Monday 19th September

Our last full day in Pervolia for a couple of weeks as we travel back to London today (20th).  What a lovely day we had.

Having been our usual lazy selves early morning with coffee and 'garden pottering' we decided to go to the beach.  Not our normal 5 minute walk across the road but to pack up the car and go to one of the secluded beaches that we have passed along when bike riding. So we headed along the coast road and then cut down the bumpy gravelly path with the very distinguishing sign 'Beach'.  (Lillian of course can say this in Greek).  We are so glad we purchased the Nissan compared with bringing the posy Peugeot to Cyprus.  This car deals with the bumps and ruts with no problem.

Although not shown from the from the pictures the beach where we stopped was sandy so we walked, collected stones for pathways and use in the garden.  We even went swimming which was great fun as waves were really quite strong and bashing into the beach.  Well not really swimming but jumping up and down until we bot got absolutely swamped by a large wave and gave up.  The water was beautifully warm.  I had taken two collapsable chairs so to dry off we just sat looking out to the sea.  It was a lovely afternoon.

Back home there was time to swim some lengths, have a dip in the tub and sit in the garden watching the sun set.  A walk into the village and a meal at Pygros, a favourite left us very full.  Pork chops here are just lovely!  Having stuffed ourselves, which is easy to do we had a walk around the village, which does not take long and reminded ourselves that there are still three restaurants we have not yet tried.  Our walk finished at the Cottage pub where we cheered on Ipswich to a 3-0 win against Coventry.  Yesterday the pub was packed for Man U v Chelsea.  Tonight there was just myself and Lillian and one Coventry supporter and a couple on holiday.  Why was that?  I thought it would have been busy for such a game.  Still a win is a win.  Ipswich deserved it and I just so hope they put on the same performance when we go to see them play West Ham Utd next week!

Sunday 18th September

So here I am back in Larnaca where the sun continues to shine after a three day visit to the International College Spain (ICS) Madrid.  I am back ....... but it took 16 hours due to an air traffic controller strike in Athens.  It was all associated with Greece's financial situation and I guess everyone knows about it from the news.  Well they all did except the check in desk at Madrid airport, where everyone was queued having been called for all of a sudden 'delayed' flashed on the board.

With a connecting flight from Athens to Larnaca having a turn round of 45 minutes I thought I best enquire in my best Spanish LOL what was happening. I was told the delay in Madrid was to be two hours so I would miss the connection and they would re-book me on the later flight.  Hmmmm meant arriving 4 hours late in Larnaca but hey ho.  Eventually we go away from Madrid for the 3.5 hour flight to Athens.  Having got to Athens we circled the airport for 30 minutes and landed.  Much to my surprise my original flight was on final call so I rushed through security and got to the desk ...... but they would not let me on.  So I then had a four hour wait for the flight I had booked on.  Security would not let me back out so I was stuck without access to a coffee bar or anything.  I spent 40 Euros following the football results on my Blackberry until the battery gave out!  Eventually made it to Larnaca at 0215 having left the hotel at 0900 on Saturday morning.

Actually it was good trip and the school  looked fine, set in a very leafy and prosperous area of Madrid. The staff that i met were very welcoming.  However I will never get used to schools where students do not wear uniform and certainly there anything goes.  Some of the young ladies of Grades 11/12 where in my mind under and inappropriately dressed.  Lots of makeup too.  It was hard to distinguish sometimes who was the member of staff and who the student.  I am not sure if there will be need for me to go back again as they seemed OK with their admin software that does exactly the same as the one I promote for WCL.

Lillian as ever, had been busy during my time away with more 'black stone' steps made with pebbles from the beach.  As you can see from the picture she was hard at it all the time.

After the late night it was a lazy morning followed by  a full english breakfast at the local 'eatery'.  The real purpose of this being to use their wifi to download the Sunday Times on the ipad.  Swim, sun, hot tub and a walk inot the village to visit the Cottage pub to watch Man Utd v Chelsea.  more drinks on the patio before going off to bed. It was a hard day.

Tuesday 13th September

I am actually reading a book!  In fact I have finished a book - Patricia Cornwell 'The Front'.  A very light and easy read which I managed to complete in three / four sessions.  It's funny how I find it so hard to get relaxed enough to concentrate on the reading.  When I am working my mind quickly goes away from the book onto tasks that are in hand and whilst I am still reading the words none if it goes in and I have to re-read later.

Emily and Lillian devour books. Especially Lillian so one of my tasks now as I head into retirement is to learn to read.  Sounds strange so perhaps it is better to say learn to concentrate on reading.

With it being Emily's last day she made the most of every bit of sun and we dropped her at the airport two hours before her flight departure.  Whilst she had a 'good time' i think secretly she was looking forward to being back with her friends, catching up on gossip and being back out 'on the town'.  Reality of getting a job will, I am sure eventually become a priority so as to realise the many aspirations she has ...... not least a new car.

From the airport it was a quick drive into Larnaca for me to buy a shirt and tie for my trip to Madrid for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Not expecting to do any work, except for me tweaking of computer programs on the internet I have no 'business clothes'.  The new WCL school will have to take me as I am.  Flight departs Larnaca at 0530 on Thursday and then fly to Athens, wait two hours and then to Madrid.  Same in reverse on way back, scheduled arrival 1950 Saturday night.  Still the money is always helpful.

A call in Larnaca to the Cyta office says we are no further to getting cables laid for internet, telephone and television to the house so evening entertainment was a DVD from long ago which we bought in Dubai but never watched.

Monday 12th September

Emily's last full day today so she did not want to venture very far from the sun lounger.  She slept, read and generally did what you do on holiday and barely raised her head to watch the passing goats moving from one field to the next.

The grey track the goats are walking on is in fact the track which eventually will be made into the access road into Perivolia Residences.  This is not the developer responsibility but the local council so it could be sometime!  In the meantime dust is a nuisance.

Having sunned and swam we went for a 'last meal' together into Larnaca.  We walked the streets where Emily splashed out on some 'bargain' trinkets and then followed the promenade past the castle to a taverna Lillian and I have been to before which is right on the water's edge.  Food was great but the service was hardly attentive and so for the first time ever we left only leaving a 1 Euro tip.  Mean or what?

Back home a final drink on the patio under a full moon and bed.

Sunday 11th September

A day of rest for some ......

But not for the workers ...........

Whilst others just sit in a chair and look out .......

But it was not all sitting around.  An early morning bike ride for Chris and Lillian along paths and tracks we have never ventured down before as it was Lillian's turn to lead the way.  (lots of new dead ends too!)  A ride for Emily (after protest) and Lillian in the evening as the sun was setting.  "I should have done this everyday," said Emily. A swim - 20 lengths for Chris, 40 for Lillian!

Early evening drinks on the patio, DVD and bed by 2200. Its a hard knock life for us.

Staurday 10th September

For the first time there was not really much to report from yesterday.  A beach walk was enjoyed by Lillian and Chris but Emily declined preferring the sun lounger.

Saturday morning was bowls at the Kiti and Pervolia Bowls Club!  There were at least 40 members present whole again were equally welcoming and soon we were 'loaned' some spare bowls and our names were in the hat to be drawn for a game.  I was on rink B with Lillian one D.  Surprisingly we were both drawn for the respective blue side and also to bowl third.  A good place to hide, we thought and not get noticed.  However we were soon both congratulating each other as our first end ended 1 point to the Blues and we were the scorers!  Unfortunately it was certainly beginners luck as plenty of too long, too short and off the side followed and in my case crashing into the wooden block.  However by the end of our first game, although we were both on the losing side we had each contributed 2 points to our respective teams!

The second game was not so good with Lillian and I drawn on the same team and with me the lead.  Oh dear the pressure was too much and both of my first two bowls were not in the scoring zone!  This continued throughout the game although I did at least get a 'toucher' on the jack although it did not score a point!  We have lots to learn and certainly need practice.  Some of the lady bowlers are very very good and I was quite impressed when I was overall fairly poor.  However it was fun and we will certainly get some bowls when we are back in UK in a couple of weeks.

Back home for swimming, lounging and doing some 'tidying' in the garden.  This consists of picking up dead leaves and removing a couple of yellow ones.  Lillian spends a lot of time on this and it is certainly coming on, if only some huge caterpillars would stop eating the new leaves!


Evening at The Cottage Pub watching football.  Ipswich lose again ..... what a poor result even though 9 of the team where new to the club this season.  I went earlier (5pm) and Lillian and Emily joined later.  We finished the evening with a meal at Pygros in the square where a meat meze left us completely stuffed.  We should have only ordered for two not three!

Thursday 8th September

Not much to report today ....... completed the screwing in the bedroom and now have a full length mirror so we can see how brown we are getting!  You can see your colour even if the mirror is not exactly straight!

A second visit to Kiti bowls Club where about 40 members showed up and played using 6 rinks.  We opted to watch again and chat with those who were sitting out.  They are a nice bunch and we will go again on Saturday.

Other than that the day was very much relax, swim and read.  Emily is working hard on her tan and is now starting to count down how many days left.  (She goes back to UK in Tuesday).Meal at home and then watched a DVD followed by an Early night.

Wednesday 7th September

"Master Bedroom"

Curtain poles part II.  Our bedroom and the third bedroom completed and very good they look too.  It was again very hot work and we needed to lounge in the pool to recover.  But we think it was worth the effort - don't you?

Our first utility bill arrived today.  George from Quality Group called to hand it personally as all water bills had been sent to the company.  We need to take it into the Perivolia Community Centre for payment and to register the account in our name.  Lillian did call but the accountant had gone to lunch!  The bill was for 21Euro for 3 months water!  We will not need to worry about that bill although we think the electricity will be somewhat different. There has just been a price rise of 8% here and with air con and the hot tub we expect it to be a shock when we get it.

"Blue Room"

Emily texted to ask her to go and get her from Agia Napa so we drove along the coast road arriving at 1900.  She had enjoyed her time with her friends.  We stopped at Mackenzy Beach along the way home at a fish taverna for a fish meze.  You do not know what exactly is coming on a meze - they just keep bring courses.  Usually salads and dips with bread to start then an array of grilled and fried fish including calamari and octopus.  Octopus is surprisingly good.  The meal usually finishes with one large fish from the 'grill / barbecue '.  Last night it was supera (sic) which was a lovely very white soft texture with good taste garnished with fresh parsley.

Tuesday 6th September

A hot day ......... temps certainly near 92F and probably more.

So after the day of shopping in Ikea it was to work with the drill and one bedroom completed with new curtain track and drapes.  The 'Blue Room' replicated with bedding and voiles that Lillian had kept from Dubai via Doha, Qatar to Cyprus.

It was hot work for both of us as Lillian positively melted ironing the voiles so one room was enough and the rest of the day was spent lounging about until 2130 when we walked to the Cottage Pub to watch the England v Wales football match.  We laughed on the way saying Emily would have been pleased to see us going out at such a time - we are usually thinking about going to bed.

Monday 5th September

Trip to Lefkosia (Nicosia) to IKEA and "Super Home'.  The drive is about 45Km but on fast dual carriageway road.  No 14 lane highways here in Cyprus compared with the wonders of the Sheikh Zayed Road of Dubai

The intention was to buy a bed for the third bedroom and some ' Billy Bookcases' for the downstairs room which we intend to equip as a study.  Having spent ages looking around, choosing etc etc much to our angst we got the dreaded 'out of stock'.  Never mind we still managed to spend 300 euros on bits and pieces including bedside lamps, curtain poles and of course candles!  So ...... we will return!

Nice evening meal at the nearest eatery to our home, approximately 150 yards.  Tony's Bar & Grill.  It doesn't have the charm of a taverna but the food is good and and comparatively cheap with two meals, a bottle of wine and large beer for 22 Euro.

Sunday 4th September

Self portrait - hold the camera at arms length - CLICK

Ah Sundays - the day of rest although we started with a long bike ride.  A route that we have taken before which we enjoy as it gives a mixture of coast and countryside.  Heading from home to Faros lighthouse we are than able to cycle very close to the sea for about a mile before heading inland across the fields.

There are many lovely houses that have a full sea view and despite all we have you can't but help to be envious of their locations.  Location, location, location its what its about.

Fields ready for potatoes

Many fields still have great big 'swiss rolls' of hay and straw ready for winter feed we guess, although here we do not see many animals except for herds of goats.  Lots of fields are under preparation for new crops and lots of ploughing is going on, creating huge clouds of dust which Lillian races through at great speed.   It is interesting to see crops that we are so familiar with but have often seen growing in fields, such as peppers and aubergene.  Some fields are already prepared with what most be potatoes.  Cyprus potatoes make the best chips without a doubt.  We are becoming experts on chips and are quite put out when they are not up to standard!

Saturday 3rd September

Lillian (in shadow) soon found an OK length.

The highlight of the day was a visit to see about joining the Kiti Bowls Club.  This is short mat  bowls not the green bowling that we are so familiar with from the stories from Dad.  This club has about 60 members and meet three times a week.They are self funding and have been given the use of an old basketball court by Kiti Council.  There were 16 members present so they played two matches on two of the six 'rinks' available whilst we watched and learnt.  There are plans to upgrade this to 8 when funds are available.

For website see http://www.shortmatcyprus.com/kiti.htm

Everyone was very welcoming and Lillian and I had chance to bowl a few up and down when the members had a break between their two 'roll-ups'.  Whilst not getting it staright on the jack, we were frequently 'long' we were told that we showed promise.  We were just pleased to  avoid the embarrassment of hitting the wooden block or going off the side.

We said that we would go back when they meet next Thursday and will need to get ourselves some woods when we return to UK later this month.  It looks as though it will be a bit of fun and chance to meet some new people.  All were 'retired' Brits except for one local guy Leon who proudly informed us he was 82 and had been bowling and coachin bowls for 40 years.  he certainly gave a few tips that helped.  Watch this space for more episodes!

Friday 2nd September

An early morning bike ride to Kite Beach, along the bumpy track next to the sea, across the fields to the coastal road through the village and home taking 50 minutes of steady cycling.  Lillian is becoming a 'girl racer' who sets he pace and even accused me of going too slowly!

Back home we were surprised to see a 'team' of electricians fitting streetlamps! They are low in height and of a good style and in the evening they worked, which was also a surprise. I thought they would have needed some sort of commissioning a few days later. With a running machine in the gym, the complete fit out is promised next week, maintenance cleaning the pool area and the development name to go on the wall soon Quality Group are actually 'getting things together'.  We still wait our door bell to be fixed though!

Emily was already on the sun lounger determined to get a tan.  A swim and a laze and then we drove her to Agia Napa where she is to stay with two friends who are there on holiday.  Having dropped her, excited to have some 'partying' we continued along the coast to the most eastern point of the island Cape Greco.  Lovely views with crystal clear blue water.  Worth a visit and certainly a drive for the future with visitors.

An evening meal on the patio was followed by a tub dip and later a walk to the Cottager Pub to watch Bulgaria v England.  Lillian preferring to stay at home with her book.

Thursday 1st September

First day of a new month.  A new school year about to start.  I used to have a real buzz as a Head at the start of the new year, good induction of staff in the few days leading into the students arriving, high hopes for improvements. Looking forward to that first assembly of the school year.  It was good to stand infront of the whole school knowing everyone was listening.   In Boreham Wood though new ideals were often shattered by poor behaviours and attitudes amongst some students.  It was a continual struggle there to maintain the upward trend.  We did OK and I look back now and think what we achieved and the First Schools paved the way for the new two tier system post re-organisation to be a success.

Now I do a little bit each day supporting the US schools from afar via the internet.  I know which I prefer.  Part-time via a computer with one more big trip planned or the intensity of being in school daily.  It was interesting last week in Boston to watch the stresses and strains a Head and senior staff are under at the start of a school year, especially when things do not go as planned.  Timetable changes because a parent does not like a grouping, reports to be re-written because a parent complained at the end of the year.  Customer satisfaction has always been important but within private education when the only income is the fees that the 'customer' pays.  It is crucial to keep parents and students happy.

The new path.

An early morning walk with Lillian towards the lighthouse and back along the beach. Stones to collect. Whilst I have been away Lillian has made a new path to match what was placed when the garden was landscaped just by collecting flat stones from the beach.  As ever, always seeking perfection changes were made and some replaced on our return to home.

Our walk was actually cut short as the 'satellite dish' man called to say he was coming.  An expensive operation now gives us a mixture of 'free to air' channels which surprisingly includes Abu Dhabi Sports which show premier league football.  However the remaining channels are not really 'compulsive viewing' and of course local channels are in Greek.  Cant think we will actually do a lot of watching but I do like to be able to 'flick'.


Swimming, lounging and an evening drive along the coast towards Zygi where we stopped at a fish taverna looking out to the sea as the sun set.  A fish meze for two left the three of us 'stuffed'.  Emily enjoyed it very much and we chatted away for a long time.  We were the only eaters in the taverna, even though there was seating for at least 100.  Does September mark the end of the year here?

Wednesday 31st August

Wednesday the day of rest LOL.  After the stresses and stains of BA travel, a night out in the village and a late night sit in the hot tub today was very much a 'chilling' day with lilo lounging, swimming and siting in the sun. Emily very much wants to race the tan along.

I had forgotten what a good swimmer Emily is. Just like Lillian she glides through the water powered by a strong leg kick when swimming breast stroke.  It is actually a long time since I have seen her swim as it is 6 years ago that she left Dubai to go back to UK for 'A' levels and when she did return the pool was either too cold during the winter months or it was used for 'cooling down' rather than serious swimming.  The pool in Umm Sequim was really only a leisure pool with a curving round shape compared to the rectangular 15m length we have now.  This pool, like the one in Dubai is heated only by the warmth of the sun and certainly already feels cooler in the morning compared to late afternoon when it has been warmed a bit.  I wonder how long we will be able to swim?  Probably a month I guess.  Cooler in the mornings? Overnight lows are about 23C - 76F so the water certainly does not get cooler than that.

Over the years when I have said that grew up in a seaside town people often made an assumption that I spent long summers on the beach and was forever in and out of water. That was not the case.  As a family we rarely went to the beach.  I remember so clearly my first ever visit to a swimming pool with my primary school. The open air pool on Clacton Pier.  I was aged 11. The chalk board said water temperature 57F.  With concrete floor changing rooms and an air temperature little more I was 'freezing' before even attempting to get in the water.  I did not learn to swim.  It was a long time until the opening of the indoor heated pool at Clacton Butlin's Holiday Camp that I did. Then I was self taught.  As somebody who was so good at sports at school I was somewhat embarrassed that all of my friends were in the 'swimmers' group when we once again went 'swimming' with school as part of the PE programme.  I was secondary age at this time.  Butlin's pool was open in the winter months to the Clacton public via a Winter Social Club so during that time, usually Saturday mornings, when no friends were around I used to go to the pool and thrash around.   I put that first day experience of freezing water as something that has impacted on me and caused me to be less than comfortable and confident in the water.  I have never forgotten it.

Only 10 lengths today - I feel so out of breath.

Lillian cooked and we eat on the patio and then played cards.  Bed at 10p.m. worn out