# Wintering away



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

For those considering venturing further afield for their winter break the following info might be helpful. We like to spend seven or eight months away in the van each year. 

This is what we usually do on a winter trip, but first a bit about us. 

We are loners isolationist in our mid seventies, who hate to be hemmed in by other campers. We started our winter trips 16 years ago in Portugal and it was reasonably peaceful, sites in the popular areas weren't over run. That lasted 3 years when Portugal got very popular all of a sudden. We then went to Morocco and we just loved it. Three years later and the place was overwhelmed with motorhomes. 

Next we tried the Canary Islands again it was great, weather was good we toured five of the 7 islands in four months. On the whole sites were horrendous, a gas bottle exploded on one site as a Spaniard was welding his Motorhome, fortunately we had just left the site. Nobody was injured but a few motorhomes were damaged or destroyed. Free camping was never a problem as long as you were reasonably discreet. The big down side was the £1200 ferry fare, nice boat , plenty of food but £1200 is a lot of money. 

Then came Turkey, we loved it straight away, the people are very friendly, free camping is not a problem, often you will be given tea when you stop on a picnic area, the Turks usually send the children across with it. A small kit kat in return works wonders for PR. 

We spend three months in Turkey on the Aegean/Med coastline. We have three sites were we usually stop at, Kusadasi, Oludeniz and Antalya. We usually have a month each at the first two and a week in Antalya. We also have a few places were we free camp, mainly small harbour's (Kalkan/Kas/Finike) and small village beaches out in the wilds. We have never felt threatened in Turkey, we feel safer in Turkey than we ever did in Spain. 

We usually take the direct route down to Italy, ferry to Greece and drive across northern Greece into Turkey. On the return trip we try and vary it. We've taken the ferry from Marmaris to Rhodes with our A Class Laika 400i which only just fitted on the ferry, it's not a crossing for the faint hearted. We then took the ferry from Rhodes to Piraeus (Athens) then ferry (Camper deck) from Patras to Venice. This is a must, sailing past the Grand Canal in Venice on a spring morning is out of this world. 

In April 2004 on our return trip we toured Sardinia and Corsica both highly recommended 

In 2006 after the eclipse in Turkey we returned via Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic an unforgettable trip.

We don't plan the return trip in advance, we buy a single trip ticket on the way out and when in Turkey decide which way to return home. 

Next year we have two ideas for the homeward trip, overland via Albania, Montenegro and Croatia or ferry to Rhodes and Crete then tour the Peloponnese. 

If you plan to visit a country's that you never visited before i.e. The Balkans, Turkey or Morocco I suggest you get a Lonely Planet Guide or such like for the country and read up on their customs, practices & traditions this could save you a fine at a later date. There are some traditions that are not in any book. i.e. In Greece they always have and always will drive on the hard shoulder, even on a three/four lane motorway. If you choose to ignore this practice the Greeks will let you know in no uncertain terms. 

If you plan to visit Morocco or Turkey check when Ramadan (September 1st this year) starts because it could put a bit of a damper on your holiday. 

We always take a photo copy of "all" documents. If you venture outside the EU take a full inventory of everything in the van. If visiting Turkey and Morocco the driver of the vehicle will not be able to leave the country without the vehicle in which they entered. So no parking up for a couple of weeks and flying home for Christmas.

Safe travelling

Don


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi I would love to go motorhoming in Turkey, we have had some lovely holidays there in the past (package type) and I just love Olu Deniz.

In fact I think it was Bobs Beach (now Sugar Beach) or Saura Beach, and the campers there a few years ago that gave my best mate Sonesta the idea to actually buy a MH. Is Olu nice in the winter, I would guess most places are closed down though :?: 

Maybe one day for us, but we need Turkey to join the EU to be part of the doggie passport scheme too.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Briarose said:


> Hi I would love to go motorhoming in Turkey, we have had some lovely holidays there in the past (package type) and I just love Olu Deniz.
> 
> In fact I think it was Bobs Beach (now Sugar Beach) or Saura Beach, and the campers there a few years ago that gave my best mate Sonesta the idea to actually buy a MH. Is Olu nice in the winter, I would guess most places are closed down though :?:
> 
> Maybe one day for us, but we need Turkey to join the EU to be part of the doggie passport scheme too.


Hi,

Oludeniz is a wonderful place in the winter, we use to park around the lagoon by Bob's Beach.

In 2002 we were stuck there for three weeks as they decided to lay new sewer pipes.










There are a couple of new campsites near Alanya that we might try next winter.

Don


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Funny you should say that LOL I remember that they were completing that on the afore mentioned holiday in May of that year.............I am a moderator on a holiday site and clearly remember the posts saying Olu looked like a bomb site LOL.

Bitez near Bodrum is lovely too.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Great post, Don 

I love Turkey. The beach where Father Christmas was born is a peach:










Just say goodbye before driving in Albania ....

Dave


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Don;

Thanks for that, I always look forward to your posts and I'll be a happy camper if I ever get to be as well travelled in our 'van as your good selves. 
Its always been our dream to get to Turkey in the van, we've tried twice in 2000 and 2002 but kept running out of time, getting as far as Greece and having to turn back to earn a crust  .
Fingers crossed in 3 years if all goes to plan, the mortgage is paid and we're packing in the rat race early and then we should be there with you for the winter, but don't worry, we won't park too close, we're loners and like our own space just like you  .

Safe travels to you both;

pete


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Dave what beach is that ? looks lovely.

Pete we too have this dream of getting everything paid for and leaving the rat race................mortgage well on its way now, but few other outstanding things to sort :wink:


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Patara, 20 miles down the coast from the Blue Lagoon at OluDeniz.

I never figured out how that stretch of coast could have crystal clear turquoise bays, clear because of no sand, and just around the corner one of the top beaches in the world (literally):
http://www.lycianturkey.com/patara-beach.htm

Google map

Dave


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks we have been there too, although I didn't realise it until you replied LOL we once took a trip to the area whilst staying in Hisaronu.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Briarose said:


> Hi I would love to go motorhoming in Turkey, we have had some lovely holidays there in the past (package type) and I just love Olu Deniz.
> 
> In fact I think it was Bobs Beach (now Sugar Beach) or Saura Beach, and the campers there a few years ago that gave my best mate Sonesta the idea to actually buy a MH.


Hi,

This is what happened to Bob's Beach, one morning without any warning the workers arrived and started tearing the shacks down. When Bob finally arrived the place was a shambles.



















This was our pitch at Bob's Beach.










They then started moving the old huts about "moving house Turkish style"



















We hope to spend some time at Oludeniz next January/February if all goes well.

Don


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Oh that brought back memories and has really made me want to go there.............I remember those old shacks really well.

Am going to ring Sonesta as I know she will enjoy having a look at the piccies too, anymore just post them and thanks for sharing them.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Excellent post and pictures Don; thank you for cheering me up when I was suffering from a bad dose of wanderlust.

G


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## 88742 (May 9, 2005)

Excellent post Don, like Pete we are also looking at getting further afield and look forward to Jacqui finishing work (hopefully within the next 3 years) when we won't be having to turn round and get back for work.

Ian


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

bsb2000 said:


> Excellent post Don, like Pete we are also looking at getting further afield and look forward to Jacqui finishing work (hopefully within the next 3 years) when we won't be having to turn round and get back for work.
> 
> Ian


Hi Ian,

Maybe we'll see you in Turkey in a few years time.

Don


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Fascinating and inspiring stuff, Don (and others). Thanks.

Gerald


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

And Patara Beach is listed in today's Sunday Telegraph list of the world's top 80 beaches.

Dave


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