Now, that is a good question!
It is actually quite simple in regards its end goal.
I wish to purchase a property in Turkey, maybe even two by the time I turn 60 years old, nothing flash, a simple two bed apartment will suffice. That is it, well sort of.
Let me explain.
I am too old (my opinion) to contemplate purchasing a property in the UK again (even though Shropshire is really affordable) and clearing a mortgage in 11 years is not feasible or realistic.
I do not have a decent deposit and it just does not float my boat.
I do not want to be working at the level I am currently well into my late 60's, I explain the mechanics of 'how I plan to raise the money' here;
I adore Turkey, it is a stunning country full of vibrant people, cultures, scenery and of course it also has an amazing climate.
And there is a little village that I have fallen in love with and already have a good amount of friends within, it is called Turunc. Turunc is tiny, surrounded by mountains on three sides and has a sandy beach to its frontage. It is accessible by a renowned and scary mountain road or by boat.
This link gives a good description of the village as a tourist destination and does a better job than I ever would or intend to do in this post.
I first went to Turkey in 2002 and stayed in Icemelar, a larger town between Marmaris and Turunc, it was the place of choice of my ex in-laws and they stayed at the same little hotel called the Bonjour every year and raved about it. My ex-wife and I had a lovely holiday.
Then around 2005 they purchased a place in Turunc, a lovely two bed apartment set in a nice plot with a lovely pool.
Hello Cheap Holidays!
My ex wife and I had met a lovely couple whilst on holiday in Egypt in 2004 and we hit it off and became good friends, turns out they only lived about seven miles from us.
In 2006 the four of us made our first trip to Turunc and used the 'family holiday home'.
My love affair with the village began.
We holidayed there regularly (until our marriage ended) and started to make friends with the locals and ex-pats alike.
My last trip with my ex wife was in 2011. I didn't return to Turunc until 2017, when I went with my last serious partner.
Yes, I know it is weird going to a resort that has such memories of a marriage with a new girlfriend, but I was honest about the history she was cool with it.
We just wanted a break somewhere for a week and it helped that I knew the area and people within so didn't waste a couple of days finding our way around.
It was like putting on a favourite pair of slippers (I don't wear slippers, but that's the common analogy, don't hate me), I walked down the main street on the first day and people I had not seen for six years called out my name and welcomed me back, that's pretty special!
You may have read my blog about my #vanlife experience, if not, it is here.
As that period of my life came to an end and the world had started to open a little I grabbed 11 nights in Turunc in September 2020 before the move to Kent, I travelled alone, which was a first for me.
I celebrated a birthday out there and cemented some friendships that had been developing over the years. I felt welcomed immediately. I know an adorable couple, Ali and Amanda who run https://www.destinationturunc.com/
and I went on many trips on their boat https://www.destinationturunc.com/tours/02/boattrip.php which is always awesome and the food! Wow!
On the last boat trip of my 2020 holiday Ali grabbed a couple of beers and he and I sat in the surf of a small beach laughing like schoolboys and he welcomed me as one of his family, that is something I treasure deeply.
Amanda also arranged a lovey trip to a nearby village and beach Akyaka, which was the day after a very drunken night at the Talk of the Town drag show...
https://www.destinationturunc.com/tours/15/talk-of-the-town.php this was a super night, full of laughs and I was picked on something rotten by the lovely ladies, Amanda made sure I was right at the front and in their view... cheeky!
I can still taste the Long Island Ice Teas, not always in a good way, the Turkish are not known for using measures...
The lovely lads who perform the drag acts also came on the day trip to Akyaka and have become very close friends.
I did say it is a special place!
One funny moment of the last holiday was walking into a supermarket on the day of my first boat trip and almost walking, physically into my ex father-in-law! Thankfully masks were a requirement so I think I got away with it.
I am sure that if I were to meet the ex in-laws it would be amicable, it has been ten years since we split and my ex-wife, their daughter, is married again, but my heart raced and the adrenaline pumped into my stomach, I don't make things easy for myself!
That 2020 trip cemented the idea about buying a place over there and potentially retiring there.
So (isn't that a terrible way to start a sentence!), there it is, my 11 Year Plan is to buy a property or two in Turunc, simple.
Now, lets sort the finances out...