Sailing

Sailing: the fine art of getting wet and becoming ill while slowly going nowhere at great expense.

Sunday 24 April 2016

Negotiating the Turkish Health System



One of the many advantages of getting Turkish residency is that it allows you to access the Turkish public health system.  Except for their high rate of smoking, Turks are quite a healthy group.  Their Mediterranean diet is excellent, they drink moderately (we have never seen any drunks and they have an excellent beer and wine industry – just one of the nice things about this secular Muslim country) and one rarely sees any obesity.  The vast majority of Turks seem fit and physically active.
Typical Turkish food
In our nearly two years since we first entered Turkey, (I can’t believe it has been that long but we did spend 4 months in Australia and traveled to 11 different countries in that time as well) we have had a few occasions where we needed to use the Turkish health system and I can honestly say the health care we received in Turkey is first class.

The first time was in July 2014 when Bob had caught a nasty bug in India and still was not well when we reached Turkey.  We went to Baskent University Hospital a private teaching hospital in Ankara, which was recommended by the Australian embassy, and Bob received the royal treatment.  Within minutes Bob was seen by a gastroenterologist and infectious disease specialist and had a colonoscopy arranged for two days hence.  Fortunately his problems were nothing too sinister and just the lingering effects of the nasty Indian bug which cleared with some anti-parasitic medication.  The whole procedure of seeing two specialist, blood tests, colonoscopy and medicine cost about $1500 Australian for which we had to pay up front but were fortunately reimbursed by our travel insurance.
Baskent Hospital in Ankara
The second time we needed Turkish health care was a few weeks after we bought Songster in September 2014 when Bob came down with pneumonia.  This resulted in 5 days in Ahu Hetman Hospital in Marmaris, another private hospital.  The care was excellent and very professional.  This episode cost 5000 euros and again we were reimbursed by our travel insurance.
Ahu Hospital in Marmaris where Bob spent 5 days
Then in this past month both Bob and I needed to see some health practitioners.  Bob wanted to get his knee looked at as it had been bothering him for some time and I needed my once every 2 year gynaecological exam of a pap smear and mammogram.  This time because we had our Ikamet residency card we chose to use the public hospital, Devlet Hastanesi.  The public hospital sits on top of a steep hill (one wonders if this was a sick joke of some sadistic cardiologist) and is crowded, very busy and not as flash looking as the private hospitals.  However for all the seeming chaos it works efficiently and the care is again first rate.  
The public hospital in Marmaris
The hospital employs two translators, Svetlana and Susan, who help any foreigner through the system.  They were fantastic.  They arranged for us to see doctors, walked us through the crowded corridors to the clinics and translated what the doctor said if he didn’t speak English.  Bob saw a physiotherapist who recommended an MRI that afternoon and some blood tests.  I saw a gynaecologist who did the smear in minutes and arranged for a mammogram later that day.  The total cost for seeing two doctors, blood test, pap smear and mammogram was under 400 Turkish Lira or about $200 Australian.  We got all the results is a few days, complete with another doctor visit to explain the result and a CD of images from the MRI and mammogram with no further charge.
So I have reflected on these interactions with the Turkish medical system with my public health and epidemiology hats on.  Turkish health care is of high quality and seems to work well.  It is affordable but could put a strain the average workers’ budget.  A shop assistant or office clerk earns about 2000 Turkish Lira a month.  
The reception counter at Devlet Hospital in a rare quiet time

For an Australian, the health care is incredibly cheap.  Australia has both public and private systems and the public system is covered by universal health care, Medicare, which is paid for through our taxes plus or minus a gap payment depending on the service.  So in Australia, at least in the ACT, I did not pay extra for pap smears or mammograms but would have had to pay about $60 to see a doctor for the smear.  An MRI would also be subsidised in Australia but chances would be that there would be a wait of a week or two for the procedure and a gap payment of a few hundred dollars would still have to be paid.   

So obtaining health care in foreign lands has been a fascinating journey.  At least in Turkey it is safe, affordable and of high quality.  Having made this statement from my personal experience, perhaps I should back it up with some facts and figures - maybe the subject of my next post.

Friday 15 April 2016

Spring has Sprung in Marmaris



Last Sunday six of us went for a four hour walk on Paradise Island.  Phillipa, the avid bushwalker in the group, wanted to explore a side track she had seen on one of her previous walks.  We were all game and at least those of us from Songster much in need of exercise.   We went past the Nimara cave which I mentioned in a blog last year (We cannot believe we have been away from Australia for over a year now – but that is another story.) and then continued through the pine forest and meadows around to the eastern side of the island.    
Bob, Ramin, Chris and Patrick climbing to the top
It was a perfect day, warm but not too hot and a bit of cloud cover to shield us from the intense Mediterranean sun.  The path and meadows were filled with spring flowers.  There were irises, orchids, daisies, forget-me-nots and many more that I didn't recognise.  There was also heaps of wild sage and oregano that smelled wonderful.  I picked some and used it in a potato frittata that night which was very tasty.
Wattle
Poppy
 


We went as far as we could until the path petered out and was covered with fallen trees.  Then turned back and had lunch in one of the meadows.
Ramin and Bob having a rest
A snooze after lunch
In our time in Turkey we have not encountered much wild life.  We have seen a few rabbits and tortoises but mostly we have only seen domesticated farm animals in the fields.  On this walk we came across a few tortoises, a lizard and evidence of wild boar – muddy wallows with boar prints.
Tortoise in the meadow
Lizard hidding
Mud wallow with boar tracks
All in all a perfect Sunday walk.  Thanks Phillipa.

Sunday 10 April 2016

First Outing of the Season



On Monday we went sailing or rather motoring.  It was the first outing for the season and a very pleasant day.  One forgets just how nice it is to be out on the crystal blue water under the bright Mediterranean sky.  

Nine of us on four boats decided to have a pot luck lunch in Gerbekse Bay, about 12 nm from Marmaris.  It was quite an international group as most of our cruiser get togethers are.  The Commonwealth was well represented with a Scots, several English, an Irish, two Canadians, a New Zealander and us Aussies.  We headed out of Marmaris Bay in the early morning mist into what was promising to be lovely day but with very little wind.
Heading out of Marmaris Bay
So we motored to Gerbekse Bay just enjoying being on the water.  We anchored with the bay to ourselves, save a small fishing boat and the goats with their tinkling bells along the cliffs.
Gerbekse Bay

Little Liz and Onyx at Gerbeske Bay
Ian, the Glaswegian, picked us up in his swish runabout and hosted the pot luck lunch on his very nice 54 foot Jeanneau.  Ian’s cockpit could easily fit all 9 of us.  (Our cockpit would be a squeeze with 6 people.)  We had a great lunch with great company.  Canadian Phoebe’s beef stew was a real hit.  
Reg and Paul relaxing after lunch (you can just see Songster in the background
Repleat, we headed back to the marina about 3.30.  We had just a bit of wind to allow us to sail for about 45 minutes.  Nothing beats putting up the sail, turning off the engine and having only the sound of the water flowing past the hull and the wind in the sails – bliss.
Sails up heading back to Marmaris
The route
On the way back I was stuck at just how big Yat Marine is.  There are well over a thousand boats here at this time of year.  There is space for about 700 boats on the pontoons and an equal number that can be on the hard.
The forest of masts and boats at Yat Marine
It was a great day and we are looking forward to lots more sailing this season.