Sail Turkey - Finally! (photo overload)

Ok, you've been warned: photo overload. Also, let me note that NONE of these photos were taken by yours truly, but by others in my group.

I went to Turkey in, Oh, you know, August 2013. WOW. Can't believe I haven't written about this yet. 

It definitely was one of my cooler travel adventures (but anyone who loves to travel knows you can't choose your favorite - it'd be like choosing a favorite child!). When I started researching boat trips it went from Yacht Week --> Sail Croatia --> Sail Turkey. I still want to go to Croatia, but I heard (through reading blogs) that Turkey was more laid back than Croatia, and I didn't really want to be stuck on a boat with a bunch of 18 year-old-Australians. 

Which, granted! I WAS on a boat with a bunch of Australians, but they were not 18. Because so many people had signed up for our sail date, we had three boats. Luckily, Steph and I were put on the "old boat." So named by us, the oldies. We were all 25-31 and I really really liked our group. We were having chats about economics and playing a game called Mafia (they definitely went overboard on this!)

My reservations about doing this trip: 

(1) I get seasick so I was worried

(2) Turkey (western media portrays it like it's pretty dangerous - esp. last summer)

I had no reason to worry about either. I *did* get seasick pretty terribly on the first day, but I jumped in the water and surprisingly that helps. Otherwise, no problem. 

The trip was Sat --> Sat. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves (except for when I explain them!). None of the pictures of the water have been edited. (There are a few that were obviously edited from the camera, but I didn't edit them myself -- the water really DOES look like that).

 Ice-cream man speeding away after selling us!

 I'm not in this picture, but, my groupmates and THAT WATER THOUGH!

 Our days consisted of naps, reading, jump in the water, eat, repeat.

 On our one night out, the oldies had to show the young boats how it was done. We were going to Smuggler's Cove (I obviously love all things pirate) -- I'm not sure how we fashioned these eye patches, but needless to say, oldies are prepared.

 Heading off the boat to a little hike (which cut me up!) but check out that fishtail braid though! I made stephanie learn it at the airport in Iceland and then I made her braid my hair every day!

  Sighhh

 Ok so apparently there is an australian airline - Star Jet? or something - and they do these jumps in all the commercials so all the aussies were always doing these star jumps -- obvioulsy the American FAILS!

 I LOVE this picture!! If you knew what it cost my poor legs to make it to the top! I have the same picture as the lock screen on my phone.

 A shot from the front of the boat to the back - you can see me sleeping on my little bed in the left hand corner.

turkish sunsets >>>>

 THIS PICTURE IS NOT EDITED. THAT IS WHAT THE WATER ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE!!

 ACTUALLLY!

 The only thing that sucked is that it was pretty hazy because of the heat, but still. Those views!

 How you dry your clothes.

 After a short stop in Kas (pronounced Kash). SO BLOODY HOT.

 Our boat.

 Kas, Turkey.

 This is not what I pictured Turkey like before this trip. This is why I love travel.

 This is the back of the boat where we could hang out - cushioned. You can also see all the haze from the heat. This is Butterfly Valley.

 Family breakfast.

 =O

 =O

 Here I am, laying on my little bed. We did have a "cabin" below deck but most of us slept on these little beds because it was WAY cooler!!

Ok, so they told us we were going "tubing" and I was like, OK, I can handle that (I'm terrified of rafting bc my raft flipped in costa rica and I almost drowned), then we get there and it's like tube-rafting ... and the water was faaahh--reeziing! And if you went to the sides you got stuck on the rocks. Terrifying. 

 

Walking around the boat // swimming into the pirate cave (a real pirate cave where they used to store their booty)

My favorite! "Pancakes! Pancakes!" everyone would scramble to get their money when these pancake boats would pull up! (Crepes).    Overall, a really incredible trip, SO SO SO happy I did it and now I'm hooked on relaxing vacays -- I'm pretty sure this was the one and only time I've ever had a relaxing vacation.    PS - Turkey's name comes from the TURQUOISE COAST !!! It's all so clear to me now!