I was awake at 6.30am on Tuesday 18th November so that I could go to feed my friend’s cat. It was a bit fresh out but nice, so I decided to have a walk through the town and along the river on the way back home. My heart had still been racing a bit after yesterday’s shock and I’d not felt that great. I thought a bit of exercise would do me good, for a change. I was out until 8.15am and then I had a cup of tea and started working on the planner again.
I didn’t bother with breakfast, so at lunch time I sat on the balcony in the sun and ate bread, cheese and olives. At 6pm, I broke off to go feed the cat again and then on the way back, did some shopping. I was still looking for chopped tomatoes but had to make do with tomato puree in a jar. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Şarküteri 1 tin of coconut milk 2 tins of baked beans Total 270 lira (£4.91)
A101 Supermarket Mints 17.50 Jellies 29.00 Tomatoes in a jar 48.90 Sensodyne toothpaste 185.00 Total spent 280.40 lira (£5.10)
For dinner I had a pasta bolognese with parmesan and then did more of the planner until bed time.
Gratitude List 1. Walking through town before many people were up and about 2. A calm but busy day 3. Tasty food.
Monday 17th November was my last day in charge of Kate’s 7 cats. She had said they were going to be back in time for the evening feeding so I only needed to do the 7am one. By 7.30am I had fed and checked on all 7 of the cats, they were fine and were going to be popped outside once I left. I messaged Fikri to book the taxi to take me back before lunch as I had signed up for a 6 hour, free online event with Lisa Johnson from 1pm. The taxi was 200 lira (£3.64) and it made things easier with carrying my bag. I got a message from my Mom to say the return bus from Jiva Beach had been moved, so they would be home even earlier. I’d packed up my stuff, washed the cat’s bowls and made sure everything was tidy, ready for Mark and Kate’s return. Casha was reluctant to go outside but all the others were up for playing in the sunshine. On my way home, I called at the bakery and treated myself to a chocolate croissant as I was hungry and hadn’t had any dinner last night. I also called in to check on another friend’s cat, and top up her water and food bowls. On the way home I passed two small white dogs who came to say hello, one of them had the sniffles. In the afternoon, I’d been listening to the online Lisa Johnson sessions and noticed my laptop battery was low. I went to plug it in and the plug blew up in my hand, tripping the electric and turning my hand black. I got a shock but was lucky the whole power had gone out. My heart was racing and I felt a little bit peculiar. I had to go out in search of a new lead and, luckily, Mert at Dalyan Computer had one for 500 lira (£9.09). I was also lucky that I’d not had the lead plugged in to my laptop when it went bang. By the time I’d got back and gingerly plugged my laptop back in to charge, I decided a hot shower and a cup of tea were needed. In the evening I walked round to my friend’s and fed her cat, she was super affectionate and we had some fuss. My next job was to go shopping and here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Migros Supermarket
Plastic bag 0.50 Onions 5.01 Milk 10.90 Pasta 13.95 Turkish ravioli 32.50 2 Quark 91.90 Toilet roll 279.95 400g Beef Mince 329.95 Total spent 764.66 lira (£13.90)
For dinner, I warmed up the left over chicken casserole, spinach and rice from Çağrı and it was very tasty still. That night I was in bed early as I felt really tired.
Gratitude List 1. All of Kate’s 7 cats surviving the 5 days 2. Being alive after the shock from the laptop lead. 3. Being able to get a replacement lead from Dalyan Computer.
Saturday 15th November was one of those days where I was totally cheesed off. I don’t have many days like that because generally I try to keep positive and upbeat wherever I can. I try to tackle problems with a solution as soon as I can. I was also finding that going through the menopause was having an impact on my emotions and I was so much more easily put out of sorts by things I couldn’t control. I fed the chaotic 7 cats. Norman, the 3 legged cat, wasn’t about but there was a black and white one in its place. I worked on my planner but was disappointed to realise that on Canva my margins had come undone and I had lots of changes to update. It meant that I was further delayed to submit the copy to Amazon for a proof copy. I was miffed as, if I’d known earlier, I would’ve planned better. I got another Fikri taxi back home but had to be back before 6pm as a friend was coming over for pizza (again). When I got back to Kate’s, there had been a cat incident; Norman the 3-legged cat was back and tormenting JC and Baby. There was a dead blackbird as a gift at the back door and Mork had, what looked like, a cat’s tail in his mouth! It ended with me having to let Kate know and her telling me to me to contact Sue to come get her cat. When Sue and Graham arrived they went to get Norman in the cat carrier but decided he would rather stay where he was and went home without him! Baby had still not come home and it’s tail is the same colouring so we had some drama trying to find it. Me and my friend had to form a search party for a cat without half of its tail. We gave up looking once we got hungry and ordered Ozzy’s pizzas. It came to 800 lira (£14.55) for 2 and was lovely. At 11.15pm, when my friend was leaving, Baby came home with her tail in tact and demanding to be fed. We were all very relieved but there was still the mystery of who the tail belonged to.
Gratitude List 1. Still finding something to be grateful for 2. Fikri 3. Friends who understood.
On Sunday 16th November I fed the cats and was met by another gift of a dead bird – they really do like me. After disposing of the second bird in 2 days, the second without a head attached, I decided the cats were all going out in the sun for the day. I also decided to take myself off on my own Sunday walk and was intending to pop home to put some washing on. I treated myself to lunch at Çağrı, where I had chicken casserole, garlic spinach, rice and bread with a bottle of water for 720 lira (£13.09) including a tip. There was enough to take half home but that’s when I realised I hadn’t brought my house key. I took it with me and called in to Bim Supermarket where I bought some sweets and a Dido chocolate bar for 77 lira (£1.40) then I needed a toilet stop.
I called in to Mono where I ordered a green tea for 60 lira (£1.09) and sat relaxing and updating my diary. They had a new promotion on for Friday night Indian food with a set menu at 1,390 lira (£25.27) for 2 people, not including drinks. I got chatting with the owners and accidentally found myself with a large portion of delicious carrot cake for 295 lira (£5.36). It was probably the most expensive piece of cake I’d eaten in quite a while but it was very good and I didn’t manage to save half, as intended. I walked back to Kate’s, a bit cheesed off at having forgotten the key but pleased I’d had a day out, even if I had unexpectedly spent over £20. Back at Kate’s I fed all but 1 of the cats who didn’t turn up that evening.
Gratitude List 1. An impromptu Sunday walk 2. Great food and cake 3. Having most of the cats fed and watered.
Wednesday 12th November was chock-a-block with stuff! Norman and I were out before daylight and he tried to go back to the spot he’d found the fish. He’d got an oyster shell in his mouth which I quickly retrieved – luckily as it was broken and could injure an animal. After Norman’s breakfast he went back to bed while I took my measurements. I’d lost 0.4kg (0.9lb) on the home scales, which was surprising. My bust had stayed the same, I’d put 1cm on my waist but lost 1cm on my hips. Not bad, considering Sabotage Tuesday had got me. I did some Resort Experts work before prioritising The Handy Travel Planner – yes, it now had a title! I updated the Packing, Itinerary, Must Do, See & Eats pages as well as reformatting the questions pages. I had soup for lunch before taking Norman on a quick outing before Fat Club. Bizarrely, on Carol’s scales, I was the same as last week. I was getting a bit frustrated that I wasn’t losing the weight but, although I was drinking far less and not as often, I wasn’t being as strict on the food. Even though I was walking Norman 3 times each day, it wasn’t far or fast. After Fat Club I called at the shops to pick up some shopping to give to Kate. I was meeting her to pick up house keys so that I could start the cat care from tomorrow. Here’s what I bought, with prices in lira;
Migros Supermarket Plastic bag 0.50 Pasta 13.95 Courgettes 18.98 Rice crackers 24.00 Milk 39.95 Chickpeas 69.95 Bananas 76.92 Pesto 79.95 Dark chocolate 84.95 Mushrooms 89.95 Total spent 499.10 lira (£9.07)
When I arrived at Ozzy’s to meet Kate, it was a little chaotic! Kate had just finished hosting the quiz and was trying to do 3 things at once. She apologised as she was very busy and had forgotten the key. I sat down next to Vanessa and had a soda water but I had to leave because I was meeting my next cat owner to discuss her requirements and pick up her key. Vanessa and I took Ozzy’s phone number so that we could order delivery from him this coming weekend.
I said bye and headed to my next appointment, buying a couple of chocolate bars on the way as I was a bit early. I was eating a chocolate bar outside the Millennium shop when my friend arrived. We walked to her house, she gave me a spare key, and ran through the cat’s needs. Norman and I had a little walk and bumped into my parents to say farewell and wish them a nice break at Jiva Beach in Fethiye. We then wandered past Phil who was walking Caramel and he’d left Penny in Tez bar. I decided to go in to say hello and had a glass of red wine while Norman got some fuss. He enjoyed listening to the regulars singing and even got a dog treat from Penny. Back home I had a video call with Captain Caveman who was working in Scotland and was in a hotel. I had a very late dinner of chicken casserole then some cheese and wine as a weigh day treat.
Gratitude List 1. Not putting weight on 2. Norman 3. Things going well with half of the cat sitting arrangements.
There was a craft fair in Dalyan on Saturday 8th November and I’d arranged to accompany Nanny Kay to it. I got up early to walk Norman and had a slight hangover but it soon went after my tea and toast. I spoke to Captain Caveman before he got up and he was looking forward to seeing me in exactly 2 weeks’ time. He did want me to check the beach bus timetable as he was planning a couple of Sunday walks and wanted to see if the beach was a viable route. I’d misunderstood the timings of today and Nanny Kay didn’t arrive until lunch time so I could’ve gone back to bed after the dog walk. We had a browse round the stalls and Nanny Kay got a couple of nice Christmas ornaments. It probably won’t surprise you that I just bought food items. Here’s what I got with the prices in lira;
I had a lovely few hours out, in the sun for just 620 lira (£11.26). We’d had to have a sit down and a beverage at Jiks as it was just so hot. Norman was asleep when I got home but when he woke up he was pleased to see me and we went out for a walk. It was 3.15pm when I had sourdough, olives and cheese for lunch. Norman reminded me that we still hadn’t been to buy any treats and that we should go today. I reassured him he could have some tomorrow and that he’d be ok as he’s put quite a lot of weight on recently. I did a few more updates for my forthcoming planner and then had more sourdough as it was just so nice. Tomorrow, I was meant to be taking the day off but I really needed to be getting my book finished and delivered to Captain Caveman so that he could bring a proof copy out for me to check. I wanted to get it published and on sale before Christmas. On the evening dog walk, we called in to see my parents and I gave them some pasties from the fair but didn’t go in as Dad was getting in the shower and they were off out later.
Gratitude List 1. Sourdough 2. Norman 3. Spending time with Nanny Kay.
I wasn’t planning on seeing anyone on Sunday 9th November as I’d decided to get on with the internal pages of my planner. My parents and their friends had gone on a Yellow boat day trip so I hadn’t arranged to meet them. I took Norman on a dog walk in the morning, in the middle of the day and again in the evening. He only went a couple of blocks but at least it was not raining. He slept a lot and I got on with stuff, slower than I wanted to be doing! When I finished for the evening, I fed Norman and he hinted that he wanted some treats so I decided to go to the shop. As I went in Migros, Julie came running up behind me to say my parents were in Ozzy’s and I should come and say hello after their boat trip. I quickly grabbed some dog treats and some human ones too for a total of 174.10 lira (£3.18) and then wandered over to join my parents, Julie & Gareth, Adam & Kath. I ended up having a couple of red wines and a chicken pizza in Ozzy’s and my parents shared a pizza too. My dinner with drinks came to just 705 lira (£12.82) and was an unplanned and tasty surprise. Ozzy was giving residents a 10% discount during the winter which was a lovely gesture and his pizzas are excellent.
Gratitude List 1. Getting a little further with my planner 2. Norman 3. An impromptu meal and drinks with my parents & friends.
It wasn’t surprising that I had put weight on, on Wednesday 5th November, when I got on the home scales! A whole 0.3kg (0.7lb), my bust had stayed the same, I’d lost 1cm from my waist and put 1cm on my hips! I popped the slow cooker on with a Thai chicken curry in and cancelled my evening plans so that I could help Jamie out. He and Drew were leaving for a holiday tomorrow and I was looking after Norman however, because they wanted to leave early in the morning, I’d been asked to take Norman this evening and, of course, I’d said yes. First, I went to Fat Club to find I had stayed the same weight as last week on Carol’s scales, so I was pleased about that. I had a water for 50 lira (91p) and we all had a chat and a laugh. On my way home, I called at the shop and here’s what I bought, prices in lira (still no tinned tomatoes);
Migros Supermarket
Milk 27.50 Tomato pasta sauce 33.95 Bitter chocolate 57.50 BBQ sauce 125.21 Frozen berries 229.95 Total spent 474.11 lira (£8.62)
Jamie and Drew popped round with Norman and brought all of his stuff except for his treat tin, so Norman was not amused! We had a glass of wine to toast the start of their holidays and I promised Norman I would get him treats from the shop. Later, Vanessa popped over for a cup of tea and a chat, we took little Norman out but he was not happy to go out or with the stairs. I had to practically drag him out! I shared some curry and steamed rice with Vanessa and portioned some up for her to take back for Matt. By 10pm, Norman had been out again, reluctantly, and was in his bed. I set my alarm for before it got light as I didn’t want Norman to pee in the house.
Gratitude List 1. Not putting weight on, with Carol’s scales 2. Norman 3. Swapping a night out to see a band, for a curry night with Vanessa and Norman.
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.
It was weigh day again on Wednesday 29th October and I was not optimistic, given last night’s over indulgences. It was also the end of my dog sitting for Norman as Jamie would arrive back after 10pm tonight. It was a busy day, starting with me having to wake little Norman up at 7.35am. I took my measurements; I had lost 1cm from my bust and waist and 2cm from my hips – that was surprising, but we would see what Carol’s scales said later. I worked and got ready for the dog and house handover, at lunch time I went to the shops on the way to Fat Club. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira:
At Fat Club I was pleased to find I had not put weight on, in fact I was 0.15kg (0.3lb) lighter! I picked up a Slimming World book for more inspiration for this week and was determined to do better. I joined an entrepreneur Facebook group, The Impact Project, run by Strategist Lisa Johnson which was free and looked interesting. For lunch I had rivitas with cheese, olives and grapes (as a treat), and I had interest in my cheese. In the evening I just had 7 chestnuts for dinner as I wasn’t hungry and I had been too busy.
Gratitude List 1. Losing weight 2. Norman 3. Chestnuts.
On Thursday 30th October I had a chat booked in with a publisher about doing my next book cover for me. I’d been so busy and stressed with Canva that I really needed some expertise for ‘The Handy Travel Planner’. It would also mean that I could get it completed to be able to have it out by Christmas, hopefully. I’d done a few designs myself but they lacked oomph so I spoke to Nicole who works for Claire Clarke, a publisher of planners, workbooks and journals. We got on well and I was pleased she got me and wasn’t offended when I ranted on just how much I hated Pinterest and found it an utter waste of time. In the afternoon, I had a Resort Experts team meeting to attend where we had a training session with Major Travel. They had some really great deals on for Dubai as well as covering the US and the Maldives. After 6pm I ventured out of the house to draw out some cash for the weekend and to get more shopping in, here’s what I bought with prices in lira:
Migros Supermarket
Rice crackers 24.00 1 Dido chocolate bar 24.95 Pasta sauce (tomato) 33.95 Bin liners 44.95 Sliced wholemeal bread 59.90 Wholemeal wraps 93.50 Total spent 281.25 lira (£5.16)
It was a sign that November was approaching as there were no tinned tomatoes on the shelves, and not for the first time. I tried another shop but to no avail;
Şok Supermarket 500g pasta 14.00 Jellies 19.50 Chicken pieces 55.00 Total spent 88.50 lira (£1.62)
I arranged a night out for tomorrow with Jamie, Nanny Kay, my parents and their friends. It was bound to get messy as we were meeting at 6.30pm. I had less than £100 this month and I didn’t really have the money to be going out, however, I felt I needed a ‘Friday after work’ drink to round off a hard going month. Captain Caveman said he would give me some money and I said I would put it to one side for when he came next month. I made a quick chicken pasta for dinner and then had an early night.
Gratitude List 1. Working with Claire and Nicole at IamClaireClarke on my next book 2. Being able to afford shopping 3. Captain Caveman offering to give me money so that I could go out at the weekend.
It was still a bit wet out on the morning of Saturday 25th October so I had decided not to bother with the market. As the ground was wet with puddles and I was still wearing sandals, I thought I’d rather not get wet feet. By the time it got to lunch time the sun was back out so I changed my mind and ventured out. I took a proper bag to the market and I’d already got cash so there was no faffing about today. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Stall 1 3 potatoes 20 lira (37p)
Stall 2 Tulum cheese White cheese Olives 600 lira (£11)
Total spent 1,270 lira (£23.29) which was probably the most I’d spent in the market in a long time – it was also the most I’d carried since breaking my foot and I managed. I’d gone a bit mad on the cheese as the stall holder had the nice strong Tulum which looks like a regular cheddar but tastes more like a blue cheese without the blue in it – it’s very strong and lasts ages. I always get to taste the cheese and the olives too, even though I usually buy the same ones. When I got back, Norman hadn’t even noticed I’d been gone and was still fast asleep. I ate my very tasty gözleme for lunch and then did some work in the afternoon/evening. Ma & Pa popped round, I gave them some eggs and they brought Norman’s towel & bowl back – they didn’t stay as they were off for a walk but I suggested we might catch up tomorrow. For dinner I had a pasta dish and put a sprinkling of the tulum cheese on top. I didn’t have any alcohol as I was trying to be good tonight.
Gratitude List 1. Managing a full market shop and walking back with it all 2. Norman 3. Nice, simple food.
On Sunday 26th October I didn’t wake up until 7.50am and when I went downstairs, Norman had had an accident – runny poo on the tiled floor and he’d slipped in it. Poor Norman had to be cleaned as well as the floor and he had a sorry look in his eyes. I told him everything was going to be ok and stayed with him all morning, I even made him some eggs for breakfast. I decided to make a pumpkin soup in the slow cooker and did a bit of work, despite it being a Sunday. For lunch I had leftover pasta with the rest of the salad from Friday’s takeaway and Norman, although sleepy, seemed to be doing much better. I left him for an hour when my parents called to go for a walk to the Kefal tea gardens. They both ordered a mackerel sandwich and drinks but I just had a plate of chips. I decided to ask my parents over for a Sunday dinner and we walked back past the Şevikoğlu shop to buy provisions. Unfortunately, they had no whole chickens left, nor any decent wine so we had to make do with chicken breasts and I would order the booze in.
Here’s what I bought, with prices in lira;
Şevikoğlu Supermarket 1 plastic bag 0.50 Red cabbage 21.39 Wet wipes 39.90 3 Dido nut chocolate bars 89.70 1.6kg chicken breasts 295.04 Total spent 446.53 lira (£8.19)
When we got back, Norman was pleased to see us and had been fine. I messaged the off licence for them to bring us wine – my parents were surprised you could do this but it saved us walking and carrying it.
Yaman Büfe Wine Soda water Total spent 1,040 lira (£19.08)
We sat on the terrace with our wine and Norman potted about, he was having trouble with the steps so we tried to fashion a ramp out of a big tile. Norman seemed interested but it wasn’t really safe. I served up the pumpkin soup, a first try of it for my parents who said they liked it (they didn’t have seconds though). We had sliced chicken breast with roast potatoes, carrots and red cabbage for main, I didn’t have any stuffing to put with it. I saved Norman some chicken as he’s quite partial to a roast dinner and he wolfed it down. Our dessert was just a Dido chocolate bar each and we didn’t have a late one as I had to be up early tomorrow. It was nice to have Sunday dinner with my parents and have the afternoon off.
Gratitude List 1. Good food 2. Norman 3. Spending time with my parents.
It was back to it on Monday 20th October and I had plenty to do, before looking after Norman on Wednesday. The weather forecast over the next few days predicted rain. At lunch time I had a break and warmed up a curry I had got out of the freezer, then cracked back on with the to do list. I finished on the laptop at 5.45pm and made myself a ‘pretend’ pizza with a wholemeal wrap base, but forgot I didn’t have any grated mozzarella – I used cheese balls instead and it still tasted fine. At 9.30pm I had a video call with Captain Caveman who was continuing to work hard in the UK. We both agreed it felt a long time to be waiting to see each other again.
Gratitude List 1. It not raining yet 2. Easy and tasty meals 3. Speaking to Captain Caveman.
I had a bit of excitement on Tuesday 21st October; I pushed through the to do list in the morning and then had arranged to meet up with friends, Dot & Ian. The rain hadn’t started yet so I made my way to Okyanus where we had some drinks and a lovely lunch. Dot ordered Menemen, Ian a breakfast sandwich and I had a chicken wrap with homemade chips. Dot and I had a couple of white wines, Ian drank Efes and we chatted loads. It was great to hear their future plans and it was lovely sunshine until the rain came. I’d helped them out with a passport situation when I was in London last so they insisted on paying for lunch, which was very kind and totally unexpected. I really enjoyed our catch up, the lunch was lovely and it was nice to take a little bit of time off too. We said our farewells at my gate and I spent the afternoon catching up on some content writing. I even sat out on the balcony as the sun was back out and it was rather warm. A friend had organised a ladies night boat trip which I had to decline, not just because it wasn’t in the budget but, because I had a full diary until 6pm and it started at 3pm. I got a message saying I would be missed which was thoughtful.
I messaged my parents to see if I could call in after going to the shops later, as it had been a week since I saw them. Unfortunately, they already had plans to join friends for a night out and were waiting for confirmation of where and when to meet them. At 6pm I decided to pop to the shop to get something for dinner and see if there was Quark in stock. My Mom messaged to say they could meet me for one drink before they went out with their friends, if I wanted, so I said yes. Here’s what I bought in Migros, prices in lira;
Migros Süpermarket Green peppers 13.98 Red peppers 15.88 2 Dido chocolate bars 49.00 Bananas 53.70 2 Dido Gold bars 54.00 2 packs of Mozzarella cheese 147.80 Total spent 334.46 lira (£6.14)
I walked over to meet Ma & Pa in Jiks, which is opposite the supermarket. They already had Efes Malts on the go and I ordered a white wine and soda (with it being a school night). Mom kept checking her phone to see if her friend had sent the location of where they needed to be and my plan was to go back home with my shopping and make some dinner, once they left. We had a couple of wines in Jiks and, when I went to the loo, Dad ordered me a third wine. This meant I’d had 5 wines today and was quite tipsy – weigh day tomorrow wasn’t going to go well! We paid the 1300 lira bill at Jiks (£23.85) and we were ready to leave. Ma & Pa still hadn’t heard from her friend so we decided to call for one in Ren Garden. There is a cute cat that hangs about in there and it had befriended my parents (who don’t usually like cats). Once we got in there, we didn’t leave until midnight. I was sozzled and hadn’t had any dinner. Our bill in Ren Garden came to 1400 lira (£25.69) which I paid for and I don’t remember getting home!
Gratitude List 1. Lunch with Dot & Ian 2. Getting to see my parents for an impromptu night out 3. Remembering to take my shopping home.
I started the day with cheese, olives and fresh bread for breakfast on Saturday 18th October. I tried to catch up with blogging but work had started on the building next door where there was lots of drilling noises. My Mom messaged to ask if I was going to the market, I didn’t think I could be bothered and decided to use what I had or stock up at the shop. Last night, Migros had quite a few empty shelves so I had to go back anyway. I asked what they were up to and they were busy meeting up with friends, so I wouldn’t see them this weekend. I had more leek and potato soup for lunch then carried on with my content writing for social media. Time flew by and I went for a walk about 6pm where I realised the noise wasn’t building work but was palm tree trimming. I called at the supermarket again as I was out of Quark and onions. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
For dinner I had a very strange concoction of chicken stew with a side of Turkish ravioli (mantı) instead of potatoes. It was really nice and very filling. I checked my countdown and Captain Caveman would be here in Dalyan in 5 weeks’ time.
Gratitude List 1. Great food 2. Catching up on my writing 3. Staying in for another night at the weekend.
Jamie and I had decided to take advantage of the last Sunday lunch at Lukka bar on Sunday 19th October. Lukka bar were going to be closing at the end of the month for a holiday and were also not going to be doing Sunday lunches over the winter. On my way out of our complex, I saw a small, dead snake and took a photo to send to Captain Caveman to see if he could identify it – I didn’t hear back.
Jamie and I met up at Lukka bar and we decided a bottle of red wine would go lovely with our roast beef dinners. The Sunday lunch portion size is generous so I hadn’t bothered with breakfast and I also took my tupperware. The meal tasted lovely and I was conscious that my Slimming World plan was, once again, out of the window. I made the mistake of ordering my gravy on the side but, with hindsight, I should’ve had it together as the dish is clay and it can make the food stick or become dry without the gravy on – I salvaged it by pouring it on though. I took some of my dinner plus my apple pie home as I was full and trying to be good. Even though it’s not the cheapest place in town, we were both very happy with our Sunday lunch and the price. Here’s what we paid, prices in lira:
Soda water 70 Coke zero 110 Large water 120 Bottle of Angora red wine 950 2 Beef Sunday dinners 2200 Total spent 3,450 lira (£63.30 so £31.65 each)
On my way back home I decided to move the dead snake with my crutch in case any of the stray animals tried to eat it. It turns out, it wasn’t dead!
Gratitude List 1. Sunday lunch at Lukka with Jamie 2. Leftovers 3. Not getting bitten by a snake.
I took my measurements on Wednesday 15th October to find the inevitable increase; bust +1cm, waist +2cm, hips +1cm. This was to be expected with an all inclusive 5 day break then a 2 course meal out last night. My weight had also increased by 0.5kg which I’m surprised wasn’t more. Luckily, all the walking had helped keep it to a minimum. I was busy catching up with work so I didn’t do much else today. As I was so busy, I didn’t cook any proper meals, instead, I finished off the pastries I still had from our trip to Antalya. One of the gifts from the Anex Fam trip was a handmade pot and I still wasn’t sure what I would use it for. The bath towel I got, went in the cupboard and would be my travel towel – particularly useful for boat trips in the warmer months too. Later, I had a video call with Captain Caveman who was working hard in the UK and was glad to hear I had enjoyed the Anex Fam trip.
Gratitude List 1. Lucky to not weigh and measure more after all the indulgences. 2. Not stressing about the size of my to do list 3. Speaking to Captain Caveman.
Thursday 16th October went surprisingly quickly for me. As well as lots of catching up on work and book project tasks, I managed to pay for my home internet online which was 600 lira (£11) for the month and I updated my income and expenditure spreadsheet. With hindsight, it was a good job that Captain Caveman wasn’t coming for a holiday in October as that would keep my spending lower for the rest of this month. In the afternoon, we had a team meeting where Jamie did a presentation on our trip to Antalya with Anex. We asked for Anex to be added to our quote system too as we were keen to be able to showcase Anex on QuoteAway. I didn’t have time to go shopping so I made a mushroom and sweetcorn noodle dish for dinner, which wasn’t great but I ate it. I was trying to get back on the Slimming World plan before I got any heavier.
Gratitude List 1. Still being frugal to save money 2. Having food in the house so I didn’t have to go shopping 3. Getting back on track after being away.
I woke up on Friday 17th October after a restless night’s sleep. I also looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards in my dreams! I did some work then had a catch up with a friend in the UK who usually calls me on her Friday morning walk. It was nice to talk to her and hear how she was doing well. Before lunch I did some quotes for families looking at the price of going to Land of Legends next summer. I had a leek and potato soup followed by fruit then carried on with work for the rest of the afternoon, including helping out a family member and a webinar for some cruise training. I finished around 6.30pm and went to the supermarket – it was time to stock up. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Migros Supermarket Milk 21.80 Dido nut chocolate bar 30.00 Tomato pasta sauce 33.95 Marshmallows 39.95 Cashew nuts 95.00 Turkish ravioli (mantı) 119.95 1.1kg chicken 214.07 Total spent 554.72 lira (£10.18)
Parlak Bakery 1 potato açma 1 tahini simit 1 fresh bread Total spent 85 lira (£1.56)
Unfortunately, the shelves in Migros were quite empty and I didn’t get everything I needed. I ate some of the bakery stuff for dinner with some olives, didn’t bother with any alcohol and went to bed early.
Gratitude List 1. A phonecall with a friend from the UK 2. Food shopping 3. Having a night in.
I was up early on Monday 13th October so that I had time for my last buffet breakfast at the 5 Star Selectum Luxury Resort hotel in Belek, near Antalya. Debby and I had breakfast together and we learned from some of the others that it had turned in to a late night for some of the party animals. We laughed that we were getting old as we were in bed with a hot drink before midnight. I decided to stock up on pastries and take some back to the room in case Jamie and I needed sustenance for the 4 hour journey home.
The Manchester Travel Agents were flying first, then the Gatwick ones. Check out was not until midday but I went back to pack, ready for getting back to Dalyan. Although I had managed very well with my broken foot and crutch, I was definitely tired and was looking forward to a rest – and less walking! I met Jamie and some of the Anex staff in reception, and everyone was talking about how good a time they had been having on the Fam trip – we really had been well looked after. Before we knew it, we were heading over to the bar area where Amanda ordered a tray of Baby Guiness and offered them round to the 6 of us. Amanda and Stacey, from Anex, had the idea that Jamie and I should join them at the Kremlin Palace hotel tonight.They were already booked in for a few nights there so Jamie got on a video call to Drew to check if he minded and could he dog sit for one more night and, of course, he was fine with it. We did consider Drew coming to join us but it would not have been Norman’s cup of tea. I googled the bus times from Belek to Dalyan and the bus had already left Belek at 9.55am. There was a bus from Antalya at 11am which would mean getting a taxi to there, immediately! The bus would also take over 7 hours with stops in either Aydın, Fethiye, or both, then Ortaca. Stacey got on the phone to check availability and get us a discounted price to share a room at the Kremlin Palace while the attentive bar man placed more shots at the bar. Our discounted price on an All Inclusive basis at the Kremlin Palace was £160 per room, so £80 each, and although not within my budget, I hadn’t spent anything in the last 4 days. We accepted the kind offer and took a Baby Guiness! Having checked out of the Selectum, we went to wave off the Manchester lot as they boarded the bus for Antalya airport. It had been great to meet so many lovely people but we were surprised that the farewell committee consisted only of the Anex staff, Debby, Jamie and me. I had some chocolate strawberries in reception and discovered there had been a cake bar just metres away from reception – I’m glad I’d not noticed it earlier. Jamie also found out that you could get soft drinks at any of the bars! The Gatwick Travel Agents left next and we, of course, formed a very small farewell committee with the Anex staff. Jamie tried to convince Fulya to come with us to the Kremlin Palace but I think she was looking forward to a well deserved rest.
Once Jamie had drank enough soft drinks and coffee, we arranged to drive over to the Kremlin Palace, which wasn’t far, and meet the Anex staff there. I had work to do so I logged in at a table in reception as our room wasn’t ready until 2pm. Jamie and I had people in mind back in Dalyan who would love a stay in the Selectum but either didn’t have a car or were unlikely enough to be sober enough to drive a hire car back to Dalyan after an All Inclusive break. I messaged drivers in Dalyan to ask how much they would charge for a transfer. One was a bit shocked that anyone would be flash enough to pay for that and quoted £320, while the cheapest one way journey was a bargain in comparison at £200. A hire car or the bus were still the better options.
After a few work related tasks, we had more of the Kremlin Palace’s champers and I had some Turkish delight. At 2.30pm, we went to our room which had a double and a single bed and had a bit of a sea view. There were snacks, fruit, drinks and toiletries as well as a complimentary bottle of Vodka, Whiskey and Prosecco, which was nice. I decided that as I was going to be paying £80 for an extra night, I was definitely going to make the most of it. I polished off the cookies and the baclava then we went to meet the 3 Anex staff; Amanda, Stacey and Tracey. Of course we waited at the beach bar, where Jamie was not impressed that we had to drink our all inclusive beer and prosecco from plastic cups. I spoke to the waiter and got free snacks to soak up the fizz. I tried the red wine and that was pretty good too.
The girls joined us and we had a good laugh as they had a great sense of humour and we were all on the same wavelength. There was a shop at the Kremlin Palace that sold loads of stuff, including Salt & Vinegar crisps – ideal if you’re there with kids or drunk people, or both! The restaurant was a bit of organised chaos and definitely had that ‘we don’t queue’ vibe from 95% of guests in there. Having said that, there was also a drinks waiter who was very generous on the wine pours and I thought the red wine was very good. As for the food options, there was so much choice and from various cuisines that it would suit even a fussy eater like me. All of the dishes were clearly labelled so that those of us with allergies could at least work out for ourselves if they were suitable. I had a chicken and rice dish with chips and some salad and it was very tasty. I didn’t really fancy a dessert but, as I’d paid for it, I got a bit of cheesecake down me – it was pretty good. After dinner, we took a walk around the grounds where we tested out the (children’s) mini cars and had a race! It probably wasn’t wise with a broken foot but, to be honest, they were very easy to use and meant I was the speediest I’d been since I arrived in Antalya. Poor Tracey took a wrong turn and the man in charge had to chase after her. Reversing on cobbles also turned out to be trickier than it looked. We decided, although it was technically a day off for us all, we needed to check out the Kremlin Palace indoor bar. Not everyone was impressed; the bar man was fast, abrupt and gave dangerous measures, the lighting was dim and the bar lacked atmosphere. However, there were ramps, the bar was near to the toilets, and there was a seating area with round booths which were ideal for chatting to your companions in. If you know what you want to drink, the bar man isn’t an issue – if you like your (premium) vodka and coke so strong you have to ask for a separate coke, you will love this place! There was also very few English guests so it did actually feel like you were on holiday, rather than down a Wetherspoons. I actually enjoyed the Kremlin Palace and would definitely recommend it for the right sort of person. I knew we were very lucky to have had the extra night and I’d enjoyed getting to know Amanda, Stacey & Tracey more.
Gratitude List 1. Farewell breakfast with Debby who had been a great room mate 2. Staying an extra night in another hotel, the Kremlin Palace 3. Getting to know the Anex girls and sharing some great stories together.
Saturday 4th October was not only market day in Dalyan but it was my first day without medication. It would turn out to be quite a frustrating morning but a rather lovely afternoon. Debbie had already offered to get me some fruit and veg from the market. I’d declined her kind offer because my parents had said they were going and that we could go together. Ma agreed to give me cash in exchange for me doing a bank transfer which meant I only had to walk to the market and back. Unfortunately, I’d misunderstood about going to the market together as my parents prefer to walk to the market on a certain route and I didn’t want to walk to their’s and then through the side streets when it was easier and quicker for me to go down the main road. I thought I’d meet them there, get the money, share their shopping trolley for anything heavy and all walk back together. That didn’t happen. I got to the market fine, a bit in pain and frustrated at how slow I was. This meant my parents had almost finished their shopping and wanted to get off. I got the money from Mom and we bought some strawberries together before Dad needed to go to the loo. I’m so like my Dad in that regard as I also had wondered if I would make it there and back without a loo break. They weren’t walking back my way as they were going in to town to the supermarket so I couldn’t walk that distance yet. I decided not to buy much else as I hadn’t even brought a suitable bag to carry the shopping back in. It was hard work walking back and the bag straps were cutting in to my shoulders. I managed to get over half way when Ali, came past on her mobility scooter and asked if I wanted a lift. I have never been so grateful for the offer of a lift. She dropped me off just a few minutes later and she said she’d pop in next week for a cuppa and a chat. She also said to ask her to get me anything rather than struggling to get it myself. I was still pleased that I had managed it without the painkillers and I at least had something to offer my guests later. I had bought cheese, olives, butter, bananas, mushrooms and strawberries and I can’t recall how much I spent aside from the strawberries being 300 lira (£5.50). Luckily the off licence does free delivery so I could order that later. After getting in, I was exhausted. At midday Penny popped in for a cup of tea and brought some cakes, which were very good but a bit naughty, and some fresh bread. I took Norman out early so that he didn’t miss a walk once my next guests arrived. Captain Caveman called and we decided I would book my flights to see him at Christmas. I chose a return flight and added 15kg luggage. We also decided that, as we weren’t going to Vietnam for Christmas and New Year, we would look for a January holiday somewhere warm instead. When The Aussies arrived I was out on the terrace waiting for them and I’d already ordered the following delivery from Yaman Büfe; Gin Tonic Wine Soda water Ice Crisps Total spent 1,155.00 lira (£21.19)
I got out a few nibbles and we sat outside all evening. I had some wine with lots of soda as it was my first alcoholic drink in a month and I didn’t want to feel hungover tomorrow. My guests were on the gin and also brought some treats. We had a good laugh and Norman was glad of the company. Amanda and Greg didn’t leave until 2am and I think we had covered discussions on most topics – I even discovered Greg can do an excellent donkey impression. This was meant to have been our last goodbye but we agreed to a late lunch tomorrow afternoon.
Gratitude List 1. Surviving the market shopping 2. Getting a lift from Ali 3. Having Penny and the Aussies come over to visit.
October was going to be eventful! I was awake before 7am on Wednesday 1st October and it would turn out to be a busy day. Before I even got out of bed, I had set the budget for the month at £1,000 and, now that Captain Caveman was no longer coming to visit me in October, I planned to work as much as possible on Resort Experts, my handy travel planner and the next handy travel tips book. This would mean I could turn down anything that was not aligned to my goals and my budget and concentrate on what needed to be done. I checked the data on my JOLOYOLO blog to find that it had less visitors and views last month, than in August. Vietnam readers were not in the Top 10 (again), the Top 3 countries were the UK, Turkey and Spain. I sat out on the terrace with a big mug of tea and started planning my week of looking after Norman. I also needed to get my broken foot to a point where I could walk properly again. It was weigh day, so I got weighed to find I had put on 0.25kg (0.6lb). Not great, but my measurements were more favourable; bust -2cm, waist no change, hips -3cm. I wasn’t able to walk to Fat Club today and I had too much going on with work to go, anyway. Midmorning, I decided I would walk to the nearest shops to get some provisions. It took me about 25 minutes to get there and here is what I bought, with prices in lira;
I was conscious that I couldn’t carry any tins, bottles or anything too heavy so I kept it to small or light items. When I got back, it had took me around 1 hour to walk the 300m and back! I still had quite a bit of improvement to make on the walking.
After eating an early lunch of an açma and a banana I worked and also started to look at holidays for Captain Caveman and I. I started a Facebook thing with a couple of colleagues, where we shared Optimistic October prompts. Today’s was to write down 3 things I was looking forward to in October. Mine were going to Antalya on a work trip, getting my handy travel planner a bit nearer to being completed and getting more content written for my next handy travel tips book. I finally got little Norman out for a walk but we only made it as far as my parents gate and back. We didn’t go in, as they were out with friends on the yellow boat today, tomorrow they were off to Göcek. I’d asked them over for a farewell drink with the Aussies at the weekend but they weren’t able to join us as they had already been invited out with their friends for dinner and drinks on both Friday & Saturday. For dinner I warmed up a chicken dinner and then watched Netflix with Norman, before bed.
Gratitude List 1. Having good measurements despite putting weight on 2. Walking to the shops and back with actual shopping 3. Planning my own holiday.
joloyolo 