The perils of pensions

One of the disadvantages is that these jaunts are invariably taken in the winter months and due to the lack of a decent expense account, necessitate staying in hotels and pensions at the cheaper end of the scale.

Over the years I have stayed in some fantastically interesting places, from grubby unofficial brothels on the north shore of Lake Van to boutique hotels on the Aegean coast. All of them have had their own particular charms, but in order to make them “comfortable,” it's necessary to pack a few essential items in your overnight bag. So here is some advice from a well-seasoned Turkey travel writer's aide.

Keeping warm

I hate being cold, but stay in an Aegean or Mediterranean pension in winter and you have to get used to it. Expect to be cold and go prepared -- I always take along a full set of thermal underwear for nighttime use as even the quaintest, most tastefully decorated of the pensions seldom provide sufficient heating for the hours after dark. Generally, provided the sun is shining, it's safe to assume that the days will be warm enough, and as we are usually busy scurrying from checking out the more expensive hotels to peering at the menus of the numerous restaurants, to racing around the many ancient sites along the way, there is no time to feel cold. But as soon as the sun goes down, the hotel rooms lose any residual heat they might have gained from the sun and you are left desperately searching for any means of heating. In posher pensions this is usually from the air conditioning/heating unit, or split klima as it's known here.

On a recent visit to the wonderful seaside town of Kaş, a few hours down the coast from Antalya, we were faced with the task of using the remote control to operate the rather dodgy looking air-con unit above the bed. Failing miserably to achieve any success, I handed the controller to the more experienced traveler, demanding some instant heat. Ten frustrated minutes later, having pressed every possible combination of buttons, he stomped downstairs to make enquiries from the elderly woman who appeared to be in sole charge of the hotel. “Problem solved,” he said on his return. “You just need to close the balcony door.” It was true. So long as my husband stood at the far side of the room firmly pulling the door closed, the air conditioning worked. (It appears there was a cunning device fitted into the doorframe, presumably to ensure that the thoughtless members of the summer trade kept the door closed while using the air-con.) That evening I spent a pleasant hour or two reading my book, but I'm not so sure about my husband.

Probably the coldest night I have ever spent was in a delightful tiny hostel/pension on the Aegean coast in the village of Bergama just below the wonderful site of Pergamon. Admittedly it was the very beginning of January, but nothing came close to warming the room. Fortunately, we were the only customers that night, and the exceptionally friendly chap who ran the place was able to provide us with all available help -- heaps of extra covers for the bed, two electric heaters, his own hot water bottle and an electric blanket. Despite all this and the use of my trusty thermals, I remained cold until the following morning when we were treated to possibly the best breakfast ever -- fresh bread, kaymak (cream) and runny honey all washed down with gallons of hot tea served in the front room next to the heat producing soba (stove) of the owner. The freezing night was soon forgotten.

Looking for the light switch

The next essential item to take on winter trips to Turkish pensions is some form of lighting. On first glance each room may appear to be fully equipped with a main light and several side lights, but don't make the mistake of assuming that these will all be working or if they are by chance in full operation, they will rarely provide you with sufficient light to read by. On a recent visit to a charming village outside Fethiye, the central main light was clearly in need of a new bulb. Never mind, we thought, there were two further wall lights. However, one of these had no bulb and the other, above the bed, had a bulb but no switch. In an attempt to unscrew the bulb to use in one of the other light sockets, I inadvertently discovered that the way to turn on this particular light was simply to tighten the bulb. Slightly dangerous maybe, but problem solved on this occasion. Don't bank on a solution, however, and always pack a torch and/or a reading light.

Bathrooms

Turkish plumbing is often erratic and quirky. Visiting relatives and friends, when leaving the safe confines of our house in search of an authentic taste of Turkey, are constantly surprised by the bathroom facilities on offer in the pensions we recommend to them. I have long since stopped noticing the “shortcomings” when performing my ablutions -- probably because it is generally so cold on our own trips that I rarely spend more than a few minutes in the icy confines of the washrooms.

Firstly there is the lack of a plug -- this caused a continual problem to my father-in-law on a recent trip over here. He spent the first few days of his trip to Antalya searching the streets in our area in vain for a plug. In the end he had to settle for a plastic bowl in order to be able to complete his shaving in the manner he is accustomed to. Then there is often the lack of any kind of shower cubicle or indeed, any shower curtain. This always causes much consternation initially until they are able to overcome their paranoia of “wetting” the floor and realize that there is a perfectly good system in place for draining the water. As for the expectation of 24-hour hot water -- well I've come to understand that most operate off the “guneşli” (sun) system, and it's therefore advisable to take a shower when the water is likely to be at its hottest and not first thing in the morning. This causes endless problems for many of our British guests, who find it difficult to change their routines, but there is really not much to be done about this particular obstacle.

Refreshments

Every hotel, hostel and bed and breakfast place in the UK comes equipped with tea and coffee-making facilities. In Britain, we have come to expect nothing less. This luxury has not yet reached the smaller more humble Turkish counterparts. Instead, they have a far better system. On arrival at any family-run pension, a cup of tea is invariably offered in the warmth and comfort of the communal area. This often doubles as the main living area for the owners, and not only are they happy to serve endless cups of hot tea, they are also able to offer friendly advice on the local area and generally able to make you feel welcome to their establishment. Having said this, I have also learnt to take along a travel kettle and a supply of tea bags for those cold evenings or early mornings.