2024 Oct-Turkey Sun 6. Istanbul

I arrived at the Split Airport (SPU) at 4:00am but no check-in opened until 5:00am.

Could not online check-in due to domestic transfer to Turkey (suspected). It is a late check-in when the flight leaves at 6:15am. Strange that they would recommend 2hr arrival if the airport doesnt come alive until 5:00am.

The flight went smoothly. It was easy enough to get to my apartment using the Istanbulkart. I preferred to use the Istanbulkart for public transport instead of trying to tap via a credit card (apparently you can use a credit card now). I prefer to limit the use of small transactions on the credit card as it would be a pain to try and track the individaul transactions. Also, better for security to limit the exposure of my credit card.

The objective for the day was to see as much as I could in Istanbul. I have 1/6 day on arrival, 1 day for the tour start and 1/2 day at the end of the tour. I have to make the most of it.

The Istanbul airport is not very efficient. On landing we had to wait for another plane to depart before we could disembark at an available gate. This was a delay of 30 mins. 

Many of the airport travelators were not working, the immigration sign approach was inconsistent and poor and the immigration line was huge.

This is a poorly executed airport as passengers had to walk big distances zigzagging across the airport. The airport may look good but it is very poorly designed and implemented. 

Even to get an Istanbulkart (transport card) was painful. None of the machines would accept brand new Turkish Lira notes. It forces you to have to use a debit/credit card for which it charges more than 48% fee i.e. pay for TRY300 card and a TRY145 fee applied. This is the first rip off. You have no choice because none of the machines accepts local currency. What a rort, and this is the first introduction to Turkey.

Istanbul's transport infrastructure is a mix of good and very bad. At the last station to catch a tram to my hotel (Vezneciler station) there were only lifts tobtake you up to the ground level from the subway...the problem was the lifts barely worked. There were no stairs to walk up. Quite a fire hazard with no way out. I waited there for 20mins before the limited number of lifts cycled through.

I finally reached my apartment at around 3:30pm. A quick tidy up and I was off to explore. It was pretty fast-paced until 11:30pm (only 1hr for break for toilet and rest at the apartment).

I was pretty tired but happy to see so much of Istanbul. The Karakoy area is the really happening zone, particularly late at night (around 10:30pm). 

Istanbul is the kind of place to sit and relax. Have food and drink and really absorb it all in.

Istanbul is probably a 3 day stopover.