The holiday is over

I did my last serious walk on Saturday, a circumnavigation of the Larnaca salt lake. Last time I completed the walk anti clockwise in two hours and calculated that it was six miles, this time I decided to go clockwise and after taking a number of wrong turns I eventually got back to the car two and a half hours later so nearer seven and a half miles but it is all good for the legs. Saturday was of course wall to wall rugby and although England had won the championship - courtesy of Scotland's win against France as one Scottish friend told me - they wanted to go for the Grand Slam and when the French started playing I thought Oh No they have actually turned up this time but even though it was a tense game for England supporters I think it was a great match to watch. The hire car went back this morning and I had another haircut in Larnaca so final panic tanning today then pack up and fly back tomorrow. It is funny now I am not thinking of buying or renting a property in Cyprus I like the place better, as Arnie says, I'll be back.

Gorgeous

The rain held off on Wednesday and I walked the Avkas Gorge. Walk is actually a misnomer for the activity rather it was a walk, scramble, paddle, boulder, really canyoning without a wetsuit, an enjoyable adventure which at three hours was at least an hour longer than I expected. I had my final walk with the Polygon Hash last night, the guest RA was a hoot, it turned into a singing and joke fest, we rounded off with a very sociable visit to a local taverna which was new to me. Besides the heat and sunshine that is what I will miss when I leave Cyprus, every day can be a social occasion. I use a desk in the hotel foyer when I am juggling my electronic devices and yesterday just as I was about to blog I was approached by a guy who wanted to book a trip to Nicosia, he thought I was a tour organiser, anyway he got talking and I was still listening to him nearly two hours later when I made the excuse that I had to got to the Hash just to get away Well a day off today, I haven't decided what to do but I have learned that I cannot just doss around for long before I get fidgety maybe I should take relax lessons from Billy Boy or just carry on, in fact I do have some future trips to plan, now what are the dates for the Lions Tour next year?

Rain, rain, rain.

Good result in the rugby, my precautions worked but it was a good job the Welsh team didn't wake up earlier. Sunday's medieval bridge walk did not happen, the hangover won. There was a wild thunderstorm in the early hours of Monday morning which I thought had cleared the air but I was wrong, l had just found my first bridge on my rescheduled walk when the heavens opened so I retreated back to Larnaca where they had been having lovely sunshine. Monday's Larnaca Hash went well until we were in the circle at the end of the walk/run when again the a thunderstorm hit. The good news is my new lightweight waterproof jacket works but the trousers and trainers got soaked. Today was laundry day and it was cloudy and cold so i spent the day reading and researching future holidays in my room with the windows closed. Tonight's buffet evening meal did not look appetising so I headed down the strip to Marsalas the best Indian Restaurant in this area. Tomorrow weather permitting i am going to attempt the Avkas Gorge, I have brought proper boots with me as when I tried it in December I gave up because trainers were not man enough for the job.

Mimosa and lizards.

Today's walk was around Konnos Bay, the wild flowers are out and the mimosa is in bloom and the little lizards are everywhere. The walk followed the coast and in places there were a couple of steep ascents but the knees are holding out which is good news. The internet connection is now good but my laptop has expired so there will be no photos on the blog until I get home and upload some. Tonight is rugby night but I won't be watching the game in the Lion or wearing my England shirt so there is a chance we may actually beat Wales. Tomorrow I plan to visit all the Medieval bridges in the Troodos Mountains, but that will be hangover dependant.

Back on line again.

Yippee the ladies football teams have gone home and we again have WiFi in the hotel, with upwards of 60 players plus support staff constantly on Facebook etc there was no bandwidth left for us guests. I have actually been treating this break as a holiday, I am hashing three days a week plus a quiz on Thursdays, which we won this week, and also getting to listen to some live music - Frankie Vali tonight and the Blues Brothers tomorrow night. This afternoon I played Boules and we had a Frenchman playing, he instructed us in the etiquette of the game, there seem to be more rules on etiquette than on how the game is actually played. I am on fully inclusive at this hotel but I have been out with friends for meals most nights, buffet evening meals are not for me. On Monday we said goodbye to Pauline and Jim, they are leaving the island after having lived here for 28 years and they are not the only people going home disillusioned with the 'new Cyprus' More soon.

Cyprus 2016

Manchester Airport Terminal 2. What a comedown from my last two airport experiences at Heathrow Terminal 5 and Liverpool which were efficient and friendly. Initially huge queues to book in with Thomson fortunately they had a number of check in desks open but then the security nightmare began, queue, queue, queue for the two channels they had open even though there were enough staff hanging around to open at least another two channels and the attitude of the people staffing the area was appalling, the passengers were treated as inconvenient encumbrances. The disastrous consequences of all the queuing was no Frankie and Bennie’s breakfast which maybe in the great scheme of things was good for me.

Next rant. If you ever fly Thomson do not get an aisle seat, the aisle seems to be narrower than on other airlines and the stewardesses are wider, a bit like the stewardess on the National Express song, there was a miniature Irish steward but he had no control over his elbows so everyone in aisle seats were constantly being battered or losing their books, drinks etc, the poor girl in front of me had just poured her champagne into the stylish plastic cup provided when the leprechaun knocked it all over her handbag and shoes. I am getting a window seat on the return flight to keep clear of the mayhem.

Booking a three week all-inclusive holiday in Cyprus was probably not the best way of starting a new healthy lifestyle, especially now the understairs is packed to bursting with wine including too many ordered during my South Africa trip. The restaurant in the hotel provides buffet food only so that could aid the healthy lifestyle ‘cos I won’t be eating the tepid food that has been sitting on the counter for hours, looks like fruit for breakfast and salads for lunch and dinner with the occasional kebab and fish & chips at local restaurants.

Enough gloom and doom, today is a new day, the sun is shining and it is lovely and warm. I wonder what it is like in the UK!

Looking back, this is the first hotel holiday I have been on since Jan and I went to Tunisia over New Year about 12 years ago but despite the usual disadvantages like the tepid food and listening to the people next door there are definitely positives. I am surrounded by staff who cater to my every need, no cleaning up after myself and even the bed gets made but the nicest thing about this hotel is it is located centrally for all the places I want to visit and is even on the bus route. The biggest problem at the moment is the hotel is full, there are four teams staying here who are taking part in the Cyprus Cup which is women's competition so it is not all bad. 

I have had to try all over the hotel to find a good enough wifi signal to connect my laptop but I found it by squeezing onto the pay terminal in the foyer so things should be OK from here.

Last night I met Paul and Teresa at Lambros (my favourite fish & chip restaurant) and we went on from there to a quiz, we did not win this time. I am meeting up with another group of friends on Sunday for lunch and music, I will take the camera.