Turkey - Turkiye TR

My third destination on this year's vacation - Turkiye.

The word of mouth of my colleagues is shopping - shopping - shopping is all good in there.  Not my intention and not a strong reason for me to visit a country. 
Egypt is somehow been long on my list.  However, it's not a  good idea to visit there yet due to the country's shaky stability.  Maybe one day.

A colleague of mine is deviling me to go to Europe.  That is honestly unaffordable trip this year since I already made two trips earlier to Nepal in March and Philippines in May. 

Since, the company where I am working at started it's flight to Istanbul,  I gave it a thought.  When I saw to photos of Turkey...I told myself...I will go!  My colleague and  I ended up for Turkiye! :-).

Here is the shaping up of the plans.

Requirements:

1. Turkiye Visa Application form
2. Round trip ticket
3. Letter of support from the company
4. Copy of ID (CPR or company ID)
5. Original passport to be with held for processing, 3 days
6. A passport size photo to be affixed on the application form
7. Hotel Reservation / Travel Itinerary
8. BD22 non-refundable processing fee

Now, I need my travel buddy - Turkey, Lonely Planet.  The biggest mall in Bahrain with two bookstores does not have the book.  I was directed to Ali Mall where I finally got her :-).

The research and planning is much of the headache stage for me.  Sent email inquiries to tour operators about their packages and compared it  to my Do It Yourself travel.  Of course Do It Yourself travel is cheaper than the package but the later save us more time.  Time is essential when you only have few days to explore a country.  My colleague and I were both agreed to avail the package tour. 

Turkey has seven regions : Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean, Central Anatolia, Black Sea, Eastern Anatolia and South-Eastern Anatolia. 
On this trip, four regions are going to be covered.

1.  Marmara: 

• Istanbul - Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, The Bosphorus, Topkapi Palace,  Grand  Bazaar, Basilica Cistern
• Canakkale - Troy, Gallipoli Battlefields, ANZAC Commemoration Site, Lone Pine Australian Cemetary  

2.  Aegean:  

• Selcuk - Pergamon, Ephesus, Virgin Mary's House, Temple of Artemis
• Denizli - Hierapolis; Pamukkale

3.  Mediterranean:

• Antalya  - Kaleici, Termessos, Duden Waterfalls, Kursunlu Waterfalls, Perge, Aspendos, Side, White River Rafting
• Kekova - Lycian Sunken City
• Demre -   Myra

4.  Central Anatolia:

• Nevsehir - Cappadocia, Avanos, Goreme Open Air Museum, Pasabagi,Uchisar, Ortahisar, Urgup,  Ihlara Valley, Derinkuryu Underground City,, Turasan Winery, Horse Riding, Rose Valley, Cavusin Village, Selime Cathedral

Our tailored itinerary:

 Day 1   - Aug.31, Arrival in Istanbul, free day

 Day 2   - Sep. 1, Istanbul free day, evening bus to Cappadocia

 Day 3   - Sep. 2, Cappadocia - free day

 Day 4   - Sep. 3, Cappadocia Tour 1

 Day 5   - Sep. 4, Cappadocia Tour 2, evening bus to Antalya

 Day 6   - Sep. 5, Antalya Tour 2

 Day 7   - Sep. 6, Antalya Tour 3

 Day 8   - Sep. 7, Bus to Kekova

 Day 9   - Sep. 8, Kekova Tour, Myra, overnight in Fethiye

 Day 10  -Sep. 9, To Pamukkale

 Day 11  -Sep.10, To Selcuk

 Day 12  -Sep.11, Ephesus Tour

 Day 13  -Sep.12, Canakkale, Pergamon

 Day 14  -Sep.13, Troy & Gollipoli, trip to Istanbul

 Day 15  -Sep.14, Istanbul free day

 Day 16  -Sep.15, Istanbul free day

 Day 17  -Sep.16, Departure from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport