Meridian Travels & Yachting

17/04/2026

𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆.

With no business plan — just a hefty investment in a beautiful boat that needed fully refurbishing, and a fair amount of skill between us — we began with cabin charters through booking agents. We didn’t earn much, but we were paid every week, and that bought us something invaluable: time.

I remember being desperate to learn the craft of being a commercial sailor, and not at all inclined to listen when Adil told me to sit back and enjoy 16 uninterrupted weeks at sea. His intention was for me to observe, absorb, and plan — and of course, he was right.

By the following year, we had built enough momentum to go it alone — shaping our own trips and creating more thoughtful, interesting ways to experience this extraordinary coastline.

And here we are. The ever-loyal, ever-hardworking East Meets West is back in her favourite spot in Marmaris harbour, waiting for the last of the spring rain to pass before being dressed and ready to welcome Sophia Efthimiou, who returns to lead her sixth Singing Ourselves Home journey — voices rising from teak decks, drifting through coves, forests, and even out across the water itself.

Feeling deeply grateful for the journey — and excited for what’s still to come 💙

If you’ve been part of this journey at any point, I’d love to hear your memories 💙

27/03/2026

✨️✨️LAUNCH DAY TOMORROW ✨️✨️

✨️⛵️Got my life, got my dreams, got my love ✨️⛵️

The start of YEAR TWENTY ✨️⛵️20⛵️✨️

Not too late to book your place ✨️

06/03/2026

We've run these trips for WalkingWomen for more than 15 years. Such a thrill to be mentioned in National Geographic ❣️🙏

There's just one place available for this May, give me a shout if you would like to join us and WalkingWomen 🥾🥾🥾

Female-focused tours come in all shapes and sizes, catering to every budget and interest. These are seven to try from around the world.

12/02/2026

It will be great to see you all 30 May - 6 June 2026 ⛵️🌞

26/01/2026

𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟮𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.

What began as a dream and huge change of life has turned into two decades of turquoise waters, quiet bays, hilltop walks, shared meals, music, laughter — and lifelong friendships — alongside the most wonderful guests we could ever have hoped for.

To everyone who’s travelled with us (and everyone who’s been quietly following along) — thank you.

To everyone who has collaborated with us, we thank you too.

You’re all part of our story.

It feels like the perfect moment to offer something close to my heart: a women-only gulet retreat. 20 - 27 June 2026

Think slow mornings, swims straight from the boat, relaxed meals on deck, gentle walks, deep rest, and easy conversations that unfold naturally in beautiful surroundings.

If you’ve been craving time to reset and be wonderfully looked after — this could be your moment.

We’re planning some special touches for our 2027 cruises, and we’d love you to be part of the celebration.

💙 Message me for details or comment below and I’ll send them over.

https://www.meridiantravels.com/relaxation-2026/

15/11/2025

A little bit of serendipity today!

There are a lot of friends mentioned in this story - I hope you can keep up!

I was out with a friend today who had been chatting with a friend of hers who is on holiday in India- it turns out she got chatting with someone who has been on holiday with us. What are the chances of that!

Jenny Hirons lovely to be remembered by you 💕⛵️🌊

27/10/2025

"As the hour grows late, packs of kids, Turkish and foreign, race around Atatürk and the square, playing complicated games involving footballs and scooters. They run erratic patterns around sleeping dogs, lovestruck teenagers, families eating iced almonds, groups of tipsy friends and guitar-strumming would-be Rastafarian hipsters.

Drawn by the friendly local population, stunning scenery and crystal-clear waters, many visitors return year after year, because the essence of the town has changed very little. Although these days the boating crowd frequent a modern marina on the other side of the peninsula, Kaş is still a place where time passes only as quickly or as slowly as the lapping of the tide."
Excerpt from "Kaş: A beautiful unspoiled corner of the Med" published in CNN Travel Turkey.

Let the Turkish coast work its magic on you and unleash your creativity onboard a traditional wooden gulet on my writers retreat in Turkey next year. You'll be part of a small group of like minded people keen to learn how to transform their private thoughts into words on paper that are honest and impactful, in an intimate and nourishing setting.

Book before 31 December 2025 and get an early bird discount of €100 per person. You'll find all the details in my post here https://www.insideoutinistanbul.com/writing-retreat-turkey/

19/10/2025

✨️Setting off once more with dear friends, familiar faces and a few new ones who are about to discover the magic.....

Every departure feels full of promise - new light on familiar shores, new stories waiting to unfold. Dee has trusted us with her beautiful groups for more than a decade and we're excited to see how this story unfolds. ⛵️🌊🎵

17/10/2025

16/10/2025

✨ 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 ✨
𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑰𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒃𝒖𝒍’𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑮𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕

𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 6 - 17 2026!

𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕!!

When you think of Istanbul, icons like the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace usually spring to mind—and on this trip with AGC, you’ll see them all in their grandeur.

But the real thrill comes when we wander beyond the postcard-perfect landmarks, ducking into alleyways where history lingers in stone walls and the scent of Turkish tea drifts from tucked-away teahouses.

From there, the journey unfolds into ancient history: we’ll step into the sprawling ruins of Ephesus, once the beating heart of commerce, religion, and society.

Imagine walking the same streets where St. Paul once preached, gazing at a city that still whispers of the grandeur of Rome and Byzantium. Nearby Şirince, with its charming 19th-century houses, offers the perfect backdrop for a slower pace before we set sail.

And then—your floating home awaits. For seven nights, we’ll trade hotels for a traditional gulet, a wooden sailing yacht designed for quiet coves and coastal exploration.

We have been operating this wonderful trip for 15 years for Adventures in Good Company. If you'd like to learn more please visit them here.

https://www.adventuresingoodcompany.com/istanbul-and-turkeys-coast

P.S. Spring 2026 is already SOLD OUT!
Be sure to save your spot for Fall 2026 before it fills up too! ⤵️
📆 October 6 - 17, 2026

15/10/2025

I was absolutely so not interested in History at school all those decades ago but coming to live here and literally walking in the footsteps of ancients has changed all of that.

Take this site at Amos not far from Marmaris, until just a couple of years ago it was simply a craggy, limestone hillside with a view. Now that the overgrowth has been pulled back, those limestone rocks have revealed themselves to be limestone bases for statues, limestone bricks to create walls for water storage cisterns and of course limestone seating in the amphitheatre. I keep repeating limestone because they 'simply' lifted and reshaped what was already in situ to create a functioning city. Not just here in Marmaris but in 1000's of locations across Turkey - and of course the wider region too.

I was lucky enough to see some men shifting rocks at Amos the other day, it turns out they were a team of archaeologists doing the back-breaking work of sorting through this hillside, this city established by the Ancient Greeks in the Hellenistic period.

Even more fortunate, this archaeologist was happy to answer my questions, was willing to be videoed and spoke english excellently.

Here I was asking about some open, deep, circular structures which looked like cisterns but I'd never seen in a site of this of this age before.

I'm sorry I have forgotten your name.

Thank you, thank you, thank you 🏛🏛🏛

10/10/2025

After posting the beautiful video the other day of the Full Moon rising and panning to the sun setting, I couldn't resist noticing the sun rising this morning whilst the moon was still high but setting.

So appreciate these big open spaces on the sea ❤️⛵️🌊🙏