The following suggestions were from the previous ours. They will make our tour go very smoothly. Please read them very carefully. Print this page and have it with you at all times. We tried to cover your possible questions below. Should there be other questions please feel free to contact us at melitour@yahoo.com

We will get back to you with the answer immediately.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Tour members find their own insurance companies. We will list here the names of the insurance companies recommended to us  by the tour members as we get suggestions:
Travelex recommended by Fred and Ze Geber derf36@yahoo.com
 

• As soon as you check in the hotel – any hotel – please always ask for their card. If they do not have a card, write down the name and the address for emergency
• If you had booked for a double room, your room mate might arrive any time so please at all times leave your room key at the reception desk if you are not going to be in the room
• Breakfast is served below the ground level between 07:30 - 10:00 am

AT THE HOTELS

• Is there hair dryer in the rooms?
  Yes all the hotels have hair dryers
• Do we need slippers?
  There are no slippers available in the rooms,  you might want to pack a small slipper
• Is there an elevator?
  No there are no elevators in the hotels except the one in Kusadasi and Bursa
• Is there Laundry Service?
  Yes all the hotels that we will stay has laundry service. Please find out about the price before you hand in your laundry

MONEY

• 1US$ = 1.18 YTL
• In Turkey you can use US Dollars
• Do not forget to bring your personal checks with you.
• ATM s are available in every city. You can get maximum approximately US$ 300 worth a day
• It is best to change half of what you are planning to spend in the beginning of the tour at a bank.
  The hotel exchange rates are not good.
• Many  places will accept VISA or MASTERCARD. Less places accept American Express
• Carrying your valuables  - Passport, Money, Credit Card, Air line ticket- under your clothing is important though In Turkey  you will feel very safe, it is simply a good precaution.

Credit Cards

1. *** 6 out of 10 people have this experience with their credit cards and ATM cards. Please note this reminder very carefully. The US and CANADIAN banks are very protective of their clients. So you have to tell them where you will be using your cards. Other wise they block the card until you make an international phone call.

1. Bring a swimming suit.
2. T The lighter you travel initially the more you will appreciate this note at the end of our tour.
3. If you are expecting Turkey to be warm, you will be right only during lunch time. When we are ready to leave the hotels in the morning and in the afternoons you will be happy to have your arms covered with a light jacket or a short sleeved blouse.
4. For t evenings you might want some thing more than a light jacket.
   Silk underwear works well.
5. You can wear shorts if weather permits.
6.  You might want a little dressier dress for some of our concerts like in ankara. but generally you do not need to get dressed up

1. On MELITOUR tours we take responsibility of not treating the children of the countries we visit in any way different that we like to treat our own children or grand children. We do not want the local children to take gifts of any kind from the strangers. So please do not give pens, pencils, candy, balloon…..
2. Bring your family pictures to share with the others.
3. The tour will be a much appreciated one if every one honors the absolute need for punctuality.
4. We suggest rotation on the bus. However, if some one needs to sit forward, this will be  accommodated.
5.  To make check in at the hotels faster and more efficient, please stay together in the lobby as a group until further instructions are given.
6. After check in at the hotels, the guide will be at the desk for 15 minutes. Please report if there is some thing you want to be done with your room. Complaining about the room later does not do any body good.
7. On this tour we have carefully allowed as much “free time” as is possible. Given the itinerary and the number of days on the tour,
8. If any one wants more time on their own , we suggest staying additional days after the tour
9. “Too much food! “is generally the comment we get from the tour members who are sad about the amount of food we are served and not fully consumed. Unfortunately, the culture of Turkey has a way and amount of serving food. Though we have tried it can not be less than what it is.

1. Bring and extra baggage tag
2. Bring an extra suit case or a duffle bag even if you think you won’t use it.
3. Strapping tape and bubble wrap will be nice for pottery lovers
4. Each room mate decide on a different guide book so each room has at least 2 guide books
5. Maps of Turkey  are available to purchase in Istanbul. do not pay a lot of money for maps in the USA
6. Have a way of identifying your bag with a ribbon or other wise. It helps finding your bag among many others which look the same