HEALTH IN TURKEY

DOCTORS & DENTISTS

English is widely spoken among health-care professionals. Hotels and
embassies can advise on local doctors and dentists. Medical services
can be expensive, though dentistry is usually cheaper than in theWest.

PHARMACIES & MEDICATION

Travelers should ensure they have enough medication to last during
their trip, as well as a copy of the prescription or a letter from your
health-care provider explaining that the medication has been prescribed
for you. All medications should be stored in carry-on baggage,
in their original containers with clear labels.

Pharmacies are generally well stocked and pharmacists are knowledgeable
in advising on the treatment of minor illnesses. Englishspeaking
doctors are easy to find and foreign-run hospitals are available
in larger cities and resorts.

FIRST AID KIT

A first aid kit should include: Band-Aids, adhesive bandages, gauze,
tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators, antiseptic cream, antiseptic
wipes, heat spray, diarrhea medication, antihistamine, aspirin,
ibuprofen, digital thermometer, cold remedies, insect repellent containing
DEET (Jungle Formula is the best on the market), sunscreen
and aloe gel for sunburns.

Remember, a medical kit is only useful if it is easily available. It should
be carried in a car or in carry-on luggage on excursions. Basic first aid
kits and specialized sports and family medical kits are available from
pharmacies and outdoor stores in the US. These websites sell a range
of medical kits: Adventure Medical Kits, www.adventuremedicalkits.
com; Chinook Medical Gear, www.chinookmed.com; Harris International
Health Care, www.safetravel.com; Travel Medicine, Inc, www.
travmed.com; Wilderness Medicine Outfitters, www.wildernessmed
icine.com.

VACCINATIONS

The World Health Organization recommends vaccines against Hepatitis
A, Malaria and Typhoid for travel to the Middle East region,
which includes Turkey. A booster may be required for tetanus-diphtheria
and measles. Discuss your travel plans with a health-care provider
to determine which vaccines you will need.

HOSPITALS

Major cities and resorts have private hospitals that maintain international
standards.

MONEY MATTERS

CURRENCY

In 2005, the New Turkish Lira (YTL) was introduced to simplify the
currency. Six zeros were deleted from the existing Turkish Lira. From
2006, only the new currency is in circulation and is once again known
as the Turkish Lira. There are 100 Kurusu to a lira.
Turkish Lira is available in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Turkish Lira bank
notes, as well as 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Kurusu and 1 Turkish Lira coins.

BANKS, ATMS & EXCHANGE OFFICES

ATMs are widely available. Exchange rates are often better in Turkey
than at home and cash can be exchanged commission-free in many
banks and exchange offices.

Banks are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to noon and 1:30pm to 5pm.
In summer, they sometimes open at 8am and close at 2pm. Hours can
also be shorter during the month of Ramadan.

TRAVELERS’ CHECKS

Travelers’ checks can be exchanged in banks and some post offices.
Foreign currency checks may incur charges of between 10 and 25%.

CREDIT CARDS

Credit cards are accepted in cities and towns. It is a good idea to inform
your credit card company that you will be traveling, as some
stop cards used in Turkey to guard against fraud.

GETTING HERE - TURKEY TRAVEL GUIDE!

BY AIR

Turkish Airlines and Delta Airlines offer the only direct nonstop services
to Turkey from the US.

Turkish Airlines flies direct to Istanbul from New York and Chicago.
718-751-26-00, lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm (PST),
passengerservices@tknyc.com, www.turkishairlines.com. In Canada,
tickets for Turkish Airlines are sold by Stellar Travel Inc., 866-IFLY-
THY (435-9849), info@stellartravel.ca.

Delta Airlines operates direct flights to Istanbul from New York. It
has connecting flights to Istanbul from Toronto via New York. 800-
221-1212, www.delta.com; travelers with hearing or speech impairments
can call 800-831-4488.

Several international carriers operate flights to Turkey from North
America via their home countries. This obviously makes the flight
time longer. However, the fares can be cheaper.

British Airways flies from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto
to Istanbul via London. The airline has direct flights from London
Heathrow to Ankara and Dalaman airports via its franchise
partners. There are also flights from London Gatwick to Izmir. US and
Canada, 800-AIRWAYS; Toronto, 416-250-0880; www.
britishairways.com; travelers with hearing impairments can call
866-393-0961.

Easyjet, the low cost UK airline, has flights from Luton Airport,
51 km/32 miles north of London, to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen International
Airport on the Asian side of the city, about 50 km from Taksim
Square. UK 08706-000000; www.easyjet.com.

Lufthansa operates daily flights to Istanbul from New York, Chicago,
Los Angeles and Montreal via Munich and Frankfurt. US, 800-645-
3880; Canada, 800-563-5954; www.lufthansa.com.

Alitalia flies from New York to Istanbul via Milan and Rome. 800-
223-5730; alitaliasupport@alicos.net; www.alitalia.com.

Austrian Airlines has flights to Istanbul from New York, Washington
DC and Toronto stopping in Vienna. US, 800-843-0002; Canada,
888-817-4444; www.aua.com.

One US tour operator selling discounted airfares to Turkey can be accessed
on the web only, www.aesu.com.

Security at Turkish airports is tight and time consuming, especially at
Istanbul’s Atatürk International Airport. Arrive for domestic flights at
least one hour prior to departure. You should arrive at least two hours
ahead of departure for international flights.

Transporting Mountain Bikes & Skis

Quality mountain bikes are difficult to hire in Turkey. Most airlines,
including Turkish Airlines and British Airways, will allow you to
transport one sports item free of charge, so you can take your own
bike. Skis and snowboards can be hired locally, though these can also
be checked into the hold.

BY SEA

FROM GREECE: There are regular ferry and hydrofoil services, including
car ferries, between Turkey’s Aegean Coast and the Greek Islands
during the summer months. Routes include Lesbos-Ayvalik,
Chios-Çe me, Samos-Ku adasi, Kos-Bodrum, Rhodes-Marmaris and
Symi-Datça. In the low season, the only scheduled service is between
Kos and Bodrum. Visitors traveling from mainland Greece will need
to take a ferry to one of the Greek Islands before continuing to Turkey.

FROM ITALY: There is a car and passenger ferry from Ancona to
Çe me once a week between March and October. A weekly car and
passenger service operates from Brindisi to Çe me between June and
September.
The Marmara Line website www.marmaralines.com has timetable information
and ticket sales.

A very user-friendly travel agents’ website is www.ankertravel.net. It
gives information on ferries between Northern Cyprus, Greece, Italy
and Turkey. The agent is efficient at answering enquiries.

FROM NORTHERN CYPRUS: Ferries run all-year-round between
Girne in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Tasucu near
Silifke. Adaily catamaran service makes the trip in two hours; car ferries
take four to five hours. In summer, catamarans operate between
Girne and Alanya twice a week. The crossing takes 3½ hours. Contact
Fergun Shipping in Turkey, 324 741 2323, www.fergun.net.

BY CAR

If you are driving across Europe or the Middle East into Turkey be
prepared for red tape and an amazing journey. Drivers bringing cars
into Turkey must show their car registration documents and international
driving license at the point of entry. Drivers arriving from Europe
must have a Green Card, which can be purchased at the border.
It is possible to bring a car into Turkey for six months, after which
time you may be liable for import tax.

BY BUS

International buses are cheap and reasonably comfortable given the
long journeys. The main connections into Turkey are via Austria from
northern Europe and Greece from southern Europe. Rest stops are
made at roadside cafés where there are toilets, but usually no showers.
Reservations are recommended for long-distance routes.

Several Turkish bus companies operate international routes, however,
only Varan Tourism (www.varan.com.tr) and Metro Turizm (www.
metroturizm.com) have user-friendly websites giving fare and route
information. Tickets can purchased online or at a bus station.

BY TRAIN

Turkey’s location as a gateway out of Europe and into the Middle East
makes it one of the world’s great countries for train travel. Unless you
are stretched for time, do not miss out on a heady mix of scenery, languages
and cultures by taking a train into Turkey.

The Balkan Flexipass will give you unlimited first-class rail travel
across Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. The ticket can be purchased for 5, 10 or 15 days travel and costs between
$197 and $413.

Many routes offer access to Turkey, including a two-day journey from
Budapest on the Balkan Express, a 20-hour ride from Thessaloniki,
Greece and a five-night, once-in-a-lifetime journey aboard the Venice-
Simplon Orient Express, which departs from Paris once a year and
passes through France, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria
( 401-351-7518, www.orient-express.com)

For more information on train travel to Turkey, visit these websites:
www.tcdd.gov.tr is the Turkish State Railway’s revamped website giving
information in English on fares and timetables for domestic and international
routes.

www.seat61.com is an excellent resource, with detailed information
on routes, fares and timetables.
www.raileurope.com has timetable information, tickets and rail
passes.

WHAT TO WEAR - TURKEY TRAVEL

Turkey is a secular nation, but away from the beaches it is conservative
and you should dress accordingly. Turkish women are often very
glamorous, but they do not wear skimpy clothes. Dressing like a local
will stop you getting undue attention and make you feel more comfortable.
Generally, shoulders and knees should be covered, especially
in villages or major cities. Travelers should not visit religious sites
wearing shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops. Women should cover
their heads in mosques.

Sturdy leather hiking boots are recommended for hiking and for exploring
historical sites. Do not scrimp on your boots, as there is so
much to see on foot. Take one pair of sandals, sneakers or shoes that
can be worn during the day and evening. Snowshoes may be necessary
for Central and Eastern regions in the winter.

PACKING TIPS - TURKEY

If you are planning to travel around Turkey rather than stay in one place, then do yourself a favor and take only the essentials. Test drive your bag, once packed, by carrying it up and down a couple of flights of stairs. If it is too much to handle after five minutes, imagine it after three weeks of traveling.

If you are taking a suitcase on wheels, pack shoes and heavy items at
the base of the suitcase near the wheels.

Pack evening clothes in tissue paper to limit creases.

T-shirts and cotton clothing should be rolled to save space.

Woolen and fleece sweaters should be packed flat.

Use clear plastic bags for small items such as underwear and socks,
which otherwise wind up at the bottom of your backpack or case.
Plastic bags also are useful for things like spare batteries.

PACKING LIST
Daypack
Flashlight
Earplugs (for airplane travel)
CD or MP3 player
Lock for backpack or case
Slash-proof money wallet
Sleeping bag with carry case
Turkish phrasebook
Waterproof jacket
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Beach towel
First aid kit (see page 84)
Adapter plug and surge protector strip
Camera and charger or batteries and film
Sink and bath plug (not all hotels have plugs)
Wet wipes – essential when using public toilets
Basic toiletries (imported brands are expensive)

WHEN TO VISIT TURKEY!

The optimal times to visit depend largely upon where you are going.

The best months to visit the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts are
April through June and September through October, when the climate
is warm with little rainfall. If you prefer empty beaches and
fewer beer-swilling tourists, the west coast is quieter between November
and March, though the sun is not guaranteed.

Both Istanbul and Ankara are hot in summer and snowy in winter.
They can be visited year-round, however, April-May and September-
October are the most pleasant times for exploring.

Visit Central and Eastern Turkey between June and October. They
look stunning under typically heavy winter snowfall. However, you
risk difficulty traveling around because roads can be closed.

Southeast Turkey, on the other hand, is swelteringly hot in the summer
and there can be problems with menacing scorpions. It is best to
visit this region anytime except summer.

Europe Cheap Holidays!

Each year, most British travelers opt for an affordable holiday to the Mediterranean. Just this rainy summer, Britons went somewhere abroad to get warmed up under the sun. there's plenty of offers from tour operators because of the high demand.

Top holiday destinations for cheap holidays are Cyprus, Greek Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Caribbean, some Ski resorts, and plenty of others.

The peak season for travelers are the months of June and July according to some travel related sites. According to the founder of lastminute.com, Brent Hoberman, the bad weather this summer has caused more people to book their holidays at the last minute. Though most people are still confident of getting the best deals at the last minute. Among the top holiday destinations, spain was the most popular for those who want to see some sun. Though destinations like Turkey and Bulgaria offer better value for money.

The ancient and historical places in Greece has also attracted the British travelers making it famous among other travel destinations. Greece has over 16 million visitors each year. The main attractions for Greece are the rich and long history, glorious Mediterranean shoreline and beaches, mild climate and great cuisine. there's plenty of available cheap holiday packages to Greece from all over the British airports to the Greek Islands like Crete, Rhodes, Zante, and Corfu.

Seeking for a nice holiday at an affordable price has been a lot simpler now for British people. the world wide web has made a great impact on the way people search for an affordable holiday. Most people now become the travel agents of their own and book their holiday through the world wide web at a comparatively low prices.

there's some ways of finding nice cheap holiday deals flying from British airports. The cheap package holidays emerged in the work of the late 1950’s and 1960’s wherein flights, transfers and accomodation were combined that gave the British people the chance to travel more often at a lower price. Though nowadays, more people are not going for package holidays anymore. they in lieu find their own accommodation and travel in a low cost airline like simple jet, Ryan air and BMI kid. they are making their own cheap holiday.

Another massive alter in the industry of travelling is the idea named “dynamic packaging.” In dynamic packaging, people book their flights and accommodation separately. plenty of travel agents in UK offer dynamic packaging through sites and Teletext channels.

Finding your own cheap holiday is a lot simpler nowadays with the help of the world wide web. With just a click of the button, you’ll have answers to your questions; you can have a background of the holiday destinations and what these places can offer which makes it simpler for you to settle on where to go for the holidays. in case you want to have your own cheap holiday, all you got to do is just search for it. there's plenty of cheap holiday packages or offers available in the net.

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