Turkey Last Minute

- July 30, 2018

Who would have thought a person like me could ever decide to go on the last minute, all inclusive package holidays? For sure not the people who know me. They all know that I always travel the way I like the most – even if not solo still independently and by my own way. But this time – as it was a difficult first half of the year – I've decided to treat myself with something different and indulge in the divine 3S: sun, sand and sea. The plan was to simply rest and do nothing (as if it was possible at all) and I thought that the best place to do this would be Turkish Riviera.

As I’ve been avoiding organized holidays for all of my life this turned out to be a pretty interesting experience and so I would like to share with you not only my pictures form the Turkish holidays but also some pros and cons of it.

Sunset in Side, Turkey 2018

Preparation

Usually before a trip I start to prepare early to get the cheapest flights, tickets and accommodation. And I make a list of things I want to see. But this time I just had to wait for the best offer to come. There was no ticket hunting, no accommodation research. My bag was packed and I was just waiting to pick the best offer as soon as it appears. Luckily, the closer to the departure the prices got lower... It turned out I was able to get a price that was pretty low – the whole stay including the accommodation and full board cost more or less the same as the plane ticket to Turkey would cost itself. Definitely a pro.

Stay

I am used to a very basic accommodation and so hotels are rarely my first choice. Therefore a nice room, swimming pool and sunbeds at the beach definitely were a nice change (I can't say the bunk beds are what I like the most ;))

Unfortunately, the endless line of hotels and resorts stretched along the seashore of the Turkish Riviera is not something that I found amusing. Those resorts, usually of dubious beauty, reminded me a bit the Las Vegas Strip (I can't decide if this is a pro or a con :P). They all look so fake and artificial, mainly because they try to immitate somethig they are not: palaces decorated with ancient columns and arches or pyramids. Also it seemed to me that the hotels are a kind of fortresses protecting their guests from the contact with locals and their life. In general contact with locals was pretty limited to those who work for the tourist industry. And for me it was something I didn't like at all as for me meeting people and observing their life is what I think travelling is about.

Food

Travelling for a vegan/vegetarian is not always easy and usually it takes time and effort to find a place that offers some decent meals at affordable price. With the full board or all inclusive you just simpy don't have to worry about it. I was pleasently suprised as it turned out that Turkish cuisine can offer great variety of meals that herbivores can actually enjoy. My top choices were: pilaws, vegetables stuffed with rice, nuts and spices; gozleme bread and some amazing grilled courgettes, aubergines and peppers. Plus the tons of sweet, juicy fruits. As you can imagine I wasn’t hungry there.

Entertainment

After a few days of total chillout I got a bit restless and I felt the urge to get out of the resort area and see something more than just the sea, the sun and the sand. And so we went to the nearby town - Side - using the public transportation (and in Turkey that can be an adventure itself). The place we visited turned out to be a lovely, Mediterranean style town with rich history and pleanty of charming spots and restaurants. Since then we went there almost every evening as the sunsets in Side were simply stunning.

The biggest disappointment turned out to be an organized trip to Pamukkale and ancient city of Hierapolis where supposedly Cleopatra spend her honeymoon. Don't get me wrong, both places are just wonderful but visiting them with group of people and a really bad tour guide made me feel both angry and sad. Rush, ignorance and bad organization are not the things I'm used to while I am travelling. And I must admit, I've learned my lesson - organized sightseeing is definitely not my cup of tea.

What I've learned

To sum up I must admit I really enjoyed the holidays even though I would never expected it. First of all I loved the closeness of the sea and the beach that were about one hundred meteres from the hotel.

Then I loved the fact that for the whole week my only problem was deciding whether to spend time at the beach or at the pool.

Also the availability of food I can not only eat but also enjoy. I didn't have to check the Happy Cow App and worry where I can get my protein ;).

Finally this lazy holidays taught me how to rest and how important it is to slow down and relax for a while. I know that the world is an amazing place and there are many wonderul things I want to see. But despite my huge appite for it I am not able to get it all.

Slowing down is difficult as I am rather erratic and avid person but those lazy days in Turkey helped me to understand and appreciate the value of doing nothing. As the internet connection was pretty bad I was forced to "be in the moment" and practice - unintentionally - a kind of mindfuness. The limited area I've spend a whole week created my small world consisting of the pool, beach, restaurant and my room. And finally there I was able to stop, breathe and relax.
Wish you all a great holidays!