1.what kind of first impression do you
think people say when they first see you?

I think people find me intimidating. :-S


2.what's one thing you like to do alone?

Lots of things - I enjoy my own company


3.what is your favorite line to say when
you're scared?

Yikes!


4.how many drinks before you're tipsy?

One! I can't drink


5.did you ever have to beg?

No! I'm not the type


6.what kind of books do you like to read?

Depends on my mood - thrillers, biographies, kids' books, anything at all.


7.do you think you're cute?

Oh, terribly cute


8.do you have a problem changing
clothes in front of your friends?

Not at all.


9.favorite communication method?

Email or face to face (hate the phone!)


10.do you care if others don’t like you?

Well, it depends, really, on who they are!


11.what do you eat when you raid the
fridge at night?

I'm more likely to raid the biscuit tin!


12.describe your bed?

Big, warm, feathery...


13. Spontaneous or planned?

I would be naturally spontaneous, but I need to plan or my life will fall apart around me


14.do you know how to play chess?

Yep


15.what do you carry with you at all time?

Extra strong mints!


16.what do you miss most about being
little?

The feeling that nothing bad could ever happen.


17.are you happy with your given name?

Yes - it's mine!


18.how much would it take to give up the
internet for 1 year?

I guess I'd need to be very involved in something else.


19.have you ever been in a play?

Yes, I'm an actress!


20.do you like yourself and believe in
yourself?

I like myself, but self-belief has been a long time coming


21.do homeless, or starving people
sometimes annoy you?

It annoys me that some people are homeless - I think a roof over one's head is a basic human right.


22.do you consider yourself to be a nice
person?

Yes, I think I am


23.do you spend more time with your
family or your friends?

Family


24.what's one thing you wish you could
do but can't?

Stop smoking!!


25.what is your ideal marriage location?

My garden


26.whats one instrument you wish you
could play?

Piano... or drums

27.something you love and hate at the same time?

Cigarettes! Damn them!


28.what’s one language you want to
learn?

Well, if I ever make any headway with the Turkish, I'd like to learn Arabic next.


29.what do you order at fast food restaurant?

Ack I detest fast food! (Oooh... unless pizza counts??)


30.have you ever pierced any of your body parts?

Ears, 9 times


31.do you have any tattoos?

Yep, two.


32.would you admit to getting plastic
surgery if confronted?

Oh certainly! Why not?


33.one trait you hate in a person?

I really dislike the sort of weakness of character where people won't speak up, either for themselves or for others, or blame everything on other people or outside forces - lack of backbone, I suppose.


34.do you consider yourself materialistic?

Sometimes, but I am less interested in money and 'things' than many people I know.


35.what do you cook best?

Cajun chicken


36.do you cry in front of your friends?

Gosh, yes, at times I have... not every day though!


37.if you were a body of water, what
would you be?

A stream - I can be clear and lively, sluggish and muddy, and sometimes I'm fast-flowing and burst my banks

I know it seems as though Halloween is an American holiday these days, but here in Ireland, it has always been celebrated. It's actually Samhain, Pagan New Year, and the time when every person who has died in the previous year moves on from this world. Even as a child, my friends and I dressed up every Halloween and visited round the neighbourhood, singing songs for sweets, apples and nuts.

I still celebrate Halloween. It's not about vampires and monsters and evil things, but about saying goodbye to the dead. I lost my mother last October, and my father the year before, and find it comforting on Halloween to follow the old traditions of remembering them especially on this night

Teşekkür ederim, Sense

This is great info, Sense - do you have an email address I can use to contact NI-TECA? I can't find one on their website.

Thanks a million

Wow Sense! That's really useful to know!

Are you living in Ireland too?

Cheers
Jo

...either Turkish or ex-pat - I'm looking for some info/advice on what areas I should visit next, with a view to possibly buying a place (at some point!)

On our first trip, we stayed near Soğucak, outside Kuşadası, and this year we have just returned from Marmaris and Içmeler.

To be honest, my family and I found the big resorts too much, although we liked Kuşadası much more than Marmaris.

Anyone have any suggestions for somewhere less touristy, but by the sea (we all love the sea, and would rather have access to a beach or cove than have a pool). Are all the coastal areas becoming very built up?

I'd be very grateful for any pointers at all - I've been looking at properties, and at various areas online, but it's so hard to tell what a place is really like just from the websites - so any ideas where I should start?

Thanks a million
Jo

Hi Vernessy

The Coco Beach Hotel is right on the beach and very reasonable. I haven't stayed there myself, but my friend has been several times and she loves it.

Coco Beach Hotel

Also, Ahmet, who owns the Stone House restaurant in the Old Village, also runs the Belmaris Apartments - I haven't seen them, but he gave me a brochure and they look lovely, and they're very well-priced.

Belmaris Apartments

Hope this helps
Jo

Hi

I was in Marmaris a few weeks ago. Even in mid-October, Marmaris is very busy and absolutely full of British tourists.

I didn't much like the profusion of restaurants serving "Full English Breakfast" and shop after shop all selling the same fake bags, fake T-shirts etc.

However, the Old Town, Marmaris Castle and the Harbour are charming. We visited the Ali Baba cafe in the Old Town a couple of times - you can have a turkish breakfast and play backgammon, the staff are wonderfully friendly, plus they had some newborn kittens, which delighted my kids

We only stayed in Marmaris for 2 days and then moved over to Icmeler Old Village, which is a bit quieter. It really depends on what you're looking for in a holiday - I like to experience a different culture and get to know local people, but in Marmaris I kind of felt I may as well still be in the UK (except it wasn't raining ). However, I have a friend who just loves to shop, and has been to Marmaris several times, so I guess it's horses for courses

Cheers
Jo