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Retirement trip
  • Juliet Sanders
  • Juliet Sanders

Retirement trip

Travelling to Antalya, Istanbul, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 20, 2025
  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Antalya Old Town

    Dec 28, 2025–Jan 7, 2026 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    The first leg of our journey was serious down time in Antalya. Not our usual choice in Turkey, but a direct flight from Newcastle was the clincher.

    We booked an apartment rather than a hotel so we could self cater and not be bound by a particular schedule. This turned out to be a good move in terms of a long trip. I don’t really want to eat out every day so being able to do some basic things was both cheap and freeing.

    We found a small apartment with lounge/kitchen, bedroom and shower room down a side street but within easy walking distance of key places and hunkered down for a few days of rest.    Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Sabina Hotel

    Dec 30, 2025–Jan 4, 2026 in Turkey ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    We arrived last night in teeming rain which turned into a waterfall down the street. However we have been lucky again finding a little gem of a hotel just down from the Grand Bazar. A good sized room, excellent shower and breakfast included for £28 a night! What’s not to like?

    Researching holidays can be almost as pleasurable as going on them and I love looking at options based on location, price and reviews. This was a little of a wild card but won on price and so far the staff could not have been better.    Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Antalya airport

    December 30, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    About to set off for leg 2 of the journey to Istanbul. We love the city and have been so many times so it seemed like a good place to transfer from. We’ll spend 5 days there before heading to Thailand.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Grand Bazzar

    December 31, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    A short stroll uphill from our hotel, we know the Grand Bazar pretty well however it is amazing how using a different entrance disorientates. We have a favourite coffee shop but failed to find it today so giving this a go.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Mado

    December 31, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    I am officially gutted! There is a particular dessert at the Mado chain that is a constant draw for coming to Turkey. Can’t believe they’ve taken it off the menu! Tried something else but didn’t come close.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Little Hagia Sofia

    January 1 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    Today it snowed heavily. We got caught in a blizzard finding a new less hilly path to the centre. In doing so we found Little Hagia Sofia. Neil reckons it’s been 40 years since he was inside but it was a first time for me. Really lovely mosque and a much easier walk for the rest of our stay.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Pera Palace

    January 2 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    We have had the privilege of staying here a few times but then the prices rocketed and put it out of reach. However we can still enjoy the patisserie or the lounge and feel like royalty for a few minutes. Our favourite place on earth possibly.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Sights of Istanbul

    January 3 in Turkey ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Having been here so many times, we don’t really do the tourist trail now. However when passing the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the Galata Tower it seems rude not to take a quick snap. I’ve got loads of better ones on sunnier days. It’s grey and cold.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Off to Thailand

    January 4 in Turkey ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    After a leisurely morning we have made our way to Istanbul for the next segment of the journey. The downside of airports is that you wait so long there and are a captive audience for food and drink. Just paid about £30 for 2 very small bottles of water, 2 coffees and 2 croissants. Feeling aggrieved!Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    V20 Boutique Hotel

    January 5 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Arrived in Thailand! Really pleased with the hotel. Every room has a jacuzzi, there’s a spa, breakfast included and a shuttle to the sky train. We are just going to crash for a few hours after the overnight flight then start exploring.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Street food

    Jan 5–12 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Having had a nap and settled in after the flight we had a short walk near the hotel to get something to eat. My go to dish is pad thai and Neil pointed at something on the menu so for the princely sum of £3 we got these plates of freshly cooked food. Neil’s was hotter than he liked but it’s going to be trial and error. We are in tonight and that was very successful, plus we got a ringside view of the fish tank.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    The Grand Palace

    January 6 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    You can’t visit Bangkok without seeing some of the spectacular historical sites. Neil was blown away by the grandeur of the palace. We also went to see the reclining Buddha.

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    River dinner cruise

    January 6 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    My lovely friend, Julie, gifted us a dinner to celebrate my retirement. We took a river cruise with dinner and entertainment. It was so beautifully done and amazing to see the city by night.

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Bridge on the River Kwai

    January 7 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    One trip I’ve always wanted to do was to the Bridge on the River Kwai, the death railway and war cemetery but today that happened. Incredible to think of the 200,000 who built it 90,000 died. It’s always good to remember these things. Good to also honour some young men from home.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Night market

    January 8 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Funny how different places look 20 years on! Totally didn’t have my bearings and ended up in some slums by the railway tracks. Very dodgy! However we did then get back to civilisation, grabbed some street food and managed to pick up some headbands, which are my new fashion accessory.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Jacuzzi

    January 9 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    You can’t stay in a place called a jacuzzi hotel without trying your private jacuzzi. A first for Neil. It’s never too late!

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Penthai theatre

    January 10 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    We had a lovely evening at a Thai cultural show. 4 courses of food from different regions accompanied by traditional dancing, puppetry and story telling. In a small intimate space with seating for only 30 people it felt a very special evening and great preparation for our move on to Chiang Mai tomorrow.Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Chiang Mai - Jaidee Bamboo Huts

    January 11 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We flew to Chiang Mai in the north today. We will be here for a month but the first two weeks are in a bamboo hut in the old city. The online information didn’t really do it justice - it’s just a magical little place. Maybe not the highest end but feels authentic and I love it!Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Exploring Chiang Mai

    January 12 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second city. We are working the old part, with a moat on all sides and about a mile square. We started to explore the surrounding streets where we are staying with unexpected temples around every corner. In the evening we planned to go to the large night market. According to Google maps this looked within walking distance however I managed to exit us by the wrong gate so we ended up doing two sides of a square, only to find we were at a food court, not the market we expected. Fortunately taxis are cheap and we were able to end up in the right place but it was a very long walk for Neil and has made me think it’s not as walkable as I’d hoped and will be more mindful in future. Still we both ended up with some cool trousers to bring home!Read more

  • Juliet SandersRetirement tripJuliet Sanders

    Blank canvas

    January 13 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    So we definitely overdid it yesterday! Neil was in pain with his leg. We had intended to go to the zoo today but instead are having a quiet one at the hut. During lockdown I bought a big cross stitch that I’d planned to do but only managed a few stitches before the charity took over my life, however I decided to bring it with me. Soon sitting with pretty much a blank canvas, which seems to be a bit of a metaphor of my life at the moment and wondering what design will emerge,Read more