Back to England

I returned to the UK on 27th November, two days earlier than originally booked.  This was due to Turkish Airlines cancelling the 2nd leg of my trip and offering me a flight the day after which would have meant me sitting in Istanbul airport for over 24 hours!  I'd made the mistake of booking the flights through an online travel agent and trying to get them to arrange to change the 1st leg too, so that I was still flying with only a 3 hour layover, was impossible.  They kept telling me they were actioning it but waiting for a response from Turkish Airlines.  When I spoke directly with Turkish Airlines, they hadn't received any request to change the other flight.  In the end, I decided to cancel the booking, partly because the flight times weren't good anyway and because I knew that if I didn't get my money back, then I could claim it through my credit card company.  Funnily enough, I got the money back within 2 days and had already booked new flights with Pegasus which were a bit better timewise and cheaper!

The flights themselves left on time; I only had 80 minutes layover which was sufficient to get through passport control, security, do a small shop and then wait for boarding.  The 2nd flight arrived 45 minutes early!  The Pegasus crew were all lovely and I feel for them as the passengers were awful.  Masks not worn properly, lifting them from their faces to speak and we were all told on landing that everyone was to remain seated and we'd disembark a row at a time.  On the domestic flight, people from the back just surged forward, knocking other passengers and crew out of the way.  I do realise that maybe, like me, they had a connecting flight but all they did was make disembarking take even longer.  They tried it again on the international flight, refusing to sit down when told and trying to rush forward, so myself and the lady across from me (we were on row 7) held our bags out in the aisle to stop them.  There was no need to rush as there was no waiting at the passport gates.  I hardly had chance to take my mask off before the gates opened.

Having left Turkey at 5am GMT, I was in my house by 2pm.  I hadn't slept well the night before.  Despite setting the alarm, my body would only let me doze so by 6..30pm, I was in bed and asleep by 7pm.  Unfortunately, I was awake at 4.45am the following day but then that would have been 7.45am in Turkey so I still need to adjust.  I'm having a few problems with that.  I'm falling asleep quite easily, some time after 11pm and sleeping well but after sleeping till 8am yesterday, I was awake at 5am again today.  Not that it matters because I'm now on 14 days quarantine until 12th December.

Before I went back to Turkey, I had prepared for my quarantine, or so I thought; loads of loo roll and my freezer and food cupboard with enough for 2 weeks minimum.  Then I remembered I hadn't been able to get any coffee beans and only have half a tub of instant and the two bottles of wine I had, I'd given to my cousin who'd taken me to the airport.  And of course there were no eggs or butter.  My friend Helen dropped me an emergency supply of bread, butter and eggs, on to my doorstep and has offered to do a big shop for me.  She is being super cautious as she's had Covid once, and doesn't want to get it again, and her daughter now living back at home is vulnerable so I didn't really want to put her at risk.  So I decided to join the world of online grocery shopping and have a home delivery. I couldn't get a slot at any supermarket at all!  Then I realised I could do Click and Collect, except someone would have to collect for me of course.  After discussing with Helen, she's going for my first Click and Collect this morning.  I decided that the only substitutes I'd accept were for fresh tomatoes, washing up liquid and hand wash, assuming that if they have to substitute it will be for type or brand and I won't end up with mushrooms, bleach and a box of tampons!