Tips

• Rent a car

  Rent a car, but Don't rent one in Istanbul, or any major city, unless you want to drive with all the crazy turkish drivers in the city.What I did was this,I stayed in Istanbul, then flew to Izmir(near Ephesus and Selcuk)but had someone pick me up at the airport in Izmir, and take my to Selcuk, where I then rented a car in Kusadasi, from Hertz. I then drove for two weeks on the lonely coast roads and inland roads of southwestern Turkey.It still can be hairy, but at least your not in a big city. You may get waved over by the Police, which is not too bad, except once when I was driving they demanded a bribe for speeding,but then laughed and gave it back.Or you may get pulled over at an Army checkpoint, but when I did this, they spoke perfect english, and were very considerate.

  But driving can be bad because the Turks all like to pass, but I think it's Ok, because they have a rule, that if you are going to slow(under 80mph) you just pull over to the side of the highway, and drive on the shoulder, and let the guy behind you pass.It's the corners you got to watch out for.And in the little villages, there are people everywhere, and goats, and chickens, and children, and none of them paying any attention to the fact that it is a road that you are driving on, and trying to get past them. Go slow.

  Renting a car gives you freedom, and freedom to meet people. I picked up some Turkish villagers on the road to Kekova sound, and they were very amused to meet an American, and the looks on their friends faces when I droped them off at their local hangout,was really fun to see.Also, I got lost a few times, and asking directions from the locals is a great way to meet them. I even had one guy show me the way by riding his motorcycle for miles in front of me. And I got lost once, and found a lonely beautiful bay along a muddy road, and stopped to ask where in the hell I was, and had a one armed Turk give me directions, and handed me an orange.Amazing.
  
  
  

• Go to the remote spots

Go to the out of the way places, the places not on the tourist maps. This is good advice to anybody traveling anyway, just common sense really. I went to this remote ancient city along the coast out of the city of Fethiye, I wasn't even sure I was going the right way. It was way up in the mountains, along another old road. I got there, to this spectacular place, to find one bus there. A busload of teenagers from a local small school. Their teachers were taking them on a field trip. The teachers came up to me and asked me "Journalist?" Archeaologist? I said no, just crazy tourist.They were fascinated to talk to me, wondered why I was up there, and the kids all gathered round me in a circle, amazed at meeting an American. One spoke English, and kept saying "Micheal Jordan, Shaquile O'Niel!" I was a celebrity for a day. It felt strange. Then they left, and I had another city to myself(or me and the goat herder woman)This is why you get off the beaten path. Home Page