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“A trip of a lifetime”

written by Russell447 on 02/05/2017

Just a short note to say how much we very much enjoyed our holiday in Turkey. Some key things we learned about Turkey:

· Turkey is as safe as any other European city. At no stage did we feel unsafe, uncertain or vulnerable. In fact we felt very safe. There was a good security presence at key points: airport and tourist attractions, which we found comforting. Nor was the security presence overwhelming to the point that it made travel difficult. We were in Turkey during the recent referendum and we saw no protests or demonstrations. The day after the referendum was just another day in this wonderful country.

· The food is amazing. We loved the food and there was lots of it! The BBQ’ed lamb, beef and chicken was delicious. The seafood at Kuşadashi was fresh and cooked over a hot grill Turkish style. The vegetables were fresh and tender, and the fruit (especially the oranges) juicy and to die for. We have never tasted Turkish delight like that which we found in the spice bazaar in Istanbul.

· Turkey has a rich and diverse culture and history. If you are interested in Greek, Roman, Byzantium, Christian and Islamic history, go to Turkey. Sitting astride the Silk Road, Turkey is a rich confluence of history and culture. We could spend months in Istanbul walking the back streets absorbing the rich history of this wonderful city. The Greek and Roman ruins of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon and PMD are breathtaking.

· Turkey is very cheap. Hotels, food, transport are all very cheap by Australian standards. Daily living costs in most of Turkey was less than $AUS50 per person.

· The transport system is modern and very easy to use. We caught a modern air-conditioned bus from Istanbul to Eceabat, and later a Turkish Airlines domestic flight from Denizli to Istanbul. Services were prompt, clean and very professional. The internal flight was as good as any flight between Sydney to Melbourne flying Qantas.

· Most importantly, the people are incredibly warm and likeable. They have a natural affinity with Australians, not so much for our shared military experience, but we seem to share good nature and optimism.
The team at TTC helped us pull together a trip to the Aegean and Istanbul which was truly memorable. We were fortunate to be privately guided on most days. The standard of guides in Turkey is very high. All were university educated, spoke beautiful English and were lovely people. The guides were a key element to our wonderful holiday. The accommodation booked by TTC was four star, modern, clean and comfortable. We very much enjoyed the accommodation in Istanbul at the Dosso Dossi within walking distance of the historical old city sites.

Most importantly, we are determined to return to Turkey as we believe that this was one of the best holidays we ever experienced.