Sunday, July 3, 2011

Penalty for Double Manslaughter

Does anyone know the penalty for manslaughter or what mitigating circumstances might be used for a plea bargain? If I commit murder here in Turkey will I serve my sentence here or will I be extradited to Ireland?
Why all of these questions? I have just arrived in Bodrum for two months and the sun is shining. What is not right with my world?
I've been double teamed by Hubbie and the Sister-in -law. I thought I left my Mum at home but it seems she is a shape-changer and has come in the guise of the Sis-in-law.
Hubbie does not do travelling well. On arrival at the check-in area we were approached by the member of Turkish Airlines staff. It appeared the flight was overbooked and they were looking for some people to change their flights to another airline with a possible delay of one day. Well, the look on Hubbie's face. He wasn't having any of it. Both the Sis-in-law and I could see merits in the scheme. We were being offered free flights next year as compensation. This has an approximate value of €1300.  But Hubbie had his head down and was forging ahead for the check-in desk. No amount of compensation would recompense us for his mood if we wanted to take up the offer. (Today when sitting safely on the balcony he said that he thought I would explode if I had to wait another day - that might be the case if we were only travelling for a week- but when offered the carrot of an unplanned free flight next year, what do you think I would have chosen? Ah well, maybe next time)

Our flight was delayed taking off and unusually didn't make up the time in flight. The reason soon became apparent as we approached Istanbul. Either God was taking pictures or there was one hell of a lightning storm going on out there. Rain was lashing across the windows. Thank God this wasn't our last stop. I hate grey skies with a vengeance.

We had 15 minutes to board our next flight. Before we could do this we had to buy our visas and then pass through passport control. Unusually, it was very quiet and we were able to do this quite quickly, though Murphy's Law we chose the slowest queue. The official decided to scrutinize every page in each passport before stamping it.

Now, I have a dodgy knee but I had a plane to catch. I set off at a lick and left the others to keep up with me. Again luck was with us, security control was quiet in the domestic terminal. I had checked the board and it just said to go to the gate. Yippee! I'd even have time to go to the loo. I hate the loos on airplanes.

They were very helpful at security. I told them our earlier flight had been delayed. We put our hand luggage through the scanners. Sis-in-law's was immediately hauled off and she was asked to open it. She had a knife in her bag!! She had taken the crackers and cheese from the previous flight to eat later and of course she kept the knife as well. (They actually give you real knives on Turkish Airlines.)Then totally forgot about it.

The flight still hadn't boarded so I headed off to the toilet. At this stage I was fed up of her wanting to carry my bag for me and fussing over me. Five minutes peace and quiet was a wonderful relief. Short lived! Too good to be true!

I hobbled back (the knee was definitely acting up), the sweat was pouring off Hubbie from the gallop, to find a state of high tension in the waiting area. A bomb threat?? No, no much worse, the two had been at loggerheads in my absence. Sis-in-law couldn't find her passport, her boarding card.....then they found their two boarding cards but couldn't find mine. Naturally. I had it safely in my passport.

And that was just the journey.

A boy peach, needed to pollinate?
Today started a bit better. I woke up to blue skies and my peach tree in full fruit. It even made me smile when I saw this one. I met up with Metin again and we had a chat and a catch up on all the news. Later the other two got up and had breakfast. Gulsum came to say hello. I'm looking forward to visiting her. She tells me she has a lot of news but it is for later when there is just the two of us to chat.

I love a good mystery.

After  that it went downhill again. We went to Koş Taş first. I had some photos for Metin's new house that I wanted to get framed. I had four A4 prints. It cost 17tl each to have them mounted and framed, a little less than 8 euro. You wouldn't get this at home for anything like the price.  I also had two photographs that I had entered into my camera club's annual exhibition and they won second and third place in the landscape section. This was the good part of the shopping trip. They will be ready  for collection on the seventh.

We then went to Kipa a large supermarket. I first wanted to put credit on my pay-as-you-go Turkish phone. They did not have the Kontor cards as before. I had to use my credit card to upload the credit. No problem. But the system rejected my card. Oh oh. I was planning on paying for our shopping with the card as I didn't have a huge amount of cash with me.
I do a big shop on arrival, buying enough toiletries, cleaning materials, non perishables for the whole summer. We will only have the rental car for a week. Later I will get the smaller bits and pieces from the small local supermarket. But I had to keep a running total on the bill. I will have to do the shopping again next week.

At the checkout Hubbie and Sis-in-law unpacked the trolley and packed it in bags. I mightn't do it right. They have a system. I should have just stayed at home. I proffered the credit card again and it accepted it immediately. I thought there had been a problem with activation as it is a relatively new card and I had only used it online since I had received it. Amen, no more worrying but semi fury also as I had only done half the shopping. I went back to get the credit for my phone, but no, again the system rejected it. Ooooh, I'm hot, tired and cranky, not a good combination.

Once we arrived back, I was not allowed to carry in the bags. Jeez Louise it's my knee that hurts not my arms! I was sent to open the door. I managed to grab a couple of bags. Sis-in-law got to the door first and tried to take the bag out of my hand as I was coming up the steps. I know it was my birthday the other day but I'm 53 not 93! Then the unpacking and tidying away began. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm a control freak. I certainly understand my mother better. If I can do something myself I want to do it myself. I don't have time to be treated like an invalid or bone china. I know Sis-in-Law has her heart in the right place and only wants to help but if there is a right way and a wrong way....!
Kitchen tidied, dinner prepared, hot water problems sorted, I left the washing up to Hubbie, I don't have to do or want to do everything. I decided the best way to cool off was a swim. 15 minutes to myself, repetitive action swimming up and down the pool would numb the mind. But guess what? Sis-in-Law decided she would accompany me. Not my day.
 Hence the Google search for the penalty for manslaughter.

There I've vented or as fellow blogger Hajra Khatoon of Hajra Kvetches  might say I have had a good kvetch and it has worked. (This is a real word. I never heard of it until I came across her blog, you should check it out, it is a great read) Thank God it is not Friday, because on Friday instead of Kveching she recommends Kvelling,  being thankful.
Maybe I will just pretend it is Friday and thank God for good friends (girlie session tomorrow) sunshine, helpful in-laws and above all that tomorrow is another day:-)


P.S. sorry I broke my first holiday resolution to keep my posts shorter. I needed to get this off my rather ample chest hence it grew, next ones will be shorter I hope.

6 comments:

  1. Keep us posted on how this continues. It's a nightmare for you, but your venting cheers me up vicariously, somehow, Plus I love a good yarn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Thom, glad I brightened your day. Today was better. They both slept until an English neighbour dropped in just as I was finally about to sit in the sun. Ah well, 55 more days to get it right.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vent all you like. If you don't, you'll explode and did you ever see, "Midnight Express"? Turkish prisons are to be avoided at all costs.

    As a rule, I dislike having travel companions especially my sister who's a control freak. So I can empathize with you and your situation. Much as you may like Sis-in-Law, whatever she does or doesn't do is going to get on your nerves, and vice-versa. With all your traveling, hadn't you learnt that nothing goes according to plan especially where others are concerned?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Penelope, certainly nothing ever goes to plan in Turkey but it is definitely the company. I can handle one of them at a time but two together is just a little more than I can handle:-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This made me laugh and reminded me why I travel alone or with people I don't need to maintain a relationship with!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Family holidays have such ups and downs! Loved this post. :D

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.