Flight from Bristol to Dalaman with Thomas Cook was very good (except for getting charged £6 for being 1.5kg over 15kg!). Landed a few minutes early and had a very smooth, quick passage through Dalaman airport. Bought ciggies in the shop before leaving the airport (cheaper than the UK duty free prices), found our driver and arrived in Icmeler 1.5 hours later!
Got to the Lighthouse Apartments at 12.15am, dumped our cases in the apartment and went back down for a couple of Efes - the first ones are always the best! Got to bed at 3.30am, which kind of set the scene for the week(!)
The weather was perfect - well up in the 30s each day, only saw 2 hours of cloud the whole week and I didn't find it too chilly by night which was good.
We spent our first day and last day by the pool at the Lighthouse and the rest of the time down on the beach (Yakamoz beach) as it was a little cooler - sea was still cold though! Same beach guys there keeping the beach spotlessly clean.
I must just say I wasn't too sure about the new look beach path with the temples and columns shown in pictures people had posted before I went, but having seen it in the "flesh" it's really nice and actually quite stylish - I like it! Even the rather fake-looking rock they put in last summer looks better as all the plants have grown.
We ate some superb meals at our usual haunts: the Lighthouse, Olive Tree (Bonjour), Chef and had a fantastic steak at the Set; I can also thoroughly recommend the Angel Inn for a full English brekkie.
We spent quite a lot of time drinking in the Magic Garden (a favourite place - and it seemed busier there so word has got out!) and we spent a fair bit of time in the Sultan jewellers, selling and buying (!!)
All in all, it was a very lazy week with perfect weather - which is just what we wanted. We enjoyed EVERY single moment..... I laughed so much I pulled muscles!
I love my first visit out there in May as it's nice to see what's changed, who's there, who's not there and everyone's fresh-faced as it's the beginning of the season.
We left Icmeler at 7pm on Monday evening, loads of people came to wave us off which was lovely, and we tooted all the way out onto the Mamaris road (as the driver said... Just in case you forget to say goodbye to some people....bless, what a lovely guy he was). Very quick checking in at Dalaman as we'd got there before the coaches, flight home was on time but very bumpy and the weather at Bristol when we landed at 1.30am was indescribable - never seen rain like it (we got soaked)!
Just one more thing thing to add... to any ladies who are not used to drinking beer and find the normal Efes too gassy try the Efes Light which is served in most bars/restaurants - it's delicious!
Only 14 weeks until my next slice of heaven....
And the next visit is for a fortnight... hope the time flies between now and then!
Will try and put some pix up later.
Mazz
