TURKEY: The Basics - Culture, Money, Shopping & Restrooms

Culture: Islam is the prominent religion in Turkey. The people in the northwestern and western coasts where we will be traveling are fairly liberal about their religion. Other religious minorities in the country include: Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Apostolic, Jews, Orthodox and Roman Catholics.  In spite of its large Muslim majority population, Turkey retains it's secular political structure with no declared state religion.

Language: The official language of Turkey is, drum roll please, that's right it is Turkish.  English is popular as a subject among students but their proficiency tends to be poor due to a lack of practice and exposure. When trying to communicate stick to simple words and avoid long sentences. When you are part of a tour group your guide will navigate for you, so communication should not be a problem.

Money: The Turkish Lira is the standard currency - Bank notes are issued in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lira, and coins are in 1 (very rare in circulation), 5, 10, 25, 50 kuruşes and 1 lira. Tourism-oriented industries in tourism-oriented towns, as well as shops where big amounts of money change hands, like supermarkets, generally accept foreign currency, but they will typically give you lower exchange rates then found at rates then found at exchange offices. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, American Express much less so. ATMs are available for obtaining Lira. Any major town has at least one ATM.

Bargaining:  You will want to try your hand at bargaining while in Turkey. If a merchant flatly refuses to bargain be gracious and do not press it. Otherwise do not pay the asking price. Keep in mind that store keepers in Turkey recognize that bargaining is not something that Americans are accustomed to doing, so they will not expect you to be good at it.  Learn to play the game... be patient and do not look overly interested. If you are patient enough the price will drop. Be aware that after your bargaining is complete if you attempt to pay with a credit card rather than cash the price may jump back up a bit, but you should still prevail to get a lower price then was originally offered.

Shopping: What to buy? Apart from classical tourist souvenirs like postcards and trinkets, here are a few sample items of what you may want to bring back home from Turkey.

• Leather items — Turkey is the biggest leather producer in the world, so the leather clothing and accessories are  cheaper than elsewhere. 

• Carpets and kilims — Many regions in Turkey produce handmade kilims and carpets. You may be offered special deals from street merchants or individuals inviting you to visit their stores. Be aware that the price you are offered will reflect the quality of the product.

• Silk — Dresses and scarves. 

• Earthenware — Handmade pottery is made of local salty clay from the Salt Lake (which is the second largest lake in Turkey). There may be opportunities to see these items being made. 

• Turkish delight and Turkish coffee — If you like these during your Turkey trip, don’t forget to take a few packages back home. 

• Many soaps are unique to Turkey. 

• Olive-based products— Try olive oil shampoos, olive oil based eau de colognes and olive desserts.

Public restrooms: - Public restrooms can be found in city squares or at a mosque (usually located in the corner of, or below the courtyard).  What you will most likely not find is toilet paper. The cultural norm is to clean yourself with water placed strategically nearby with a dipper. It is a good idea to carry your own small roll of TP or Kleenex if you do not want to learn this cultural norm. Please note that the plumbing is not designed to flush TP, carry it to a trash basket for disposal. When you finish you will be glad that you packed some hand sanitizer/wipes after your public restroom adventure.

Coghlan's 9177 Toilet Tissue - Pack of 2  - Amazon

Charmin To Go - Amazon

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you

Before you head out the door

Leave a copy of your itinerary with friends or relatives. Put your mail on hold, you can easily do this online at www.usps.com Contact your credit card companies and let them know you will be traveling, especially if you are leaving the country.  They can put a travel note in your file to keep your account from being flagged and frozen. And as we are thinking about credit cards, check the expiration date and make sure it is valid until your return. Also, check the expiration dates on your identification - Drivers licence and/or passport.  Some countries require that a passport be valid for six months past your scheduled departure, so check the requirements for your travel destinations.

Water your plants. I love these little water globes, Aqua Globes AG011706 Glass Plant Watering Bulbs, 2-Pack  that you can place in your plant to keep them moist in your absence. And they are so cute! Clear out the refrigerator of any items that might spoil in your absence. Run the dishwasher and the garbage disposal.  Don't forget to take out the trash or your return home may be a bit odorous.  Put a couple of lights on timers like the  Stanley 38425 TimerMax Digislim Daily Digital Indoor Lamp Timer, White, 2-Pack to give your home an occupied appearance while you are gone. Unplug your power strips and unneeded appliances.  It is safer. Make sure your doors and windows are locked. Let a trusted neighbor know when you are leaving and returning so they can watch for unusual activity. But also be sure to give them a list of individuals who are authorized to enter in your absence. Confirm your reservations: air, hotel, rental car, etc. Before you head out the door make sure you have your drivers license or passport, your wallet and credit card.  If you forget anything else your credit card will take care of the replacement :-) Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you

Packing with a purpose ~ providing help for those on your journey

Yesterdays blog was about making room to bring home the travel treasures you find on your journey... today I want to suggest starting at the beginning and packing with a purpose.  I have been blessed to have many friends in various parts of the world and I can't remember the last time I traveled where I did not pack a significant amount of things to deliver to them.  On one visit to a Middle East country I carried in a huge stereo system, curriculum books, candy, snacks and all sorts of  items.  On a trip to Asia my traveling companions and I brought medical supplies (photo above) and on my most recent journey the request from a friend was for packets of Taco Bell mild sauce and Parmesan cheese.

So what can you bring?

* If you are connected to a church, start by asking if they support any individuals or organizations in the area you are planning to travel to.  You can make direct contact with these groups and ask them if they have any needs or 'wish for' items.  Note: when we took medical supplies to Asia, we asked to speak to a manager at the Delta check-in counter.  We explained that we were taking humanitarian aid and they waived the 2nd piece of luggage fee we expected to pay.  Also, if you are traveling with a group member with high status on an airline they are often allowed to take additional free baggage for up to 9 individuals traveling on their booking.

* Connect with "Pack For A Purpose".  This website helps charities around the globe.  It all adds up! They estimate that if 500 individuals each pack 5 lbs, they can provide 1.25 tons of supplies to community-based projects around the world!  You can find more information at: http://www.packforapurpose.org/

Go ahead, bring it home!

I'm not sure when my love of travel first began.  I often attribute it to the fact that I am of Norwegian descent --- I am pretty sure my ancestors took delight in climbing aboard their Viking ships as they explored the world and brought home their plunder.

Speaking of plunder, those airlines really put a crimp on shopping when they imposed such skimpy allowances on the number of checked bags, not to mention lower weight limits! Did you know that Asia Air actually charges per pound - not only on checked luggage but also your carry-on bags. Craziness!

I often coordinate group tours to Israel where the theme is "Today I walked where Jesus walked", my husband has renamed these tours (with honest exasperation), "Today she shopped where Jesus walked!"  Okay, I'll admit I may need a little anti-retail therapy.

So what's a girl to do?

If you asked my husband he would give you the easy answer, "You don't really need it anyhow, save money and skip the shopping!"

Since that is not a viable option, here are three suggestions:

1) Picture Packing: Take a picture of each souvenir you would like to bring home for your friends and family.  When you get back frame them, wrap them and present them with bravado.  Use the room you save to bring back as many lovely, 'must have' goodies for yourself  - just don't tell them your strategy.

2) Double Up Packing: Honestly, I can pretty much pack everything I need for a week or two in a carry-on bag (that topic for another day!)  So when you master traveling like a minimalist go ahead and pack what you need in your carry-on. Then put your carry-on inside of a larger bag and check them both.  On the way home you can fill the extra bag with your loot.

3) Discard Packing:  Do you really care what a bunch of strangers you will never see again think about your fashion style?  Learn to "Discard Pack".  Either pick up some clothes at your local thrift store or pack clothing you don't want anymore.  As it get's dirty, go ahead and toss it. By the end of the trip you will have plenty of room for your new treasures.  To be honest I've been doing this for years with my undies.  I mean really? Who wants to carry around your dirty under things in the same bag with your fresh clothes. Whenever I travel I either pack my old undies or go buy cheap ones and toss them out at the end of the day. Hmm, maybe too much information!

The best tip I can give you is to throw away your old heavy luggage.  With the airlines limiting you to 45-50 lbs it is ridiculous to waste your weight on the luggage itself.  I invested in this luggage set and it has held up great on my past three international trips.  The large bag is only 5 lbs, the medium is 4 lbs and the carry-on is 3.5 lbs.  This can save you up to 10 lbs. on traditional luggage which means 10 more pounds of treasures you can bring home!