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Re: Turkey
Mon, February 23, 2009 - 6:12 PMwe go every year now, but haven't scheduled for this year yet. waiting just a little longer to see how the economy is going to shake out.
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 1:01 AMI try to get to Egypt every year but I was thinking about trying to go to Istanbul this summer. There is the Folk Tours group & then there is Souhail Kaspars group. Since I've never been, I though it would be a good idea to go with a group for the first time. Plus I dont know much Turkish...
Has anyone every been with one of these groups? -
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 2:58 AMhi, i live here. i wouldn't discourage you from joining one of those groups, but Turkey is a very easy country to travel in so don't think you can't do it alone. There are a million non-turkish speaking visitors here every year. Get a good guidebook and read up on everything - there is a lot - then you'll have an idea what you want to do and can make an informed decision. also, feel free to msg me about any questions. bon voyage! -
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 3:21 AMDavid, Turkey may be an easy country to travel in for men, but it is not quite the same for a woman. Anymore info regarding harassment I am willing to give out in private. And please remember that of that one million non-turkish visitors the vast majority are staying in resort hotels on prepaid package tours.
Having said that, after three rather adventurous experiences, my fourth trip finally was free of harassment, carpet touts, unwanted attention, death threats, being followed and such. The fourth one was the only one where I did not feel scared and one major reason was being able to communicate in basic Turkish, knowing more about the culture and customs, avoiding eye contact with strangers for longer than a fraction of a second and having a few people to contact. David's info was of helpful too.
Thank you for wishing me "welcome to Turkey" by phone through a mutual friend on the first day of my visit. -
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 10:42 AMMy husband and I went to Istanbul last year together for the first time and as someone not travel savvy and speaking very little of the language, we had a very wonderful and easy time. Even when we got lost at 2am on our first night we never felt unsafe or fearful. We accomplished most of the things we wanted to do, dance lessons, tours, seeing our favorite musicians and we saved a ton of $$ going independantly. We did have help finding the coolest stuff to though (thanks David n Delpha)
I know Souhail and Coskun's tour is a popular one and they are fun guys. I believe Ahmet Luleci attends that one as well? They will definately show you a good time. Helene Ericksen does a yearly tour as well and she is very well connected there to some good people I know. I might recommend (having never attended either mind you) one of these.
Have fun and good luck! You will love Turkey, I dream of going back every day.
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 10:52 AMI travel all over the world for work & travel alone to Egypt at least once a year so I rarely have any trouble. It does help that I speak a good bit of Arabic (& a few other languages)...
What I wanted to know is if Istanbul is easy to navigate as a first timer - that is why I was considering hooking up with a group for the first time... -
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 12:23 PMistanbul is very easy to navigate. yes the city is enormous, but the things tourists want to see - primarily the old city and taksim sguare vicinity - are all located in a very small area, easily traversed by public transport or short cheap taxi rides. excursions to outlying areas(such as the bosphorous) by boat or bus are well organized and easily accessible. as a world traveler you must have decent amount of common sense that should easily keep you out of harms way. not to worry. i know dozens of men and women who've traveled solo here w/o incident. generally, the world is what you make it. : ) again, check out your favorite guidebook, you'll find everything you need. and as a comparison, many friends have told me that istanbul is infinitely easier to do than cairo. -
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 2:53 PMDavid - Cairo is HUGE and the traffic is terrible - thats why I take the subway =o)
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 5:45 PMHi Magdalena,
I have been to Egypt - Cairo & Alexander alone. Last summer I went to Turkey alone but met up with a tour group once I got there. Personally now I wish I would have gone to Turkey minus the tour. Turkey was MUCH EASIER than Egypt to navigate. It helps that the letters are not in Arabic (even signs in Turkish are easier for me to decipher because its the same alphabet we use). The public transport there was plentiful and easy - especially their tram. I ventured out the last two days unescorted because I wanted to see more things than my tour was going on and I had a blast.
Absolutely NONE of the constant hassling - hissing and whistling - that I got in Cairo.
If you like to travel alone I think you'll find Turkey much easier than Egypt. And although there's a lot of traffic in Istanbul it is nowhere near the nightmare that Cairo is.
Have a wonderful trip whatever you do!
~Z.
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Re: Turkey
Tue, February 24, 2009 - 4:45 PMNo need to. I live here :)
Feel free to ask whatever you want to know. -
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Re: Turkey
Wed, February 25, 2009 - 11:45 PMYes, Istanbul has buses, subway and trams and taxis, so, no problem. Just be on guard for pickpockets and it is safer to sit next to a woman if you are alone. Be careful about taxi drivers take you, and watch exactly what you hand over to them and what they give you for change. And expect to do a huge amount of walking, so bring comfortable shoes.
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