In transit!

 The song that has been going through my head this week is John Denver's  Leaving on a Jet Plane "All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go....."  The dreaded packing was done and I was away.

I flew  from Bodrum to Sabiha Gokcen airport, it is on the Asian side of Istanbul. I was flying with Air Arabia. This  entailed a 15 hour stop in Sharjah.  From what I had read, as the holder of an Irish passport, I could  get a visa on arrival and go and visit the city. I booked a hotel so I could have a sleep, later explore and then return and shower before continuing on my journey.

I immediately felt in a different world, as men in their long white robes and keffiyehs directed people to either the eye scanner or immigration. As my stay was an extremely short one, it was straight to immigration,  a quick stamp in the passport and away with me. Hurdle one down, a few more to go.

I got an airport taxi and  told him the address as it was on Booking.com. He hadn't a clue where we were going. He drove to the wrong Corniche. After stopping several times for directions, he finally delivered me to The Rayan hotel Corniche. I checked in, it was 07.00 in the morning. I was lucky I didn't have to wait for the official check in. I went straight to bed and slept until one. If this is only a 2 star hotel I cannot imagine the 5 star. It was clean, spacious, a powerful hot shower with toiletries and free wifi in all the rooms.

Waking, I quickly changed into lighter clothes and summer shoes and set off to explore with my camera. There was a very interesting looking museum, the Museum of Islamic Culture and souks to beat the band but the weather was too nice and I set out for a walk along the Corniche, taking in the sights, and snapping  lots of photos of course. 

The Museum of Islamic Culture

There was a park area along by the sea and lots of people had brought picnics with them and were also enjoying the warmer afternoon sunshine. My feet were beginning to ache but I pressed on until I finally came to a restaurant area. I would have liked something Arabic but all I could see was a lot of Brand name places, a pizzeria, TGI Fridays etc. so I settled for a panini and cappuccino in Tim Hortons. I had never heard of this chain until my daughter moved to Canada. Her fiancée loves his Tim Horton's. Time was pressing on, so the camera safely put away not to tempt me it set off back for the hotel. By this time my shoes were hurting me. I ended up walking  part of the way barefoot in the park.

The sun was setting when I returned, too much of a temptation. The camera was out again. I had time for a shower and then it was back to the airport. Of course the fleece I had brought for Nepal was still hanging on the back of the chair back at my hotel. However, I still had my wallet, phone camera and passport so all was well. One lost fleece was not too big a deal for a dithery old git!

Now I had my next hurdle to cross. When I applied for my online visa, I never got a confirmation email. However the money was gone out of my account. I then checked the status of my application, got a reference number and a notice to say it was approved. This was my only proof. I did email their helpline a month ago but got no reply.

Again, it was very simple. I went up to the desk and handed them my passport. I was asked how long I was staying. My passport was stamped and I was in.

My final hurdle was money. You cannot get Sri Lankan Rupees in Ireland. You have to get them on arrival. You must also change any you have left before leaving as you are not allowed to bring currency out of the country.

The first ATM refused to give me money, was it the particular bank or was the machine out of cash? The one thing I was sure of was there was money in the account. So I moved to the next machine and to my relief it spit out 70,000 LKR no problem. Well just one, it was all in 2000 LKR notes. There are approximately 177 LKR to the Euro. 

I then went and found the airport taxi desk. I told them I needed a taxi to Beruwela. It would be 7070 rupees. I was given a voucher, told I could pay the driver and a man would show me to the taxi. Of course he then stood beside my assigned taxi waiting for a tip. The smallest note I had was worth about €12 and I am not mean but that is a bit steep for just showing me where the taxi was. I even wheeled my own bags! He wasn't taking no change for an answer so eventually I gave him a few lira, not that that will be of any use to him. He went away happy.

The taxi ride was an experience. There was no seat belts, air con was an open window and all I can say is that I am glad that it was dark. I'm not a great passenger at the best of times but Sri Lankan drivers make Turks look good! The road was covered with speed bumps. It was a long road , sometimes a dual carriage way, but every so often one lane was blocked and two lines of traffic hurtled at each other. Every bone in my body jangled. Two hours and four stops later, (to learn the location of the hotel) we arrived. Of course when I went to pay the 7070 LKR tithe driver looked at me apologetically, shrugged his shoulders and told me he had no change.

To be honest, I didn't care. In 36 hours I had negotiated my way through 3 time zones, passport controls and visa situations that could have been difficult. I have landed in a tropical paradise. Roll on the adventure. 

Note to self. Change those notes for some of a smaller denomination.

Packing!

I have spent the last two weeks stressing about packing my bag. I'm getting more like my mother everyday. And just like not being able to make a story short, I've never been able to travel "light", I am always on the uppermost limit.

This time, conscious that I will be dragging a suitcase around India and Nepal I was determined to succeed. I would love to be able to pack into a rucksack, but I'm not sure I would be able to get it onto my back let alone lug it around. A wheelie suitcase might make me stand out more but it is a hell of a lot more practical for me.

I laid out all the possible clothes on the bed. Long trousers and long sleeved shirts seem to be the recommendations for working in the school and better for India too.  Nepal would require hiking boots and warmer clothes even though I have no intentions of walking up mountains, I would need serious training for that. In addition to this, after school there will be time to relax by the pool or swim in the sea. There are also places to visit and the weather is hot. Different clothes required. Are people going to dress up for dinner in this five star hotel? The horns of my dilemma.

Time to be ruthless! I went through the clothes on the bed and discarded half, anything not cotton, not linen, cut too low etc. Proud of myself, I started putting everything into my medium size suitcase. Am I Mama Bear?  Once again I made another cut. Eventually I had it all packed in and I was under the allowed weight. I would wear my boots and a fleece travelling and buy warmer clothes in Nepal if required. Way to go Mama Bear.

But then the doubts set in. If I buy something where will I put it? No room for prezzies for the daughters? I was below my allowed luggage allowance but the case was full. I decided the bigger case didn't weigh much more so I would bring that one. Oops I have just become Dada Bear!
And how is it that when zipping up the bigger case one or two extra bits crept in? Once more, I had to  I had to review the situation!!!

How do you manage? Do you travel light or are you packed to the last gramme? Do you forget essentials  or bring things that later you ask yourself what did I do that for? Got any tips? I need someone to stand over me while packing saying no, no, NO!

Sri Lanka here I come.

Last summer, knowing I was about to retire, I started to look into the possibilities for solo travel. I was born feet first and they have been itchy ever since. My Mum swears she was given the wrong baby in the nursing home. This is in spite of the fact that a lot of her ancestors were seafarers, on oceangoing schooners.

Much to my daughters amusement I came across Saga travel and they run a volunteer programme. My daughters were amused because Saga is for the over 50's, couple that with my retirement and in their eyes I am now officially old. Ha, little do they know. I have my mother's genes and I am very much alive and kicking.

The Saga Volunteer programme appealed because it combines a holiday with 4 weeks placement, in my case, in a school. Maybe the girls are right and I am getting old, the idea of mud huts or very basic facilities does not appeal to me any more. Perhaps it is just the stage that I am at, having worked hard, this is my retirement present to myself. A five star hotel for a month has a lot to be said for it.

I narrowed my choices to Nepal or Sri Lanka. In the end Sri Lanka won out. The school in Moragalla is small with just over 200 pupils, the school in Kathmandu has 1600. I chose the familiar. The first part of the process was to write my life story. This, I was told, was to help the school decide how best to use my skills, should I be successful. I wasn't sure how to get my life story into one short document. Ruthless cutting was required. I find it so hard to shorten a story, I have no problem lengthening it. Eventually, with ruthless editing, I was done. I also had to send a character reference and a criminal check report.  Luckily they were positive so I sent all my documents off in August and sat back to wait. 

Sri Lanka, off the east coast of India

           

The good news came towards the end of October. They wanted me and there was also two other ladies going too. The trip was going . I was to arrange my own flights as I wanted to travel from Bodrum.  During the waiting period I had been doing some reading about Sri Lanka and of course I also dipped into Nepal. If I was over that way, I might as well go to Nepal for a holiday too.

       

I looked at the flights and they were not expensive. But I couldn't find direct ones. They went through Delhi or Mumbai. Meeting some of my other cilgin kiz friends for brunch at The Lemon Tree in Bitez, I told them that I was thinking of going to Nepal flying through Delhi. Maria immediately recommended a stop in Delhi, having been herself she reckoned I would love it.

I was a bit nervous about travelling on my own, but with the brother Gabriel's encouragement the tickets were bought and now one month in Sri Lanka has become two months with stops in Sri Lanka, Kerala, Delhi, Agra and then on to Kathmandu. Maria and Gabriel you have a lot to answer for, encouraging me.

       

Nothing like being ambitious with my "first solo trip" I don't count coming to Turkey. I didn't come here the first time on my own, and now I come so often it is routine.

Am I excited or scared? Both!! 55 and like a teenager off on a gap year, I am heading off on a major trip and my working daughters are envious of my free time. There are definite advantages in being older!

My first "solo' road trip

I wrote this post a couple of months ago but never got around to editing it. Even now the editing is pretty rough. I'm heading off on a new adventure so I thought I would post this before a begin my new chapter.

I brought Mum out to Bodrum for the month of October. I wanted her to feel at home, to relax and enjoy her time with me. She is 87 years young. Lately it seems that she has been surrounded with bad news, this friend is sick, that friend is dying, so a break from all that would do her good. It must be very difficult to be the only one left of your family and to watch your friends go, one by one.

Mum loves company but also likes her own space, so I prepared her room. She likes to say her prayers in the evening time, so I borrowed a tubby chair from my friend Metin, bought a coffee table and table cloth, gathered up some of my nice candle holders and placed them all in her room.  She soon turned it into a nest,  to which she retreated every evening to pray.

Knowing how important her prayer life is, I planned to take her to the House of the Virgin Mary near Selcuk for Mass on the Sunday morning before we returned home. I had never driven this far before and needless to say, I was a little anxious. My friend offered to drive us and I was delighted on one hand and even more anxious on the other. I am a very bad passenger and definitely have trust issues.  The plans were made. We would leave on Saturday around half past eleven, this was allowing Mum to have her breakfast as normal, an easy start to the day. We would visit Bafa Lake on the way and stay overnight in Selcuk. I didn't book anything in advance because Metin would do the bargaining and probably get us a better rate.

Half past ten there is a knock at the door, Metin looking decidedly unhappy. There is work going on in one of the other houses and he has to stay to let the carpenter come and measure up. He told us to go ahead without him. But Mum was happy to wait. Half an hour later, he is at the door again. He has to help another house move furniture. There is no way he can make it. I'm driving.  This is the shiny new car.

We headed off, with me hiding my trepidation. Mum thinks I'm fearless. Little does she know!  On the way I stopped to show her the Temple of Euromos. As long as I can remember, she loves heaps of stones.

 Driving on from there we turned off for Heraklia on Bafa Lake. The road is narrow and twisty but beautiful.

As soon as we parked the car we were surrounded by the village ladies wanting to sell their wares, beaded jewellery, tablecloths and other handcrafts. It was difficult to just wander and explore when you are being followed by a horde. So we headed back to the car and on for Selcuk. 

I now had a new worry. I hadn't booked anywhere because Mr. Man was going to look after that. I would just drive into Selcuk and hopefully spot somewhere on the main road. Bad guess! There wasn't a sign of a hotel on the road in. But I am nothing if not resourceful! Maybe a little of Mr. Man has rubbed off on me. I had brought Mr. Man's wireless Internet dongle with me. I switched it on, took out my iPad and went immediately to Booking.com. I found a likely place not far from us, put the address into the GPS and off we went.

God was definitely smiling on me. We drove down a road  which led to a square with market in full swing.Vegetables and fruit of all hues on sale. Luckily we had to turn right. If not I was a goner, how could I have gotten around the market? There was one parking space right at the front door.  The hotel was set up for an engagement party that night but there were two empty rooms for us. The hotel was listed as two star, but our rooms were spotless, air conditioned, satellite telly and more importantly free wifi!  

I didn't realise how tense I had been until we got to the rooms. I told Mum I needed to rest for an hour. My legs had gone to jelly. I spoke to Mr. Man, he wanted to know we had arrived safely. He was surprised I was on the net. He had got a message only a short while before to say that the wifi dongle Internet allowance was used up. There had literally been enough for me to look up the hotel and then it was gone!

The next morning we had breakfast at eight. Mum loved the tomatoes. There was no comparison to the tomatoes at home she thought, these were so fresh and juicy. A man at the next table wanted to fill her tea cup for her. She was old, he thought, and he was being both helpful and thoughtful. Little did he know that this " little old lady" is anything but helpless.

We checked out and headed up the mountain to the House of the Virgin Mary. It is supposed to be the place where she last lived, with the apostle John. A German nun, Catherine Emmerich, blind from birth is said to  have had a dream and described the place where she lived. Years later, it was excavated by an archeologist and they found the ruins of a building. There is now a small church built on the site and hundreds of tourists come everyday to visit and pray.  It is sacred to all "people of the Book"

Every Sunday, at half past ten there is mass said here at an outdoor altar. We arrived in time and took our places. W met a lot of Irish people who were staying in Kusadasi and they too had come specially for the Mass. It was a lovely experience sitting in the sun, watching a squirrel run around the roof of the chapel and launch himself off into the nearby tree. 

My last job of the day was to light some candles for my friends requests. 

Mum also lit candles for her friends intentions.

This done we drove down the mountain again, mum came to grips with her first pomegranate juice before we set off for Bodrum.

 I hadn't been looking forward to the drive, but now one more fear  is conquered. I know that if I take my time, drive defensively, I can tackle the Turkish roads.  Actually the roads are good...the main ones anyway....it's the drivers that inspire total terror!

Post Retirement.....Retirement Post?

I retired last August and it feels like I am on a roller-coaster ever since. How used I have time to work? Pre-retirement, people asked me what would I do with all my free time. My answer was "Absolutely nothing" I  have always said I was born lazy, though the truth is I was born awkward, a breech birth no less, as I like to pace myself and take things easy.

According to my friends, I definitely would not be able to sit still.  Boy, they were wrong, they didn't know me at all, I thought. Every summer, the day after school closed, I would pack my bag, head for Bodrum and revel in being indolent for two months. After thirty five years working in the same small school, raising four daughters and volunteering in the local community, the thought of six months indolence was very enticing.

 Yes, I did have plans on how to spend my time, I would work on my photography skills, actually just sorting and cataloguing my photos would be at least a year's work. I looked forward to being able to travel at the drop of a hat, trying out new recipes, reading etc.

It turns out that my friends seem to know me better than I do myself. In five short months I have moved countries, renovated a house, joined a book group, a singing group and a knitting group. Ants in my pants, Energiser Bunny or what?  I have also signed up to volunteer in a school in Sri Lanka this month for four weeks. It will be a working holiday but hopefully a good way to travel, to give me a chance to experience local culture outside the bubble of the posh hotel. I have gone past the stage where mud huts have an appeal! This is my retirement present to myself.

Since I returned to Bodrum I  have found it hard to relax. I have been sorting out the house and there always seems to be something to be done. I sometimes take a guilty pleasure in watching tv in the late afternoon. Why in the name of God do I feel guilty? Why do I feel  all my time should be gainfully employed? When I was working, I enjoyed my weekends. They were for relaxation especially Sunday. I took time off without any guilt. Now everyday is the weekend and it is hard to set the two days aside to be indolent.

I don't make New Year's resolutions but I have decided to take myself in hand and give myself permission to make hay while the sun shines to be a grasshopper instead of an ant!

Yesterday was one such day. I went out for a walk and brought my camera. I bought a new camera in September but haven't had the chance to use it. So these are the results of my "grasshopper" day.

I never get tired of this view.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

.....because these were on the other side.

Unfortunately they showed no interest so he looks pretty dejected.

At this time of year Türkbükü reverts from being a high society resort to a sleepy fishing village.

One solitary table remains.

Everything is packed away until next season.

No I haven't arrived in Sri Lanka yet though the weather today made it seem like it.

Bringing home the catch.

Nets, rods, everyone is out to catch their dinner.

The whole family are involved.

Colourful nets.

The fishing village is being changed utterly, every spare inch of ground is under construction in spite of many houses for sale.

More infill.

These locals are also having a grasshopper day

Serenity

Who wouldn't feel serene when looking at this view?

I wasn't the only one roaming with a camera.

These preferred a chat.

While the weather was wonderful today there is evidence of the previous night's thunder storm.

Away from the beach...

Looking back down on the village.

My new boots have had their first outing. I need to break them in before arriving in Nepal. 

Finally, it is back to work

Time to fire up the barbecue!