A tourist tells how a dream holiday in Turkey has turned into a travel lesson. Although the experience was a wonderful one, he says it would have been even more successful if they had avoided some common mistakes.
Five mistakes the tourist made in Turkey Photia: Shutterstock
In November, a young woman from the United States went on a one-month trip to Turkey with a group of friends. He says he spent whole evenings documenting about the important tourist objectives, looking for accommodations and learning Turkish through the Duolingo application.
“The preparations have paid off and I had a great vacation, but I made some mistakes that we will surely avoid next time”she said, according to Business Insider.
Confusion between the two Istanbul airports
The biggest surprise was the size of Istanbul. “It is the largest city I have ever visited. It is so wide that it has two international airports.”
She and her friends landed at Istanbul Airport (Ist), located on the European side of the city, but some of them reserved internal flights that left the Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) airport, on the Asian side.
“We realized too late that there were two different airports. We all arrived in time at flights, but we had to divide into two hotels – one near Ist and the other near Saw. ”
Disadvantage currency exchange at the airport
The tourist arrived in Istanbul after closing the banks and changed dollars in Turkish pounds directly at the airport. “I seemed insecure to enter the city without any money cash, but as soon as I went out I saw that in the city there were open and much more advantageous currency houses. ”
Subsequently, he used exclusively the Halkbank ATMs, who did not charge him.
Turkish tea, a surprise
The tourist was delighted by the local culture and enthusiastically accepted every glass of “Çay” offered. “I received it in restaurants, shops and even at the dentist. It was delicious, cheap and was part of the authentic experience. ”
However, he found out too late that Turkish tea is quite rich in caffeine. “After a few days I realized why Jet Lag was worse than usual. One day I had probably consumed more caffeine than they drink at home in a week. ”
Souveniring too expensive at the big bazaar
Great Bazaar of Istanbul Photo Shutterstock
The big bazaar in Istanbul was a delight for senses: colored textiles, spices, teas and lively traders. “I bought some souvenirs there, but I regret not waiting until the next day, when I went to Kadıköy, on the other side of the Bosphorus.”
There he found the same products at much lower prices: “Sometimes they cost ten times less than in the great bazaar. ”
Unknown customs rules
Turkish culinary delights were a constant joy during the trip. So, before leaving, the tourist bought various foods as a souvenir for the family. “The shops pack everything very professional – from baclavale to olives, some even in a vacuum.”
However, not everything he bought came home. “They confiscated a large bag of dry curm when I entered the US. It was sad and embarrassing.” He then learned that many dried fruits and vegetables are forbidden at the country.
