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.

Idiot

I arrived today at 1230 at the Sevilla Rock Art Trail in the Cederberg in my air conditioned car and set off on the 5km ramble around nine rock art sites it was a unique experience for me and I also enjoyed all the deer and antelope I saw en-route but I was not too keen on the troops of baboons. By the time I finished the walk I had drunk the whole of the one and a half litre bottle of water I had with me and the lady who runs the site said I was mad to go out in the 40+ temperatures. When I saw my bright red face in the mirror I agreed with her. That is one problem with aircon it lulls you into a false sense of security, I have now finished a second bottle of water.
So that is it, holiday nearly over just pack the case and meander down to Cape Town tomorrow.
Next year I will come a little later when it is not so hot.

From the sublime...............

I left the luxury of Marie's B&B on Saturday morning after a wonderful 2 day break the only drawback were Wal and Reen from Grimsby, they were a talking tag-team and never seemed to draw breath, I got caught twice but now I know the history of their family, friends jobs and holidays. I had a long trip planned to make my way to Tulbagh. The route was scenic. First I took the Swartberg Pass to Prince Albert as suggested by BB.

The top of the pass is 1500 feet higher than Snowdon and they even put a sign up to let you know you have arrived.

 

 

The views are spectacular and a little scary - no barriers on this road.

 




Prince Albert itself was just another desert village so I just stopped for water.







The next stop was at The Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein, which was being set up for a wedding later that evening.

Matjiesfontain, built in 1884, is just a one sided strip next to the railway line in the middle of nowhere, where the train still stops.

I settled for lunch in the Old Post Office.

 

I arrived in Tulbagh in good time to get to the sports bar for the start of the Six Nations in fact I was early and caught the final hour of the England One Day International where Jos Buttler destroyed South Africa's hopes with three consecutive sixes, I felt sorry for all the guys so I bought a round for the bar, I don't actually remember leaving there.

 

The B&B I was booked into bears no comparison with my previous 2 days and there was no one around to make breakfast the following morning or for check out - that will be an enjoyable Trip Advisor entry. The same will probably happen at the current place but I shall not bore you with my moans.

 

I had a good day exploring today, I went up to Eland's bay which is impressive to look at and because of the cold sea quite refreshingly cool but not a place I would revisit. My second call was to The Baths which are naturally heated baths 18kms South of Citrusdal.

I spent a pleasant hour or two there and may do again tomorrow.

Earthbound again.

Yesterday's drive up to Oudtshoorn was uneventful but for the scenery I am sure I drove some of the locals nuts by cruising along on their roads and getting in the way when they had places to get in a hurry but there were no honking horns or rude gestures, so much more relaxed than us northern hemisphere types.

South Africa's very own Uluru

This photo cannot capture the majesty of these mountains.

Another busy road in the Langkloof.

I stopped of for lunch at Ray's Cafe in De Rust and asked him what I should not miss in De Rust he told me to forget the town unless I wanted local crafts or wine and to head up to Meiringspoort just 20 minutes North for as he put it 'the nature', he was right but for some reason my camera misbehaved so the photos of the pass, waterfall and pools are only in my head.

I had a lovely welcome back to Earthbound guest house by Marie and her staff, this place is a gem. I said last year that I was glad not too many people read this blog because otherwise she would be booked all year well despite that she IS booked all year in fact I met one couple who are now on their sixth visit so if you do want to visit and I recommend you do, book well in advance.







Last night's Sirloin steak on the bone plus two beers and a dessert at the local branch of the Spur chain (which I found out is owned by Marie's husband Bas) came to a massive £9.00 including a JB sized tip, Oh and that included the taxi there and back. Why do we put up with high prices, rain and misery in the UK when all this is available just 12 hours away?