Dalyan – 20th & 21st September

I only just managed to get myself out of bed in time to walk to Turkish class on Tuesday 20th September. It was at Casablanca Hotel at 10am and I was hungover.
Nothing else much happened that day except for me eating an apple and Captain Caveman managing to get some turkey on offer for 52 lira (£2.47) so that we could have a salad for dinner. I’d forgotten to do weight and measurements this weekend so I did them today. I was now the heaviest I’d been in a couple of years, I’d managed to put 2cm on my bust, 1cm on my waist but lose 4cm from my hips in about a week. My leg measurements had either decreased slightly or stayed the same. We stayed in that night and took it easy while the Aussies downstairs went to the airport to pick up their friend, Chris. Tomorrow, we had organised another fun day out so we needed to recharge our batteries a bit.

We had booked a trip with Ivona and Ismail on their Princess of Ekincik boat on Wednesday 21st September. Amanda and Greg had suggested we get a private trip together for the 4 of us and their guest, Chris. We decided to extend the invite to more friends and fill the boat.
Onboard with the 5 of us were Linda, Annie, Adam & Kath, Julie & Issy, Mark & Kate, Jackie & Chris, Dawn & Steve.
We went to Ekincik Bay and had a lovely day out. The service and food on the Princess of Ekincik boat is superb and we had such a great BBQ lunch. We also were rather lucky that no one had booked the boat for the evening trip so we got to stay out all day and for sunset too. Not everyone knew each other but that didn’t matter and we soon got dancing to Kate’s party playlist.

When we came to pay for our boat trip and drinks it was more money than Captain Caveman had accounted for. The trip itself was 500 lira each (£23.70) but we managed to spend another 1000 lira (£47.57) in drinks, which was a little excessive for our budget but we had a great time.
We had a bit of an after-boat-trip drink at River Terrace but Kate had to leave to meet Daisy at Sofra bar. She took her bag with Mark’s wallet and clothes in so Mark had to go with Captain Caveman to our place to borrow a t-shirt. Most people had one drink but Mark didn’t even finish his before heading to meet Kate in another bar. After River Terrace, where it was 65 lira (£3.09) for a beer we went to Dalyan Cafe for food and another beer.

Photo credit – Adam Newton, Princess of Ekincik

Dalyan – 19th September

I usually try to avoid going to the bank on Monday mornings due to it being busy. Monday 19th September was seriously busy and there were no seats left unless anyone wanted to try moving the İş Bank cat. I was in there ages, while Captain Caveman got packed for our day out. It was Mark’s 58th birthday and although he and Kate could appreciate a lot of English people in Dalyan would want to watch the Queen’s funeral on TV, it was no way to celebrate a birthday. Captain Caveman and I also had no wish to watch a funeral on a big screen in a bar, like it was some sort of sporting event. Kate had took the sensible idea of organising a day at the beach from 2pm, that way anyone who wanted to come, could do so. It also meant that we didn’t have to go to a bar where the regurgitated funeral footage would probably be on, well in to the evening.

Amanda, Greg, Captain Caveman and I got the 1.30pm bus from Dalyan to Iztuzu Beach. John and Andrea got on just after us then Mark, Kate and Daisy got on a bit further along the way. A few more reprobates joined us at the beach and we had all taken some drinks. We had red wine and paper cups, we bought chicken sandwiches at the beach cafe for our lunch.
As a birthday gift for Mark we had got him a bottle of port, some cheese, a Vietnamese t-shirt and a cap. He seemed happy with that and put the Phuc Dat cap on straight away.
The sea was lovely and calm, warm enough to swim in too. There was quite a few of us as more people joined; Marion and her husband, Adam, Kath, Wolfie, Irena, Kevin, Janet, Little Corduroy, Gary, Debbie (Darling) and Roy.
Gary (aka Gorgeous Gay Gaz from Gateshead with the Glass eye) excelled himself by turning up with a bottle of vodka and a rogue testicle. I noticed that I could see more than I should have up his shorts and quietly asked Captain Caveman if he thought I should tell Gaz this. He said to leave it to him and then shouted out to Gay Gaz that I had pointed out that the boys were not in the barracks! Everyone laughed, Daisy woke up and got a good eyeful not fully knowing if she was looking at Alan Sugar or half a scrotum. Now 5G became 7G as we renamed Gary as Gorgeous Gay Gaz from Gateshead with the Glass eye and Gigantic Gonads!

Aside from that, it was a great day with lots of laughs. We didn’t leave the beach until the last bus back at 6pm. On the bus, Kate invited us all back to their’s for more birthday party shenanigans which, of course, we agreed to. There was naturally more birthday celebration drinking. Fruit cake and cheese was out for those who wanted to upset Mark by eating it! There was also a touch of sunburn for those people who hadn’t been wearing the high factor suncream, which I rather smugly had!
We got home, by taxi, at gone midnight then Captain Caveman insisted on a Mount Gay Rum for a nightcap.

Dalyan – 18th September

I had in my diary to meet Amanda & Greg, our Aussie friends downstairs, for breakfast at 10am on Sunday 18th September. That didn’t happen on account of us still being in bed. While they went off to investigate where their favourite Turkish breakfast was, Captain Caveman took one for the team and braved a Sunday supermarket shop at Migros.
It had been a while since he had been in a Turkish supermarket for a big shop but he did well, here’s what he bought and the prices in lira:

Plastic bag 0.75
Onions 4.36
Potatoes 5.47
Apples 6.33
Lemon juice 7.75
Garlic 8.55
Carrots 10.50
Cherry tomatoes 11.90
Tonic water 13.50
Rice 14.00
Big tomatoes 15.21
Red peppers 17.11
2 cans of Grapefruit juice 19.90
Orange juice 26.00
Bananas 26.95
Toastie Bread 27.95
Eggs 42.50
Minced beef 48.50
Turkish salami 49.90
Butter (Turkish) 53.95
Beetroot 59.90
Chicken 61.58

Total spent 532.56 lira (£25.77)

Prices had gone up several times recently in Dalyan so it was quite a pricey shop but we needed essentials. We probably could have done without the beetroot but it would easily make a big jar of pickled, that would last a while.
I was rather surprised that he’d not bought any alcohol, especially as we had been invited round to a friend’s house in the afternoon for drinks.

We met a couple at Lukka bar so that Captain Caveman could buy a phone from them, then we ended up having a beer, as you do. At 2.30pm we met up with Brian at Lukka who needed a DVD player so we had a good chat with him then a quick drink at Tez bar because Lukka bar was full, for Sunday lunches.
At 3.30pm we popped to Selçuk Market which is our corner shop and Captain Caveman chose a bottle of wine which he liked the name of. We bought some strange looking soda water which turned out to be diet lemonade. We arrived at Adam & Kath’s house where everyone else was already there; Mark, Kate, Daisy, John, Andrea, Dawn & Steve.
They have a snooker table so we all played pool after a few drinks and they put on a rather nice buffet. We definitely drank more wine than we took with us, though, but we didn’t have too late a night as tomorrow we had a celebration to attend. On the way home we passed a bench with a life-sized doll on it, which grabbed Captain Caveman’s attention.

Fethiye to Dalyan – 17th September

Our first day back in Dalyan on Saturday 17th September was certainly interesting. This was also the day I had noted in my diary that our Aussie friends would arrive. Amanda & Greg had not been able to leave Australia during the pandemic so they were also glad to be coming back to Dalyan after almost 3 years away.
We checked out of the lovely Downtown Fethiye Suites and went to the Mulberry Tree for breakfast. Captain Caveman went off to check the Fethiye to Ortaca bus timetable while I had a toasted teacake and a cup of tea. When he returned he also had a teacake then off we went on our journey back to Dalyan. The bus was busy, hot and not too comfortable but we made it in one piece.

By 5pm we were in Backyard No.9 taking advantage of the Happy Hour before 6pm and ordering a pizza each. Efes beers were 45 lira (£2.14) so we had a couple while they were on offer. While we were there a few of our friends came over from Rehab bar to say hello and we got to see Mark & Kate on an invalid carriage!
Our Aussie friends and neighbours, Amanda & Greg, had arrived so Captain Caveman and I went to welcome them back and have a drink at Lukka bar. The 3 of them ate at Lukka but I wasn’t hungry after my mushroom pizza so I just had a large draft Efes. We had a wander to see Amanda and Greg’s new apartment, The Reading Room, which is lovely and we celebrated it with a gin!

When we got home we were about ready for bed when I noticed our Dutch friend, Angelique, had put on Facebook that she had arrived in Dalyan but had tested positive for Corona. We decided to go back out and Captain Caveman took some medication for her while I joined Mark, Ged and Tommy for a drink. The Favipiravir medication had an expiry date in October so it needed to be used and had been provided by Oxalis for if Captain Caveman had got Corona. At Rehab bar everyone was pretty drunk so we didn’t stay long and Captain Caveman was keen to get home to get some sleep.

On our way home we noticed Daisy and Andy at Rumours so we went over to say hello. Obviously we got chatting, as you do, even though I don’t usually frequent Rumours bar. Andy bought Captain Caveman and I a beer while Daisy introduced us to her friends. Needless to say it was a messy night with us leaving just after Andy, at around 3.15am!
On our way home we passed Sofra bar where people were still drinking and tried to sit down for one more beer. Şükrü, the owner, said no and to go home as he was trying to get the other punters to do.
It was a sign we were back in Dalyan!

Photo credit – some taken by Captain Caveman

Rhodes to Fethiye & Çalış – 16th September

We were up and packed super early on Friday 16th September as we were off back to Turkey. We were booked on the 9am ferry from Rhodes to Fethiye with Sky Marine ferries. They run only during the holiday season, until the end of October, and when we arrived at the port it was busy. The walk from our hotel to the port wasn’t too far but it started to get a bit warm carrying the rucksack, on the way we saw a massive cruise ship too. At the port, I had a sit down and some water after carrying my bag which was about 10kg, Captain Caveman’s was heavier as he was carrying the booze. We noticed the ferry queue for Marmaris was quite long but the one to Fethiye was very short, we were at the front and we didn’t have to wait long to pick up our tickets. The crossing takes a couple of hours and cost around €50, Captain Caveman had the good idea to get me a sea sickness pill. When I took it the ginger and size of it made it difficult, but I got it down.
The ferry was empty so we sat at the front where we could stretch our legs out. Strangely, the next passengers to get on sat right behind us, despite having the whole ferry to choose from. I fell asleep almost immediately and we think it was the seasickness tablet as I’ve experienced that before.

We had planned to spend a bit of time in Fethiye when we arrived and had even asked Mark, Kate and Daisy if they fancied a trip to Çalış but they were already busy. Captain Caveman decided we would stay an extra night in Fethiye and booked us in at the Downtown Fethiye Suites. With it being a weekend we had trouble finding a place to stay so we got lucky with this little apartment. We arrived early expecting to drop bags but we were allowed to check-in. After unpacking our stuff and putting the cheese in the fridge we decided to go to The Mulberry Tree for brunch. Its a popular little cafe with great food, I had a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea while Captain Caveman had pide and coffee. We even bought some crumpets to take away with us for the freezer.

We decided to get the 5.30pm water taxi from Fethiye to Çalış so that Captain Caveman could experience the delights of Charcoal Palace. The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs 40 lira each way and on the way there it was a full boat. When we got to Charcoal Palace it was quiet so we sat outside and ordered a pint of Beck’s draft beer each. It was 35 lira (£1.68) which is a lot cheaper than what we had been used to. I noticed that the menu had gluten free batter for the fish so I decided I would try it, for research purposes more than anything. We both had fish and chips which come with tartare sauce and mushy peas. I don’t eat either so I gave mine to Captain Caveman. If you didn’t know the gluten free was served, you wouldn’t have been able to tell as it was very good. The colour was slightly different and the price was the same as the regular one.

After dinner we walked to the seafront to see the sunset and had an Efes at Summer Breeze bar, they were out of Beck’s draft.
We were ready to go back to Fethiye for an early night when we got a message from Julio. He was at Terras bar in Fethiye with friends and invited us to join them. We had a great night, a few more drinks and a good laugh before we walked back to our apartment and the others carried on their night.

Dalyan – 31st August

At 4.20am on Wednesday 31st August Captain Caveman had landed in Istanbul. At 6.50am he was on the plane to Dalaman and I was already up and about. I was excited for his arrival and had arranged for a taxi driver to pick him up from Dalaman airport around 8am. I’d agreed with Mark to have the borrowed bicycle returned to him by the evening but was conscious I would have a busy day. I decided to cycle over there to drop it off before it got too hot. It was just after 7am when I saw Kate feeding the cats, I had a glass of water and admired their new mobility scooter type vehicles which had arrived yesterday. I even took a photo sat on one and then walked home. It had not crossed my mind, until Kate mentioned it, that I now looked like I was doing the walk of shame back from their house, before my fella got home. Crikey – that would get the Dalyan rumour mill started (again)! Kylie and JC, the cats, followed me almost as far as the water spring and were very vocal. When I got home I did a few chores, then got prepared for my Turkish lesson. Captain Caveman arrived around 10am with lots of luggage and was pleased to be back in Dalyan. After all this time he was also surprised to have to push through the ‘born again’ bougainvillea outside of the gate to get in, with all his luggage. Sausage Dick had requested some tobacco so Captain Caveman had managed to get him 500g of Amber Leaf for €53.90 at Dalaman airport. Unfortunately Captain Caveman couldn’t get too comfy as he wasn’t staying long. In 16 hours we would be on our way back to Dalaman airport.

We both walked to the Casablanca Hotel, where my Turkish class was, then Captain Caveman went to the hardware shop to buy some screws for the door handles. My class was challenging because I’d missed 3 months but I wasn’t as badly behind as I would’ve been if Sioned had not been sending me the lessons. Vanessa and I had also been keeping up with a bit of it while away from Turkey so it seemed to be ok. Sioned told us that our Turkish classes were changing and we would have them on Tuesdays at 10am from next week. We also had a fella from another group join our class and the only other original members there today, were Steve and Janice.
After Turkish class, I walked to meet Captain Caveman at Okyanus for lunch, a tradition Vanessa and I had started. We bumped in to Babs and had a bit of a natter, she said she’d come over to join us shortly. Captain Caveman and I had a cold Efes, said hello to Bakı, who works at Okyanus, and ordered wraps each. My chicken wrap was lovely and Captain Caveman enjoyed his meatball wrap, the chips were home cooked and it came with a good salad selection. At 2.50pm I left Captain Caveman and Babs to finish their drinks and went back home.

I was in the middle of doing something on my laptop when I started getting messages and phone calls asking where I was. It was around 4.30pm and I thought it was a bit strange.
It turned out that an event I had created on Facebook, while still in Vietnam, for 7pm tonight, was showing as 3pm today.
It was meant to be at River Terrace tonight for Captain Caveman’s welcome back drinks but Nanny Kay, Leanne, Katrina, Debbie and Sarah were already there. I didn’t realise that Facebook changes the time to the country where your phone says you are located. Captain Caveman went to find people and explain, then ended up having a drink with Katrina at Lukka bar. He briefly saw Sarah and Jamie but the others had gone home. Poor Nanny Kay was a bit cheesed off, especially as she had paid 40 lira (£2) for a can of diet coke while she waited, then we didn’t arrive.
We had a table booked for 5.30pm at Bistro Blue, for just the 2 of us. It was nice to see Annie and Selahı again and we had a table outside in the sunshine. We shared cheese rolls and liver & onion starters then both had salads for mains. Captain Caveman had Halloumi, I had steak and blue cheese, all the food was delicious and the red wine went down rather well.

At 7pm, as intended, I went over to River Terrace to meet anyone who was still coming to Captain Caveman’s ‘not quite 1 night in Dalyan’ event. He was meant to be following close behind but got chatting and was even later. Katrina, couldn’t stay long but Ann, Jax, Debbie (Darling), Rach, Nuri, Mark, Kate, Maddie, Sam and Sarah made it out out. We had a good night and Captain Caveman was happy to be back.
After lots of drinks, Captain Caveman was hungry again so we went to Kebapçı Yusuf where I had the chicken liver wrap and Captain Caveman had some sort of lamb meal. The food and service was very good, as always, and it was still one of my firm favourites to eat at. Captain Caveman managed to fall asleep a couple of times so we went home, just before midnight, to wait for the taxi.

Dalyan – 30th August

I was woken at 4am on Tuesday 30th August by someone calling me from Vietnam. I had forgotten to put my do not disturb on and it would be 8am there, I didn’t answer it but then I couldn’t get back to sleep. As the call to prayer went off I checked emails then had a sandwich which I still had left from the airport lounge.
In the afternoon I went to get my Turkish phone sorted because the SIM card was no longer working. It cost me 300 lira (£15) for a new one with 15GB of data, some texts and minutes. If you’re not a resident then it costs another £5. Next, I went to the pharmacy to get contraceptive pills and antihistamines. This cost about £7.25, much more expensive than when I last bought any. My last stop was to Migros to get toilet roll, noodles, spaghetti and milk at a cost of 86 lira (£4.30) – prices in Turkey were definitely increasing but seemed generally cheaper than the UK. When I got back to the apartment, I noticed that the outside lights were on, which was good but the light at the top of our stairs wasn’t working. The gate proved hard to get in and out of with shopping bags because of the overgrown garden and the broken wire netting on the gate. I had leftovers and a crisp sandwich for dinner then an early night. I decided to wait until Captain Caveman arrived so he could deal with what needed to happen about the pool and garden maintenance which definitely needed some attention. Captain Caveman was on a flight from Saigon at 9.25pm (Vietnamese time) and would be in Istanbul by the time I woke up in the morning.

Dalyan – 29th August

When I woke up on Monday 29th August Captain Caveman was already about to start his journey, from Vietnam to Turkey. It had been almost 3 years since he had last been to Dalyan, mainly due to the pandemic, and he was looking forward to returning. He had managed to move all of our belongings from Elements Collection back to the Glass House with just a motorbike and had said his goodbyes to Stu and the boys last night. I got up and headed outside where I was met by Kitler, the cat, and some kittens. Someone had now put the cat who looked like Hitler, hence the Kitler name, a bell round it’s neck. One of the rules of our complex is no pets but, for some reason, someone is encouraging the cats by feeding them, and there were empty cat food containers and cardboard littered about the place. I cycled, on my borrowed bicycle, to the Captainnet office to pay for our internet for the next 3 months. It cost 420 lira (£21) in total so, although it had increased, it still wasn’t too bad and the nice lady said it was working immediately.
Back home I still couldn’t find the padlock key for my important cupboard but luckily I managed to find a friend who had some tools to break it for me. As Chris was leaving, there was a couple outside the gate asking which of the apartments in our block were for sale. I didn’t know for certain, there was no ‘For Sale’ sign anywhere. They had friends who wanted to look at it and had been kept waiting by the agent so they were keen on finding out more info. I was running late to meet friends in Tez bar so I left them, waiting inside the complex, in the hot sun. On my way round the corner to another of my locals I saw Jamie and Drew at Lukka bar. They were off shopping so couldn’t come for drinks, we said we would catch up soon though.
I met Mark, Kate, Adam and Kath (another one of my favourite couples) at Tez bar where it was very nice and sunny. It was also good to see Tez and his wife again after being away for a while. I had a couple of white wine and sodas, Debbie joined us for one too, then Sarah arrived. It was nice to relax and chat with everyone, even though I hadn’t missed too much from being in Vietnam. We were all quite sensible for a Monday afternoon; Mark and Kate left to go home in one direction, Adam and Kath in the opposite one. After a couple of drinks which came to 200 lira (£10), we were all going our separate ways but I realised I had no food in at home. I had to drop off Katrina’s lemongrass oil, at Maisie Moo so I decided to go to Lukka Bar, by myself, where I had a large draft Efes beer for 55 lira (£2.75) and I had a delicious sweet and sour chicken for 195 lira (£9.75). It was very nice and I even took a little bit home with me as the portion size was substantial.

Dalyan – 28th August

My first day in Dalyan, on Sunday 28th August, was great! I managed to log in to one of the neighbours WiFi and let people know I had arrived. My eczema was terrible from wearing the facemasks and I had to take antihistamines plus slather the cream on. I spotted a message from Kate to say that her and Mark weren’t still out last night when I arrived but I was invited today for lunch. As I had not had the fridge on, I was appreciative of this kind offer and had also agreed prior, to borrow a bicycle from Mark for 4 days. I checked the apartment and all was well except for I couldn’t find my key for the padlocked cupboard, which had everything I needed in it! Downstairs, I noticed that the garden was pretty overgrown and the attacking bushes last night had been some pretty spiky, overgrown bougainvillea. The electric meter cupboard was difficult to open on account of the bougainvillea growing back in the way of the doors. The pool pump was on but the pool itself looked like it needed a good clean before I’d get in for a swim. There was washing at the bottom of our stairs so it looked like I had next door neighbours. In the living area I noticed what looked like coffee on one of the cushions, which was odd because I was the last one in the apartment except for the cleaner, I don’t drink coffee. I booked a taxi for 2pm with Fikri and took a bottle of wine and some sodas to Mark and Kate’s house. It was great to see them again and there was a welcome back beer to be had. The 2 baby cats had grown and they now had a new kitten who was particularly cute. Kate had excelled herself by making a full-on pork Sunday dinner with all the trimmings – it was so good.
I probably should have planned things slightly better but I managed to cycle back in to town from Mark and Kate’s, after 2 beers and half a bottle of wine, on a borrowed bicycle! I thought I was going home for more sleep but I just had to say hello to Katrina and Mehmet at Lukka bar, my local bar. Katrina bought me a welcome back red wine and then phoned Sarah and Debbie (Darling) to see if they were coming over to meet me. They arrived, we had more wine, and Sarah showed me her broken wrist which she was in a bad way with. I saw İsmail, the flower man, and had a little chat and a photo. Roy joined us for one, then we all went to Debbie’s. I was definitely drunk as I was letting Socks and Brinny, their dogs, give me lots of kisses. I was surprised they remembered me as the cats didn’t give a stuff. Debbie (Darling) ordered a curry from Spice Garden but then her and Roy fell asleep while Sarah nattered on, catching me up with the trials and tribulations of her last 3 months.
I cycled home just after midnight, and was glad to get to bed after my first day in Dalyan.

Singapore to Dalyan – 27th August

I got to the gate early for my flight from Singapore to Istanbul on Saturday 27th August. I ate the remainder of my ham sandwich from the Microboulangerie and really enjoyed it. I was very happy to have an aisle and bulkhead seat on my next flight, which departed at 2am (Singapore time) and would take about 11 hours. I hoped I might get some sleep because I also had another 11 hours in Istanbul before my next flight to Dalyan.
On the plane I was sat next to a lovely lady who was born in Indonesia but had lived in Turkey for 20 years. We chatted a little and she said I should visit Borum mountain in Indonesia because it was beautiful and where she is from. Her name was Wike (pronounce Vicky) in Indonesia but in Istanbul, where she has lived with her Turkish husband for 20 years, she is called Ayşe. When she fell asleep I watched the rest of the Tom Cruise film but found myself also nodding off. The food on the flight was great and again I was served first because of me requesting gluten free food. I noticed, though, that my eczema was extremely bad and had spread to my eyelids and more of my face and neck. I had to take antihistamines and drink lots of water but it was very uncomfortable with the masks on, which were still compulsory with Singapore Airlines. We landed at 8am (Turkish time) and I helped Wike with one of her several hand luggage bags. She was so sweet that she gave me a handmade bracelet as a thank you but I made sure she had all the bags when she went through immigration.
After saying bye to my new friend, and a promise to keep in touch, I headed to the domestic departures. I had to stand in several queues to recheck my hold luggage in and the case was not wheeling very well. Turkish Airlines will let you check in up to 24 hours before a flight but try telling that to any of their check-in staff. I eventually got rid of my suitcase and went through to departures where I got my 1 hour free wifi.

After catching up with internet based stuff I decided I would head to the lounge – I went for the IG Lounge, using my Priority Pass and it was the best one I’ve been to yet. The food and drink selection were good, it was clean, the staff were efficient and nice, plus I got a free back massage. I ended up staying in there for 6 hours and met a nice chap from Ankara who was moving to London to do his Masters degree.
My flight was boarding at 6.30pm and I only left the lounge at 6.05pm so my time in Istanbul had gone pretty well.
The flight was only an hour and 15 minutes but we did get a sandwich and a drink on board. When I landed at Dalaman airport, my suitcase was of the last to come off and one of the staff was convinced I should be in the international arrivals for my luggage but it came eventually. I was the last to leave and everything was closing as I went to get my taxi, arranged by Fikri in Dalyan. I was so tired and couldn’t wait to get back to Dalyan and to bed!
I arrived home just after 10pm, luckily the taxi driver carried my bag up the stairs after getting attacked by what I could only just make out as being unruly bushes as we came in the gate to the complex. I turned on the electricity and went straight to bed, just as the Jazz Bar cranked up the volume. I had no internet at home so I couldn’t message to say I was ‘home’ but I would do it in the morning.

Saigon to Singapore – 26th August

My Vietnam stay had come to an end on Friday 26th August. I had spent 11.5 weeks in the same country as Captain Caveman and was very happy about that. I was also very much looking forward to us both being in Turkey for the winter. I was hoping to see Captain Caveman reconnect with family and friends, meet my new friends and generally have a well-deserved break from Phong Nha and Oxalis for 4 months!
I did my measurements first thing and these were my results;
Bust +2cm,
Waist -2cm,
Hips -1cm,
Right thigh no change,
Left thigh +0.5cm,
Right calf +0.5cm,
Left calf +1cm.
Looking back over the last 6 weeks my body measurements showed a decrease but my legs had increased. I was going to have to watch my weight once I got back to Turkey as I had no idea what I weighed these days.
I had to repack my big suitcase to fit the whisky in from Mr H, so I removed teabags, flea drops and Vegemite plus a jumper and a coat of Captain Caveman’s. I put them in a bag with some remaining Vietnamese money in an envelope and left it at reception when I checked out. Captain Caveman would check in on Monday and could pick up the bag and the contents.

I met Beth at Lubu for lunch and was a little concerned about the weather. We had not gone ahead with going across town for croissants in case we got stuck but we were sure I could walk in rain from Lubu if the streets flooded. I put my shower shoes in my bag just in case that were to happen and I booked a car to the airport with the hotel for 4.15pm, I was taking no chances this time.
The Lubu lunch special is so good that I had it again, for 295,000vnd (less than £12) it is fantastic. This time we added on a glass of wine to celebrate Beth and I’s reunion, and our leaving. I had the roasted vegetable bruschetta starter and the steak again, Beth had the green salad then the Mahi Mahi skewers followed by the panna cotta but I could only just manage the fruit and yoghurt for my dessert. After lunch the heavens opened and it looked like the afternoon rain might cause me an issue getting to the airport. I tried to get a Grab taxi from Lubu to The Common Inn (where my luggage remained) earlier than planned but struggled. After saying bye to Beth and Jay I only just made it back to the hotel by 4pm.

I picked up my luggage and thanked the staff for looking after me before getting in the car to the airport. The driver had arrived early because of the rain, carried my cases, put them in the boot the right way round and only charged me 215,000vnd on the meter in a huge rain storm. I gave him 250,000vnd and reaffirmed to myself that I was definitely right to have reported the taxi driver who tried to charge me more but took 330,000vnd on Wednesday. I was very lucky because in Hanoi, the other airport I could have been flying from, the roads were flooded and flights were getting cancelled due to stormy weather.
My check-in for my first flight to Singapore opened at 16.40 and I managed to be bang on 25kg with the hold luggage, they didn’t weigh the hand luggage (luckily). I had a bit of cash left and was hoping for a beer at the airport once I was through to departures. They were charging 138,000vnd (£5.11)for a medium sized draft beer (outrageous for Vietnamese prices) but I only had 132,000vnd (£4.88) and asked for a small one. The cashier said they didn’t have small ones so I was about to walk away when she gave me the bigger size for 132,000vnd. That was kind and it tasted even better in the ice cold glass too.
I already had a middle seat on the plane and couldn’t change it but at least it was only 2 hours to Singapore. I started watching the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ film without realising I would have landed before the film finished. I found it boring, totally predictable and even tedious so when I didn’t get to see the end I wasn’t bothered. I’d had the good idea of ordering a gluten free meal with Singapore Airlines so I got my beef stew with pumpkin, potatoes and spinach first and the gluten free bread roll wasn’t bad. I landed in Singapore just before 11pm, with just 3 hours until my next flight. I decided against a lounge as we would be boarding in 2 hours. Instead, I sat and updated my diary and messaged Captain Caveman to let him know I had successfully left Vietnam.

Phong Nha – 22nd July

I remembered to take my measurements first thing on Friday 22nd July and they weren’t too bad;
Bust -2cm,
Waist +2cm,
Hips +1cm,
Right thigh +2cm,
Left thigh +0.5cm,
Right calf +1cm,
Left calf no change.
Both my leg measurements were the same and I now had to try to maintain that.
I had just 5 weeks left until my flight from Saigon to Istanbul and only 5 days until my plan to go in and out of Vietnam for the last time this year. For breakfast I had a buttered crumpet (this could be why I wasn’t getting any smaller) and finished off some Turkish lessons.
I had managed to book Captain Caveman and I seats on the bus from Phong Nha to Danang tomorrow at 7am. Captain Caveman would be pleased when I told him to pick the tickets up on his way home. There were far too many tourists making journeys and it had led to the trains selling out. I hate taking the sleeper buses but we had no choice, we had to be in Danang by Saturday night.
For lunch I had leftover BBQ chicken and rice followed by a pretty large White Russian by the pool – I needed to finish the milk off before our trip. Unfortunately this gave me a bad stomach, I’d already got a headache and was concerned I was getting sick.
When Captain Caveman returned from his cave tour he was again desperately trying to get a haircut and shave before the gala dinner tonight at Chay Lap. When I told him I wasn’t feeling too good he said to cancel the bus tickets, then he changed his mind twice.
It turned in to a bit of a fiasco and Captain Caveman was quite stressed but did end up getting a haircut, paying for my Laos transport then going straight to Chay Lap.
I had a dodgy stomach for the rest of the day and night so I had some crisps which I had been trying not to eat for weeks. I ate a small amount of plain rice and chicken for dinner but didn’t feel too great.
When Captain Caveman came home he still had to pack, repack his stuff for when we got back and sort out his laundry. He seemed a bit stressed and very tired but was pleased to be having a whole week off to come with me on my next visa run (well, kind of)! Captain Caveman had decided he would splash out and had booked a private car with driver to take us to Danang tomorrow and I hoped my stomach would be better.
At 9pm I had a video call with my parents so that I could wish them both luck for my Mom’s hip replacement operation tomorrow. She was in good spirits, this was the second one so she was prepared for what was to come. Dad had been briefed on his duties as chief carer and was also ready.

Phong Nha – 21st July

I was very pleased that it was still raining when I woke up on Thursday 21st July. It meant that it was a bit cooler and I could get on with a few tasks I needed to complete before Captain Caveman got back out of the cave tomorrow. He had a week off starting this weekend and we had some exciting adventures planned.
But first on the important To Do List was to check if I had got my e-Visa yet. I’d applied on a Saturday, the bank payment had not gone through until Monday and I’m told immigration only work Tuesday to Friday. They have been so busy with online tourist visa requests that, this month, they had stopped sending any confirmation emails. This wasn’t a problem for me as I had the reference number and could check on the official website. By midday I had been granted another 30 day tourist visa which would start on 27th July to enter at the Laos-Vietnam land border, Lao Bao. It would end on 26th August when I would fly out of Vietnam from Saigon to Istanbul, via Singapore. There was not much room for manoeuvre but I was hopeful all would work out.

It rained heavily all day and by 3pm I was making bacon and Stilton pasta for my lunch. In the afternoon I checked flights from Dong Hoi to Saigon but didn’t book anything. Captain Caveman had said he might be able to swap a tour and come with me for a few days in Saigon before I left. He would leave Vietnam, for the first time since before the pandemic began, on the 30th August.
For dinner I made a nice chicken dish in a BBQ and honey sauce with sweetcorn and steamed rice. I treated myself to a Strongbow apple cider and was settling down for another early night.
My left glute had been playing up again so I did some pilates stretches, just in my pants, before bed. My phone rang before 9pm and I saw that it was Kate (in Dalyan) so I went to answer it, while pulling on a playsuit. It’s a good job I did as it was a video call from outside River Terrace and there were a few people there having a drink with her. One of our friends from the DBL group was over from Rhodes, looking at properties to rent which allowed pets so it was nice to see her, as well as the usual gang. I also got to say hello to everyone, including Penny and Phil who were off back to England very soon. I wished I was out with them having a few drinks but I would be back to see them in just under 6 weeks time, all being well.

Dalyan to Singapore – 4th June

I was a bit sloshed and very tired as Fikri drove me from Dalyan to Dalaman airport, in the early hours of Saturday 4th June. We were there before 2.30am and it had cost me 325 lira (£16.25) for the one way trip. I was able to check in straight away for my domestic flight at 3.30am to Istanbul, there was no queue. I didn’t bother with the airport lounge at Dalaman as there was no point, but I intended to go to the one in Istanbul, using my freshly acquired Priority Pass. The flight was on time, we got water and a cheese sandwich on the flight and when we landed I was so tired that I hoped the lounge had comfy reclining seats.
I got the free ‘one hour only’ WiFi code in the airport, sat down to check messages and let Captain Caveman know I had arrived in Istanbul, it was 9am over there but only 5am here. I couldn’t check in for my flight until 10am so I waited, in various uncomfortable metal seats, until it was time to get in the queue. The check-in finally opened late, at 10.45am, and the woman dealing with me had an issue. My visa specified that I will land at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City but my ticket was to Saigon. She had no idea they were the same place so, even when I told her, she still had to get her manager. We were wasting valuable lounge time here so I chatted to her a little in Turkish, I told her I was learning the language and that I’d been on holiday in Dalyan. She loves Dalyan so she became more friendly while we waited for the manager. Eventually I was sorted, nothing else was checked and my luggage would be checked straight through to Saigon.
I was boarding at 12.40pm so I was disappointed that I now had less than 2 hours in the lounge. I had a couple of draught Efes before getting a couple of bowls of lentil soup, bread rolls, cheeses, olives, salads etc. The breakfast food was still out but they started to put out the lunch so I grabbed a couple of sandwiches then went back to the bar for more beer. My next flight to Singapore was the longest part of my journey, we set off on time at 1.25pm (Turkish time) and would be landing in about 11 hours time. I hoped I might get some sleep on the way but it was a full plane and there was not much chance of that. We got a nice meal of beef with veg and potatoes but I left the dessert which was a chocolate Cornetto – Singapore Airlines food is pretty good though. I managed 3 glasses of red wine, seeing as it was free but then there was a bit of turbulence and we all had to sit down for a few hours. The woman next to me was from Indonesia and spoke no English so that was a bonus, her daughter at the other side of her was nice and polite. She told me of a secret waterfall near Dait, where she lives in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, and invited me to go there. Maybe Captain Caveman and I would visit it one day, as he has been to, and has friends in, East Kalimantan.

Dalyan – Top 10 things I will miss the most

A friend kindly pointed out that when I left Dalyan, after a 36 week and 3 day stay, that there was probably a lot I would miss. Here’s my list of what I think I will miss the most:

1. People – obviously I’m going to miss my family and friends. This visit has also meant I’ve been lucky enough to meet up with both old and new friends. I’ve been so grateful to meet some very special people who I love spending time with. I will particularly miss the banter and jokes that I can have with friends in Dalyan, it’s hard to find that same sense of humour when I’m away.

2. Independence – it’s going to be tricky having to get used to fitting to Captain Caveman’s schedule again. I’ve had 8.5 months of being able to do what I choose to do, when I want so it will take some adjusting to.

3. Boat trips – I’d been doing a few per month so it was going to be hard not to be enjoying all the lovely boat trips and swimming in the turquoise water.

4. Food – of course I will miss the massive choice of food available in Dalyan. Not having an oven in Phong Nha will take some getting used to. I was also going to miss Kate’s fruitcake and the fresh bread for only 3 lira a loaf at the local bakery.

5. Speaking the lingo – I’d made a bit of progress learning the Turkish language and was beginning to like being able to make myself understood. Despite having kept up some Vietnamese practice on Duolingo no one in Phong Nha understands a word of my Vietnamese, and never has.

6. The dry heat – although I’m not good in high temperatures I find it much easier in Turkey with the dry heat than the humidity of Vietnam.

7. Booze – in Dalyan there is so much opportunity and choice where alcohol is concerned. Going to a bar to drink or to someone’s house for a wine or two is no problem and mostly within walking distance. There’s never a day goes by without an invite to something involving a drink.

8. Supermarkets and shops – I’m not much of a shopper but I will certainly miss being able to walk or cycle to a supermarket, pharmacy or shop to buy essentials.

9. Exercise classes – I’m going to miss being able to go to Zumba and Pilates every week as I’ve really enjoyed how they had benefited my bad leg.

10. Transport – I’ve been spoiled by being able to use Mark and Kate’s electric bikes, I will certainly miss being able to whizz about with assisted pedalling when it’s hot or hilly. It’s also easy to go out and about with a taxi or a bus to a nearby place in Dalyan. It’s not as simple or as affordable as that in Phong Nha so it means relying on lifts and other people.