OFF TO PAY MY DUES

Some days just don't turn out how you expect do they? Today I had to go into Fethiye to get some money out of the bank to go and pay for my new settee for the terrace. This was the first time the animals would be left on their own since the Newbies arrival last week so I was concerned as I set off in the morning.

So much so that I got up at 05.30 this morning to give me time to sort them out, feed them and decide how to leave them all safely. I have left Inca and Horrace upstairs, Tyson in the kitchen and the Newbies on the terrace - the cat in her cage and the dog loose. In trepidation of what I should come back to I set off for the 07.45 bus because it is the only dolmuş  that stops at the bottom of our lane and saves me the walk to the village.

Now although we have had the house here for over two years, we have not yet had the time to turn left out of our track - so what a delight when because the  dolmuş was running late he picked me up on the way up to the next village rather than on the way back down. I spent the next ten minutes with my nose pressed to the window looking at what was about and the verdict - absolutely stunning scenery we will definately be having a mosey up there when David comes back

Water dolmuş heading in to Fethiye harbour

By the time I had walked from the drop off point in Fethiye to my bank it was ten to nine (in Turkey the banks are open from 9-5 so much more sensible!) so I sat on a bench and waited for it to open. There was already an orderly queue forming. One of the cashiers came out at 8.55 to clean the glass door and on the dot of 9.00 the security guard opened the door and in we went.


Money collected I headed for the Harbour to get the water taxi to Calis to settle my bill. Just missed one - oh dear - had  to have a cup of chocolate at Address Restaurant while I wait! Handy it's just next to the water dolmuş! Suitably refreshed I set off on the next boat - I always thoroughly enjoy the trip accross the bay to Calis which takes about 30 minutes and ends almost next door to where I needed to go in Calis.

Business complete I am lucky enough to catch a dolmuş back in to Fethiye right outside the door, do a bit of shopping and buy a yarim kebab to eat while I am waiting for the dolmuş back to Uzumlu. Unfortunately I have my times wrong and there is one just waiting to go - so no kebab for me! I stuff it in my trolley and head off back to Uzumlu.

When we reach the village I stop off at a friends house because I have promised her I will go with her to help her sort out a pool she is looking after that she has problems with. As her shop is quiet she invites me upstairs to their house for Kahvalti (Turkish breakfast - which can be at any time of day!) good job I had discarded the Yarim kebab! Had a very pleasant hour chatting and partaking of the Kahvalti (fresh bread, cheese, tomatoes, olives, jam) and 4 cups of çay (Turkish tea). I am trying desperately not to be rude by staring but can't stop looking round their house! Like many of  Uzumlu's village houses it is hundreds of years old with crooked walls and crooked floors and crooked narrow doors and we all laughed that if I was in desperate need of the bathroom it wouldn't do me any good because I wouldn't get through the door! But I was fascinated with their cooking equipment and the old open oven and their beautiful and very old çay pots.

Anyway Kahvalti done it was time to go to look at the pool. They announced that it was too far for me to walk so they had arranged for a friend to take me on the back of his scooter, whilst my friend went on the back of a scooter driven by her brother with his leg in plaster with her holding his crutches for when we reached the other end! I tried every excuse to get out of going on the back of a total strangers scooter - I had my shopping trolley - I was too heavy - I liked walking blah blah blah!! Their reaction was your'e too tired, you will fit fine, don't worry the shopping trolley will go on the front. So off we went in convoy the poor guy sandwiched between a bulging full size shopping trolley squeezed in the front of him and a bulging hot sweaty English Fogey squeezed behind him, followed by the brother with his broken leg in plaster on his scooter with my friend behind holding the crutches!!

Incredibly we arrived safely dealt with the pool and flushed with the success of the adventure I readily agreed to a lift home complete with shopping trolley - how much easier than walking up the hill to home.

You see some days just don't turn out how you expect do they??