"ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM"

We had got stuck in the routine of our studies and day jobs and our only holidays together had been our honeymoon to Athens and a week in Cornwall. We had been on a couple of really awesome family holidays including Morocco, but we wanted to break up our working routine and get away together. We wanted to start exploring again, I think this trip to Turkey is really what kicked off our travelling together.

We were both still studying and working in 2013. Hannah had finished her placement year and we were lucky enough to get a tax rebate. I don’t remember why we chose Turkey but it was a great place to start learning to travel together.

We arrived at our hotel after getting a shared taxi from the airport. Our hotel was the Odyssey Residence in the Fethiye region. We arrived and went to check in, we were told our hotel room was not ready. We were made to wait for hours and hours. Several times we tried to get them to hurry up or understand why there was such a long delay, they gave us no real reason other than it was being cleaned. We couldn’t understand why it would take so long to clean? We were eventually told that our room was going to be upgraded from a one bedroom suit to a two bedroom suit. We were tired and just wanted to get into our room. The sun had set and we had been waiting outside with our bags for several hours. When we finally got into the room it was nice to be able to relax and eventually go find some dinner.

We spent the first day relaxing by the pool and watching sunsets at the beach. We also ventured into town to try some local food and explore the shops. On the beach front we could catch the local buses to Dalaman and other big towns where we arranged a boat Island tour for the next day and then a Jeep safari the day after that.

We were really excited for our boat trip around different little islands. We were excited to swim in the warm water and soak up the sun. The boat crew served a beautiful BBQ of fresh seafood which was so good. The water was calm and it was a perfect day. We purchased a disposable camera with a waterproof housing and we were actually really impressed with the results. I’ve used them before and normally the photos don’t come out so great. (Let’s be honest we were impressed that the photos were not a blurred mess and we have memories from it :))

Our boat tour was perfect for being able to nap, sunbath and enjoy the warm waters and different islands off of the Turkish coast.

When we arrived back at shore the sun was setting and we went back to our hotel to get cleaned up and drop our stuff off. We then walked along the beach into town to find some dinner. This is when we first came across the ice cream man shouting “Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!” He was brilliant and so happy! We bought some ice cream from him.

We then found a kebab restaurant and had by far the best kebabs of our lives, we asked for them to go and sat on the beach wall looking out towards the ocean.

The next day we were picked up by a person that we can only describe as Borat. The guy was crazy and acted just like him. He even said similar phrases, we were joining a group tour and would be heading to different sights around the area. There were water guns on the jeeps and everyone was having a good time until an older guy slipped getting out of the vehicle and caught his shin against the metal step. His weight then caused it to dig in and as he fell it ripped upwards and down to the bone. He screamed and everyone just stood in a circle around him staring in shock. The guy needed help and I said to Hannah shall I do something? Expecting the tours guides to take charge and whip out their first aid kits and then get him off to hospital. After a few seconds of no one doing something I moved forward and got the guy to lie down. I then asked where the first aid kit was and a reply of we don’t have one came back.

I raised his leg and said we need to put pressure on the wood and get him to hospital, is there anything we can use. Our Borat style tour guide started taking his sweaty vest top off to give to me. I said no way it’s sweaty and dirty and we need something clean. While they tried to find something I chatted to the guy whose leg I was holding to try keep him calm and from going into shock. After a few minutes of faffing around he was driven to the nearest hospital to have the gaping wound sewn back together. We then had lunch as if nothing had happened and the tour continued, although everyone was a bit more wary of the jeeps step now.

The highlight of the day though was when we used inflatable rings to raft out of the Saklikent Gorge. The water was icy mountain water and would splash in our faces which was perfect on the hot day. We then hiked through the gorge and at 300 meters deep it is one of the world’s deepest.

It was a great day exploring Turkey and we were tired as we arrived back at our hotel. We were the last ones to be dropped off and the sunset as we drove home was a beautiful shade of oranges and pinks.

We then spent the next few days exploring local sites such as the famous Amyntas Rock Tombs, located on the hills of Fethyie. We also explored the blue lagoon which was very pretty but incredibly busy. The town of Dalaman is also incredibly touristy and looks like a movie set.

We had a great few days in Turkey and it was nice to be able to break up our working routine. We also reignited our desire to travel more after a few years of getting stuck in a habit that we always wanted to avoid.