A very long day/ night – my deadline was yesterday, but I asked if it could be extended to midday today and then spent basically all night, with 10 minute naps every hour or so, working on it. I sent it off around noon, and I must say I was very unhappy with it and feel I did a very poor job indeed.
As soon as I’d emailed it, I dashed off, as the last of our guests were leaving today. I met one for a stroll – he was rather puffy from the despite having a fair bit of stamina and it really made me realise how well I’ve adapted since arriving in Istanbul. I don’t find them easy by any means, but hadn’t realised quite that I was managing until visitors from very, very flat Lahore arrived and I remembered how, during the first couple of weeks, I thought I might perish. Anyway, we met at a local cafe where I bought some beans to send back and strolled and chatted. It is still very warm in the afternoons, though cooler at night and in the mornings, and once or twice it has been chilly after a rain. I don’t know if this is usual for Istanbul, but compared to the misery of London in mid-October I can’t complain.
We strolled down to Karakoy for tea, waiting for his wife to come from the hamam, and the GF also arrived for a quick farewell before running back for a meeting. A pleasant afternoon. I was not particularly sleepy after the long night, but a little slow and physically tired.
It was nice to return to peace, though I did enjoy being with all of them for the first time in many years. Strange that it was in Turkey that we met.