I´ve taken a lot of trips! Even before I met my current boyfriend

So if anybody needs information on busses, ferries or domestic flights, I have enough experience!

I´ve stayed in Istanbul,  Kusadasi (a lot!!!), Antalya, Kemer, Marmaris, Balikesir, Tobali (near Izmir) and Side. I´ve also had some shorter trips to Alanya, Izmir, Dalyan, Selcuk (Ephesus) Bodrum, and I´m sure I´m forgetting some places...

I would like to go more to the east sometimes, or at least start with the middle of Turkey. As a foreigner most of the time you get stuck in the west

My last trip to Turkey wasn´t very interesting, just a week´s visit to my boyfriend to arrange some visa stuff in Kusadasi. Only interesting thing was that I didn´t tell him I was coming so I had to take the bus from Bodrum airport to Kusadasi myself. I enjoy going with the bus in Turkey very much. It seems very safe for a young woman on her own, and I feel very comfortable.

I was last year in Turkey as part of a bus trip on the Balkan penninsula. I could spend 4 day in Turkey and we visitied Çannakale, Troia, Bursa, Istanbul, Tekirdað and Edirne, so we went around the Marmara sea. I still think it was like a dream. Every time I watch the photos I made there, than my very positive experiences warm my heart and soul. I have never thought I will like this country and culture at the first time. I can promise I will visit it again in the next years.

Here is an online Turkey advertisment, what I really love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBllQ3Uchk

I visited Turkey in January and I found it to be very interesting to say the least especially as an African girl. I was in Istanbul and the surrounding towns like Izmit and Sapanca. The people were very warm and very welcoming and friendly. I was surprised when I arrived there that almost everywhere I went I was followed by stares and looks of amazement! The friends I was visited told me that turkish people don´t often interact or see black people on a regular basis The people I met were fascinated with my features, hair etc! It was really exciting! I loved the culture and mostly the food!!!! The addition of yoghurt to food was amazing and ingenius!!! When I came back home I searched for turkish restaurants in my area and fortunately came across two of them!! I loved it so much that I hope to settle there someday

I would like to know how difficult it is for a woman on her own to visit Istanbul. Apart from the safety aspects, how easy is it to get around and see the sights. Any information will be gratefully received.

Istanbul is a major city that thrives on tourism. All the single female travellers I know that visited Istanbul had no problems. It certainly helps if you know and speak some basic Turkish, but there are enough English speaking people in hotels and shops that can help. Be wary of anyone wishing to show or escort you around their city, and if you hang around bars, you will be approached.

Generally you can get to all the major tourist attractions by walking or public transport, if your accommodation is nearby. Join a group tour if you are really worried, but it is easy and cheaper to see Istanbul at your own pace. By ignoring packaged tours, it will also be more flexible for you to stay at a major attraction longer, and absorb the atmosphere and history of this great city.  

Thanks again Henry for your help, your comments are reasuring.

While I had a great time in Istanbul, I was concerned that so many people were not being sun protective. I would not go to any travel destination without my sun protetion clothing or UV umbrella. I urge everyone to protect your skin while outdoors. You can read a lot more about this here: www.sun-protection-and-you.com

Wishing everyone a sun safe travel!

I have just return from a 3 week stay in Istanbul and I traveled there alone.  The people were very friendly and helpfull.  I did find that knowing a few words in Turkish was rather helpfull for me.  As soon as the people saw that I was making an effort to speak their language they were very impressed and they seemed more inclined to speak with me.

I did not feel uncomfortable or uneasy walking alone in the streets either be it during the day or night.  But common sense always has to be important.

I did not join any tour groups and went at it at my own pace.  I bought a map at the hotel where I was staying and would map out what I wanted to see and wrote it in a little note pad.  I never pulled my map out in public this allowed me to blend in more with the crowd.

I rode the tram, the feries, buses and dolmuses...  I studied the schedual for each means of transportation to make sure I did not take the wrong one and end up in an unknown place but the people whom I asked help especially for the city transit(buses) were quite helpfull even if they did not speak a word of English.  I had a man put me on a bus and get on, when he noticed that the bus driver had given me a monthly pass he took the pass, gave it to the bus driver and came back with my change and returned it to me.  When my stop arrived at the Sirkeci the man motionned to me to get up, turns out he was also going there and was kind enought to help this pour tourist who could only say Sirkeci and otobus

I also took the feribot from Emenonu to Kadikoy, that was an adventure on it´s own.  I knew where I was going and someone was meeting me at the Kadikoy peir.  I also took the ferie to the Princes Islands but this time I was with a friend but the ferie ride on it´s own was just great.

All in all I did not find it difficult to get around and see the sites since my hotel was in the Sulthanamet district and I was 3 minutes walking distance of the Ayasofiya and Sultan Hamet mosque and Topkapi palace.  If you are adventurouse enought and in shape you could probably walk to Pierre Lotie hill but it is a little far.  The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar are also within walking distance of Sultanamet Square.

But as Henry said, keep an eye out for people who want to give you tours and show you around. 

i want to know  can a student coming Turkey for Accosiate program can find and do a job in Turkey?

ill be very gratefull for your answer

regrds

Abdul Samad

Pakistan

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