The Ides of March

And so, did the stress levels recede? Marginally maybe. We still haven't got our motorbike document issue resolved, but it's worse now, because they have got the receipt for the thing as well. This could leave us in a very sticky situation, as we have no proof of ownership at all. We're back to how we started ... Shankes pony or Dolmus, for if we use the bike with no paperwork and we're stopped by the police ... well it doesn't bear thinking about.

We continued our search for a small sailing craft in Bodrum on 15th (beware the ides of March!!!!). We spotted these flamingoes as we got petrol just past the Airport between Milas and Bodrum.
We searched all round Bodrum, going to places we never knew existed. We found loads of boats, but none of the type we were after. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult would you? We found all manner of speed boats (the Turks really like the status symbol of these!). We found yards full of huge yachts for £1,000,000 plus .... probably a little out of our price range, but sailing boats around 4 or 5 metres ---- yok!! (English translation .. none)

The Bodrum Peninsular was very clean and a beautiful part of the coastline. Among the places we visited, apart from Bodrum itself, were Yalikavak, Turgetreis, Ortakent and Içmeler (Bodrum not the one near Marmaris).

We had taken Mandy and Lawrence with us as they are also looking for a slightly larger craft than us, but they had no luck. They had been told there could be one moored at this marina at Turgetreis, but it had already sailed to Yalikavak. we chased it there, but couldn't find it.

Finally we returned home boatless ... perhaps we'll try Marmaris or Çesme next.

The following day we went to visit Yo and Nigel for lunch at their new house. They have finally moved in and wanted to show it to us and Mandy and Lawrence. Very nice it is too. We should have added a photo of it here, but do you know? we forgot to take one ... oh well next time we're over there. Unfortunately, with Akbuk over half an hour away on the bus and us and them being so busy since, we haven't had a chance to catch up since.

Friday, Pat and Don arrived from England for a 10 day visit. It's always like Christmas when they come, as they kindly bring us many of the home comforts we can't buy here ... you know the sort of thing; Cheddar cheese, bacon, sausages, brown sugar, glacé cherries and the list goes on. Having said that, we have found substitutes for many things, but it is nice sometimes to have the real McCoy. Also, every month the choice here gets greater, as the supermarkets realise the spending power of their new customers, the Brits. A shop has just opened in Didim selling British bacon, gammon steaks, baked beans, Bisto gravy, Colman's mustard and many other goodies not usually available. The goods are pricey, as the hoops he has to jump through to get them into the country are phenomenal, but sometimes it's worth it for a little treat.

Talking of jumping through hoops, we've had our own experience of that over the last three weeks as we tussle with customs trying to import a small spa pool we purchased from ebay. IT was cheap, but the duty they are trying to impose on it is three times it's value. Negotiations continue ... we'll keep you posted.

Fitted between going out and about with Don and Pat, overseeing Bob's house painting and other mundane household things, Sue has even managed to decorate the hall, stairs and landing (30ft up to the ceiling) and the entire ground floor. Don't quite know how.

Many of our friends are returning now from the UK to spend the summer in Yesilkent, so some of the time we've been catching up with them, as well as entertaining our long time friends Margaret and Ted who came over from near Kusadasi.

This week the weather had a complete change around and we had gales, storms, and power cuts.
The gales dislodged the lid from the tank that you may recall was recently re-installed after the collapsing framework fiasco. It turns out that in truly Turkish style, when they could only find one hole to screw it on with the installers left it at that. When David went up there in the gales to try to effect a repair he found they had put it on back to front, which is why the holes didn't line up .... hey,ho!!!

The weather is now back to it's best, and we are once more able to eat breakfast out on the patio, and enjoy the warm sunshine at the same time. The spring flowers are in abundance everywhere, so everywhere looks a real picture.

And with these pics we leave you for this month, except to say that we would appreciate the odd comment, then we know someone out there is actually reading about our adventures here in Turkey.

March 2007

Here we are in March and the "stress free" life is showing signs of wear. On Friday 2nd we had to go to the tax office, yes that's right, the tax office to book our MOT or visa as it is known here in Turkiye. We have to take in our current one and our passport. The information is then checked on the computer to make sure there are no reasons we shouldn't be allowed to continue, such as convictions etc. Then we had to pay up front for the visa, which in Altinkum occurs once a month on the first Monday of the month.

Over the weekend we washed and cleaned the bike and checked all the nuts and bolts, brakes, lights and anything else we could think of. We had heard that the queues were likely to be long, so it was up early and a trip to the bus station, where the MOT centre would be set up. It was a fine sunny morning and there were already 30+ vehicles queuing.

We had to wait around for around one and a half hours before the MOT station was opened, wondering just how long after that it would take. We needn't have worried, within twenty minutes it was our turn. How did we get to the front of the queue so fast you ask? We found out. The "MOT" consisted of checking that the engine and chassis numbers on the documents were the same as those on the documents. Unfortunately one of our documents had the numbers transposed, so although we were given our mot, we will have to take the bike on a two and a half hour journey to Aydin, so that the county police can check the numbers for themselves and correct the error.

Stress meter up!!! OOO

On Tuesday we had arranged to share a minibus with four of our friends with the intention of going to Izmir to look at boats. We are all in the market for a boat, but each of us wants something different. Nigel wants a fishing boat, Lawrence and Mandy want a large sailing boat, and we would like a small sailing dinghy. We get three quarters of the way up the motorway, when the clutch fails.

Stress meter up a bit more!!! OOOOOO

We managed to nurse the vehicle to the next exit, which was also the entrance to Ikea. We waited there nearly two hours for a mechanic to arrive. While one of us waited by the vehicle, the others took the opportunity to take a look round the store. The back of the minibus was duly filled. Then we all got fed up, so we went back into the store for lunch, leaving a note on the windscreen for the mechanic to ring our mobile when he arrived. Fortunately we had finished our lunch before the phone rang. It didn't take him long to fix the problem enough for us to continue, although the clutch was still slipping so we kept our fingers crossed it would take us round Izmir and back home before it failed completely.

Stress meter up a bit more!!! OOOOOOOOO

We made our way to Karşiyaka, where the boat yards are supposed to be. We found two, but then they dried up. We hunted all over but no sign; however, we did find a Carrefour Hypermarket, where we stocked up on croissants, which are not available in Didim.

On the way back to the motorway we got lost, and ended up driving through the heart of Izmir between 5 and 6 in the evening ...... horrendous, driving at it's worst!!

Stress meter up a bit more!!! OOOOOOOOOOOO

We managed to limp back to Altinkum eventually.

On Wednesday we woke to the sound of water cascading down the roof. David went onto the roof in his dressing gown, to turn the supply to the solar panels off ... good job it was early. Later he returned to the roof and climbed onto the tank to see if there was a simple solution. Nope! So we decided to call out the men, as it was still under guarantee. Meanwhile we had to return the minibus and complain about the condition of same as well as it's lack of maintenance. The people there apologised and said they would see what they could do by way of compensation.

Back to Yesilkent. The boys turned up to fix the tank ...... climbed up onto the solar units as David had earlier to check out the problem. Catastrophe!!!!! The framework collapsed, almost catapulting the boy off the roof, the extremely heavy water tanks balanced precariously on the glass solar panels and the lid from the expansion tank jetisoned over the roof, and down into the garden, missing Sue's head, 30 feet below, by a matter of millimetres.

Stress meter critical!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The upshot was, that the apparatus was made as safe as possible while the boys went off to get a new frame made. They were back 2 hours later, with it and a man to weld it into place. Then the disassembled system was reassembled, pipes reconnected, and everything checked >>>> it was OK. They left with a large sum of money, and we were left with the clearing up.

Stress meter at danger!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The following day we went back to the car rental establishment to speak with the manager. He tried to blame it on our driving at which point the steam came out of David's ears and all hell broke loose.

Stress meter blown apart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We eventually had to leave with no recompense, but with us vowing that we would make sure everyone would know how REPTOURS treat their customers. It is not the first time REPTOURS have let customers down, and we've now heard several tales about their poor customer care, and the state of their vehicles. Some people even lost their entire days shopping in Kos, when the REPTOURS guy left it on the quayside. Needless to say there was no compensation.

So not the best week really, but we finished it with a walk along the beach and that is always calming, and with the sun shining, and temperatures up in the mid-twenties in the middle of March, we must put things in perspective .... We love it here!!