Well I certainly challenged myself in this my 50th year ….!  I tried out some activities that I never thought I would do.  And it was great fun.  Don’t let age put you off.  Go for it!

Jeep Safari – when we got to Saklikent Gorge I agreed to do the Zip Wire and the White Water Rafting.  Queue lots of screaming but I did it.  Oh and I also got in a mud bath and fairly gently covered myself in the stuff, why I am not sure, that was my least favourite part of the day.​

​Boat Trip – I have done this before but to swim in the sea is just wonderful, yes it’s cold when you get in but so worth it.  I kept thinking, I will soon be back home with our dodgy summer, I better make the most of swimming the in sea while I can.

Water Park – I have never been to a water park!  Yes I know!  But I managed to avoid that kind of monstrosity when my children were growing up, fortunately they weren’t bothered either.  But my sisters and their children wanted to go and Emily fancied having fun with them all so off we went.  I did one slide, sitting in a rubber ring and I closed my eyes and I got pretty splashed but I did it.

Michelle x
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Well not too bad actually!

The food in Turkey is very fresh, lots of good quality meat and fish with salads and vegetables. 

On the first day I had a supermarket delivery (not quite Ocado but a lovely helpful shop owner) of various fresh foods like eggs, melon, tuna, salad, porridge which enabled me to make healthy breakfasts and lunches for the days we were at the apartment all day.

I made good choices in the restaurants and found it was quite easy to avoid the junk, even in the pizza restaurant I was able to have a moussaka with a side salad.  We were served a delicious BBQ and a selection of salads the day we were on the boat.

Another evening we went to a beautiful restaurant called ‘Cin Bal’ which is a BBQ restaurant, you choose your fresh meat and fish and sides and then a BBQ is placed at the end of your table and all the fresh foods and you cook it yourself!  It was fun and beautiful to sit in their lovely gardens in the evening warmth.  Yes they did bring chips to the table too and yes I did have some – well they were right in front of me!

I had some treats– mainly rose wine and magnum ice creams!  But overall my choices were good and healthy.

I managed to fit in three HIIT sessions.  The gym wasn’t great so I did one YouTube video in the apartment, one jog/walk on the road at the back of the apartment and one gym session on the bike/rower/step-ups. 

I think the biggest challenge was the two travel days, I wish I’d take more pre-prepared food with me. 

I didn’t feel like I missed out though; it felt good to not come back from a holiday feeling fatter than when I went.

Big thanks to Joe Wicks, The Body Coach and the SSS Plan.  It is hard work but it has made such a massive difference to my mind-set around food and exercise, a holiday is the ultimate test but I wanted to eat healthy while I was away and mostly I did!

​Michelle x

I first came across Turkey as a holiday destination about 25+ years ago when my middle sister Heidi decided to become a Travel Rep and joined Tapestry Holidays and off she went to Olu Deniz!  My parents and my other sister visited her a few times but I never did for various complicated reasons including a dislike of flying.

Then three years ago, we were looking for a hot destination, Heidi suggested Kalkan in Turkey and so we booked with Simpson Travel to stay at the amazing Korsan Suites.  We fell in love with the country and had a fantastic 14 day holiday – our last one as a complete family before the children headed off in their own directions.

This year Heidi suggested a ‘girls and kids’ holiday.  So as I explained here off we went to the Olu Deniz area that Heidi knows so well.  A lot of people before we left commented on why we were going to Turkey, was it not really dangerous etc?  No!  It absolutely is not!  It is a friendly, welcoming and safe holiday destination.  Yes there are problems up on the Syrian border but it would take about 3 days to drive there from the holiday areas.  Yes there have been some bombs in Ankara and Istanbul but seriously that can happen anywhere at any time.  Paris?  Brussels?  London?  Tourists have been advised to travel with caution to these main cities but in the holiday towns which are hundreds of miles away there have been no directives to avoid the area.  But still tourists are nervous and the area was quieter than usual, speaking to locals they are worried that their bookings are down and this will affect their trade this summer.  It is such a shame.  We found everyone so lovely and even as a group of women with younger children; we felt safe and looked after.  Okay there are no guarantees but there are no guarantees anywhere, terrorists can strike at any time, anywhere and Turkey, in my opinion, is as safe as anywhere else.

We met some lovely people – Gem our taxi driver for the week, Joseph the tour guide for our Jeep Safari, Emma who looks after the apartments where we stayed (Evergreen), Attila who took us out on his boat for the day, the restaurant owners and staff, Osman and Ali who run the local supermarket … and many more!

One evening we were walking along the main shopping street to go to Pizza Pepino and a voice called out ‘Heidi, Heidi is that you’!?  My sister turned round and vaguely recognised the man … it was the owner of Pizza Pepino from 25 years ago, he recognised her and remembered her and her tour guide friends who of course enjoyed a beer and pizza there on many occasions. 

The country is stunning.  To drive through the National Park area, to see wild tortoises just wandering by the side of the road, the mountains and the blue sea – it is breath-taking.  One of the most beautiful countries I have visited.  Don’t avoid it – if you get the opportunity to visit, go!

Michelle x

​Lots to tell you about our holiday in Turkey!  But first of all an outfit round up!

To travel in I wore this skirt, top and necklace from White Stuff and a cardigan around my shoulders from Uniqlo.  It is a jersey skirt and was ideal to travel in, so comfortable.  My beach bag was purchased in Corfu last year.  My hat is from Accessorize.

I have two of these halterneck sundresses from Boden (both are previous season but similar here).  Again, a light jersey and comfortable!  My necklace is from Matalan.
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The second Boden sundress!  My sandals are from Moda in Pelle (tan and gold) and have a nice padded sole.

This is a simple beach maxi dress from Accessorize and cardigan from Uniqlo as before.
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This white broiderie anglais dress is from Mint Velvet (purchased in John Lewis).  It has a separate lining.
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And I wore my bikini's!  Thank you to The Body Coach SSS Plan for helping me along the way to get my confidence back.  It's still a work in progress but I enjoyed wearing them.  On the left from John Lewis (this season) matched with a scarf/wrap from Matalan and on the right Biba from House of Fraser (last season).
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And with my beautiful daughter on our boat trip!

Michelle x
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