Talking Turkey - final day

Time to leave the Sheraton Maslak hotel, which was nice enough, with lots of space and very handy for the office, and great for snacks at midnight, but it wasn't the Jazz Hotel.

Explosion of colour in the lobby

I catch a taxi to the airport but then am too early to check in my bags, so I have a little rest in the restaurant for about an hour, before buying a backgammon set and a nice (carpet-style) bag in which to put the set, the 3 t-shirts, the tiny tower, the jacket, the gloves and the book. Then I check both bags in - result!

Ice cream man has a fez - fez's are cool.

The chocolate and pistachio ice-cream is cool too

Last chance for a massage before leaving Turkey

Turkish massage - hi-tech style.

The water jets down but you are covered by a plastic membrane so you get the feeling but without getting wet. It's actually really nice, though it feels a bit like being in a car wash without a car, as the jets moving forward and back.

Just as on the way out, we are stuck on the tarmac for an hour before taking off. Then there is mild air-rage between a passenger in the row behind, and another behind him who keeps pushing the first guy's seat. Eventually things calm down. Then the lightning flashes outside which is interesting for a few minutes. After that things calm down again and I chat with a designer from River Island who comes to Istanbul from time to time, but hasn't seen half the things I managed, which is a shame. Apparently she came out on the same flight and also stayed at the Sheraton.

She hadn't heard of the Jazz Hotel, though, just like all the delegates.

So I win.