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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Moondog, are you there? (or anyone else helpful![grin]

28 replies

jollymum · 06/10/2006 06:36

My family, all six of us are going to Turkey in two weeks!! First time on a plaane for three of the kids, DS1 has been all over the place with his very rich dad. Things I could do with knowing, 'cos we can only take three suitcases in our car, as we have to go to Manchester to travel, from Brum. Right, sorry if the questions sound stupid, but here goes. Do I really have to take a £10 note for each of us to get in?! Travel agent told me to do this. Do the kids need sunglasses (see, told you I'm worrying). Do we need coats at night, 'cos I have no idea where to put them or shall we just travel in them? Actually, we will 'cos we're flying at night, god I'm thick. It's my littlest one's birthday too, he'll be 8!.Do we need mozzie stuff, 'cos I got badly bitten in Cyprus and 'm not sure about Turkey.

Oh and if anyone can tell me if it's going to rain, please do!!

Anything else I should know, dress codes etc. Shorts OK wherever or coverup in places?

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 06/10/2006 11:49

jollymum,

Re your queries hope the following is of some benefit:-

Dress modestly if visiting a mosque or a religious shrine.

Do not take photographs near military or official installations. You should seek permission before photographing individuals.

It is an offence to insult the Turkish nation or the national flag, or to deface or tear up currency.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A visa is required for British nationals to enter Turkey. British citizens may obtain a multiple entry visitor's visa valid for 90 days at the port of entry on payment of ten pounds sterling in cash (Scottish currency is not accepted).

Your passport should be valid for at least six months on entry into Turkey.

Take the sunglasses and the mossie repellent. Better safe than sorry.

Original poster
jollymum · 06/10/2006 12:19

Bump-thanks for info so far, any more ideas?Also, what can we take on plane now? Just phoned dozy travel people and the tickets are being sent today to one travel agent and then on to us. Hope they get here

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Original poster
jollymum · 07/10/2006 11:36

Bump could do with a holiday checklist too. I know how organised you lot are and there's six of us and I.m panicking!

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Original poster
jollymum · 11/10/2006 14:01

bumping!

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ElleMacpherson · 11/10/2006 14:08

My sil tellsm e that in Greece last week it was 30 degrees and this week it is 15!! They have been hit by bad storms. I bloody hope it gets better before we get there nin two weeks.

Is Turkey hotter than greece at thsi time of year? Whenever I go I neverneed suncream, it is nice and warm in the day but that is it!

ElleMacpherson · 11/10/2006 14:10

I don't thik you will need coats. Make sure each kids as a fleece or something warm for the night.

not sure about sunglasses. Mine never wear them.

bettythebuilder · 11/10/2006 15:46

I got back from Turkey a week or so ago.

You need to pay £10 for a visa for Everyone - even babies - just hand the money over in the airport and they stick it in your passport.
There were still restrictions on hand baggage ie no liquids, but you can take a larger bag on now - check the airline's or airport website.

The weather was fab - around 30 deg only had one and a half days rain in 2 weeks, and even then it wasn't cold.

I took cardis for dd for evenings and pashminas for me, as we were sitting out and it got a bit cooler.

A pashmina is great for flights - can wrap up in it if air con is too cold, use it as blanket for dd or a pillow, and they don't take much room in handbaggage.

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 21:08

Right, please tell me kids are taking the wee?! They "heard" on the news tonight while I was cooking that they had had tornados in Turkey and people had to flee the beaches?! My kids are telling fibs or that's it-I'm not going!!!

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madmarchscare · 19/10/2006 21:13

No, tis true

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 21:48

Err, what? elabourate please and where the hell were these twisters? It's our first hol abroad and so far the resort has been bombed, we were told flying's fine but not Turkish airlines (guess what ours is?!) and now this? We're not meant to go are we?

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moondog · 19/10/2006 21:54

Jolly,I'm glad you're going.
It will be fine.

madmarchscare · 19/10/2006 21:54

Im not sure where they were as I didnt watch it, but I saw a video link here .

moondog · 19/10/2006 21:55

Where are you going?

madmarchscare · 19/10/2006 21:57

We're off next year to Ovacik. Dont worry, Im sure everything will be fine. Have a great time.

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 22:01

Hi Moondog, you are my voice of reason. We're going to Ichmeler(sp?) near Marmaris. I am worried because of bombs etc now I worry about the fact that this is our 1st hol abroad and now, not only might it rain but there may be tornados!! My dd hasn't even got a coat because she wears a blazer for school and won't wear a coat on top. I am taking some black sacks for us all to wear as raincotas. Is it true that like when I went to Cyprus in June that we have to put loo paper in bins not down the loo? Kids are totally shocked and also, is it ok for us to drink the water or should we stick to bottled stuff and no ice cubes?

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moondog · 19/10/2006 22:03

JM,I can understand your worries,but honestly relax.

If you forget something,you can buy it (clothes dead cheap in Turkey.)

It will still be nice and warm.

I put loo roll down the bog.

Turkey and Turks are lovely.

moondog · 19/10/2006 22:04

I eat and drink everything,and live in a really wild part.
So do my kids (2 and 5)

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 22:05

I know you're a long way away from where we're going but I wish we could meet up. Tell me more about your lovely country and thanks for talking to me.

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moondog · 19/10/2006 22:06

I'm not Turkish though,but Welsh!

Have you got a guidebook?
I find half the fun is the reading about it.

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 22:13

We booked it through the internet and I'm hoping it's not dodgy. I have looked at some stuff people wrote on the website and they recommended taking trips/boats trips outside of the hotels not the hotels ones'cos they're a ripoff. Have your little ones alway lived there or are you new to the country. The last thing I need to get is the "sh..ts" sorry, can't spell the posh word for it! My kids are weird ages so have to accommodate them all, I really would like to lie around in the sun and do the "culture" thing. I hope the waether's OK, the travel agent told me it would be hotter/better than the Canaries etc and I was sure of the sun. I did a weather thing today 'cos it's my birthday. Apparantly it was raining yesterday!! What's where you are like? Sorry, being nosy just like talking to someone who's wher we're going! Makes you realise how international MN is What time is it there?

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moondog · 19/10/2006 22:14

Hang on..will look up Icmeler in my guide book....

moondog · 19/10/2006 22:21

JM,I'm in Wales now but have just been talking to my dh in Turkey (he's coming home tomorrow)
I'm not always there-we go back and forth and have been doing for three years.
Ds was 12 weeks when we first took him.

Bugger,my guide book is in Turkey.

moondog · 19/10/2006 22:22

Happy Birthday btw.

Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 23:02

Thank you, I need to go to bed soon. Working tomorrow, have my own business and my "kids" are performing tomorrow for their parents etc. Haven't even written the script eyt! Have to pack for us all and it's my "babys" birthday on Sunday, he will be 8! Have to leave at 2am Mon morning, travel to Manchester, get to the airport by 5.30am and fly about 8am. Have 4 hr flight(?) and 3/4 hr transfer time. Such a long time with the kids....kalms tablets here I come

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Original poster
jollymum · 19/10/2006 23:03

Is our Dh turkish then? sorry, that's very nosey but then I am!

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