Days 499-502 , 24-27 Oct '15, Yaniklar, Fethiye, Turkey

Travel Day - North Cyprus to Istanbul to (eventually) Dalaman and Fethiye.

We zoomed through the pitch black Saturday morning in a snazzy Mercedes taxi and were standing at check-in by 4.30 am chatting up (successfully) the check-in agent for an exit row seat. Travel day was going positively swimmingly. Our 6.30 am flight arrived in Istanbul on schedule shortly after 8 am. We splurged on a coffee and brownie to shore up the energy levels and then headed to the gate for our 10.30 am flight to Dalaman. Which turned into our 11.30 flight to Dalaman... Which lead to sitting on the tarmac in a queue of planes for over an hour... finally taking off at 12.45 pm (45 minutes later than our scheduled arrival). Why? Well may you ask. Heavy rain. Yep - not snow, not a natural disaster, not endless thunderstorms. Just heavy rain, which apparently can make the wheels fall off in Istanbul. Figuratively of course. We eventually reached Dalaman and were exceedingly happy to meet our new owner and jump in the car. After heavy rains in the Fethiye region as well, we arrived with the sun in our cabin bags and fine weather was everywhere. And green! We have been starved of green leafiness and that is all they have here - lush like a rainforest lushness. Mountains, bays, crystalline aqua water - picture postcardesque beauty. We've spent the last few days visiting local markets (great fresh produce), strolling along the waterfront and marina (pictured), walking our new dog and lounging by the pool at our ghost-resort (only 4 families left to occupy 124 dwellings). It is officially the end of the end of the tourist season here in Fethiye, so we are planning a couple of day-trip tours before the end of the week, when the pavements are officially rolled up and stowed away until April. It is blessedly cold here overnight - down to 12 degrees and daytime temps are around 25 degrees. Locals have their puffy-jackets on in the mornings. It's that cold! Plans for trips? A day out sailing/motoring around the islands and also a day trip to Saklikent Gorge. In other news... Malta. That's right - another new country for us to visit and we've just confirmed we'll be heading there on 21 December to spend two and a half weeks with a pair of Persian furballs. We just never know what is around the corner and we like it that way. Now planning on how best to enjoy Christmas and New Year like true Maltesers.