A Lesson Learned – Two In A Truck

A herd of sheep were being driven past the beach and one animal strayed into our camp. Normally the beach dogs would challenge any trespassing animal but it seemed the dogs were terrified of the sheep and slunk out of sight. Once the sheep had rejoined its flock, the beach dogs appeared barking aggressively at the disappearing flock.

We noticed this tableau being set up on the beach complete with red carpet, balloons and lace drapes.

We assumed it was to be a wedding but turned out to be a marriage proposal. The couple arrived, flares were lit and cameras flashed. The man dropped to one knee and proposed to the woman. The couple paraded for the cameras up and down the beach. Ten minutes later it was all over and the beach was cleared. Hope the woman had said “yes”!

The temperature on the beach usually reached 21° and even warmer in the afternoon sunshine. One day we noticed snow on the 2000 metre high mountains behind the hills surrounding the bay. When the wind blew from the north it brought icy mountain air to the beach and the temperature plummeted by 10°

The spare part for the Cinderella toilet had left Holland on the 15 December and arrived in Istanbul some days later. The parcel was transferred to Izmir and then on to Marmaris when it was handed to a local carrier for delivery to Fethiye. For some reason the parcel was then returned to Marmaris. At that point we asked Hasan to intervene. The parcel was eventually returned to Fethiye where Hasan collected it from the carrier and we finally received the goods on the evening of the 30th January.

The value the goods in the parcel was minimal but we had to pay the Cinderella toilet manufacturer an exorbitant £290 for the filter plus £45 shipping. We had to pay another £300 Turkish import duties. Eventually we had invested so much in the project, we had no choice but to wait to receive the goods.

We loved our time on Çhalis beach but, as we were only allowed 90 days in Turkey, the delay seriously curtailed our chances of exploration of that beautiful country – a lesson learned.

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