I’m always fascinated by the complexities of our English language and it often leaves me wondering how people cope when they are trying to learn it. Especially the idioms and strange sayings. But what about the actual words that don’t mean what they are supposed to mean? My students, for example, are always using the word ‘ignorant’ to mean – not lacking knowledge – but stubborn or condescending.... Likewise, those of us who teach will recognise that ‘satisfactory’ actually means ‘UNsatisfactory’ if it is spoken by your manager or Ofsted! But what about the term ‘all-inclusive’? When does ‘all-inclusive’ mean ‘all-inclusive’ and when does it mean ‘some-things-are-included-but-others-not-and-it-also-depends-on-what-time-of-day-it-is’???!!!

Destina Hotel, Hisaronu, Turkey

OK, so I’ve been a five-star hotel in Egypt so perhaps I’ve been spoilt and know what ‘all-inclusive’ really means, and perhaps my expectations are too high. So the ice-creams weren't included - so what? (Although I guess if we'd had kids that would have been a problem) and there were no fruit juices at the bar (so have a cold beer instead) and at breakfast there were (strangely) no fresh fruit salads (so go down to the village and buy some from the market for a few pence)! I guess wherever we go there is always a way around these types of issues. It appears that some British people would prefer to complain about them though!

But actually, we did our research before-hand and knew that our expectations should be - i.e. low at this particular resort. I didn’t kid myself – after all, we’d only paid £550 each for 2 weeks ‘all-inclusive’ (or not, as the case may be)! There’s not many places within a few hours fly-time of here where you get that kind of value for money. Obviously that’s why Turkey’s becoming so popular. But lets not fool ourselves – it’s rise in popularity has everything to do with the blasted European Union and the dreaded EURO and nothing at all to do with the great British Public wanting to indulge in their wonderful Byzantine cultural history. Not from what I saw anyway. In fact, it was the largish fellow who after reading the Sun, drank 20 pints before passing out for 2 days (my sympathies to his poor neglected 10 year old daughter) who brought it home to me who the typical visitor was to this place. He had a lovely tattoo of “Made in England” around his protruding belly-button. (YUK)!

But really, if you can manage to drag yourself away from the poolside in 45 degree heat and walk down the hill on the shady footpath from the hotel to the lovely town of Hisaronu – you will get an idea of some of what Turkey is all about. Here the local people and some tourists chill out in the many cafés and people-watch and maybe catch the local bus (cost 2.75TL) to the beach. Once, we got on a bus which was full and one of the locals kindly got up to let us have a seat! They really are wonderful people with a great, simple sense of humour.

On passing a shop one day, there was an item that had fallen out of one of the shelves and onto the pavement. I’m convinced most British people at home would have just ignored it, maybe even kicked it out of the way and into the gutter. However, a passing Turk picked it up and replaced it in its proper place – singing along to one of their famous pop songs (The Turks have a really successful pop song culture apparently).

Another day we were waiting for a bus and the owner of a local restaurant which we had been to recognised us and stopped to offer us a lift. He was so friendly and jolly – even with the limited English he spoke – we didn’t dare offer him any money!

The food at the hotel was fabulous, and the service – even though most of the staff spoke virtually no English – was excellent. We tried learning some Turkish words with the restaurant staff and they seemed overjoyed with us for making the effort. It’s so sad that the majority of guests there did nothing but moan! You can read my Tripadvisor review here.

Overall a fab holiday, as usual we read lots – details of some of the books on my other Blog – and did little other than swim in the sea and chill-out in shady cafés. Now home to catch-up with Beachbox projects – oh, and the PhD of course! J

I had an interesting experience, working as a temp at the recent Golf Open championships at the Royal St George’s Golf Club, Sandwich. I had a few days spare after finishing my teaching projects and other commitments before going away for a well-earned holiday from my doctoral studies at Canterbury Christ Church University. I was prepared to accept the assignment of selling a few programmes for the minimum wage for a few hours a day, on the basis that it would probably be fun; my expenses would be nil (I could cycle the 2 miles there and back with ease); it would be extra pocket money and it would widen my experience at a local ‘prestigious’ event. I know nothing about golf and I’m always keen to get to know something about everything.



Little did I know the realities of what was behind the organisation that was behind this event - the R&A. Indeed, had I know about the systematic gender discrimination, the bureaucratic pedantic rules and the general condescending attitudes of the pompous hierarchies surrounding the Royal St Georges, I never would have agreed to work for them. By the end of the week, even the weather had changed for the worse, I felt totally taken-advantage-of and really quite angry that no-one seemed to be standing-up against this institutionalised antiquated, corrupted organisation. Thank God for the brilliant team I worked with - without the jokes and banter I wouldn't have bothered going back after the first shift!

Let me give you an example of the issues, why are there no women in the R & A? Perhaps you would like to read this article which explains about the history of the problem here

I find it incredible that despite fighting for equality in all kinds of different communities, that our English law condones this systematic discrimination. How can it be allowed to continue?



As to the practicalities of the event, there were so many problems, it’s difficult to know where to start. e.g. Why were fields given over to car parks when there were more than adequate proper car parks in the town of Sandwich and at the (now virtually empty) Pfizers site? Without proper shuttle buses from the train station (other than for disabled guests) there was travel chaos as people arrived from all over the world at the small town of Sandwich assuming that the golf course was actually in the town (when actually it was a 30 minutes walk –no bus - no fun in the pouring rain).

Why were mobile phones and cameras not allowed on the course? I was told (as I was frog-marched to the ‘secure’ stand to surrender my Nokia) that it was to do with ring tones potentially interrupting golf players whilst under concentration. Understandably, lots of guests got very angry at this and one was even arrested apparently. It was interesting to note that towards the end of the week, this rule seemed to be loosened and on more than one occasion I saw cash exchanged at the security gates for those ‘businessmen’ who persuaded the security guards they needed to keep their phones with them. Later, discussing this issue with a member of staff, it turns out that the actual reason for phones/cameras not being allowed on the course is to do with ‘illegal’ photographs being taken of the golfers. Strict rules apply to their agents apparently, who allow only specific photos to be taken (and therefore benefit from increased revenue from their manipulation of the market).

It was also interesting that the local roads were taken-over by re-directions for the visiting traffic - with no thought for the locals. Instead of taking the ancient highway route on my bike (primarily a bridlepath) this was restricted to cars only (one way) to the event (although later this rule wasn't upheld). I thanked God I wasn't living in one of the roads affected by the diversions - especially around Golf Road at the North end of Deal.

The poor weather did nothing for the badly managed footpaths and access areas. There was little gravel or chippings down on the mud around the exits which turned them into quagmires similar to those seen at Glastonbury. The state of the toilets was particularly disgusting….

Interestingly, the R&A deemed it necessary to ensure that most of the tickets (i.e. those NOT on a corporate jolly) were marked ‘no re-entry’. This has lots of consequences – most notably those for the surrounding local shops. As reported in the local East Kent Mercury and in the National Press – shops in Sandwich had stocked-up in anticipation of an increase in footfall. Instead, they saw a ghost-town, where people came in and out through the train station or along the ancient highway to the ‘fields’ of car parks, without any need to stop at the town.
However – for those who needed to get out of this enclosure – this practice encouraged corruption – I regularly saw (corporate and therefore ‘re-entry allowed’) tickets changing hands for cash at exits at lunchtime.

With limited food shops and a merchandise shop which physically ran out of stock more than 48 hours before the end of the championship, what point was there in artificially trying to keep members of the public inside the course? Those in-the-know came prepared with picnics and thermos flasks. Those NOT in-the-know sadly had to make-do with expensive stale sandwiches outputs from one of a number of burger-vans.

Like many of these events there were radios sold (£9 a pop) which informed the public about what was going on when. Our team thought it strange that the sellers of these radios finished at 2pm each day. We laughed out loud when they sold-out completely before the last day and then buggered-off early. Especially when we later discovered the last batch sold were all faulty! There was no-one to direct them to so that they could vent their anger at being conned. How unprofessional. R&A you should be ashamed.

Overall, it was a very disappointing experience. But I took the money, like everyone does and left feeling glad it was all over. Would I do it again? You must be joking! But at least I know now WHO the R&A is – and what it stands for. Something else to fight against. So much for Mr Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ dream….