Fun in Beldibi, Turkey!

I just got back from a 9-day get-away to hot, humid, but beautiful Beldibi, Turkey with my friend, Esther. It was a very relaxing trip, despite losing 2 nights of sleep on both ends b/c of traveling through the night.

The location was super! The town is a small, quiet place nestled between rugged mountains and the crystal-clear blue/green Mediterranean sea. Our hotel was in the first line, meaning nothing between it and the beach (except for some trees and a wall). The hotel was fine - nothing fancy, but clean and with a good, working air-conditioner! The food was excellent - lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, grilled meats, and interesting Turkish-style desserts each day. Everything was included in the price, so it was eat-all-you-can and free drinks.

We went swimming each morning after early breakfast until lunch time, then after lunch, during the hot hours (11-15) we hung out in our room and played games or read or watched a movie. Then, we went out again around 15:00 for more swimming and relaxing on the beach until the sun went behind the mountains just before dinner (19:00). We'd shower and change for dinner and if we arrived too early, we'd play a round of Yatzee or Cheater to pass the time. After dinner, we'd walk up and down the main street looking for cheap souvenirs and trying not to get annoyed at the vendors' constant hassling us. We found some great bargains and were able to get affordable birthday and Christmas presents for family (most souvenirs were $1-3). Then, we'd head back to our room, stow our stuff, and get ready for bed.

One day, we went on a tour to Antalya, which was mostly shopping-based (and I fell in love with a cool leather coat, but it was way too expensive for my small budget). We rode a hour on a boat to a big waterfalls, swam from the boat for about 30 minutes (in our clothes b/c we didn't know to bring bathing suits), and then back to the bus to head back to our hotel.

There were some other interesting things to do in the area which we didn't get to explore b/c of the extreme heat (45'C+ during the day and high humidity) and b/c we were so worn out from a busy summer.

Now, I've finally got everything unpacked and washed and have mostly caught up on missed emails, etc. I have yet to get enough sleep - b/c of persistent computer problems (gotta love that), but hope to settle down into a more healthy schedule soon. I'm praying for a reasonable work-load/schedule for the school-year! As usual, everything happens from lunch until about midnight (the swing-shift) and that means no free time when my friends and the kids I've worked with during the summer are free - which makes it harder to maintain friendships outside of those with whom I am serving...

All in all, it was super to have the chance to vacation in Turkey and to relax mentally and emotionally and get rid of the built-up stress from the hectic spring/summer activities. I'm very thankful for this opportunity!