How did two female teachers, one American and one Australian, find themselves in Instanbul over the half-term holiday? Online research of course. I found an amazing deal for a flight + hotel within my budget. My fiance refused to go with me. He couldn’t bring himself to take time off over the half-term holiday when every other family in Britain had exactly the same holiday. The jump in holiday prices reflected this. But I had found a great deal so I invited an Australian colleague and friend to come along with me. She jumped at the chance to explore a new country.
The next thing we knew we were checking into a modest hotel located in the heart of Istanbul. The morning after our arrival, I woke first and decided to brave the shower room — a musty, wall-papered space that appeared to be a former bedroom. The smell of damp paper pervaded the room as I closed and locked the door. I tried unsuccessfully to keep the spray of water away from the wallpaper. At least the water was hot.