BootsnAll Travel Community

My plan to have no set plans for next year has just been ruined. I'll now be going to Turkey for 18 days in Apr/May of 2008!! Woohoo!!!!! I'll have to start reading all of the Turkey threads now!

Yes! Go to Turkey...noW! Its so beautiful there. The people the scenery. My dream is to go back one day.

Is 10 days enough to do Turkey any justice?

That's really pushing it. If you did Istanbul-Selcuk-Goreme-Istanbul it might work, but maybe you would be better off with just Istanbul-Goreme-Istanbul.

Yep. Istanbul GOreme, if you want to see some incredible sights, or Istanbul Hieropolis, if you want to see greek wonders, but not the whole country. 10 days isn't even enough time to see Istanbul comprehensively.

I could name ten things to do and see that would take up 10 days, all very fun and educational to a point.

Turkey is *AMAZING*. It's my new favorite location, and trumps nearly everything else at this point. I still plan on going to new locations, but Turkey is the first place I would re-visit. In a heartbeat.

I'm going to do a photo slideshow because just writing what I saw doesn't do it a whole lot of justice.

Anyway...a very diverse country, nice people, amazing food, beautiful scenery, interesting history..wonderful!!

Edit: never mind, won't be uploading the photos. My images are all over 2MB and I don't feel like taking the time to shrink all of them just for this!! Anyway - Go to Turkey!! :-)

There's a freeware called "IrfanView" that allows you to bulk-edit photos. You put all your photos in a file, tell it to, say, "reduce to 250 kb" and "rename" & it does it all at once.

It's really helped me with my photo albums! And ... for the record ... I am not affiliated with them in any way.

Just make sure you download the FREE version. There are a couple of sketchy sites that try to charge you for freeware, or that try to make you register. You shouldn't have to do either.

We are off to Turkey for just over 2 weeks in August. I know it is high season. We plan on flying to Goreme after a couple days in Istanbul, but I am having trouble finding airfare, even through Turkish Airway site. Tried KAYAK and got a $733 quote (round trip). And I know it should be about 60 euros, (one way?) Should we just book once we get there, or will there be trouble finding a flight? I know there are overnight buses, but with only 16 days, I was thinking this is the leg to fly.
Maybe even fly one way from Istanbul then go down to Olympos by bus from Goreme. Does anyone, (static?) have info on how to book from California for air flights within Turkey, and the best bus from Goreme to the coast?
Thank you so much!

I'm not sure what your problem with the Turkish Airlines site is, as that would be the way I would book tickets. I had no problem getting fares. Goreme doesn't have its own airport, the two that are nearby are Kayseri and Nevsehir.

I checked a couple dates in August and it looks like the lowest fares are mostly sold out, though there were still some for 69 YTL each way to Nevsehir, which doesn't have daily flights. For Kayseri, which has about 4 flights per day, it seemed that 109 YTL was the lowest generally available for August. With taxes and fees, the absolute minimum for a round trip is 213 YTL (about $180) per person.

You'll rarely end up on a Turkish bus that disappoints. It's mostly a matter of scheduling. The Goreme bus station is pretty laid back, and they actually post schedules there, so you can plan in advance. In most of Turkey, you just show up at the bus station and let the touts know where you're going. Then you go with whoever has the best departure.

Overnight bus is certainly an option, and that's how most people get to Cappadocia, really, you don't lose a lot of time, just have to have a nap after you arrive.

It would be a lot better to fly to Nevsehir if you can; it's a lot closer to Goreme. From Kayseri to Goreme is quite a schlep.

Really, take the bus. The bus is the way middle-class Turks get around. It is an experience that you won't forget ever, and not a bad one, especially if you bring along earplugs or an iPod. And you'll learn all about lemon cologne.

Ah, thank you..2wanderers,and static, both,.......we did find the website for Turkish Airlines, to Nevsehir, yes, days are limited. Fairy Chimney seems like a great place to stay in Goreme, as they offer cooking classes, and hey, I am a caterer who travels to pick up stuff like that. After Goreme, we plan on bus travel only. We are a mid-age couple traveling with our mom, who is an avid hiker, at age 70. We are hiker/paddlers and look forward to venturing out, should we rent a car? WE have 3-4 days in Goreme.
Then to the sea.
We would love an old sailboat style few days along the coast for a relax after Goreme. Any ideas there?

By the way, for you, static, we were about to sign up for the Turkey adventure trip, but had to work out my husband's leave (navy family, here) and now we have been informed of the "changes", which you should probably update that info on your site, it was cancelled, and we are now "on our own". No problem, we are savvy travelers, and hence all the questions. What I have asked Hayden, with no response, is to please lead us kindly.....to what outfit they had planned for the sailboat leg of the trip. Would be helpful, and ethical, considering the circumstances. Getting leave is no small task for a Commander. Could you help there?
We booked with Donovan for our Patagonia trip last year, with our kids, which was amazing!! So, we are active members here.

Well, I'm not Static, and I can't tell you what the Boots crew had planned (very sorry to hear such a wonderful trip was cancelled! can't imagine why!), but anyway, there is some information about Gulets in this thread (try page 6).

Turkey really is one of the easiest countries to get around as an independent, I'm sure you'll still have a wonderful time.

quote:

what outfit they had planned for the sailboat leg of the trip.

I am asking the right guy by email. I will let you know shortly.

that would be awesome. I pretty much have the rest worked out. How do I say hi to Donovan and his family?

Thank you Wanderer,
will check out pg. 6.
much appreciated,
Diana

wetsandlover - you won't need a car for only 3-4 days in Goreme. There are tons of things to see and do, including some world class day hikes, either near Goreme or a short bus ride away.

The underground cities were about an hour away by bus; that's the longest trek I took outside of Goreme.

The procedure for the Istanbul Otogar is different. It is immense, with over 100 bus companies operating out of the same garage. You go to the information booth, and ask them, in english, for the numbers of the offices that serve Goreme. There are more than a few, and less than a dozen.

Find the schedules and prices that suit you, and book your ticket more than a day before, if you can. Sometimes buses are booked up.

To get to the Otogar from Istanbul is another matter. You can do it by public transport. If you want the instruction, and can't wait until your hotel clerk tells it to you, ask me.

Thank you Michael,
Great, we will just walk/hike/bus it. Definately will be checking out any underground cities we can and would also love to see Ihlara Valley. Have you been there? It looks amazing.
And "Tortuga", thank you, as well. Yes, please inform us of the public transport you speak of. We will be now bussing to Goreme, instead of flying to Nevsehir, probably by overnight. My only concern is the high season, but hopefully two day advance purchase is okay, or is that even possible? Sounds like the Otogar is some distance from where we are staying in Sultanahmet.
Diana

Ok. The Otogar is some distance from Sultanahmet.

Some people go to a travel agency and buy the ticket there, with assigned pick up points. I like the Otogar because you get to see the nerve center of the Turkish transport system. Its like being in a large train terminal, with trains leaving all the time.

Unlike the train system, theres no one tote board, but an information booth which you really should see, and a ring of bus companies and parking spots for busses. Don't ask me where they park their buses when they're not operating or how they're all kept in running condition, but it seems to work.

So, you're in sultanahmet. Its easy from there. You go up to the main street with the trolley tracks, the one that goes up the hill from the dock area, divanyolu, I think its called. You want a trolley to Zeytinbirnu. Theres another stop you can get off at, I forget the name now, but that one involves traipsing up a hill and steps in a relatively unmarked path to the metro station.It can be confusing and a lot of work, depending on how much luggage you have.

So, you go all the way to Zeytinbirnu, where you get off the tram, go up the stairs, and you'll see a metro hallway. There will be signs to Otogar and Havala ani, or airport.
If you get confused at this point, ask for the Otogar. Someone will point the way. Take the proper direction,, and you'll know you're right when the direction arrow leads to "otogar" You may think you're going backwards, but hey, I'm giving you the least confusing way, not necessarily the shortest one. The difference is no more than 5 or 10 minutes, and you want to be early anyways. Be carful. The Otogar is not the last stop, so you have to pay attention to the stops. I always play the stupid tourist at this point and ask everyone around me "Otogar? Otogar?"

Some nice turkish person will be tired of the questions and tell you exactly when to get off, one way or another.

Get off at the Otogar stop. It leads right to it.

Or, you can go to a travel agency on Divanyolu and ask for a ticket there. Many agencies do carry out this service. There will be an address or area the bus picks you up at, if they don't tell you to go directly to the Otogar.

I've never bought my ticket this way. It's seemed well, like cheating, and I like getting on at a bus station who's location I know. Sometimes they direct you to areas and offices that are on the way OUT of Istanbul. Sometimes they are in Sultanahmet, depending on th bus line and destination.

If you go there a day or two before, then not only will you have your ticket in hand, which is good in holiday season, you'll also know JUST how to get there, and do the learning without backpacks or luggage to traipse.

If its four of you, its almost economical to take a taxi to the Otogar, by the way, and a lot easier.

BTW... Airport
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With luggage and only one to two people, its a lot easier to take an airport shuttle from sultanhmet to the airport. I've tried every possible way, and this is the best. You arrange the shuttle at your hostel or hotel. This is the main airport.

Yes, to get to the Atartuk airport you COULD hop public transport to Taksim, and take the airport bus there, but it would take you 1 and half hours minimum and only save you about 5 turkish lira. That's IF you know enough to find the bus to the airport.

To Sabina Gokshen airport there is no reliable good way to get there or back, though there is a cheap way. Figure on 2-3 hours each way for the cheap version. You heard me, about 2-3 hours back and forth. In this case, either suffer through a long and complicated bus ride that involves transfers by tram to ferry to bus, or just bit the bullet and pay the small fortune for a cab. Sometimes, if you fly the right airline, or just get lucky, like I did, you can hop a shuttle attached to a hotel that arrive only when the flights arrive. They let you off somewhere in Sultanhmet for this fee, where you usually transfer to a tram. You pay 10 ytl for this privilege, and be glad to pay it.

To get to there, there were no airport shuttles to Sabina Gokchen, which is why there is this problem.
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With four people, or three, a cab becomes more affordable. I'd share a cab with three other people if possible.