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MR.ROBERT BRADFORD & MRS.BARBARA
TAYLOR BRADFORD (www.barbarataylorbradford.com) Dear Iffet First of all, Bob and I want to thank you for coming to the airport with us on Thursday morning. We were so grateful to have you with us...to ease the way. We also want you to know how much we enjoyed spending time with you in Istanbul. Your knowledge is extraordinary. We were fascinated by the details you passed on to us. You made the history of your beautiful city come alive. We think Istanbul is fabulous, as we told you. We can't wait to come back. In the
meantime, thanks for being such a charming and
knowledgeable guide... and fun as well. Many thanks and fond regards from Bob and Barbara. |
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HIGHLIGHTS OF TURKEY We had a wonderful trip to Anatolia, lots of highlights and only the long day’s drive to Pamukkule being less than exciting! The hotels were excellent – though I understand why the Spa Colossae Thermal doesn’t especially appeal to you – or me. The Queen Ada was marvellous and we enjoyed it and Torba (with lovely walks around the bay and local restaurants) so much that we found no need to return to Bodrum! Needless to say Ebru looked after us extremely well. We dined on Wednesday with Janet and John Clark who had clearly had an excellent experience and were extolling the wonders of their guide and their Turkey experience. We are already looking forward to our next visit to Turkey.I am delighted that you are busy, and I am sure that if your clients are as happy as the Clarks and Ward-Amblers that your success will continue. Best wishes, |
MRS JANET & JOHN CLARK Everything was so enjoyable. Staying in small hotels and eating in the villages, the whole time was a learning experience; if not about history, then about current living in Turkey. Gülden was very helpful, knowledgable and friendly. She was happy to discuss, and informed about, any aspect of history, sociology, archaeology, politics. The pace was just right. We never wasted time, but there was always opportunity to pause and reflect. |
SAIL THE SAPPHIRE SEAS OF TURKEY BY DELUXE GULET * Dr.Zev & Pam Davis (Naperville, Illinois) All arrangements were outstanding ! Thank you so much. |
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MANCHESTER REGIMENT I must thank you for an excellent trip. All who travelled thoroughly enjoyed the experience which was made very smooth by having all the arrangements made in advance and to a high quality. Your reputation is very well deserved. Andrew Dugdale, |
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MANCHESTER REGIMENT Dear Iffet, We have all returned safely from a splendid tour having experienced almost no difficulty in entering or leaving the country with our uniforms. It was truly a very successful venture. Our most sincere thanks to you and Peten Travel for
all that you have done to make it such a success. |
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MR & MRS KNOX You run a very competent and professional organization. Thank you again. Until our next visit. Jim and Rita Knox, |
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THE PLOTNER FAMILY We had a wonderful time in Turkey - the only positive thing about returning to London is that the weather is warmer - how ironic! Thanks for helping to make our adventure in Istanbul so memorable - Ebru was great. We look forward to another trip to Turkey....what is a gulet? |
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JUDGE CHARLES HARRIS & MRS HARRIS Q.C.D.C.J. Istanbul is not perhaps the easiest city for first time visitors who speak no Turkish, have no conception of its scale,and whose only knowledge relates to the Fourth Crusade or the siege of 1453. Especially if you are staying at a fine elevated spot with excellent views, but a little beyond easy walking distance from many of the important sites. It requires a bit of skill to see the mosques and palaces and galleries conveniently, since their opening times are not consistent , nor their locations congruent. Once within, it would be quite possible to waste a lot of time in aimless traipsing (which in March may be chilly). These places are not on the whole self explanatory. It is not obvious what went on where. It is not clear either where to eat, or what to eat There is much attractive boat traffic at the conjunction of the Sea of Marmora, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus: but hours could be wasted by the uninitiated trying to discover what boat goes from where and when, and when it might return. You need help. Unless you have a friend who knows the city, or youreally dont mind wasting time money and energy, you need a guide. The sort of guide you need will of course be reliable, knowledgeable and conscientious, but that is not enough. A guide needs to be interesting and informative, but not long winded; amusing but not full of fatuous jokes and silly patter; diplomatic and flexible, not adhesive to some invariable plan. A good guide knows when to talk and when not to, when to hurry along past features which do not interest and when to tarry by those that do. A good guide will not know everything, but will be capable of finding things out quickly. A good guide will be a good companion, delightful to sit down to lunch and browse with, amongst the topics of life as well as the menu. A Good guide will make you feel keen to meet again each morning, and might even engender a slight twinge of gloom when parting. We were lucky to have such a guide,supplied by Peten Travels. She was a girl whose name in translation was romantic , and whose charm and efficiency went well beyond anything which I have previously come across. Whether wet or dry, in sun or snow, she was always alert to the mood, deft with the arrangements, intelligent and fluent in conversation. Erudite in an easy, lightly- worn way, she was happy to talk (and delightful to listen to) on practically any topic, no matter how far removed from an exploration of the largest city in Turkey. One was almost tempted to make an offer to retain her services on some more permanent basis. Any party she leads, or individual she works with, will be fortunate indeed. |
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MR & MRS H NELIS We had an absolutely fantastic, unforgettable weekend in Istanbul. Ebru was lovely, so knowledgeable, and great company. We would definitely recommend her, and are already trying to convince my parents to visit your incredible city. Visions of the blue mosque and Topkapi palace are still whirling around my head--fantastic memories! The food, the lively streets--it was unforgettable. Many thanks to you, and please send our best to Ebru. |
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DARGAN BULLIVANT & JOHN THORPE Thank you so much for your time and your generous hospitality over the last few days. We felt most welcome and very spoilt. We were able to get a very good idea of the type of guided tour, transportation, documentation and hotel accommodation that we will jointly promote. Thank you. In our discussions it became clear that our attitudes to customer service, quality and pricing are the same and that our target market was the same. This is very important. We are looking forward to our continuing relationship Iffet |