We have options. Either a Kamilkoc bus to Marmaris (2 hours plus) followed by a Dolmus to Selimye (half an hour). The Dolmus doesnt stop right in Selimiye and we dont know where we are going. Or a taxi straight through for £35 door to door. No contest, taxi it is!
The main roads in Turkey are generally very good. The side roads are generally very poor. We make the journey in about 3 hours, making a stop at Carrefour in Marmaris to buy some meat requested by our Selimiye host. We also stopped at the bay of Orhaniye where there is a sand bar which creats the illusion that people are walking on water. I have swun to this many times from gulets. Its a tough swim as the currents are quite strong and the distance is further than it appears.
We drive around the mountainside and suddenly Selimiye is revealed
in all its glory. A beautifull bay with a cluster of buildings stretching along the shoreline. There us a sprinkling of houses dotting the hills. The marina is tiny. At first glance nothing has changed since we first fell in love with it all those years ago. Our taxi driver rings our host for directions. We head up a little narrow lane which quickly deteriorated into a dirt track before petering out altogether. Another phone call and we heading in the opposite direction after a hair-raising about turn with precipitous mountainside to one side. The road becomes so steep that the wheels are spinning and losing grip as we reach our destination. Hasan is waiting on the road for us.
Must say, I have never been so glad to get out of a taxi. My legs are shaking!