General holiday tips

[Timmy T]

Just wondering if anyone has any good "Top Tips" for self catering in the area?

Are there any food items that are best brought from home (cereals, tea bags, kenco coffee etc)?

What about currency? Is it best to bring sterling cash and change it locally or use the ATMs (I've got a Nationwide card that doesn't charge for foreign transactions). It's been 5 years since we last went to Turkey, and I seem to remember that you could actually use sterling in some shops. Is this still the case?

Thanks Guys, TT

[cathy h]

Hi Tim,
Cereals like cornflakes, cheerios are widely available in the supermarkets but no Weetabix unfortunately.
Nescafe and Jacobs coffee are here but can't remember if I have seen Kenco (don't drink much coffee myself). There are a wide range of tea bags available but the typically English ones may be a bit more expensive, but if you like a specific type then maybe bring them.

Depending on your access to ATM's, I would bring at least some sterling and exchange. The rate here is normally better than that given in the UK. Many people do use their Nationwide cards here.
If you use sweeteners for your hot drinks, there are some available now but Hermesetas not so easy as far as I can find out.

Enjoy your holiday when you get here
Cathy

[Old Daffodil]

Hallo Tim,
Pork product such as bacon,sausages and ham are only sold in a few shops and are expensive. Cheddar cheese slices are available in packets but not a block. I bring powdered jelly as the jelly is not so nice here. Marmite, Branston Pickle,custard powder,Oxo cubes and baked beans are available but cost more than Britain.

Bread, fruit,salad and vegetable are easy to obtain and there are loads of shops which sell the basics.Steak, lamb, chicken and offal are also easy to find and reasonably priced.

Have a good holiday.

[Gorgeous_bird]

I take tins of Tuna - you get it in tiny tins out there and it's expensive.

[Liz 101]

Mayonnaise is available, but not salad cream. When shopping for milk look for the word "sut" there's a product called ayran that looks like milk, but is drinking yoghurt & doesn't taste too good in tea or coffee!

[tribalelder]

Heinz Salad cream is available in Tugem near the Otogar as is Campbells Branston, Heinz, Burgess, HP, etc etc  Lots more "English" Products stocked  now

[Cavfan]

Being a coffee fanatic I always take my own as the ground coffee you can buy is Turkish and doesnt work in quite the same way in a cafetiere! We always take Yorkshire Tea bags too! We use our Nationwide Flex account and certainly the rate we were getting last year at the bank was better than the local rate- dont know about this year though it seems to be going back up thankfully.

[Scunner]

Me too Cavvy, I always bring ground coffee when I go abroad. I know you can get decent stuff if you make the effort over there but when I'm on holiday, I don't make effort Brown sugar is also ridiculously expensive there []

If you are staying in a private apartment or villa, or a room with a fridge I also recommend a good 3 litre box of wine for the fridge from duty free.

[puma]

bring your own bacon,sausages,black pud,crackers,cheese
also the kellogs cornfakes in turkey taste nothing like the english ones.but nestles cornflakes do

[Crabbit]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

 I always bring ground coffee when I go abroad.

But you always forget to take the instructions