On Friday 27th May I’d called Mark when I got in, at 4.30am, to check he hadn’t fallen in to a ditch on the way home and he’d been fine. Kate messaged me around 9am, asking if I had been out with Mark last night. He’d got in around 4.30am but was unable to tell her what happened as he had fallen asleep. I updated her on the goings on and, when I told her about my foot she was very helpful. She offered to bring painkillers and a dressing because today we were off out on a day trip, which Kate had organised. By the time I had showered and checked my cut toe I had received a message from Des which was simply a photo of him having a beer while waiting for his airport pick up with Fikri. I messaged Maddie to thank her again as she’d been worried about me going home alone and had offered to come over if I needed her to.
My parents came to call for me, as we were meeting at Kaan’s Tequila boat at 10.15am, but I could hardly walk. There was spots of blood on the apartment floor and my sandals were ruined. As I hobbled towards the boat I told my parents of last night’s shenanigans. It was going to be a long day, luckily I hadn’t drank much last night but I could only imagine how bad Mark must be feeling this morning! On board Kaan’s Tequila boat we grabbed a hot drink on our way to pick up Mark and Kate from their jetty, then off to a calm little bay for swimming. Kate sorted out my foot and dressing so that I could get in the water for a swim at Hole Island and Kath lent me her pink crocs so I could do the steps easier. Brenda (from Barnsley) gave me some paracetamol and within 20 minutes the pain had eased. There were a couple of hiccups before lunch; Kate cut her foot on some rocks and Kaan had assumed today’s guests preferred Efes Malt to normal and there wasn’t going to be enough for everyone. Kate decided to swim over to the neighbouring boat and do some beer swaps so that there would be more of what everyone wanted. Kaan made us a lovely BBQ lunch and we had a really tasty meal followed by quite a few vodkas for me, Adam, Mark, Kate and Kaan. There was plenty of swim stops, Mark and Kaan even treated the ladies to a ‘diet coke ad’ type shower together, which none of us can ever unsee. It was an honour to be in such winning company; not only had Kate brought her medal to show everyone but another guest had brought her swimming t-shirt for when she took part in the recent swimming event from Iztuzu beach. Mark chose to model both the shirt and the medal and we all got to touch them!
In the afternoon Kate banged on her playlist and we had a good old dance. Linda was the best dancer of the day as, not only was she a great mover, her stamina was worthy of a medal. Despite my recent injury, I managed to dance, my parents had a good boogie too and it was such a lovely bunch of people. On the way back in to Dalyan we dropped Mark and Kate off at their jetty and they were definitely staying in tonight. After another amazing boat trip a few of us went to Tez bar for another drink. I had invited Kaan to join us but he was too busy getting ready for Tequila bar tonight and his next boat trip tomorrow. I could see my parents may have been persuaded to be out out, as they chatted to Adam, Kath, Jill, Mark, and Linda but I was begging for mercy. All I needed was to stop walking/dancing on my cut foot and rest up a bit. I hobbled home, had a shower and a bacon sandwich while watching some TV, but was in bed by 11pm. I even managed to sleep through the loud Jazz Bar noise.
I woke up about 9am on Thursday 26th May after not having had many hours sleep. I checked it was a Thursday and thought I could go back to sleep and try to get rid of my hang over. Oh dear, I had booked in several beauty treatments today, plus I had arranged Des’s leaving drinks for tonight, and was deeply regretting it already. I texted Mom, she and Dad weren’t feeling too fresh either, and was glad she hadn’t booked in multiple things today. I vaguely remembered walking home from Sofra bar by myself, which I never do. I also had a weird feeling that I had lost something important but couldn’t quite put my finger on it as I dragged myself in to the shower. My first appointment was for waxing at 11am; Mom was just having her eyebrows done but I could not have picked a more inappropriate set of treatments to endure when I felt this hung over. I had full legs, bikini and eyebrows waxed and how I wasn’t sick when she did my undercarriage from behind, I will never know – I could have cried. By the time I was done, my Mom had already gone home for lunch with Dad but I couldn’t stomach any food. Our next appointment was at 2.30pm at Kuaför Emrah, the hairdresser’s. When I arrived my Mom was already there and was mid-cut. In my opinion Emrah Kilis is one of the best hairdresser’s I’ve ever known so when he made a suggestion about what colour and style to have I just agreed because he knows what I like. Because of the hangover it felt like the longest hair cut and dye ever and I had to have sugar in my cup of tea. My Mom was finished in about 20 minutes, her hair looked great and she was pleased with it. Unfortunately though, her and Dad would no longer be coming out to Des’s leaving drinks tonight as they were feeling too under the weather. I was hoping for a good turn out so that I didn’t have to stay out too late but more people had started to send messages to wish Des well but to decline the invite to Rum bar this evening. Even Mark and Kate said they weren’t coming as they had overdone it yesterday. Debbie (Darling) was also having one of her rest days so couldn’t make it. As I was getting ready to leave the hairdresser’s, looking like a new woman, Des messaged to say his last class was cancelled so he could be out even earlier, 6pm instead of 8pm – oh no! I replied to say I definitely couldn’t make it for 6pm as I needed to eat. I went home and ate meat and potato pie, cauliflower greens and gravy with lashings of Henderson’s relish. I then lay down for half an hour trying to find the strength and motivation to go out to make sure Des got a good send off.
Des’s leaving drinks were booked in to start at 8pm from the Rum Bar. I’d invited quite a few people and there were lots of acceptances to the event invitation on Facebook. After forcing down the pie and greens I knew I still looked like death so there was only one thing for it! I decided to get dressed up and wear a dress with a good fitting bra underneath so no one would notice how tired my eyes were. My parents and Kate had sent an apology message to tell me to wish Des well but they wouldn’t make the farewell drinks on account of them overdoing it yesterday and having to stay in. On my way to Rum Bar I stopped off at Tez bar where at least half of the party people were having a drink, some looked like they had been there a while. I was also surprised to see Mark, who was meant to be having a night in. As I approached the table I got quite a few gawps at my outfit and, of course, Andy was the first to comment on me having the puppies out. At the big Tez table I joined Andy, Kay, Nick, Angela, Maddie, Sarah, Mark, a couple I didn’t know, then ordered a coke. Debbie (Darling) and Sue were sat at a separate table so I went to say hello. I was met with more compliments on my dress and I was a little concerned I may have chosen the wrong outfit. I was pleased no one had noticed I was hungover, looked rough or that I had a coke. At 8pm Sarah and I went to Rum Bar. Mark, Debbie (Darling), Roy, Andy, Kay and Sue said they definitely weren’t coming as they were going home after Tez Bar, but the others said they were going to pay up and join us. I’d reserved an area big enough for 10 people but at 8.10pm there was just me, Sarah and the 2 dogs, Yaps and Persil! Des arrived and was very complimentary of me getting dressed up, I decided this dress was definitely coming with me to Vietnam. I forced a Pina Colada down which I made last for hours. Rach and Nuri were next to arrive, by 10pm Adam and Kath arrived after their meal and joined us for a couple, which was nice. Just before 11pm, I was honestly ready for bed, more people showed up; Ülkü & Onur, Angela & Nick, Roy, Gareth, Mark and Maddie. Gareth, Debbie (Darling)’s son-in-law amazed me by telling me he saw me last night, pushing Bluey2 past Lukka bar. I didn’t recall this but I apparently spoke to him and told him I was heading home, I’d collected Bluey2 from Retro bar on my way home from Sofra bar. When Mark and Roy ordered a beer I asked for a glass of red wine but Mark decided we would share a bottle, as well as him having a beer and being pretty drunk already. I had 1 glass, Mark had a glass and 2 beers but then we put the top back on and asked Maddie to put it in her bag. Louize and her husband, Billy, were out with family and were celebrating Billy’s birthday at Rum Bar with a cake, which they kindly sent us over a plate of.
By midnight I was thinking I could say farewell to Des but that didn’t happen as he announced we were all going to Rodrigo’s bar. To be honest, it’s not my favourite bar; the owner and staff are nice but the toilets could do with a good clean and it’s the type of place that has pole dancing and karaoke on a Thursday. Some people said bye but the rest of us (Roy, Gareth, Maddie, Mark, Ülkü, Onur, Sarah, Rach, Nuri, Des and I) made it to Rodrigo’s. I ordered a red wine, Rach and Nuri didn’t stop long and, with it being a school night, I don’t think Sarah was far behind them. Oddly Des and Ülkü were the next to leave on account of him having to get up early to go to the airport. He was getting picked up by Fikri, flying to Istanbul from Dalaman and then off to Georgia for a bit. He had loved Dalyan and Turkey so was hoping to come back at some point, but if not we would meet again, somewhere in Asia, in 2023. It had been great to see Des and his visit had gone even better than I could have imagined. When he left he said some lovely things as I hugged and kissed him goodbye. I was a little teary as he left so I thought I’d go to the toilet to wash my face and get a tissue. That plan did not work out well, at all! Things were about to get messy, very messy indeed!
As I went from outside Rodrigo’s bar to the step at the door, I had tears in my eyes and I was trying not to cry. I noticed there was a wooden pallet, with a plastic covering on top, as a step from the outside seating area to the bar area/dancefloor. I had my nice black sandals on, bought for me by Khánh Linh at Jungle Boss as a gift a few years ago. My right sandal went under the top of the step covering but my foot went to go on top of it. I felt a sharp pain, kind of like stubbing my toe but it was on the bottom of my big toe. I retreated and sat down as I felt a bit woozy and I didn’t want to look down. Maddie had gone to chat to Trish on the table next to me, Roy and Gareth were messing about on a mobility scooter, Onur was drinking beer and Mark was chatting to some new friends who he’d been out and about with earlier on. The pain was pretty bad but then I felt a warm and wet sensation which I suspected was blood and I didn’t want to look down. I interrupted Maddie and asked her if she would come to the toilet with me, I told her what happened, she looked at my foot, told me not to look and escorted me slowly to the bathroom. I felt faint and I tried to will myself not to fall on the floor, as it became apparent that my foot was bleeding, a lot! Maddie took my sandal off and looked at it and it was difficult to see what I’d done exactly, she also has a phobia of touching feet. I fainted on to the toilet floor which was not clean. Maddie got the staff to bring me water and I asked for sugar as I came round. She had washed my sandal, and had got some damp tissue to try to clean up my foot. It hurt and was bleeding a bit too much, I needed to get out of the very small, and incredibly hot, toilet. The staff sorted out a sofa for me next to the dancefloor and we got there, where we propped my leg. Maddie had to face her fears and apply pressure to the cut to try to stop the bleeding. Savaş, the owner, wanted to call an ambulance but I wouldn’t let him. By this time, Onur had noticed what was going on and I thought he had come to help. He sat next to Maddie and I and seemed to be friendly enough until Mark noticed I was laying on a sofa with a bleeding foot. He was absolutely hammered and was hardly able to string a sentence together but he sat next to me to check what was going on. Maddie asked Mark to get more wet tissue from the toilet but he couldn’t function and eventually brought only dry. Onur took over this task and then got annoyed with Mark for being incapable of helping. Maddie was doing really well, despite also being quite tiddly and dressed in a lovely summer dress which I was very conscious I didn’t want to ruin by getting blood on. I was so sober by this time that I could sense that Onur had issues with Mark. Mark helped in the only way he knew how; by ordering me a glass of red wine and telling me to be quiet! He then had a temporary snooze at the side of me after drinking another double vodka RedBull. While Maddie left me to sort getting Mark home I noticed a few friendly faces at the bar, one of which was Jackie, who’s a nurse. She came over, applied pressure to my cut and told me I’d live. Mark rode off on his bicycle, Onur, the chef at a local restaurant, was getting a bit out of order now. He’d already tried to pick a fight with Mark, I had a go at him and asked him to leave, he wouldn’t and was nasty to me. I was not in the mood, I asked the bar man to call me a taxi, which he did and I left. I had no idea how I would make it up the stairs to the apartment but I had to. It was gone 4.30am when I got in, my foot was still bleeding and it was pretty sore, I wrapped my foot in kitchen roll and put a sock on so I could get to sleep, just as the call to prayer started!
Wednesday 25th May turned in to one of those days! I was already missing Vanessa, who had gone back to England on Saturday, the day we all had the jolly out with the Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Business. I knew I was going to miss her at Turkish class, and for drinks with the pool gang later that afternoon. I used leftover Yorkshire pudding mixture to make pancakes for breakfast before going to Turkish class, which I ended up late for. Today we started learning more about family in Turkish which is similar to Vietnamese in the hierarchy and complexity of who’s who. While we were having our Turkish class, Kate arrived early and was able to make use of the lovely swimming pool at Casablanca hotel, I’d forgotten my swimmers. After her lesson we ordered food and this time I went for the cheeseburger which Vanessa had recommended from last week. Kate ordered a spaghetti bolognese which didn’t come with cheese but the waiter brought some when asked. We had a beer to wash down our very tasty lunch and then we went over to Retro bar to join the pool gang. It was very busy at Retro today, lots of the women were already sat outside so we joined some of Kate’s friends. My friend, Annie, who I met on a Dalyan boat trip, had just arrived in town so she came to join us for a beer too. When Nazim closed Retro bar’s pool table, so that he could get the place ready for the Wednesday night quiz, some of the pool guys were disappointed that they weren’t able to continue playing. Matt got everyone together and suggested they go to Sinan’s bar, which had a pool table and was nearby, a few of the fellas were quite drunk and it was almost 5pm. Most of the people I was with, left, and either went home or to Sinan’s. Kate had gone home to feed the cats but was coming back to join us. Annie and I went to Sinan’s as it’s on the way back to her hotel. It was only my second time of being in Sinan’s because in the past I’ve usually found it a popular place for smokers so have always avoided it. It was friendly and seemed nice, a merry Matt was just happy to be playing pool again. By the time Kate arrived at 7.15pm, we were sozzled but some of us were booked in to do the quiz at Retro bar. I still had my shorts and strappy top on but not enough time to change so I had to cycle down to Retro, with Mark and Kate, looking underdressed.
While Annie had to get back to her hotel to get ready for dinner, Mark, Kate and I cycled back to Retro bar and joined my parents in readiness for the quiz. I said hello to Nazim, Andrea, Nusret, Gonca, Murat, Deniz and then went to see Dick and his team to wish him well for the quiz tonight. Mark and I were pretty drunk so sharing a bottle of red wine was probably a bit silly, but seemed more cost effective as we got a good one at a decent price from Nazim. From what I remember, the quiz went well, we didn’t win but we had a good laugh. There was a massive storm where it rained really hard, I had the sense to move Bluey2 to a sheltered area when Kate moved their bikes. We paid our bills then things got a tad messy as we all decided to go to Sofra bar and we invited Nusret and Gonca with us too. At Sofra we drank draft beer and I danced with my parents and Nusret. I tried to ruin a karaoke singers song and don’t even know what the song was. I took lots of photos and after Nusret, Gonca, Kate and my parents had all left, by 12.45am, Mark and I ordered another pint each. We got chatting to a young fella and Mark got his skipper’s ticket out, presumably to show he could drive a boat. I think I got in very late and I was certainly still awake when the call to prayer went off – Thursday was going to be a struggle and a half!
Now that I knew I was going to Vietnam to see Captain Caveman I was a bit concerned there were still things I needed to do and places I wanted to go before I left Dalyan. On Tuesday 24th May I started a list of those things, acutely aware I had less than a fortnight left. Ma & Pa had invited me to the beach today and I was looking forward to it. There are 2 ways to get to Iztuzu beach by public transport; boat which is currently 60 lira (£3) or bus which is 28 lira (£1.40) return. We got the bus as this takes you to the quieter end of the beach and I got a return ticket because it was too hot to walk the length of the beach to get to the boat end. I paid 90 lira for 3 sunbeds and a parasol which we unfortunately selected in the smoking section but didn’t realise. I’m not a massive beach lover as I hate sand but with smoke and fag ash blowing at me it was less pleasurable than it should’ve been. The sea was chilly but good enough for a deep paddle, refreshing. I’d took a picnic of a cheese and ham sandwich, water and a grapefruit drink but my parents had a sandwich at the beach cafe, for less than £1.50 each. I shared some of their chips and had a peach tea too. Back on the beach I continued to read my book, Mike Tyson’s autobiography, which is really good. I’ve stopped buying credit for my Turkish phone, which I rarely use, because it’s a waste of money. It also forces me to not have a phone when I’m away from home or somewhere with free wi-fi – it’s a good way to switch off more. When the wind got up and sand was blowing about we decided to leave, via the cafe for refreshments. My parents had a Magnum, I played it safe with a Calippo orange lolly but then we missed the bus and had to wait half an hour for the next one. I was booked in for Pilates at 6.30pm so didn’t want to miss that, first though, Mom suggested a cheeky drink at Tez bar where they had an Efes and I had a Summer IPA. I went home to get ready and left them at Tez while I went to my class. Back at the apartment the roses outside Amanda and Greg’s were really blooming, the pool was looking good and had been used. I did notice a tree branch from the neighbour’s was sticking out at a jaunty angle, directly in to the path to walk to the pool. After Bougainvillea-gate in September I decided it was not my business to involve myself in getting it removed, there were quite a few owners and renters in the apartments right now who could let the gardener know. My Dad suffers with his indigestion if he eats late so I was surprised when my parents were up for going out for dinner at 8pm. We went to Firat’s which is another one of their favourite places to eat. As an appetiser we were brought a rather large lavaş, or balloon bread, with some garlic butter. Mom ordered a fresh sea bream, I had a pide and Dad had a beef casserole with cheese that was hotter than the sun. We had a glass of wine each and I took some of my pide home as it was a massive portion. It was a really lovely day, spent with my parents, and almost the calm before the storm as the rest of the week was about to get a tad lively!
The temperatures in Dalyan were heating up and, because all sides of the apartment were now blocked by buildings, there was very little draft through when I opened all windows and doors. On Monday 23rd May I was determined to take it easy as I was hoping to be refreshed and lose a bit of weight before going back to Vietnam. Captain Caveman had been working so much I was sure he would have lost weight and I didn’t want to look too fat at the side of him! I went shopping for a few essentials and made my sausage casserole in the slow cooker. I ate simit with cheese spread and plum jam for lunch and was a bit sad that I probably wouldn’t get to finish the jams I had left in the fridge – maybe I could give them to Dad as he loves a good jam. There was good news too, my Vietnamese visa had been approved and I could enter Vietnam at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on the 5th June. It was valid until the 5th July so Captain Caveman booked me a flight from Danang to Singapore on the 4th July, for if I needed it. My original plan had been to accompany Des to Istanbul when his 30 days in Turkey was up, but that hadn’t worked out. Instead I got on with organising a leaving drinks for him, later this week. Before 5pm I had my Yorkshire pudding tin in the oven and decided to open the bottle of mulberry wine I had. It was a bit sweet for me but I managed a glass of it with my sausage casserole and yorkshires. After dinner, I finally got the TV fixed, which was good news. I was considering taking the Firestick to Vietnam so we could still watch the Grand Prix but I thought better of it. I had a bit of Kate’s fruit cake with butter before bed and I washed it down with a gin and pink grapefruit! It was nice to spend the day at home for a change.
Sunday 22nd May should have been a day to stay home and rest up, and it did start out that way! I got up late, despite not having had much sleep due to the music of the Jazz bar, and then the early call to prayer. For breakfast I made myself beans on toast with 2 of Dick’s sausages. I cooked a whole pack so that I could make a sausage casserole tomorrow too. I was a bit annoyed that my TV, which had not been showing any programme listing information, was still not right so I had to play Russian roulette with what might be on what channels. I wanted to record the Grand Prix but couldn’t work out when it would be on. Instead I listened to music and was pleased I’d made it to the sofa today. For lunch I had a cheese sandwich with the Red Leicester from Dick and the spare breadcake from Ula that was still in my bag. I realised we had possibly been neglecting Des, who had been busy working and catching up with his new Dalyan friends. We agreed to meet at Backyard No.9 and I invited some of the gang so that he wasn’t bored with just me. My parents and I were the first there, Sarah was going to join us and Des arrived just as we had ordered our drinks. Mark and Kate were already out with a few others at Rehab bar so said they wouldn’t be coming. When Sarah arrived she had brought me a pair of sunglasses which she was recycling. They were slightly broken but I cleaned them on a serviette and popped them on to try them out for size. I love the pizzas at Backyard No.9; three out of the five of us ordered one. Mom had tuna and onion pizza, I had the Dalyan pizza with feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and peppers, Sarah had one with parma ham and rocket, while Dad had a cheeseburger with chips and Des chose a pasty type dish. It isn’t the cheapest place but the ingredients are quality and fresh. Ülkü and her team are really nice and friendly plus the outside space is very tastefully set up. It was a lovely meal and we enjoyed the wine too. After we had eaten, Mark and Kate were on their way home and popped in for a drink and a chat. They had to get back to feed the cats so only had one beer – they can’t be party animals every night!! We also went home reasonably early and I promised myself a couple of rest days from tomorrow. I was still waiting to hear if I had been granted a visa for Vietnam yet and hoped that tomorrow would bring good news.
What a day Saturday 21st May was!!! The Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Business had invited lots of us on a free day out to show us some of the local area and join in on a cultural day trip out. There were quite a few of us leaving Dalyan from the turtle roundabout at 10am and there were several buses and coaches ready to take us. Victoria Louise Scott and Alp Aslan had been instrumental in organising us and it looked to be an interesting day out. I was lucky enough to have a bus buddy, Linda, sit beside me, my parents were across the aisle and Mark & Kate behind me. Lots of familiar faces and friends were there too as we took a short drive to our first stop in Gokova. We spent about an hour exploring Idyma Antik Kenti, the ancient city of Idyma, where there was restoration work and amazing views from the ruins of a castle. Some of the group were more adventurous than others and spent time walking through the site. I’d worn sandals and didn’t want to risk slipping now that my leg was almost back to normal so I took it steady. The guide was very informative and there was tea or coffee provided in a shaded seating spot as well as toilets (both squat and western style). It was easy to spot our hosts Victoria Louise Scott (VLS) and Alp as they had outfits on that stood out. The sun was out, it wasn’t too hot to be sight-seeing and everyone seemed to be finding it interesting so far. We got back on our respective buses and we were off to a famous town in the Muğla area.
Our next stop was a place that my parents and I had been to more than once but we were still looking forward to it. The Azmak Turu (meaning Azmak creek) in Akyaka flows from Gokova and so a free boat trip was organised for everyone before lunch. We saw lots of beautiful scenery and wildlife, even some turtles. I took a few photos of the river and the people on our boat then relaxed and enjoyed the ride. We saw Adam and Kath who were there on a separate trip and they were coming in on a boat as we were leaving. I had a feeling we might be running a bit off schedule as we were meant to be at another place of interest for 1pm. We were lazing down the river at 12.40pm but we were still all enjoying the free day out.
From Akyaka we went back on our buses to Thera Antik Kenti in Ula where we were the first tourists to see some important excavations. Very recently some ancient coins had been discovered and we were also able to see the team of archeologists at work at this ancient site. When we arrived the road was not fit for the big bus we were on so we all had to get off and on to a rickety old dolmuş to take us ‘1km’. There wasn’t enough seats for everyone so I thought my parents were getting a lift in a car with the tour guide. Unfortunately, they were expected to get on with us and there was only standing room. My Mom is awaiting a hip operation and my Dad has bad knees but I could only choose 1 person to switch my seat with. Mom squeezed herself in to my seat behind a metal sign at the front of the bus and I stood at the back with Dad. The doors didn’t shut, my Dad’s eyesight is poor and I was worried he would fall out. The journey was certainly longer than 1km and was incredibly bumpy and windy – I was having trouble holding on and keeping upright. By the time we arrived we were definitely running late and everyone was hungry. There was lunch provided and we got in the queue for a spinach and cheese pancake and an ayran (yoghurt drink). I had to be careful as both of these things can affect my stomach so I gave my Dad the ayran and just had the one pancake, my Mom had 2! We had a short but good speech from the mayor and then we went to find out more about the ancient site and have a look around it. We volunteered Mark to go to have a look beyond the path, with a police escort and when he came back we joked how funny it would have been to have brought some old coins and pretended to have found more. By this time it was noticeable that we were miles from anywhere with alcohol – a cold beer or a glass of wine would have gone down well. It was getting hot now and we were ready for our next sightseeing stop, after the rickety bus back to the big bus of course. This time we made sure that my parents and I had a seat but unfortunately this meant Chris and a few others had to stand up. I put my facemask on because of the amount of dust but they are no longer needed on buses in Turkey. We were meant to have been at our next stop a while ago, we didn’t eat lunch until 2.10pm and we were just back at the big bus at 3pm – about an hour over the scheduled itinerary.
Our next stop was only 15 minutes away and still in Ula, at a lovely wedding venue with a lake and a zip wire. Mark and Kate were off the bus before us and as I got to the door of the bar area Mark asked which wine I’d prefer. By this time we were all quite ready for an alcoholic beverage so I said I’d have any, not realising Mark was joking! There was a Turkish wedding taking place but there was no alcohol and there were a few disappointed faces. Someone asked the guide if there was any chance of a cold beer and suddenly the queue for the zip line turned in to the cold beer queue, as a crate was brought out. People grabbed seats where they could and had a chilled out time while watching others go on the zip line. My mom had to go off in search of a glass for my Dad as he won’t drink out of a bottle, he didn’t look too impressed that she could only find a water glass. The place was lovely but I only had time for 1 beer before it was back to the bus for our next part of the tour – it was proving to be the cheapest day I’d had for a while, as we only had to pay for our drinks. The Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Business really were giving us a very full day and there was much more excitement to come.
Our next delight was to visit the old village of Ula and join in on a procession through the main street to lead to the village square. Once there, we were ushered in to a shaded seating area to watch some folk dancing, amongst other specially arranged entertainment. I will be honest, I’m not a lover of organised fun and I could also see my Dad’s interest was starting to wane somewhat by this stage. The male folk dancers were pretty good and not dissimilar to Morris dancers in the UK, without the bells on. The female folk dancers looked less enthusiastic and gave the impression they would rather be getting back to cook dinner. There were free Turkish teas and ice creams going round but for some reason only Mom got an ice-cream out of the 3 of us. Some random savoury treats came round and we all got one but I gave mine, which was on the spicy side, to Little Corduroy. By 5pm we were watching with intent as volunteers from the crowd were asked to bite an apple on a string without using their hands. Next, there was a competition to see who could get a coin out of a dish of yoghurt with their mouth. By the time musical chairs was being played my Dad had decided he’d had too much fun for one day and my parents took themselves off for a walk. Amazingly, Kate and a Turkish man were the last to dance round the one chair and, when the music stopped, the man pulled the chair from under her for himself to win. Being in the teaching profession this neither surprised nor phased Kate and she accepted defeat gracefully to the cheating man, who happened to be one of the big wigs in Ula. His cheekiness was not ignored and Kate was awarded the winners medal – I never thought I’d be friends with a real-life musical chairs champion! There was a Turkish version of master chef next, where VLS made us chuckle by doing her impression of Greg Wallace (from MasterChef), trying to eat as much of each dish as possible.
As the day’s schedule continued to run over time, my parents had returned to sit on a bench behind me. I spotted one of our group, in fact a man who likes a drink now and then, stood behind an ambulance but in front of a building and decided it might be wise to see what he was up to. A few of us had struck gold; he was outside a pub, obscured by the ambulance, and they sold beer and wine. We didn’t intend not to go back but we just really fancied a nice glass of wine so Lily Fish ordered wine for us ladies while I popped back to our Dalyan audience members, including my parents, to let them know where we were. Before too long the rest of our friends had joined us and the pub staff were like deers caught in headlights as we all tried to order first and second beverages. As Kate and Mark tried to leave to join us, Kate got asked to present another winner with their award so was delayed. This was fortuitous for us in the pub, as when she left, the dinner buffet had already opened so she brought us all some bread. Without further ado Chris was off to the nearest shop to buy crisps and, to top off our day of culture, we all had crisp sandwiches and another beverage. We took over the beer garden and had a lovely time, even Alp and VLS arrived later, probably to check we were behaving. When Mom and I went to replenish stocks of bread we felt a little guilty as there were so many local people queuing to eat the free buffet dinner, so we just got a small amount of bread to keep us going. After another crisp sandwich, one more beverage for the road and a good old laugh about our amazing day out, it was time to get back on the buses. I don’t recall if we saw the educational film about Ula but it was just after 8pm when we set off back towards Dalyan.
I may have nodded off slightly on the way back from Ula to Dalyan. When we got off the bus, my bus buddy, Linda, headed straight to the bakery who had stayed open for her to collect her lost purse and she was very grateful to get it, and the contents, back safely. I had a spare breadcake in my bag and we had decided we were going to have a drink in Sofra bar. My parents, Linda and I tootled off to the bar where it was already heaving and we had to wait for Şükrü and Davut to sort us out a table. Mark and Kate were worn out, well that musical chairs medal must have been heavy, so they went home. By 11.15pm Alp was doing ‘Tequila’ on the karaoke and rocking the place. Linda didn’t stay out, on account of her having to get back home and we only had a couple before realising we were tired. It had been an incredible day, something for everyone to enjoy and it had cost us only the price of our drinks. We were very grateful to all of the people involved in the organising; Alp, VLS and the Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Business.
Photo credit – from various attendees of the day trip including Alp Aslan and Victoria Louise Scott
I was up early on Friday 20th May to go for breakfast with Nusret, Gonca and Yaşar at Retro bar and Smyrna Hotel. My new Turkish family were so happy to see me but disappointed that my parents hadn’t been able to come. The food, prepared by Yaşar and Gonca, was as incredible as always and I almost felt guilty tucking in to it as others were busy working. Joining us for breakfast were 2 new faces and one guy spoke decent English and was fitting the front of the hotel with a sweet section. They were going to be selling baklava, Turkish delight and künefe, amongst other things and it was looking good. I don’t eat eggs or tomatoes so it is always a little embarrassing when eating Turkish breakfast as these are essential ingredients, but they know me by now. Nusret insisted on us having the best cheeses, including one from his mother’s home town – it was my favourite one. Yaşar had made home made plum jam that was delicious and I felt greedy with the fresh simit and cheese rolls. While I was there, it became apparent that there was a bit of an issue with some building work that had been completed and they were all talking about it. I asked about it and Nusret showed me in to the house so I could see for myself. The builder had bricked up a doorway but the door and window was locked from the inside, leaving a room which no one could access – how funny. Back home I got round to sorting out the English food delivery from Dick, in to who was having what. Ordinarily, I would have kept almost all of it and put it in the freezer however, I was leaving for Vietnam and would be turning off the electricity so needed to empty the fridge and freezer in the next few weeks. In the afternoon Mark and Kate popped round with a cool bag to collect parsnips, pork pie, Red Leicester cheese and pork sausages. I went to meet Ann, Debbie (Darling) and Roy at Sofra bar for a drink and they were waiting on Debbie’s daughter and son-in-law, arriving and were so excited. After waiting to say hello to them I headed off home with the intention of getting changed as it was turning cooler. I called for a quick drink at River Terrace with Mark, Kate, Adam, Kath and a few others but then was sensible and went home. I had some beans on toast for dinner and then couldn’t be bothered to go back out. After nights out for the last 3 nights I was in need of a night in to relax a bit. Tomorrow I had a big day to look forward to so, with hindsight, it was a good idea to be sensible for a change.
I met Ma, Pa, Mark, Kate, Vanessa and Matt at the Dalyan bus station at 10.20am on Thursday 19th May and we were off on another adventure! I’d luckily managed to change my breakfast arrangement to Friday and therefore I had not eaten when we got on the bus to Ortaca. At Ortaca we changed to the bus to Fethiye, as there isn’t a direct bus to Çalış. Mark and Kate were going to Fethiye first and the rest of us were going straight to Çalış where we would meet Steve and Michelle for lunch. When we got off the bus at the Citroen garage, ready to walk a few kilometres in to Çalış, a bus arrived which we got on to. I don’t have a Kent card, which is used for transport, so the regular cost was 14 lira (72p) from Dalyan to Ortaca, 28 lira (£1.44) from Ortaca to near Çalış, then 10 lira (51p) in to Çalış itself. The total journey was just over an hour and a half and was quite pleasant. When we arrived at Summer Breeze, a lovely restaurant and bar on the sea front which Julio recommended, most of us had a soft drink and then decided to order a breakfast. The prices were very reasonable and much cheaper than most places in Dalyan so we were quite happy to stay there until Steve, Michelle, Julio, Serem, Mark and Kate were going to join us later. By that time we were well and truly on it with the drinks and were having a lovely time. A guy in white shorts, and no shirt had skated past us showing off his muscles so we, and another table of ‘Brits abroad’ couldn’t help but show their appreciation. He then came back, stopped his skate board in front of us and thanked us for making his day. I didn’t even get my camera out, I was so surprised – you can’t take us anywhere. The rest of the party arrived and we continued to have more drinks, Steve had received positive news from the hospital that his leg was doing well. He didn’t drink but they did have a breakfast and propped up his leg on a spare chair. About 3.30pm Can, the man who sells sunglasses, came round and we all proceeded to try several pairs on. I treated myself to some fake Ray-Ban’s for 250 lira (£12.82) and a couple of others bought a pair.
At 5.15pm we decided to move locations, Julio and Serem had their car so this was useful to get Steve to Charcoal Palace. The rest of us walked, this time I didn’t get lost, and I was able to enjoy the fish and chips I’d missed out on last time. Steve, Michelle and I even ordered an extra battered sausage and chips to share and I thought the food was amazing. I don’t eat peas, tartar sauce or curry sauce but my friends loved the accompaniments. I tried one of Kate’s onion rings and they were very good too but I was conscious of a batter overload. My Dad had said he had not liked the fish and chips last time so I was surprised to see him order them again. This time he said they were better, but still not as good as Tony’s chip shop, back in Mosborough, Sheffield. My Mom and Vanessa decided to order the chicken fajitas and they looked incredible, as did Julio’s chicken shish which he had eaten there before. I couldn’t finish my small portion of fish and chips so I asked to have a doggy bag, unfortunately they forgot and must have thrown it away. Steve and Michelle of course were sensible and went home at a reasonable hour. It had been so good to have a Deep Blue Leg-Ends reunion and of course there were plans for another one next month. Vanessa, Matt and my parents also decided that getting a taxi back from Çalış to Dalyan for 600 lira (£30.77) would be a good option and for the 4 of them it worked out £15 per couple – well worth it!
I could tell that Kate was on her way to getting merry as she had started to speak more Turkish to Serem, at first we were exchanging idioms but we were slowly getting off track and had to resort to speaking English. Mark had considered going home at a decent time too, but Kate was out out – we were also expecting another couple of their friends to arrive. I decided I would share the taxi back with Mark and Kate as even 200 lira each would be a reasonable amount. I joined Mark, Kate, Julio, Serem, Adam & Damla for a drink in Motto bar which turned in to a few more for some of the contingent. We eventually got a taxi after Kate negotiated the bar man down to an excellent price of 500 lira. The journey back started with Kate being chatty but then she fell asleep, Mark said almost nothing the whole way back and the Fethiye shopping made it back to Dalyan. I got dropped off at home and gave 200 lira to Kate regardless of the taxi price. It was midnight when we got in and it had been a long day with lots of laughter, great food and a fair bit to drink. It was worth it to see Steve and Michelle again but I was a bit sad when it suddenly dawned on me that I wouldn’t be in Turkey for the next Deep Blue Leg-Ends get-togethers!
At 5am, on Wednesday 18th May, I got up and cycled back ‘home’ to Mark and Kate’s so that I would be back in time for breakfast for their cats. I also messaged Des to let him know that he had to be back on house and cat sitting duty for tonight as I already had my hands full. Mark and Kate were due back late tonight and I planned to have left by the time they arrived back, so they would have the house to themselves. I also had plans to meet Dick, a mate from England, who was bringing me a stash of sausage and cheese! My first task was to cycle over to Captain Caveman’s apartment to take the washing out and pick up my notes for Turkish class. Michelle, the tortoise, was under a sun lounger near the pool and the roses outside a neighbour’s apartment were looking lovely. Vanessa came to call for me before Turkish class and she got to meet Michelle, we even tried again to feed the tortoise but she must not have been hungry. Turkish class was good as we did more telling the time, where it was apparent that telling the time in English was confusing enough. Vanessa and I decided to stay for lunch at our new Turkish class venue, Casablanca hotel. I ordered a chicken wrap, Vanessa a cheese burger, both came with homemade chips and we enjoyed our meals. While Mark and Kate were off to enjoy the lounge at Bristol airport I popped to the shop to get a few essentials in and pick up bread, milk and diet coke for their return. I met up with the pool gang at Retro briefly on my way back to Mark and Kate’s house to feed the cats for the last time. I managed to strap the shopping, a pair of boots and a tin of paint plus my handbag on to the back of the bike and get it all back in one piece. I saw a post on the Dalyan Visitors Facebook page offering a free trip out this coming Saturday, courtesy of the Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Business. Obviously, I will attend the opening of an envelope, so I messaged VLS, one of the organisers, to reserve my space. When Mark sent me a photo of his ham from the airport lounge I told him and Kate about the trip and they added on, as did my parents. I packed all of my stuff, fed the cats and booked a taxi to take me home – JC even helped me bring in the washing and had some cuddles. After dropping my stuff off I went straight to Retro bar for the quiz with Ma & Pa. They had been out in the afternoon and were tipsy so the night ended up messy, again, us drinking cocktails with Nusret and Gonca. I finally got to meet Andrea, Nazim’s wife, and we had a lovely chat before it got busier with everyone coming for the quiz. Tom Cree does the fun quiz every Wednesday and has different rounds including music, picture and general questions, usually with a bit of a theme. Deniz, the new bar man, was also there and getting in to the swing of things well. Des had turned up from Marmaris with a face on with me for insisting he come back to honour his house and cat sitting at Debbie (Darling)’s. We got invited to breakfast with Nusret, Gonca and Yaşar the next day and we forgot that we were already committed to meet our friends in Fethiye. I was meant to be meeting Dick at Rodrigo’s about 11.30pm but I’d not heard if he’d arrived so I stayed at Retro bar a bit later. Des came with me and we saw Mark on the way, he had already been to Rodrigo’s but was heading to another bar. He was still happy about the lounge experience in Bristol airport and had to show us the marmite sachets in his pocket. I had a glass of white wine at Rodrigo’s while Des went to Backyard No.9. Dick didn’t show up for a while and my internet wasn’t working so I walked down to Sofra bar, with my wine in a rakı glass, bumping in to Jo on the way. Dick arrived and had a massive bag of English produce for me and I was so grateful. I had one more drink with Des and his friend, Jo had disappeared before I could say goodbye. Mark had called at Aşkın’s then Rehab but had gone home, without us having a drink together or him taking Kate’s order. Des walked home with me, carrying most of the English delivery and, when we parted, I gave Des some sausage and bacon for his breakfast tomorrow. I was very glad to get in my own bed after so long and I was looking forward to getting plenty of sleep.
It was going to be another hot day on Tuesday 17th May with temperatures above 30°C. I was awake early to feed the cats, water the plants and submit my application for a Vietnam visa. It was a bit of faffing about but I eventually got a response to say my visa application would be processed within 3 working days, I made a note to check back on Friday. By 9.30am I was having cheese on toast and a mug of Yorkshire tea while I checked out domestic flights to Istanbul. I decided to have a day by the pool, Mark and Kate have a decent sized swimming pool and it’s as good a place as any to spend a sunny day. I even put on a bikini, which I had forgotten to bring the straps for and had to be careful it didn’t fall off in the pool. By 2.30pm it was very hot by the pool and I helped myself to a cold beer from the outdoor fridge, then did a bit more swimming.
That night I had a Turkish evening booked at Lukka bar with Mom, Dad and Vanessa and I was really looking forward to it. I got there at just past 7.30pm and everyone was already there, Dad hadn’t been feeling too well. My parents drank beers, Vanessa had a wine and soda but I was optimistic and ordered a bottle of red wine, planning on giving the ball a right old kick. The buffet looked good and at 8pm we were ready to eat. I thought the food was fantastic, it was all traditional Turkish food, including lots of mezes, bread, salads, dips, rice, meatballs, chicken, cheese rolls, chips and casserole. When the show started the dancers seemed to be being told all the moves by a slightly agressive male choreographer who was quite old and had his flies undone. Appo, the waiter, came over and asked if I would join him ‘on stage’, presumably to dance later, so I agreed. What happened next was a bit different as I was escorted to a chair on the stage. I was sat next to Appo who was being massaged by the choreographer while women danced around us, I got a bridal veil put on my head and a blob of henna on my right palm. Before I knew what was happening Appo and I were ‘married’ in front of everyone and then we had to dance in a line with the congregation. There were fireworks followed by more dancing, of which Vanessa and I joined in, nervously in case anyone broke anything. Mehmet was brilliant at getting us all up dancing too and was showing everyone his moves. I had a fantastic time and didn’t want to leave but I had a mission on for tonight. Des was still in Marmaris so I had to go to Debbie (Darling)’s to check on and feed the cats, particularly Missy the youngest cat. All 3 cats came in, the dogs had managed to eat a tarpaulin and some plastic bits from a motorbike, and one had bitten through her lead. I fixed and tidied things and went to feed the cats before going for a lay down.
I woke up on Monday 16th May to news that Captain Caveman had booked my flight to go to Vietnam next month and all I had to do was apply for a visa online. The cats were fed, the plants were watered and I had fruit cake with Red Leicester cheese for breakfast. In the afternoon I cycled back to Captain Caveman’s apartment on Mark’s electric bicycle to be greeted by a tortoise. I had no idea how it had got to be shade-bathing near to Amanda and Greg’s apartment but it was surprisingly spritely. I tried to feed it some leaves but to no avail and so I left it where it was to wander about, while I put some washing in. The pool was starting to look much better for a clean and a refill and I looked forward to getting in it when I moved back home, in a few days time.
That afternoon I met up with my parents, Des had gone to Kargıcak beach for the day with a friend. We decided on a visit to Dalyano where I had a couple of margaritas (well, it was a Monday) at 90 lira (£4.60) each. They were pricey but very good and the place was very busy for a Monday afternoon. For dinner we went to Yakamoz which has always been a firm family favourite and, as we ordered wine, I remembered when I came here with Kelly, Claire and Clare – it seemed so long ago now. The staff at Yakamoz were lovely and even took some group photos of us, despite the strong sunlight intruding on the quality of the images. Dad and I drank red wine to go with our beef casseroles while Mom had white wine to go with her fresh fish and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. By 7.30pm I had to get back to Mark and Kate’s for the cats so I said bye and rode off. Tomorrow I had a very busy day ahead and I needed to get organised to start to leave Dalyan.
Sunday 15th May was great! After sorting out the cats and plants, I made myself tea and toast then got back in to bed. The Deep Blue Leg-Ends had another couple of outings in the diary and this morning we all got an invite to Steve and Michelle’s 40th birthday in Rhodes in September. Steve, who had broken his leg in Deep Blue Bar last month, had to go back to the Fethiye hospital so we decided we would have a small reunion, in Çalış when Mark and Kate got back from England. JC and Kylie, the cats, decided they were going to stay out of the sun today and were lolling about in the living area. My parents had a walk over to Mark and Kate’s to surprise me with another visit. The 3 of us chose to try Dalyan Bungalows, which we had noticed from the ferry last week. It’s a fairly new place and we thought we’d give it a go for the afternoon. Surprisingly, beers were only 40 lira (£2 at the time) and the menu was quite varied. Mom had beer, I had an orange juice and Dad ordered a large white wine. This was 80 lira a glass and also confused things because any subsequent wines we ordered were just the standard size but still cost 80 lira. My parents ordered a main dish but I wasn’t that hungry because it was so hot. I ordered a couple of mezes as a main and the waiter asked if we wanted to share a salad. This came with the starters but it went on the bill as 80 lira as well, which is a little pricey for a salad we didn’t really choose the ingredients of. The food was nice, the views great and the place has a very good ambience about it. After lunch we decided to move to a comfier seating area in the shade with a glass of wine to relax.
I was back in the sex swing by 5pm and word must have got out with the neighbourhood cats that there may be some treats going. An imposter cat who looked like it could be Casha’s mother had popped over to get some attention. By 6pm I was watching the sun go down on the jetty with a glass of red wine. For dinner I made myself a simple pasta dish, had an extra glass of red wine and went to bed. In bed I watched Bad Vegan on Netflix and then looked at flights to Vietnam. From tomorrow a negative PCR test was no longer needed to enter the country which meant it might make it easier for me to be able to extend or get another visa after the first 30 day one runs out. As I fell asleep I had no idea just how good this next week was going to be, let alone the rest of May!
Thursday 12th May was spent doing very little except for looking after the cats and catching up on some much needed rest. I fed the cats and Casha came for lots of snuggles. Unfortunately, since being ‘sea sick’ yesterday I was still quite ill. I was convinced I might have food poisoning and decided to check the fridge to see if I may have eaten anything out of date. There had been a couple of scheduled power outages so there was a possibility that the food I had eaten had gone off. When I checked the top shelf there was half a packet of furry green cheese rolls and a half tin of furry white tomato paste. I spent a while clearing out the fridge, salvaging what I could but binning anything smelly or furry! I then needed a lay down because I felt even more sick! I had just a crisp sandwich for lunch but didn’t eat for the rest of the day and slept a lot.
I could easily have stayed in bed on Friday 13th May because I was still feeling a bit sickly. Des was on day 2 of house and cat sitting for Debbie (Darling) and Roy, while they were in Istanbul. By lunch time Vanessa and my parents were on their way over and we were off to visit Kingfisher restaurant for the first time. It’s a small cafe with turtles swimming in the surrounding river and is a short walk away from Mark and Kate’s. All 4 of us had the chicken and chips which was very tasty. After lunch we had a walk back to my temporary home where we had a bit of wine and sat chatting by the pool – Vanessa was the first to get in the pool. I managed to confuse Des and Sarah who had met up at Jiks for a drink, thinking I was going to, but I wasn’t. Vanessa and I had planned a girly night in with a takeaway from Sosyete and more wine. It was a lovely day but we weren’t up late as we wanted to have the next morning by the pool.
On Saturday 14th May I got up early to feed the cats, water the plants and tidy up from last night, while Vanessa had a bit longer in bed. We’d been sunbathing by the pool on loungers for a few hours, at Mark and Kate’s place, when Vanessa suggested a cold beverage would be a good idea. She made herself a shandy with so much lemonade, and only a smidgen of beer, then gave me the rest of the Efes beer. We’d had a few sips each when I noticed, and pointed it out to Vanessa, that it wasn’t even noon yet! Oh dear, we had accidentally found ourselves being morning drinkers!! We had a couple more, after noon, and then got ourselves ready to go meet the gang at Rehab bar for pool. I rode Marks electric bicycle and Vanessa rode Bluey2, which I intended to leave at Rehab. We got there fairly late and most people had already gone but that didn’t stop us having a good afternoon. Vanessa’s Matt was there and in good spirits, we brought him some fruitcake and he sent a message to Mark to wind him up that we were getting through his cake! While Matt and John watched football Cheryl, Andrea, Vanessa and I played a few rounds of Women only Killer. I, surprisingly won 2 games out of 3 and we actually had a right laugh too – some of my fresh juices turned in to vodka and orange! Des arrived so we had another drink. Vanessa, Matt and I decided to order food from Sosyete, which is next door to Rehab. The chicken soup that I had was really tasty and Vanessa’s liver shish looked great. I got back ‘home’ slightly later than usual to feed the cats but they didn’t seem to mind and I had a night of chilling out.
I woke up to a photo and a message from Captain Caveman on Wednesday 11th May. He was off back in the cave but had sent me a snap of the pool at Elements in Phong Nha. This time next month I hoped to be swimming in that pool. I fed the cats but there was no Casha snuggles this morning and I got ready for another exciting day out.
Angela, Nick and Maddie had organised a boat trip out to sea with Princess Ekincik. My parents got on in town while I got picked up at Mark and Kate’s jetty. The owners, Ismail and Ivona, are really nice people and the boat is lovely. There was tea, coffee and homemade sweet treats for us to have as we sailed down the river. It was a bit choppy and there was a storm forecast so I made sure I looked out to the horizon for most of the journey so that I wouldn’t be sea sick. We had an amazing lunch onboard, there was swimming and we had a couple of drinks too. By 5pm the wind was getting up and the journey back had been very choppy, resulting in me being sick. I wasn’t coping with the sea well and, as the boat sides were zipped down to keep us dry, I found the cigarette smoke made me feel worse and I started coughing. When the homemade chocolate brownies with fruit came round I couldn’t even manage that so I got mine to take away. I had been invited to my first Turkish wedding, Ivona and Işmail would hold their celebrations on the 31st May, in Çandır.
By 6pm I was back at Mark & Kate’s where I found JC snoozing on a beanbag, by the pool. Feeding time was at 7pm and I managed to get Bubble and Squeak to eat outside with JC, without Bubble scoffing her sisters’ food. At 7.30pm I got a taxi to Retro bar where we were booked in for the fun quiz. This time I joined my parents, plus Penny and Phil. Deniz was there and had decided to accept the bar job which was great news. Ann was joined by her 4 friends, on the table next to us, they were doing very well on the quiz and it got quite competitive, with lots of banter. At the end of the night I went to buy several packets of salt and vinegar crisps, now that I knew they existed. Penny and Phil agreed to share my taxi back but invited Maggie and Phil to jump in too. I have no idea how the 4 of them got in the back of the taxi! Back home the cats were waiting for me and we had a few tickles before bed.
joloyolo 