Yesterday was my quarterly visa day. I have to leave the country and re-enter four times a year. This usually involves either a boat trip or a plane trip, and this time it was a quick flight to Cyprus.

I hadn’t been over to the airport side of town in a while— our city is changing, developing. Antalya can be so beautiful on days like this.

Look who I met on the way to the airport:

He was just wandering around the airport grounds. It’s not surprising, because there are quite a few turtle/tortoise species in this area (the airport is near both a swampy region and the beach). I tried to make friends with him, but he seemed distressed by my presence, kept making this hissing noise and pulling his head inside his shell when I got close (I still think that’s the best trick ever, wish I could do it). So I snapped a photo and then backed off, at which point he stopped hissing and continued on his way.

This particular visa day was a hassle as usual, but it was probably the second best one I’ve ever had. I had some quick-turnaround flights for which I was worried about delays, but they went off without a hitch. I literally landed in Cyprus, hurried through all the international arrivals hoops (immigration officer: “and how long will you be staying here in Cyprus?” me: “twelve minutes”), walked out through customs, and headed back to departures to check in for my return flight. By the time I checked in and got to the gate, the flight was already boarding.

The flight from Ercan to Antalya is 23 minutes, during which time they serve a meal. I’m not kidding. And I’d just had a meal half an hour earlier on the first flight. Basically as soon as the wheels are up they start throwing trays at everyone, and then you gulp your food while they stand there with the trash bag, tapping their feet. It’s crazy. And it’s a big plane, too. But they’re determined you won’t leave the flight hungry. Ah, Turkish hospitality.