Hi Twinkletoes,

You're possibly getting confused because many tour TO's and insurance companies class Turkey as Europe. When you book insurance for Turkey it will come under Europe - even though technically a very tiny part of Turkey is in Europe.

To avoid high telephone calls you can go into any telephone shop (Turkcell is one of the main ones) and purchase a Turkish SIM card for about 20 lira - you'll need to take your passport with you for ID. Then just place it in your mobile phone and you will not be charged for receiving ANY calls from anywhere in the world. Your text messages to the UK will be much, much cheaper too. I can't remember the exact cost of sending a text, but it's literally pennies. On your SIM card (the 20lira one) I think you get about 250 points - and each text abroad uses just 3. I could be wrong on the precise amount (and I'm sure someone in Turkey will be able to correct me) but it's still very cheap.

Your British phone will only work for a limited time in Turkey on a Turkcell card (but should certainly work for the 2 weeks' whilst you're there). The shop you buy your SIM from will unlock your phone for you too if you have a problem.

steve8482 Post subject: Re: Mobiles Abroad Too good to be True?Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:25 pm


Member

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:30 pm
Posts: 338 I can't believe you've asked that question! How much research did you do before booking!

No, Turkey is not part of the EU. The government wants to join but there are numerous political reasons why it is being blocked, inlcuding the fact the army virtually controls the country and decides who can be in the "democratically" elected government. But if the army didn't have such a firm grip the country is likely to collapse into civil war. In the meantime the PKK still makes bombing forays into tourist resorts a couple of times a year whilst journalists and trade unionists still get locked up (and occasionally murdered) for being critical of the government.

I'm not trying to turn the board into a political rant and it's up to you where to go on holiday but can people please do a little bit of research before booking!


Hi Steve,

Twinkletoes asked a very polite question, and you trying to humiliate her has made you look very undignified. Not everyone researches the political agenda of a country they wish to holiday in (I certainly don't) - and your own personal research into Turkey is WRONG!

I shan't bore everyone by going into lengthy political detail (this is a holiday forum after all) but I need to pick you up on your statement that "the PPK still makes bombing forays into tourist resorts a couple of times a year".

That isn't strictly true! You are trying to make it sound as though there are regular bombings a couple of times every year - and that isn't true. There has been the very occasional small bombing in Turkey, but it's hardly a war zone with army trucks patrolling the beachfronts - as you try to portray it.

When you are on holiday in a Turkish resort, or even travelling around the country you would never know there was any kind of political problem going on at all. Turkey is an intensely beautiful country, and every single person I know who has been there (including myself) has always marvelled at the leisurely pace of life; how relaxing it is there - and how de-stressing the place is.

I suppose we won't be having the possible pleasure of bumping into you in Turkey then!!

Happy Holidays!

Strawberry

Can we please get back to the topic discussed and leave the political discussions to other forums on the internet.

MarkJ HT Mod

Which is what I was trying to do......

My tourism point is that at Turkish resorts there is a risk of bombing, maybe only on a par with that at Spanish resorts but still something you ought to be aware of before you hand over your money at the agents. Since Twinkletoes didn't know whether Turkey was in the EU it suggests she wouldn't know anything else that wasn't mentioned in the brochure. It's this failure to do basic research which get so many tourists into trouble and when things go wrong it's always someone elses fault.

And given the behaviour of many British tourists abroad it is also valid to warn about insulting the various things the Turkish establishment gets a bit touchy about, not the least of which is Kemal Atatürk - a man who has been dead for 70 years but people still get jailed for insulting him (see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/sentenced-for-ataturk-insult-775272.html). Whilst the average tourist may not be planning on giving a speech it could only take a stupid pose with a statue to spark trouble. Luckily few British are likely to unwittingly say anything about Armenia........

if needed and the cost is double if Turkey is not classed as in the EU

I would check your phone companies website, with orange Turkey is classed in the "Europe 2" zone (as opposed to Spain, France, Germany etc "Europe 1 zone)

With Orange, only prices I have checked 'cos thats who I am with (got leaflet out of hand luggage bag)

Euro 1 costs 38p per min to make call
Euro 2 costs £1.30 per min to make call

Euro 1 costs 19p per min to receive call
Euro 2 costs 70p per min to receive call

Euro 1 cost 30p to send text
Euro 2 costs 40p to send text

MMS 60p in both zones

You may need to ring you phone company to enable roaming on you phone.