Oh it looks beautiful! In fact Istanbul looks like a fab place.
My son and his wife stopped over there when on a cruise. The photos made me want to go there so it’s on my bucket list.
There’s no reason to turn a wish to actual.
Socks is old enough now to be cared for by someone you trust or a doggy place, and just go while you still have independence and ability to travel.
It’s been a while you’ve been restricted to looking after your aged mum then all that other stuff after, shifting to a new abode, then puppy socks came along… I think it’s time you spoilt yourself!
It would be good and then you can share photos and experiences in this travel forum 
I know it takes an effort to do it… and I’m not a big fan of packing and stressing before finally going … but once out of house and at airport checked in… it’s a good feeling!
My fave part on a long plane flight are all the movies I could watch! 
And the food tray 

My other thought—

Buy a van and in winter travel to the GBR, the Pilbara etc. Of course, coursing takes place in the cooler months so sounds more like, put Socks in a kennel, fly to a destination.

Dunno, want to travel around Tassie too.

Yeah.