We were going to do a 12 island boat tour and undecided as to the 'best' company to use - I know people have made suggestions, thanks. Normally I have used boats - and booked them - from Fethiye Harbour. (Uger Kaptan is good as long as you don't have their deep fried, reconstituted chicken or meatballs for lunch - go for the trout - alibalik!) However, walking along Calis prom, we were taken in by Nadeem's patter at Tim's Tours. He offered us a day on a catamaran, with the usual itinerary, for 70 TL.
As a pick up point, I suggested the old 'upside down' ('funny' or 'stupid' bridge). Being based in Calis I was rather surprised he didn't seem to know it, but he talked to the guy next door who told him where it is and we exchanged phone nos. (Mine was a Turkish no. - so he didn't have to use a UK one.)
He was due to pick us up at 9.30. Taking the phone with me, we were there at 9.20 - in over 30 degrees. We waited until nearly 1/4 to 10 when someone else in a mini van seemed to be picking up others. This guy said we'd be picked up shortly in a car, so we waited a little longer. At 9.50 I rang Nadeem, to be told the catamaran had already left Fethiye!!! How we could have got it only being picked up at 9.30, if this was the case, is beyond me. He said 'book for another day', but this wasn't convenient for us - and could he then be trusted? Anyway we wanted to go that day - and were all prepared for it.
Then he said he'd been to the bridge and we weren't there (??!!). (Remember he had my phone no.) Finally he said get a taxi to Fethiye and then get another boat trip and he'd reimburse us.
This he actually did do, but we had to just jump on any boat that would take us at this point. We had also only taken 100TL with us as we knew we would be swimming and didn't want to leave too much money unattended. By the time we'd paid for out taxi (31TL) and the boat trip (60TL) and saved enough to get a dolmus back (although we did get dropped in the end), we didn't have enough money to have any drinks!
We stomped back to Tim's Tours at the end of the day - which proved to be quite a walk. He owed us 101TL, and did give us most of this without too much of a problem, although he claimed he didn't have a 1 and only gave us a 100TL!
Someone on the boats said give him another chance, but I say - why, when there are many others' out there offering a good service - once let down, why experience the possibility again?
Anyone else had experiences with him before? Not sure if we were unlucky, he is badly organised, or it is 'normal' for this outfit!
