastic.
I was so happy and it was probably the first time I’d sat and listened to most of these songs without singing along – but I wanted to! I’d never seen it on the big screen before either so it was just an amazing experience. It was a really thoughtful surprise and we both thoroughly enjoyed the showing, although I think I saw Captain Caveman napping.

On the way back to Barnes we popped in to a Holland & Barrett for more Gin Gins (ginger sweets which are great for sea sickness) and were £11.84 for 2 packets. As it was sunny, we had a stroll around the stalls in Brixton Village on the way back to the station. We decided to get off at Barnes Bridge for a walk along the Thames and a crafty drink at the Coach and Horses, where I’m very partial to their house wine. We called in to M&S for provisions where I didn’t keep Captain Caveman’s receipt – probably because he knew I’d comment on how expensive tomatoes are compared to the ones from Dalyan market – he wouldn’t miss that, when I’d gone!
To finish the wonderful day off, Captain Caveman knocked up a carbonara for dinner which we had with rocket and raspberries for afters. We drank red wine and I didn’t fall asleep on the sofa as we had crisps to nibble on. Tomorrow would be our last full day together so we had more plans for a lovely day.

Gratitude List
1. Brixton beers in the sun
2. Seeing ‘Stop Making Sense’ at the Ritzy with Captain Caveman
3. The effort Captain Caveman put in to the day, despite him being knackered from working so much.

London – 8th August

Captain Caveman had volunteered for site work on Friday 8th August so he was working all day until 4pm, then having a sleep before doing a night shift! I cracked on with work and book stuff too.
At lunch time, I popped to the shop to get a card for a friend, I also noticed they had personalised Toblerones and she loves them. I generally no longer spend money on cards or gifts but I decided to splash out, seeing as though it was her 80th birthday next week and I was invited to her party. She was also getting a copy of my book, ‘You Can’t Shit Yourself on a Bicycle’ to go with it as she does ride a bike and she might find it useful.

Here’s what I bought at the local gift shop, prices in pounds;

Presents
Birthday card 2.99
Toblerone 4.99
Total spent 7.98

I went back home and worked on various ongoing projects and then finished at 4pm. While Captain Caveman went for a sleep, I went out shopping, here’s what I bought and what I spent;

Marks and Spencer’s
Raspberries 2.50
Blueberries 2.50
Olives 2.66
Tomatoes 2.66
Edamame beans 2.67
Parmesan 3.40
4 mini Cheeses 5.30
Total spent £21.70

Sainsbury’s Supermarket
Garlic 0.55
Rocket 0.89
1 Double Decker 0.95
1 Mars bar 1.15
Cream crackers 1.45
2 Fajita mix 2.00
Options drinking chocolate 5.95
Total spent £12.94

What I didn’t realise until I got back was that the mini cheeses were 5 for £4 but I’d only got 4 and paid £5.30! But now there are no cashier’s, no one points these things out and, even if I went back, there was not anything I could do. I usually avoid self scan supermarkets but it was getting harder to do. Some of the items I got to take with me back to Dalyan, so I put those to one side.
We had a chicken and chorizo pasta for dinner before Captain Caveman went to work in East London for the night.

Gratitude List
1. Being in Barnes with lots of nice shops nearby
2. Stocking up on a few treats to take back to Dalyan
3. Finishing at 4pm on a Friday.

London – 7th August

The weather was a tad warmer in London on Thursday 7th August but I was still feeling cold at 16°C. It was hard to believe it was summer! Captain Caveman was on a course in London and I worked from the dining room at his parents’ home.
I decided I would take myself off to Tesco, for lunch and some shopping, which is the far side of Barnes. I wanted to see if my new Club Card app worked, and it did. Here’s what I bought with the prices in pounds;

Tesco Supermarket
500g Penne pasta 0.69
1 pint skimmed milk 0.85
Wholemeal bread 0.99
Chocolate croissant 1.30
6 eggs 1.75
Peppers 2.00
225g chorizo 2.70
Meal Deal 3.60
400g chicken breast 4.45
Total spent £18.33

I had a saunter back with a heavy bag, while eating the chocolate croissant in the park. Back at the house, I did a mixture of work and laundry. I struggled to tie the washing line and Captain Caveman wasn’t there to help, so I improvised.

In the evening I got the train in to London where I met Captain Caveman and Clare at The Hole in the Wall, a pub very close to Waterloo station – I even found it without getting lost.

Next, we decided to try Vaulty Towers, an unusually decorated pub, which served food. It was very busy and we had to wait a bit for a table but then we had drinks and food. Captain Caveman had tacos, Clare had a fish finger sandwich and I had a chicken burger which was very nice but did cost £16.95 and a large glass of wine was £10. It was a fun pub, though, and they even have a tree house you can sit in to escape the bustle of the bar area.

Clare had to get her train back to Southampton so we walked back, paying tribute to an ex Aviva colleague and friend, Rob Marsh, by singing ‘What’s that coming over the hill?’ as we passed Cafe Del Marsh on Lower Marsh. A quick trip to M&S in Waterloo station where I insisted on train tins, £8.50 for 3. Captain Caveman and Clare got a G&T and I had a Pina Colada (and yes I did sing that song too)!
We were home before 9pm and I fell asleep on the sofa (again)!

Gratitude List
1. Being a fully working Clubcard member at Tesco’s
2. Finding my way to The Hole in the Wall pub
3.Meeting up for another great night with Captain Caveman and Clare.

Pontecarlo and London – 6th August

There were lots of shenanigans for Captain Caveman and I on Wednesday 6th August. It didn’t go unnoticed that it was weigh day, the last one I would be in the UK for, but we didn’t have any bathroom scales in Ponte. I did my measurements to find they weren’t too favourable but that was to be expected with the amount of treats and booze I’d consumed. I’d put 2cm on my bust, waist and hips! I had a chance to see the IKEA products in situ, around Captain Caveman’s house, which was nice and I even had a shower using a fresh new towel and standing on a lovely bath mat – it’s the little things, eh!?
Captain Caveman made us bacon sandwiches for breakfast as Fuck İn was closed for a holiday!! We both had work and meetings to do before we set off for a trip back to London.
Captain Caveman and I both had a full diary so there was no let up, Captain Caveman had work calls on his way south and I attended a Zoom meeting about my Travel Planner with Claire Clarke. I could hear Claire speaking but noone could hear me and I only realised afterwards that it was because my phone had Google maps on. My phone had assumed that I was driving (I wasn’t) so wouldn’t let me participate, I also was super travel sick by the time we arrived in Barnes at 2pm.
I was excited to find a test notebook had arrived from Amazon which I’d been trialling a glossy book cover on, in readiness for my new travel planner. After a bit more work and various calls, it was time for a trip in to the city of London to meet a friend.

I had arranged for Captain Caveman and I to meet Clare after work on Bond Street. Clare had booked a table at a Malaysian restaurant called Med Salleh, which none of us had been to before. Amazingly, they had Saigon Red beer on the menu so Captain Caveman and I ordered one at £4.50 each. The food was amazing and I had a chicken, prawn & tofu noodle soup which was massive and good value at £16. The others also enjoyed their food and I would love to go there again.

The building itself was impressive and I had a good look round when I nipped to the toilet. After our meal, it was still early so we decided to have a couple of drinks in bars nearby, one of which was the Bayswater Arms. It was great to see Clare again and we even decided we could meet again tomorrow, after work, for a final farewell of this trip.

Gratitude List
1. Seeing the bath mat was worth the arguments in IKEA
2. An eventful journey to London
3. A fab evening with Captain Caveman and Clare in London.

Sheffield and Pontecarlo – 5th August

I worked and packed my things up in the morning of Tuesday 5th August. Mom came in to ask if I fancied a roast pork sandwich for lunch from the shop and I’d not had one this visit so, of course, I said yes. All 3 of us went for a walk as I wanted to get Captain Caveman a tin opener. He’d declined to buy the £1 one in IKEA which was probably rubbish so I got him one for a whopping £7 from the Co-op.
Ma left Pa with me while she went to the post office and cash machine but the sandwiches were ready before she returned. I had everything but dripping on, Dad had everything and Mom had her’s without apple sauce. I paid £14.60 for 3 sandwiches and a packet of pork scratchings which I didn’t think was bad and is cheaper than Beres. My sister, Gayle, popped round in the afternoon with Sumo, the dog, and we all said our goodbyes, hoping to see them in Turkey soon enough.
I got the 5.30pm bus in to town for £2.60 and then I got the 18.49 train from Sheffield to Wakefield Kirkgate. There, it was after 7pm and the waiting room closes so I was really cold in the wind as I had to wait 20 minutes for the train to Pontefract Tanshelf. I ate a packet of salt n vinegar discos while I waited and wondered why I’d not been eating more crisps this visit. I didn’t realise there were no toilet facilities at the station so I was pretty desperate for a pee when I got on the train. Luckily the train had toilets and it meant I arrived just after 8pm to be met by Captain Caveman, without jogging about for the loo.
He took my bag and we walked straight to the Robin Hood pub ready for the quiz. There were no seats inside and the huge beer garden was very smokey so we stood up next to the entrance. The quiz was a good one where we didn’t embarrass ourselves but we didn’t win. I had cherry beers and, at half time, they did sandwiches which were welcomed. I’m not usually a fan of a pub quiz, especially with genius Captain Caveman, but I did enjoy this one.
I was tired by the time we walked home so it was straight to bed without even checking where all the IKEA items were.

Gratitude List
1. Pork sandwiches with my parents
2. Being able to say bye to Gayle and Sumo
3. Pub quizzing in Pontecarlo with Captain Caveman.

Sheffield – 4th August

I had in my diary on Monday 4th August to start work early so that I could finish by 4pm. This was so that I could take time off to meet up with the friends I had promised to see while I was in Sheffield and before I went back down south. I only had 1 week left in the UK and I hoped to cram a lot in, especially as I didn’t have any plans to return for the rest of the year. I’d written in pencil the names Caz, Natalie, Becca and Louisa with a question mark and a note about tea and cake somewhere out of the city centre. I’d not heard from some of the girls so I’d added a Facebook event to suggest that I wandered over to Craftworks micropub (which do great cakes) in Mosborough for a spot of tea or hot chocolate. That way I could still have my laptop to hand as I had a few ongoing holiday enquiries that I needed to keep an eye on. What I didn’t realise is that I had written these plans on the wrong Monday and it should have been last week. Luckily, Louisa had the 4th in her diary and I didn’t realise my mistake until later on.
Captain Caveman had been up and off back to Pontecarlo very early so I had started working by 7am. He’d got back and in his lunch hour sent me my train tickets to join him tomorrow night. I worked from a table next to the bar where the internet was as good as the Yorkshire tea. It was also fairly busy with people coming and going so I got to meet and fuss a few dogs while I checked out prices of hotels and last minute holidays. Louisa arrived, on time and with a new addition to her family. Her new dog, Bodhi, was only a little puppy – he was so cute and very well behaved. He had his own seat as Louisa and I chatted and ate cake. When Louisa went to the loo, which was upstairs, I got to have a little cuddle with Bodhi which was lovely. It was good to catch up and, at this point, I was still blissfully unaware that I had agreed the wrong date with Caz! Until I got a message to say she was on holiday abroad!! I said a sad farewell to Louisa and Bodhi and we mentioned she might pop over to visit me in Turkey as she had days booked off in September/October.

I had my last meal at my parents’, which was one of my favourites that my Mom cooks, sweet and sour chicken with spring rolls. I loved it and we had a nice relaxing evening. We even spoke to Captain Caveman who assured me that the bath mat was in situ and awaiting my arrival. Tomorrow I would be back to Pontecarlo and then heading back to London before my departure back to Turkey.

Gratitude List
1. Craftworks and cake
2. Seeing Louisa and her new pup
3. A last meal in the Uk with my parents.

Sheffield – 3rd August

Captain Caveman had admitted defeat about the bath mat by the time we woke up on Sunday 3rd August. My friend, who I wouldn’t get to see on this visit, was off on her holidays and sent me a photo to let me know she was reading my book on the flight to Lanzarote, which was nice. We decided to join my parents on a walk but first we had to nip to the shop to pick up a birthday card for my niece. I had intended to put money in a card but when we got to there, they had one of her favourite tipples on offer. We bought a bottle of Aperol, a bottle of Prosecco and a card from the Co-op and hurried back as Dad was ready to go walking. We decided to walk up as far as my niece’s and then we would go drop off the birthday present, which Captain Caveman was carrying. Ma & Pa thought they might not want visitors so they carried on with their walk. When we got to my sister’s, there was a full house all eating a cooked breakfast so we didn’t stay long. My sister was stressing over a sushi situation and they didn’t have specific plans for later. We said we would probably go for a walk and end up at the pub if they fancied a birthday drink but nothing was arranged. Captain Caveman had got the wrong end of the stick that my Dad had said they were walking to the Phoenix pub for a drink so we set off to catch them up. I was struggling to make it or keep up with Captain Caveman’s pace, as usual. I had worn jeans and a black long sleeved top so, for once, I was too hot once the sun came out!
When we got to the top of Ridgeway Road, I was really flagging so we decided we would walk down to the Queen’s Head for a refreshment and miss out the Phoenix. While there, I called my Mom to check if they were in the Phoenix but they had not got that far either and were now back at home. Captain Caveman had the bright idea that we would cut across the fields and meet them in the Alma pub. He reckoned it would take 40 minutes and I suspected it would be twice that, at my pace. We set off walking and all was quite pleasant, we picked blackberries and raspberries and ate them as we went along.

Unfortunately, I got slower and slower while Captain Caveman sped off with my bag which had the working phone and water in! We got to a bit of a field that had recently been burned so the path was not clear. I was fuming and convinced we were going the wrong way. A couple of ramblers were heading our way and I saw Captain Caveman chatting with them. When they got to me, I asked if I was heading to the Alma and Mosborough. The man said I needed to turn back and I just lost it and even used the F word. He then looked concerned and said he was only joking and that I was going the right way. I thought Captain Caveman had told the guy to play a trick on me for a laugh so I shouted to him to wait for me! When I got to Captain Caveman he swore he did not and that the man made the joke of his own accord – what is wrong with people!?
I eventually got to the pub and my parents had been there a while, waiting! It took us 1 hour and I was surprised it wasn’t longer. They were laughing as when they asked how our walk was Captain Caveman said it was great while the look on my face said it all. I was pleased Captain Caveman had enjoyed his Sunday walk as he doesn’t get much exercise and fresh air these days, but I was hot, sweaty and tired.

While at the pub I got a message from Jamie, back in Dalyan, to tell me that our pool was a funny colour and half empty. He wondered if we knew about it, as it’s unusual for this to happen during the holiday season. We didn’t know so Captain Caveman and I were a bit concerned that the pool and garden company were not doing their job properly (again). My mom noticed in a Facebook group that there was a bloke nearby giving away a dining room table so Captain Caveman, my Dad and I decided to say we would have it and we arranged to call and collect it. We had a couple of pints and then Ma cheered me up no end! She had decided to make us all a Sunday dinner, the second one in a row. Captain Caveman was so pleased that he even raced to the shop to buy stuffing when Ma said she didn’t have any. He also bought more wine and chopped up the whole cabbage – he knew I wasn’t eating enough veggies. The Sunday dinner was so good and we each got 3 Yorkshire puddings and I even had a drop of gravy! Ma excelled herself as we also got fresh strawberries with evaporated milk (my favourite) for afters. More wine was had and Ma gave Captain Caveman some of the kitchen things I had left at their’s over the years, including a board for cheese and a pie maker, plus her massive slow cooker she had already promised.

Gratitude List
1. Getting to wish my niece happy birthday in person
2. Knowing that Captain Caveman thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday Walk
3. Spending time with Captain Caveman and my parents at the pub and having a Sunday Dinner.

Pontecarlo and Sheffield – 2nd August

Saturday 2nd August was a more stressful day, as we had to wait all day for the Virgin engineer to come. We had been using our phones on GiffGaff as hotspots which was fine in certain parts of the house but Captain Caveman had also bought EE as a hotspot which required me to keep logging in every hour. I was getting a bit tetchy about it and was also a bit aggrieved that there was only one towel in the house that we had to keep washing, drying and sharing. 15 years ago I’d have had a complete meltdown at that situation as I used to be that woman who used a massive bath towel for body plus a smaller towel for hair and a decent bath mat! Over the years of knowing Captain Caveman I’d grown accustomed to using just the one towel, and often a lot smaller in size when we lived in Asia. He was surprised that I had not brought my travel towel with me from Turkey but I had wrongly assumed there may have been adequate provision for towels. I was trying to convince Captain Caveman he needed more stuff, he was adamant that he had only rented until the end of the year so was reluctant to spend any money or time on getting things he could do without. Meanwhile, I was stressing over not having a bath mat and having to use a t-shirt to stand on so I didn’t slip on the tiled floor. I packed all my stuff up while Captain Caveman waited for the engineer, we were meant to be doing things in Sheffield but we got delayed.
Finally, the engineer arrived, agreed with Captain Caveman on the cause of the problem and proceeded to instal wires and fix it. He finished by 6pm and we were on the road, heading for Mosborough via a trip to IKEA.
At Ikea, we ate food first then I pretty much followed Captain Caveman around trying to keep up and suggest things he ‘needed’, then face an argument that he didn’t need things. The main thing we needed, in my opinion, was a bath mat, needless to say we did not agree on that item and we almost didn’t get one!
Here’s what we did buy with the prices in pounds;

IKEA
1 washing up brush 1.00
Oven glove 2.00
1 corkscrew 3.00
1 plate rack 3.00
1 draining board 3.00
1 bath mat 4.00
1 pair of scissors 5.00
1 bath towel 6.00
1 small frying pan 7.00
2 pillow cases 8.00
1 fitted bed sheet 9.00
2 roller cheese graters 10.00
2 pillows 12.00
1 double bedding set 20.00
3 pans 35.00
1 office chair 60.00
Total spent £203.00

We attempted to get 2 folding chairs but they were out of stock and only had one available so I suggested we come back for them tomorrow. The assistant said he would have more out tomorrow but Captain Caveman wasn’t keen on that idea so he just bought the one chair. I left him to do the check out as I needed the loo and by the time I got back he was ready to leave. He was not in a good mood and neither was I, I think we were still bloody arguing about a £4 bath mat. The good thing is though we both had a new roller cheese grater which I had seen at his parents, they are a game changer – especially for parmesan straight out of the freezer!
It was late when we arrived at my parents, we’d brought them an adapter plug, some Pontecarlo midget gems with liquorice black ones in and a bottle of wine. My head was frazzled so I suggested we opened the wine then showed off my new cheese grater!
It was too late to go out so we had a couple of drinks with Ma & Pa and they laughed at us falling out in IKEA.

Gratitude List
1. Finally getting Virgin internet sorted at Captain Caveman’s home
2. A successful (as in we got necessary items) trip to IKEA
3. Finally arriving in Mosborough for drinks with my parents.