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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    Final docs and luggage tags ... always good to get them.

    T/A Docs Ready

    January 14, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    Forty-six days to go before we embark Allure of the Seas in Ft Lauderdale, FL.

    Final documents issued ... ✔️

    Luggage tags printed ... ✔️

    Boarding passes issued (and available on the Royal Caribbean app) ... ✔️

    Port plans ... ✔️ We have only one port of call on this 12-day TransAtlantic crossing. It’s a port we’ve been to before so I’ve not had to do a whole lot of research ... just a matter of picking one or two of the many sightseeing options in the city. Even lunch is a no-brainer ... assuming, that is, the weather cooperates for us to dine al fresco. If not ... well, I’m sure we’ll find an alternative restaurant that serves a tapas lunch.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    A calendar on the RCI website shows activities I've already signed up for.

    Checked in for the T/A

    December 30, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 32 °F

    We have 62 days to go before we embark Allure of the Seas for the TransAtlantic crossing from Ft Lauderdale to Barcelona.

    Unlike airlines, which allow passengers to check-in for a flight 24 hours ahead of the scheduled departure time, I was able to check-in for our cruise earlier this week. No need to print out anything ... the SetSail passes are available in the app on my smartphone.

    There will be plenty of entertainment opportunities during the cruise ... most just walk-in. However, reservations are highly recommended for a few of the featured shows (no charge) ... such as Mamma Mia, Ocean Aria, Ice Games, and Blue Planet. This is new to me ... we've never had to pre-book shows before. I guess I can understand the need to do so, however — we'll be sailing on a behemoth after all.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020

    FLL 2020 Logistics Cont'd

    December 9, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 37 °F

    After being out and about with mom and Aylin for several days in a row, I took advantage of a cold day here in Colorado Springs (high of 36F / low of 19F) to stay home and deal with a few more details for our pre-T/A days in Ft Lauderdale.

    First up, Mui rented a car from Alamo to get us around. They claim to still operate a shuttle from FLL to Port Everglades, but I've read conflicting reports. I guess we'll see what happens when we go to turn in the car on 1 March. Worse case ... Uber or a taxi will get us to the port.

    While Mui was taking care of wheels for us, I was researching accommodations. It didn't take long to determine that booking two hotel rooms would be pricey ... especially since we'd also have to pay to eat out three times a day. So, I turned my attention to VRBO and the like for an apartment or bungalow or condo ... anything that would sleep three in two separate rooms.

    I found what I was looking for on Booking.com — Alani Bay Luxury Condos. A family-owned property ... with free parking, which is a big deal in Ft Lauderdale. We'll plan on having breakfast and one other meal at home ... maybe dinner ... if, that is, we don't meet up with friends who live in the area.

    We have until a month prior to our arrival to cancel if something else pops up ... not that I will be actively looking.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Our deck 7 cabins should look something like this.

    Switched Cabins

    December 6, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 43 °F

    After booking the TransAtlantic, I started worrying about the fact that our cabin connected to another one. We find the noise that can filter through a connecting door especially bothersome. So why did I accept the cabin to begin with? I wanted to be adjacent to mom's cabin. Available cabins that met that requirement were few.

    Fingers crossed, I called RCI today. As luck would have it, 7316 had opened up. A few quick keyboard strokes and we were no longer in 7312.

    P.S. If you read between the lines, you'll figure out that mom will be in 7314 😉    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020

    Getting from Southampton to Gatwick

    December 4, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Having been to Southampton a couple of times now, finding a way to get us to the airport after we disembark Oceania's Marina on 4 June was easy peasy. It certainly pays to have prior experience of a port!

    I clicked open the National Express website to purchase bus tickets. Good thing I called Mui over to verify the dates and times ... I almost bought tickets to Heathrow since that is our usual airport in London. Not this time, though ... Norwegian Air operates out of Gatwick.

    The 9:10a departure will get us to Gatwick at 11:50a ... plenty of time to spare before our 4:00p flight departure. I opted to pay extra to reserve seats — 1C/D — so we won't have to worry about queuing up with the masses to get a decent seat. Another logistics detail ✔︎.

    P.S. An Uber or a cab from the taxi stand at the cruise terminal will easily get us to the Southampton coach station on Harbour Parade. That means I have two logistics details taken care of today 😊    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Allure of the Seas ... Courtesy of the RCI website.

    Eastbound T/A ... Westbound Air

    December 3, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Busy day here in Colorado Springs ... finalizing some 2020 travel logistics.

    Taking advantage of Cyber Monday sales, yesterday I booked two cabins on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. Full payment made today.

    This Oasis-class ship is a true behemoth that can carry 6,700+ passengers when booked at full capacity. I am hoping that our 1 March crossing to Europe will be closer to 5,000+🤞🏻. The ship will easily be the biggest one we've ever set sail on. Not sure how I feel about it, but the price was good ... and the date worked with our plans to get to Europe before the end of March. As well, our Elite+ standing with Celebrity's Captain's Club will be reciprocated as Diamond in RCI’s Crown & Anchor Club ... a few perks never hurt.

    Frankly, I was surprised at how late the eastbound T/As sail from the US. None of our preferred cruise lines leave until April. Oh well. One good thing about the Allure OTS ... there should be plenty to keep us busy on the nine-day crossing. Yup, nine days instead of the usual 6-7 days ... all because there is only one port of call in Málaga, Spain before we disembark in Barcelona on 13 March ... good thing we are not superstitious about that number!

    While I was in travel agent mode, I decided to take care of some airfare needs as well. First up ... I booked us on Southwest Airlines from Denver to Ft Lauderdale to embark Allure OTS on 1 March. We decided to add a few days in Florida pre-embarkation, so the date of the flight is set for 27 February. We'll Uber up to Denver to catch our Southwest flight.

    Then I booked us on THY from Barcelona to İzmir after we disembark Allure OTS. Too bad it's not a direct flight. We'll have to go through İstanbul ... sigh.

    Next, I turned my attention to the flight Mui and I need to get us to the UK to embark Oceania's Marina in Southampton on May 25. Here I lucked out with a Sun Express flight direct from İzmir to London Luton Airport (LTN) ... at a very good price. The only problem? This low-cost carrier operates only on select days ... in this case on May 22. What to do? Add a few pre-cruise days and do some sightseeing in the UK of course.

    A few logistics details remain ... booking accommodations for our three nights in Florida; getting from Luton to wherever we want to spend time before our European Quest cruise and figuring out where to stay; getting from Southampton to Gatwick after the cruise. I'll deal with all that another day.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Norwegian Air is Norway's largest airline and the ninth largest low-cost carrier in the world.

    Air to US ✔︎

    September 12, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    There are no westbound Transatlantic cruises from Europe to the US in June. Well, there might be on Cunard, but we're not interested in that cruise line. So, the only way to get back home after our European Quest cruise (R/T out of Southampton) is to fly back from the UK.

    We debated using miles to get award tickets on Delta or United. Then we remembered Sonia mentioning that Norwegian Air's premium cabin is pretty decent — especially for a long-haul low-cost airline. When our research unearthed a route from London Gatwick to Denver — non-stop no less — we were sold. Two bags each ... meal service ... extra legroom even if the seat doesn't lay flat ... pre-reserved seats (1A/C). Sounds good to us.    Read more

  • Türkiye 2021

    Turkey ... Spring Instead of Fall

    August 1, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    We canceled a bunch of 2021 travel plans yesterday. But we also made some new ones ... risk-free plans that will give us something to look forward to.

    Whenever we go to Turkey, we try to add some travel plans in Europe to break up the long flight back to the US. Oceania [O] is currently running an Ultimate Sale promotion with some really good fares. Would be a shame not to take advantage of it, wouldn’t it? So, we booked an attractive itinerary with the fancy name of "Icons of the Isles."

    What this means is that we will be going to Turkey in the spring instead of in the fall as we usually do. But that's OK ... spring is a good time to be there.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Itinerary for the 32-day Vikings & Czars extended voyage on O's Nautica.

    Next Up: Vikings & Czars

    July 22, 2019, Skagerrak ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

    When we arrive in Copenhagen, Denmark tomorrow, most of the passengers will be disembarking Nautica. Not our group. We are amongst some 75-100 passengers who will be staying on for a 32-day adventure on the high seas.

    Mui and I are booked on the two-segment extended voyage that follows this cruise — (1) Copenhagen to Southampton and (2) Southampton to Southampton. So are the Gelmans and the Sweets. The Severinovskys, on the other hand, will keep us company for just one more segment.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations

    At Sea

    July 22, 2019, North Sea ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    Our last day at sea was a rainy one. Foggy, too.

    It was a quiet day, with nothing exciting to write about. A couple of lectures ... massages ... reading and writing ... breakfast and lunch at the Terrace Café ... dinner in the Grand Dining Room with our group.Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    1Our lunch view of Aurlandsfjorden from the Flåm Marina Terrace — Flåm, Norway.
    1Flåm Marina Terrace ... a great place for lunch with a view — Flåm, Norway.Drinks ordered ... waiting on our meal at the Flåm Marina Terrace — Flåm, Norway.1Yummy drinks and grilled salmon for a late lunch — Flåm, Norway.

    Flåm: Lunch Time!

    July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    After our hike in 2017, we had lunch at the Flåm Marina Terrace. It was a fairly rustic place ... at least that was our recollection. But it had three things going for it. Good food ... amazing views of Aurlandsfjorden ... and a location away from the hubbub around the train station, which is the heart of all of the tourist activities.

    The food, views, and location were just as good as we remembered when we went back to the restaurant for a late lunch today. The only difference? Improved facilities, with a glassed-in terrace that provided protection from the elements ... without hindering the amazing fjord views.

    We both ordered the perfectly grilled salmon. Mui got the locally-bottled apple juice … I ordered a local beer. A great meal ... and even the weather cooperated. The rain held off long enough so as not to veil our view of the fjord. In fact, it wasn’t until we were back on the ship that the wet stuff resumed falling.

    Next Up: Copenhagen, Denmark ... 508 NM away ... but first, a day at sea.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A "we are at the trailhead for Brekkefossen" selfie — Flåm, Norway.
    Looks like we have a climb ahead of us to get to Brekkefossen — Flåm, Norway.1Worth the climb? Absolutely! — Flåm, Norway.A "we reached Brekkefossen" selfie — Flåm, Norway.A "birdseye-view look @ Flåm" selfie" @ Brekkefossen — Flåm, Norway.1A WOW scenery even as the rain stops — Flåm, Norway.A closer look down into the valley from Brekkefossen — Flåm, Norway.

    Flåm: Brekkefossen Hike

    July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    The map we picked up from the visitor center at the train station gave the length of the Brekkefossen Hike as 1½ to 2 hours.

    Following the directions on the map, we headed out of town about 1 mile to get to the trailhead. This section was flat and followed a road through farmlands.

    Then, we walked through a gate and started going up, and up, and up. The trail, which consisted of stone steps in places and a dirt path in other places, was steep. And because there was a light drizzle most of the way up, it was muddy and slippery, too.

    Was the hike worth the effort. You betcha. Especially since the rain let up shortly after we arrived at the plateau overlooking The Valley, with Aurlandsfjorden in the distance.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Brekkefossen ... our destination is up there near the cloudline — Flåm, Norway.
    Pigs on the way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Highland Cattle on the way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Sheep on the way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Flowers add color as we make our way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Rural landscape on the way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Rural landscape on the way to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.Colorful flowers add cheer to this backyard en route to the Brekkefossen Trailhead — Flåm, Norway.

    Flåm: On the Way to Brekkefossen

    July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    The most popular activity for people visiting Flåm is riding the Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway). We have yet to do that.

    When we called on Flåm in 2017, we hiked over to the Otternes Farm Open Air Museum. Our plan today was to do a bit of hiking again .... but this time to Brekkefossen (Break Waterfall). To get to the trailhead we had to walk a mile or so through rural areas, passing farms along the way.Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Flåm sits at the head of Aurlandsfjorden in Norway.
    As our tender pulls away, the next one arrives to take passengers ashore — Flåm, Norway.I love these holiday houses that sit on the shoreline — Flåm, Norway.

    Welcome to Flåm (Norway)

    July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Our 11th — and final — port-of-call ... Flåm, Norway ... which we first visited in 2017.

    Since we were sharing this port with the much larger MSC Preziosa, that ship was given the privilege of docking and Nautica got to tender her passengers ashore.

    By 10:30a, we were on land and ready to put our plans for the day into play.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Aurlandsfjorden ... tributary of Sognefjorden — Norway.
    1One of the many colorful hamlets in Aurlandsfjorden — Norway.Reflections — Aurlandsfjorden, Norway.The village of Aurlandsvangen ... the administrative center of the municipality — Aurlandsfjorden.The villages and hamlets are linked by ferry service — Aurlandsfjorden, Norway.Looking aft from deck 10 on Nautica — Aurlandsfjorden, Norway.One of the many waterfalls streaming down the walls of Aurlandsfjorden — Norway.We visited the Otternes Farm Museum on the hilltop in 2017 — Aurlandsfjorden, Norway.

    Sailing up Aurlandsfjorden to Flåm

    July 21, 2019 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    Nautica was already sailing up the 127-mile long, UNESCO-listed Sognefjorden when we rolled out of bed to overcast skies and light rain. We bundled up and went for a wander around the outside decks to enjoy the scenery that makes the Norwegian fjords so amazing.

    Before long, we had turned into one of the tributaries of this fjord system — Aurlandsfjorden ... at the head of which the last port of call of this segment of our cruise was awaiting us.

    The “color of the day” was green ... in every possible shade one might imagine ... with pops of color from the buildings dotting the landscape. Low-lying clouds wreathing around the mountains and filling the valleys added a mystical ambiance.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Clipfish Woman Statue on the waterfront — Kristiansund, Norway.
    Manhole cover reflecting some of the symbols of the city — Kristiansund, Norway.Kirkelandet Kirke ... a church with modern architecture — Kristiansund, Norway.Dolphin Fountain in Nerparken — Kristiansund, Norway.Girl with Bird Statue in Nerparken — Kristiansund, Norway.Colorful flowers in Nerparken — Kristiansund, Norway.

    Kristiansund: A Stroll in the City

    July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Returning from Grip, we still had time to stroll around Kristiansund. Since our time in Kristiansund was growing short, however, we limited our explorations to Kirkelandet, the island where Nautica was berthed.

    Together with Sonia & Boris, we wandered around with no set plan, finding ourselves climbing uphill to Kirkelandet Church and the nearby parks.

    —————————————————

    Since photo captions are character-limited, a brief explanation of two of the attached photos:

    “Clipfish Woman” Statue at the Piren Dock: Clipfish is typically salted cod. The statue honors the local women who at one time dried the fish on the rocks around the harbor.

    The manhole covers around Kristiansund reflect some of the symbols of the city ... Clipfish Woman; Sundbåten, the ferry connecting the four islands on which the city is situated; Kirkelandet Church; and the date of 1742, which refers to when King Christian VI allowed the place to become a town with the name Christiansund, later changed to the Norwegian spelling Kristiansund.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A "we are in Grip" selfie — Gripholmen Island, Norway.
    Kristina shows us the family boathouse where, as a kid, she operated a gift shop — Gripholmen IslandThe stave church dates back to between 1470-1500 — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Murals (partially restored) adorn the walls of the stave church — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Original inhabitants of Grip and their descendents now use the houses as summer vacation homes.1The fishermen used these rocks to air-dry their catch — Gripholmen Island, Norway.I love the contrast between the rocks and the colorful houses — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Would anyone care for a dried cod head? — Gripholmen Island, Norway.A delightful weather day for a delightful visit to Grip — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Kittiwake chicks see us off as we depart Grip — Gripholmen Island, Norway.

    Kristiansund: A-Wander in Grip

    July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    Grip, which is located on Gripholmen, the largest of the 80+ islands and skerries, was first settled in the 9th century so that fishermen could be close to the best cod fishing grounds. For centuries, it was considered the smallest municipality in Norway. That changed in 1964 when the residents of the island were forced to relocate to the mainland because providing services to the small fishing community became prohibitively expensive.

    The idyllic island, with its colorful buildings, has a stark landscape, with little vegetation except for private gardens. Apparently, the fishermen stripped what vegetation there used to be so as to have plenty of rocks on which to air-dry their catch.

    We had about 1½ hours to wander around delightful Grip. The boat fare included a guided tour, which we took advantage of first, leaving us with about an hour to explore on our own before the boat’s whistle called us back for the return trip to Kristiansund.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A beautiful day ... a beautiful place to visit — Gripholmen, Norway.
    Distracted by the colorful scenery, we almost miss the kittiwakes nesting in the bumper tires — Grip2Black-legged kittiwakes — Gripholmen, Norway.2Kittiwakes checking us out — Gripholmen, Norway.1Black-legged kittiwakes — Gripholmen, Norway.2Black-legged kittiwakes — Gripholmen, Norway.Black-legged kittiwakes — Gripholmen, Norway.1This is the youngest kittwake chick we see in the nests — Gripholmen, Norway.

    Kristiansund: Grip Welcome Committee

    July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Our delightful day on Gripholmen began with an unexpected welcome committee.

    As the Grip Ruta boat approached the pier we were so entranced by the colorful buildings lining the shore that we almost didn’t see the kittiwakes nesting in the bumper tires. Had we been on the upper deck, we definitely would have missed them.

    In North America, these birds, which belong to the gull family, are known as black-legged kittiwakes to distinguish them from the red-legged species. In Europe, there is only the one species so no “color coding” is required.

    The best part of our kittiwake encounter? The birds — be they adults, fledglings, or chicks — were so used to the twice-daily arrival of the boat that they showed no fear of humans. Thus, they were excellent photography subjects as we slowly made our way from the lower deck to the upper deck to disembark the boat.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    1Looking back @ Piren, the dock from which the Grip Ruta boat departs — Kristiansund, Norway.
    We share the aft deck with the Gelmans and a French couple — Kristiansund, Norway.Bye bye Nautica ... we'll see you in a couple of hours — Kristiansund, Norway.1Summer bath houses and residences ... on our way to Grip — Kristiansund, Norway.Colorful houses perched high on the cliffs ... en route to Grip — Kristiansund, Norway.The Stavnes Lighthouse ... on our way to Grip — Kristiansund, Norway.Gripholmen Ahoy! This is the largest of the 82 islets and skerries of the Grip Archipelago, Norway.

    Kristiansund: Grip Ruta

    July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Yes, we were lucky and managed to snag seats on the Hagbart Waage, the boat that takes visitors out to an archipelago of islands about 9 miles from Kristiansund.

    A glorious day of blue skies and sunshine, comfy temps, calm sea conditions, and seats on the lower aft deck. It all made for a very pleasing ride out to the largest island in the archipelago ... home to the deserted fishing village of Grip.Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations

    Day @ Sea

    July 19, 2019, Norwegian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    We’ve left the Barents Sea behind and are now sailing the Norwegian Sea. We have received the “Currents” — the daily program — for tomorrow and once again sunrise and sunset times are being provided. That means that we are again below the Arctic Circle ... where we shall remain.

    It was a quiet day of rest and relaxation. Breakfast at the Terrace Café; brunch service in the Main Dining Room in lieu of lunch; sunny and warm enough to sit outside on the pool deck for much of the day ... with a fleece blanket for a little extra coziness; a lecture or two ... one of which was on the “Golden Years of Apollo 11;” afternoon massages ... used up the “free” perk included with our O Club loyalty level ... which is “gold” until we reach “platinum” after the next leg of our cruise.    Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    You have to enlarge the photo to see the Globe atop the cliff — Nordkapp, Norway

    Farewell Honningsvåg!

    July 18, 2019, Barentsz Sea ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    Our last glimpse of Nordkapp was from the ship as Nautica rounded Magerøya Island to leave the Barents Sea behind and continue our cruise south.

    Next Port: Kristiansund, Norway ... 684 NM away. But first a day at sea.Read more

  • 2019 Nautical Explorations
    Group photo at the Storvatnet Lake Overlook on Magerøya Island, Norway.
    1Reindeer in its summer coat ... Magerøya Island, Norway."Pregnant Woman Island" in the distance — Magerøya Island, Norway.1Panoramic view of the harbor — Honningsvåg, Norway.View of the "city" from the end of the pier — Honningsvåg, Norway.

    Honningsvåg: Here & There on Magerøya

    July 18, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Our Nordkapp tour with Blue Puffin took us to places around Magerøya Island. In some places we spent quite a bit of time. Other stops were photo-ops that caught our eye.

    We wrapped up our tour with a stroll in Honningsvåg, which translates as “Honey Bay.”Read more

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