Life of adventure, Road Trips, Travel, Turkey

The Summer Roadtrip – Kas, Turkey Pt3

Suzanne

On a warm sunny Thursday morning in mid-June, we departed Pamukkale with a touch of eagerness as we were heading to the coast.  It did seem such a long time since we had ventured near the sea or wet our toes in the cool, soothing water.

In the meantime, we had approx. 300 km of countryside to enjoy.

Part of those 300 km was a divided highway with a speed limit of 110 km/hr. Most of the route is a regular two-lane, wide road with a speed limit of 90 k/hr.  With conditions permitting, you can go up to 10% above the speed limit with impunity.  Part 3 of the road trip we stayed on the main roads as we were keen to get down to the coast.

Driving along, you will see signs that indicate NO passing; in Turkey, this is not compulsory.  So frequently these words are uttered by me, “OMG, they aren’t going to pass on a blind corner?” and the answer is always “Yes”, crazy people!  (see below notes for more tips on driving in Turkey)  Apart from the odd driver, it is perfectly okay to drive in Turkey.  To be honest, it is tough to compare which country has the worst drivers, as the Squire has encountered appalling drivers everywhere!  Unlike the over-the-top comments that circulate the internet, saying how Turkish drivers are the worst.  I wonder whether their experiences are contained in the cities.  The Squire avoids driving in densely populated areas.  We don’t need the stress.

From the odd deviant driver, there were the feel-good moments, like picking up a third passenger on our trip.

A turtle.  

It was all by itself in the middle of the road as the Squire had to swerve to miss it as he was heading to the edge of the road to take a break from driving.  The decision was made to pick it up and put it somewhere else where it might have a better chance of survival.  We found a spot not far down the road.  Said our goodbyes, then headed off, and, not wanting to look back, the driver concentrated on driving and the passenger on the mountain and countryside views.

Then there is the mandatory stop for a caffeine fix.  So far, we have been incredibly lucky with our choices of roadside cafes, as all the Turkish coffee has been of outstanding quality and served with a smile.  What was so enjoyable was that the locals are proud to do so, and we were equally humbled to have the opportunity to visit their cafe.  Not forgetting to munch on a little delectable treat, it would be rude not to do so.

At this cafe by a petrol station, the husband and wife paused their morning gardening to make us Turkish coffee.  We could see that very little money had been spent to establish this place, but much pride and attention has gone into making customers welcome.

Anyone want an 180 deg panoramic sea view with that coffee?

The best ever poppyseed cake and Turkish coffee, we left with a smile on our faces.

What more can you ask from a cafe?  Perhaps free WIFI, well actually it’s not a wise thing to do unless you have protection in the form of a Virtual Private Network or something similar.

As we got closer to the more prominent tourist areas, the roads and surroundings improved. As I stated, the main roads over here are in excellent condition, with no complaints from the driver.

Then we caught a glimpse.

 “What a view!”

We had this view as we drove down the hill to Kalkan, which would be the start of our breathtaking drive along the winding coastal roads to Kas.

Driving down the steep decline, we could see more holiday homes being built on the mountainside.

Brief notes on driving in Turkey

  • Speaking Turkish  – Life will be a lot easier if you learn a few Turkish words. Some of the basic concepts you need to know for on the road include:

    Mortorin…..Diesel

    Benzine…petrol [make sure that they know EXACTLY what one you need!]

    Sehir merkazi….the centre of town

    Yavas…….slow

    Çıkış…exit

    Girilmez…no entry

    Tekyön…one way

    Kapalıd…closed
  • Road signage is excellent in Turkey. There are significant signs on highways and major roads to indicate the next town and the turn you have to make. Signs follow the international colours of blue for towns and brown for tourist attractions. There are also many signs on the smaller roads.
  • Fuel – Both petrol and diesel are expensive. It became a bit of a game for the Squire, who would get excited when he saw a station offering low prices. Prices ranged from 3.77 TL to 4.50 TL per litre for diesel, which most cars use!  At one petrol station, we paid up to 5.80 TL.
  • The toilets in the larger chain service stations are immaculate. Look for an Opet or Petrol Ofisi station.

The condition of the main roads is excellent, so all in all driving in the countryside of Turkey was a very positive experience for us.

 

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Published by Suzanne

I'm a lover of creativity and movement, expressed through photography, words, travel and sports. . . . . . .

53 thoughts on “The Summer Roadtrip – Kas, Turkey Pt3”

  2. Woah I can imagine that turtle would have been hard to spot if it was on the road – wonder how often they cause accidents with their camouflaging shells. Loved your blog – it’s really shown me another beautiful side to Turkey I didn’t know existed – those views are just incredible!

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    1. Thanks Michelle, and pleased it has given you the chance to view another side of Turkey. With all that is going on in the world, it’s the local people who are affected the most! Sad to see.

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    1. Thanks for commenting Dannielle. We didn’t find them that crazy, only a few 🙂 Yes, out in the countryside and the coastal roads are wonderful.

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    1. Thanks for the kind comment, much appreciated. Yes, we enjoy coming across a cafe that does great coffee! Highlight of our day 🙂

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    1. Thanks Marci it was a very interesting drive. Yes the van was where he made the coffee seating outside 🙂

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    1. Jan, I could do with a piece of that cake now with my coffee. Funnily enough it is hard to get good coffee in the supermarkets here. I now drink mainly tea and indulge in coffee when we go for a wander! Definitely crazy drivers everywhere 🙂

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    1. You should never feel left out, as I am sure if everyone looked around there own neighbourhoods through a visitor’s eye you could be surprised at what you found 🙂 Northern Ireland sounds wonderful. Look forward to your post.

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    1. Hahaha, I do believe you would be right about not many Americas would think Turkey as a holiday destination. What is protrayed by the media and reality are never really the same! Turkey has many problems as do other countries. All our interactions with Turkish people have always been polite, warm and friendly. Thanks Phil for the kind comment.

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    1. Yes, I must admit saving the turtle was a highlight. Though we did find it hard to just leave it all alone! Thanks for commenting.

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  19. I still shudder to recall the one time I drove in Istanbul. You’re right, “driving rules” are hardly suggestions.

    but, from the beautiful photos you shared, it looks like your trip to Kas was idyllic.

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    1. You were brave to drive in Istanbul where I can imagine it would have been bedlam 🙂 Yes, they do sometimes make a 2 lane road into a 3 lane on numerous occasions. Though there are crazy drivers everywhere we have driven!

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    1. Thanks Lisa I am pleased that you enjoy reading them. In meantime, you have the opportunity to have fun with your boys 🙂

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