2020 Vacation Plans

Yesterday I was talking to my friends in the US and one of them asked me my vacation plans for 2020. I told him that I did not know yet.

Then I started thinking about it. My country is being dragged into war in Syria by our incompetent government and allegedly it's allies. The incompetent government keeps pressuring the Central Bank of Turkey to lower the interest rates and nowadays the interest rate for TL is negative. This makes foreign currencies leap so, it is a de-facto devaluation. The Central Bank of Turkey is no longer an independent organization which is not only wrong but very scary. The economy is in real bad shape and I do not see any major steps taken to improve it. I think, the current president is a very bad person and intentionally dragging the country towards doom. I see no way to stop him. He has control over everything.

I believe my country is headed towards more hardship and very dark days. This means we should do our best to protect ourselves and our belongings as best as we can.

So, I have no vacation plans this year. My sister and BIL live in Izmir which is a beach city. My uncle spends most of his time in Antalya which is another beach city. So, I can get my swimming and beach fix utilizing places we already own. If I plan my visits to these places carefully and spend enough time, I can optimize my gas consumption which is a major expense.

My BFF may want to visit me in Turkey but, she does not think she can make it more than 10 days. If she comes for a visit, then I will modify my current plan. After all, it will be her 2nd visit in 30 years.

Staycation is not a bad idea either.

My tips for Rental Cars

We all know that shopping for prices and reserving a car well in advance of the travel dates are important to secure the best prices.

I rarely need to rent a car in my home country since I have a car. When I need one, I shop around using international sites and believe it or not, I get the best prices through them.

I usually need a car when I am abroad. With my upcoming trip I need a car for about 41 days. Rental companies allow you to rent for only 30 days so, as I am dropping the first rental, I will be picking up the other.

I have started searching and reserving good deals months ago and made and canceled several reservations. I wasn't expecting to find better deals as the date approaches but, I kept on looking and am very glad I did. This week I have been pleasantly surprised by a better deal on the first rental.

I use AUTOSLASH and a few other sites but, I found the best prices through AUTOSLASH this time. It is a real neat site where you can enter your reservation details so that they can track and find you even better deals if possible. You get to see the offers and then make the reservation online through Priceline. If you are a foreigner like I am, do use a VPN to be able to see the Autoslash offers on Priceline. If you don't, you may see higher prices. Autoslash has a pop-up that tells you this. You may always ask for help and they respond pretty quickly. I am not being paid for this post and this represents my experience.

My time frame for rentals include Thanksgiving and days close to Christmas. One of the busiest times when car rental prices sky rocket. It is always more expensive in the New York area anyway.

I am pretty comfortable with the current prices on my reservations. The killer is Damage Waiver and Additional Liability Insurance. American consumers who already own cars and car insurance do not have to purchase those since their policies cover rentals. As a foreigner I have to. I knew this from the start and have made my budget accordingly.

I have rented cars several times and have never needed the insurance but, I am not going to risk anything. Peace of mind is important. I hope never to need the insurance and always be able to pay for it.

This and That

Today I went to get my driver's licence renewed. It is a silly process. I went to get a health certificate first. The doctor did not even take my pulse. She signed off on what I have put down on paper. She sent me to an eye doctor upstairs and the eye doctor gave me a basic exam and confirmed my current prescription.

Then I went to the Government Office where they issue and renew IDs, passports, DLs. I had to wait for about an hour because I went in earlier than my appointment. Then they canceled my current DL, gave me a temporary one and told me that they would be mailing my new license. It is good for 10 years so, I do not have to do this again anytime soon.

Old licenses did not have expiration dates. New ones are valid only for 10 years. I used to have a US license from NY State. I think it was good for only 5 years? I am not sure.

Then I went to get my glasses adjusted. While I was at the mall, I picked up a tube of toothpaste.

I came back to have tea with mom.

Tomorrow mom and I will go grocery shopping. I think, on Friday, I will go to the Grand Bazaar for gifts.

While I was out a former colleague from many years ago called me and we decided to have coffee next week. He is a nice guy and I thought he had moved to Canada with his family. Seems like he has one foot on this continent and travels from time to time.

After that one of my employees from my last job called. He is over the moon that he is about to be offered a job by a multinational company. He had it with the new manager he reports to. He is a great guy and deserves the best. I hope, he gets the job. There may be a few stumbling blocks but, I have a positive feeling about this.

I have finalized my rental car arrangements. It is the most expensive part of this vacation and I am not even renting a car for the whole time. Just 41 days out of 78.  The killer is the DW and the ALI I must purchase. Since I am not a US citizen with a car coverage that would take care of a rental car, I must purchase the expensive insurance. However, I am now convinced that I got the rock-bottom prices on my rental car.

Kas, Antalya, Turkey... Pictures

We had a three day weekend so mom, sister, BIL and I went to Kas in Antalya. It is further down south and on the Mediterrenean but, not as hot as Izmir. It is a very hilly and small place. Visitors make the traffic terrible and driving in the tiny streets is very tricky. We parked our car and used taxis or the shuttle service our hotel offered mostly. Since we made our reservations in different times, mom and I stayed at a hotel and my sister and BIL stayed at the bungalows by one of the beaches.

I spent tons of time in the water and enjoyed it very much. The water gets deep right away and I do love that. I am not a fan of sand.

The whole town was covered in Bouganvilles. Too bad I could not take more pictures of them.

Bouganvilles of the hotel behid ours

From our chaise lounges in the shade

From the trerrace of our hotel where we had breakfast

The picture does not do the color justice. Was much brighter in person.

More Bouganvilles

Beaches...

Yesterday mom and I went to a beach club. We chose to sit at a table rather than sit on the chaise lounges. I do not like to be exposed to the sun unless I am in the water. This is a picture from our table:

The picture was taken around 10:30 a.m. so, you do not see many people. The whole place was really big and it was only about 1/4 full because it was a week day and the place is a bit pricey. However, there weren't many alternatives where mm could be so comfortable. There was a nice breeze and she was able to read and enjoy the view all day. The food was excellent and so was the service. I used those steps to go in the water.

This place is called Hagia Yorgi Bay at Cesme. The water was so clean and clear. We will go back again next week after we come back from Kas. Mom is willing to go in the water which is next to impossible these days.

Here is another beach I used to go to:

It is also very nice but the facilities would not please mom. I used to rent chaise lounges under the trees rather than being under an umbrella. It was a bit crowded too.

Then we had ice cream in town in Cesme before we headed back home.

This area is a peninsula with several bays and beaches so, you can be at a different beach every day for at least 3 weeks.

The weather was much nicer than it was in downtown Izmir. Nice breeze made it very pleasant.

Bucket List Vacation and required modifications

For years I had been thinking of a solo road trip in the US from Thousand Islands to Key West. I had also been thinking about how much I loved the holiday season in the US and wanted to be there late October till early January one more time. A hybrid of these two separate vacation ideas is cooking.

With these dreams, I did a lot of calculations over time and the costs of these two dreams turned out to be quiet high especially given that TL is very weak against US dollars lately. It was a lot more doable couple of years ago but then, I was working and I could not take so many days off. Well, life is all about tradeoffs right?

During my visit last year my American friend whom I will call M, kept saying that I should go back for a long visit, stay with them and spend more time in the US with her and her family. I kept saying it would be difficult and very expensive and she kept saying I would have no accomodation costs, so what was the big deal? Honestly, despite the fact that we have been very close during the last 29 years, I was still hesitant about staying with them for so long. It was very sweet of her to offer this. We get along very well and have loads of fun together.

Last year I was thinking that with the income I would bring through the part-time consulting gig, I would be mostly traveling. This year the economy is tanking and the potential customers are reluctant to spend money on consultants although common sense dictates otherwise. We do bring tons of efficiency and cost savings through our work.

So, after much thinking and urging M to talk to her family about how they felt about a long visit and getting a positive confirmation, I have decided to take a long vacation which will involve a road trip in the US from the end of October till early January.

I will be staying in upstate NY mostly but, I will take a solo road trip to Tampa FL and Charleston SC to visit two more friends. The one in Tampa was my mentor and cubicle friend whom I will call G, way back when I used to work for a Turkish-American JV in NY. The other was an HR person at the same company with whom we have become very good friends during the same time. I will call her P. Needless to say M and her husband E are also from the same company.

Recently, I have been spending a lot of time to come up with the route plans, the hotels to stay and cars to rent. The worst budget buster in this trip will be Car Insurance. Since, I am a foreigner, I do not have an insurance coverage to take care of rentals.

I will be spending 78 days in the US and am looking forward to it. As I make plans and reservations, I will share my experiences and how I plan to save money and still enjoy this huge, once in a lifetime vacation.

When I look at the total amount of money I am budgeting to spend, it is overwhelming but, I have worked for more than 30 years and spent a lot more money on others such as my family member who went bankrupt and needed financial help, such as my cousins who wanted to sell their shares in the family home and etc. I think, I have deserved this and I should spend this money on myself.

More posts to come on this topic.

Blog Hiatus during vacation

I will not be posting during my vacation. This time, I am only taking my phone, no laptop, no tablet and posting with the phone is a hassle. Besides, I want to keep away from the media and social media as much as I can.

When I come back, I will write all about it, I promise.

I am leaving very early tomorrow morning. I have done the last few things I had to do. It was a very hot day to run errands and I just got home. I will rest for about an hour and then close my suitcase and be ready.

Goodbye for now!

Final Week!

This is my final week at work. Pheww! Time goes by fast, doesn't it?

Good news is I got paid last Friday since both of the authorized signatures would be on vacation this week.

Bad news is, the economy is tanking and TL is depreciating very fast against hard currencies. It is a crisis state right now for the entire country. We just have to sit tight and ride the waves and see what happens.

It is outright stupid to be going on a vacation in the US but, my ticket has already been paid for months ago and I have dollars available so, I am not purchasing it for horrid prices and I will not be doing much shopping.

I will spend time with my friends, enjoy my time, purchase only what is an absolute neccesity, like a pair of pants and a couple of tops that I can use when I am consulting. My size is very difficult in Turkey and the US is the only place that I can find my size. 22 Long/Tall.

Back from the first vacation of the year

Mom and I spent 5 wonderful days at a beach resort last week. I had paid for it in January taking advantage of early booking savings.

During those 5 days, I got up, had breakfast with mom, hit the beach till noon and after having lunch hit the beach once again. I would come back to our room at 6 p.m. and hop in the pool right in front of our room till 7 p.m. or so, have a shower and go to dinner. Mom slept most of the time. She came to the beach only once.

My blood pressure had started to get normal but, it is acting up again.

We did tons of laundry and there are still a copule loads to go. Today I need to go to the hair salon real badly. I spend very little money for my hair when compared to "normal" women but the money I spend on it always hurts. Lol! So, today will be painful.

So, I am back and will be back to work on Monday. I still have some staycation days to relax.

Unexpected US vacation and some work

I am going to the US late August! Why? Well, there are a couple of meetings related with work but I thought it would not be worth the loooong trip. Then, one of my besties asked me to go visit her since they were not doing any traveling this summer due to some major surgeries her hubby had.

So, I decided to put fun and work together and voila!

Meanwhile our currency has lost 15% of it's value against the USD lately and many people would consider it a stupid move to take that vacation. Well, we only live once right? Not only that, almost half of my Netw Worth is in USD.

I will make sure to make it a frugal-ish vacation. Besides, there will be no accomodation costs or car rental costs because, I shall be staying with friends. I am not planning to do much shopping either since I was in the US last year and am planning my bucket list vacation next year in Fall.

I started my new meds today and I guess it will take a few days to understand whether they will work or not. Being away from work for three weeks may help too. I will be taking the next two weeks as a planned vacation and this week was the unexpected addition to it.

I am just taking it easy and getting plenty of rest.

Upcoming Vacation Plans

I will be taking a vacation during the first two weeks of June with mom. Last year I had a vacation all by myself in the US and this year, we are vacationing together. She no longer wants to go abroad. Too tiring for her.

We will drive all the way to İzmir on a Saturday and spend two nights at my sister's who will not be home that weekend. On Monday, we will head further south to Bodrum where we will stay at a resort. Our room opens directly to the pool and the Aegean Sea is within two minutes of walking distance. I prefer the sea over the pool but, sunbathing by the pool with mom will be nice. She no longer likes to go in the water. She says the movement of the water makes her dizzy.

We will stay there for 5 days and head back to my sister's who will be home then :) We will spend some time around that area and head back home by the following weekend.

We are planning to go to a classic car museum, visit some archaelogical sites (mom is an archeologist) that we have not been to and mostly relax.

This vacation has been booked in January at a fraction of what it would cost now and has been paid for. I am not expecting to spend much money while we are on the road or in Izmir. The resort is quiet pricey but, I have taken advantage of the early bird special booking they have offered way back in January and purchased insurance just in case we would not be able to go. I like to buy that insurance because you never know, especially when traveling with an elderly person.

I am hoping to make a long road trip in the US next year. Something on top of my bucket list for a long time.

Vacation Part 3- Charleston, SC Unexpected Loooong Drive

My friend living in NY dropped me off at the airport for my flight to Charleston, SC. The friends I were going to visit used to live in Danbury, CT but after retirement they moved South for tax and climate purposes.

I went to the gate and started to wait for my flight. I couldn't help but notice that the aircraft was a small one, kind of like a bus. Well, I do not like those. As I was sitting there, they postponed the flight to three hours later. So, I walked up to the gentleman at the counter to ask why, because the aircraft was at the gate already. He told me it was due to a mechanical failure. Uh!Oh! I became quiet nervous and decided that I would not fly. I immediately cancelled my flight and got reimbursed for it. Apparently Delta is very gentle about nervous fliers.

I rented a car at JFK to drop off at Charleston International Aİrport the next day and headed South. I left the airport at 2:15 p.m.

Meanwhile my friends in SC were nervous wrecks because, it is a 14-15 hour drive. I assured them that I would definitely check-in to a hotel at night and rest.

I drove until 11:00 p.m. with 2-3 short stops and checked in to a hotel north of North Carolina. Next morning I woke up at 6:00 a.m., had a shower and a good breakfast at the hotel. I was at the Charleston Airport by 1:00 p.m.

I actually like to drive in the US so, next time, I will definitely do this with better planning so that I will not feel rushed.

My friends and I had a very nice time in SC. We visited the Magnolia Plantation and Charleston. Most of the time we just sat and chatted because it had been two years since we had seen each other and although we keep in touch via whatsapp, face-to-face time is important.

Photos will follow in the next post!

Vacation Part 2- Newport, RI

I have been too busy to write lately. Starting where I left, I continue;

After spending a couple of days around my friends' beautiful home, we decided to have a trip to Newport, RI.

We booked an inn for a night and headed to Newport. I was still sick and very tired so, I slept through the three hour drive.

We bought tickets to visit two of the Newport Mansions (called cottages by the owners) of the Gilded Age: The Breakers and Marble House.

I have been to palaces and mansions in Europe and these "cottages" were no less in terms of lavishness and in terms of the extraordinary amounts of money poured into them. The families would use these places only for a few weeks during summer months and yet, they were quite the match for French Palaces. Yes, these people earned a lot of money by building railroads in the United States but, spending that kind of money is not justifiable in my opinion. Especially, given that the country faced with the Big Depression in a few decades down the line.

Their heirs unfortunately could not deal with the upkeep of these places and now the Preservation Society of Newport County is making an excellent job to keep the mansions in good shape and entertain the curious crowds visiting Newport.

You may want to pay special attention to the Platinum Panels below and some pictures:

Ceiling- The Breakers

The Breakers

Platinum Panels!

The Kitchen- The Breakers

China Cabinets- The Breakers

Marble House and the rest of my Newport trip will be the subject of another post

Vacation- Part 1 First Few Days around NY

I got a terrible sinus infection right before the plane ride to the US. I went to see a doctor and she gave me some stuff in an IV to perk me up a little.

I was pretty miserable on the plane and despite my efforts, my ears got clogged.

My friends came to get me at the airport and they were hoping to go bar hopping in Manhattan that very night. Lol! Needless to say we only got as far as the Asian restaurant around the corner.

The next day, we did some shopping and went out to have drinks at night. The following day, visited another friend and had a good time by the lake. (Squantz Pond in CT)

Visiting the Freedom Tower was on top of my list so we did that together and had dinner at the Fish Market and had dessert at Ferrara's in Little Italy. Talk about life on the fast track, right?

NJ from top of the Freedom Tower

WTC Memorial Pool (North Tower)

From the top of Freedom Tower

Squantz Pond

Almost all set to go!

I packed my suitcase and my carry-on. I had to buy a carry-on bag because the airline has a very strict policy about the size of it. It is a cheap bag.

I also bought all the gifts except for some tea and pistachio nuts my friend likes.

Yesterday, I left home at 10 in the morning, dropped my car at the detail wash station. I got on the subway, transferred to a ferry to cross the Bosphorus and then got on a tram to take me to Grand Bazaar. Sounds complicated but it really isn't.

I strolled around Grand Bazaar for over two hours and finally got my friends and their kids gifts. I walked all the way down to the Spice Bazaar got my friend some spices, dried apricots, Turkish Delight. I then went to a museum to grab two books for the guys. By the time I was done and at home, it was past 6:30 p.m. I jumped in a cold shower and checked how much walking I had done: 13.158 steps, 9.1 km! Wow! So, I am capable of doing that. Hence, no reason to stay as a couch potato anymore.

Needless to say, there is no part of me not aching today.

Today, I packed almost everything but I am sure, I will forget something how trivial it may be.

I am really ready to get on that plane!

No more Meetings today!

The investment company came yesterday and we had a long meeting. They interviewed two sales people and our technical team leader yesterday. Today, they have asked for more information in writing. I guess they liked what they saw.

My boss seems content too. He told me that before they met me, they thought I would be OK as a COO but that they would probably have to bring a new boss from the outside. After the meeting yesterday, they said that they found me quite competent in many areas. It is nice to hear that but still, I am not going to think about it any further.

I would much rather stay as the COO and help out a new boss than becoming the boss myself. Too much stress is not something I look forward to.

All I want is to work for a couple of more years. We will see if that will be possible.

It is really hot and humid today. I will finish making the lists of what I will put in my suitcase and what to get as gifts. This weekend, I should be able to close my suitcase and bring it to the studio apartment since, I shall be leaving from there for the airport next week.

I was hoping to prolong my trip for another week but, the airline asked double the amount I had paid to change my return date. Yeah right! I am no idiot. Hopefully, next time I plan to be in the US, I will have no time constrictions and I can stay as long as I like. Why not?

Hurdles Before Vacation

The company who intends to purchase us is bringing a consultant from abroad. This Thursday and Friday, they will be introducing some of us to this consultant.

I have no idea what they will ask. It's going to be interesting. I am a bit nervous about it.

I am looking forward to not this but the next Friday when I go on vacation. I just can't wait.

The meetings on Thursday and Friday feel like the last two hurdles at a race.

What ifs are invading my brain again. What if we get sold? What if the owner does not stay on board? What if we don't get sold? Soooo many more!

T-Minus 15 days

I have 15 days to go before my vacation. I know it is too early but, yesterday night, I packed up my medications to last at least three weeks since there is a 50% chance that I may prolong my vacation by another week.

This weekend I will be doing some of my gift shopping. It is extremely hot so, it will not be much fun.

I will be bringing spices, Turkish Bath Towels, some sweets, dried figs and apricots along with some other stuff.

I am so excited and so ready to go.

This time I would like to spend most of my time doing things with my friends. In order to save time from shopping, I ordered everything that can be ordered online to be delivered to my friend's house. I love Amazon!

Unexpected Savings

My vacation is coming up in late August. I lived in the US for 3.5 years back in early 90s and I still have very dear American friends with whom I am in constant touch, thanks to the Internet and all those cool mobile apps.

Few days ago, my friend in New York hailed me on Whatsapp to find out about my schedule. I always rent a car at the airport when I land. Knowing that, she told me, she would come pick me up at the airport and told me that she and her sister planned that we would stay at her sister's the first night, doing something cool the next day. Her sister lives close to JFK and Manhattan. I know her sister for years and last year she and her husband came to Istanbul and stayed with me. Being from New York, they have been all over Istanbul all by themselves during the day and we had great dinners at night together.

My friend insisted that I should cancel the car reservation and save my money. She told me, parking by her sister's is a hassle. Normally, I do not want to drag her around to do my shopping or borrow her car just in case something happens to it. However, she was convincing so, I obliged.

The rental car company and the insurance provider both returned my money to my credit card and my credit card now has a positive amount on it. This is probably the first time ever. Weird.

I will be staying with her the first 8 days of my visit and then fly to Charleston, SC to visit my other good friend.

I also spoke to my boss and told him that I wanted to prolong my visit by another week if he will be around. I have not changed the return day yet. We will have to wait until his plans get finalized.

Bummer! No Chios Trip

Mom and I were supposed to go tho Chios but her passport is expiring at the end of June and she needed at least 3 months of validity (don't understand why for a 4 day trip). We postponed till Fall.

I decided to go back top work tomorrow. So, I am saving two vacation days.

I should have checked everything properly but this never occurred to me.

Bummer!

At least I got to see my sister and brother in law. More on that later. They want to purchase an apartment.