FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX: Arriving in Istanbul

Other than the kids airline snafu, our journey to Istanbul was uneventful. Istanbul airport, despite being large, was efficient as usual. We went through everything so quickly we felt rushed. There was no wait for our suitcase and before we knew it we were off to our hotel. Our hotel, Radisson Blu Istanbul Pera, was chosen as a more budget conscious option that was convenient to restaurant and bars. The lobby was very ordinary but the rooms were nice and comfortable, and the staff were friendly and helpful. They were kind enough to give my parents a room at 9am and us a room at 10am. We had a moment to decompress before meeting up with my parents for a much needed lunch. It was cold, windy and drizzling. Fortunately the walk was only around 300m. The meal was simple, hearty tasty and cheap coming to AUD38 total! After ensuring the children were on the second flight, I crashed. Efforts to stay awake by studying the map and geography of Istanbul didn't help. Apparently Malcolm enjoyed the hammam...

I should add here that this trip was originally organised to include Mal's parents, and hence a private tour was thought to be helpful for ease of transport and transfers. We went through New Faces Travel, an agency based in Turkey and they were fabulous to deal with. Very prompt with replies, very helpful and flexible, and nothing was too difficult. They took the cancellations of Mal's parents, as well as the kids changes in flight schedule in their stride, and everything was taken care of with no fuss.