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Just
as I was contemplating a 'cheap' diving holiday in warm waters,
the Turkish Government lifted its long-standing ban on diving.
A virtually 'unexplored' part of the Mediterranean combined
with an exotic 'interior' was certainly tempting, so the idea
was put in motion.
The
Diver's Holiday article I had seen however did not provide
an address to start my enquiries, but eventually contact was
made in the autumn of 1985. I received an enthusiastic reply
and a beautifully produced brochure describing the wonders
of their underwater world, even stating what the price Included
and excluded, but not what the price was.
Another
letter produced package prices for just diving, despite the
fact that by now they were advertising Inclusive holidays.
So what was the price for an all inclusive package?
It
was already 1986 and a London travel agent materialised with
information that the prices for the year were not yet available.
At last they were ready at Easter. but for the quoted price
any self-respecting diver would have chosen the Red Sea.
It was then that I learned that a Diver's Holiday Adviser
was invited to explore Turkey but was unable to go and suggested
I went instead. It also transpired a different company was
involved. Letters followed, letters were lost. Another two
months went by.
Time
was short if I was to avoid the hottest months of the year,
July and August. The location was to be Antalya an the southern
coast, because of a likely excursion to Cappadocia (more of
which later). Promises were made and promises ware broken,
Summer was drawing to a close. lNo time left to organise the
club holiday and prices quoted by Indigenous companies specialising
in diving holidays were still an obstacle. Hurghada would
have been £5 cheaper!
So
in desperation I booked an ordinary English package holiday
in Bodrum on the Aegean coast with two more divers from my
club. Two weeks at the end of September, bed & breakfast
in a pension, inclusive of flights and transfers for £275.
Diving to be organised on the spot.
We
could have dived in Bodrum, which was expensive, but in the
next bay of Gumbet, two more diving outfits were operating.
One German and the one I had started with! Ve got a deal an
the original prices quoted a year earlier. This amounted to
£60 for 10 boat dives with tanks and weights provided,
which was very reasonable by comparison with other places
in this part of the world. The beauty of it was that the dives
did not have to be consecutive. Just as well bearing in mind
all the other attractions.
The
underwater scenery was typical Mediterranean, but we had a
lingering suspicion that there was more to see than they were
prepared to show us. after all the whole of Bodrum's St Peter's
Castle, built by early crusaders, was turned into an underwater
archaeological museum stuffed with goodies provided by George
Bass' expeditions. Nevertheless I enjoyed myself filming sequences
of amphora debris, hunting octopus and collecting sponges.
The sunken city of Nindos was out of bounds. So a snorkelling
escapade was organised without the patronage of a diving school.
The
boat trips were short, so their was either time to return
to base for a light lunch or anchor at another village for
a snack and then have a second dive in the afternoon. Back
in plenty of time to return to Bodrum (by means of "dolmush"
- the cheapest transport at 15 p a head) for an excellent
evening meal, which at the very most would set you back £5
including wine and brandy.
The
best dives were on a submerged pinnacle between Bumbet and
Karada Island. Groupers I missed, but scorpion fish were there
as well as the more usual inhabitants. Furthest trips were
to Kocek and Kargi Islands - from where the Island of Kos
was clearly visible - with amphora shards aplenty. The most
frequented were Gorecik Is and Kucuk peninsula teeming with
octopus.
Besides
diving, as I have said already, there were other distractions
such as visits to Ephesus, one of the largest Greek settlements
on these shores, with its Goddess Artemis, later replaced
by the Virgin Mary, who lived there with St. John. To some
perhaps one Greek ruin is very much like another, but the
same cannot be said about Famukkale (Cotton Castles) formed
from calcium-bearing springs and considered the ninth wonder
of the world. I was determined however to visit Cappadocia
with its underground cities, fairy chimneys and early Christian
churches scooped out of the lava covered rock, That is how
I discovered cheap bus travel at £5.for 750 Km!
Despite
early traumas, a most enjoyable holiday, which I can heartily
recommend, providing that the Turks for all their charm, can
eventually organise the tourism.
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