Week 15 , Fethiye, Turkey

Dear Ethel, Family and Friends,

We have finally made it to Turkey. Only been here a few days and feeling a bit out of our comfort zone after Greece. We had an earthquake the day we left for Turkey at 6am, the ground, building and bed shook... Scary. It was 6.2 on the scale and 200km north and 65km down (underground) from Rhodes we were told. We haven’t seen any damage to speak of luckily.

We spent 3 days in Marmarus where the ferry arrives from Rhodes, not a particularly nice town, more a wholesale holiday package deal kind of town... (as described by Lonely Planet). Any way we did our research there and have a few things planned out now. We hired a car and drove to a nicer town, Fethiye, a bit further south for 3 day.

It’s more appealing here in Fethiye as we are staying right in town and overlooking the marina. Elsewhere up and down the coast is the same tourist package deal places or more marinas. Not as many restored monuments and ruins as I would have expected. We did a boat tour around the 12 Islands, the Islands surrounding Fethine. It took us to 6 or so ‘secret’ swimming spots, known to only 20 or 30 other tour boat operators. Nice day out all the same.

Next we are doing a bare boat hire. We are hiring a 32 foot yacht and sailing it in a flotilla of 15 other yachts up the coast for a week. Yep it's a big one and expensive as well but we can justify it if we say it really fast and pretend it's not in pounds...800 pounds. Still it is a good price as it is a last minute offer and we are here. Will let you know all about it.

No thought of work yet but after our expensive yacht trip we will look for a place to lay low for a while and will resume our research into teaching work in Turkey.

All the best for now

Ric & Louise

PS: Turkey has banned Youtube so I can’t upload any video... so that will be on hold for a while.