After a week of decadent inactivity in the Aegean Dream resort on the coast of Turkey's Bodrum Peninsula I woke (late) to the disturbing realization that — as I confessed on this page last month — I had ceased to be a travel writer.

I had become . . . a slob!

So I showered, grazed the sumptuous breakfast buffet (that took a while, but hurrying breakfast is bad for the indigestion) and took Turkish coffee on the terrace overlooking Homer's "wine dark sea" (the Mediterranean, at least this Aegean bit of it, in all honesty doesn't look remotely wine dark, more an inviting blue). Then, suitably fortified, I decided it was time to break free of this cornucopia of easy living. To say, "No! No more free poolside cocktails! No more Turkish baths! No more massages, manicures, beach boules tournaments and fish grills at sunset! Get thee behind me Aegean Dream resort, with your seductions and carnal temptations! I can beat this thing! I will be strong!"