Pirate’s Beach

So we went to Pirate’s Beach Club in Tekirova, Turkey for a bit of sun and to catch up with some of my in-laws.

Warning, the link above has very annoying background music – music they played a lot at the resort itself.

This beach resort is unsurprisingly themed on pirates, although thankfully more Long John Silver than Sumalian, and it’s not really in your face – just everyone wearing stripy shirts and a hanky on their heads.

The resort primarily caters for the Russian market and so everyone except me was Russian and all the staff speak Russian, although a few did speak a bit of English too.

This was fine for my family, but a bit weird for me, especially as all the events and activities were in Russian too (but very very good). Fortunately, the weather was nice, I had a good book and the bar was free.

Mostly, though, it was great to catch up with my sister-in-law, who I hadn’t seen in eight or nine years and her daughter who I’d never seen. I do quite like being an uncle.

Travel notes after the jump…

The actual travel was quiet varied.

An early flight from Gatwick meant leaving home around 4am in Herman, valet parking (cheaper than getting a taxi there and back) then waiting for hours as the flight had been delayed.

I suppose we shouldn’t have been surprised by this as it’s Thomas Cook Airlines, possibly the worst airline in the world.

Everything is an extra cost. Eg food. Luggage. A seat for people with legs. That sort of thing. Even water had to be paid for.

Taxi ride from Antalya to Tekirova was a bit exciting. I think about 85km and a little over an hour travel time and it was raining.

The driver was a lunatic, driving well over the limit, in the middle of the road, forcing other cars into the gutter and generally being scary. I know places like Mumbai have a reputation for dangerous driving, but I can’t imagine it happening there at 120km/h like it did in Turkey. Enroute, we saw four or five recent serious crashes.

The return taxi ride to Antalya was more of the same although not raining so a little less scary.

Antalya airport is a nice place to be waiting for a plane and the return flight was ok (although having to pay extra for everything again).

Best bit is coming home to have Herman waiting at the valet station. I don’t think I could have faced trains/transfers/long term car parks and other such nonsense.

Result: we arrived home relaxed and de-stressed, and that’s what you need from a holiday.