Wednesday 10th August

Another day of blue skies but with it temperatures reaching 42C according to the car 'outside temp' reading. The morning was spent with me on the internet doing some 'work' and Lillian on the phone to Quality Group tackling them with the 'outstanding issues'. We still wait somebody to re-plaster the large whole in the downstairs study / bedroom where the air conditioning unit was moved as we could not open the cupboard where it was positioned. Where are the bins? The letterbox? The bell does not work. When will there be equipment in the gym? What about the access road that needs making up? Lillian is so good with her approach on the phone especially with her bit of Greek compared with me who gets frustrated and then stroppy!

So once sorted we decided to drive to Lefkosia (Nicosia). I love the new car, sitting higher than a normal saloon car it seems to glide along. The gear change is great and although acceleration is a bit sluggish as a 1.6 engine for a big car if you move through the gears quickly with your foot down it goes OK. It was a nice trip but for the second week running we forgot about early closing on a Wednesday. We wandered the streets through the traditional market area and went to the border crossing which had changed from the last time we had visited on our first trip to Cyprus when there was a soldier complete with gun on duty. Today there is just a box where you show passport and then wander through. Something to do in the future. So having left Lefkosia we went to the shopping mall 'Mall of Cyprus' on the outskirts of the town. This was certainly not a mall of the sizes we have become used to in Dubai and Doha. Two floors, very small with a food court where we had our first Cyprus MacDonalds! easy drive back.

If we count wandering the streets of Lefkosia in temps of 42C our first exercise the cool of the pool was our second with lengths completed and a laze on the lilo. We need to get another one as I'm not too good at this sharing lark. Once lilo lounging was finished is was move to the new swing to dry off and watch the sun go down.

We had decided to eat in tonight so as Lillian was preparing dinner all of the power went off. This was the first power cut we had experienced, which are still hitting all of Cyprus following the explosion last month. So by candlelight we sat on the patio, drinking gin and tonic and eating crisps for our evening meal. After star gazing ........ bed. We are very happy with this life style!