Mal started pressure washing the swimming pool terrace as it has rained so much whilst we have been away, it started going green!
This is interesting, sent to me by my good school friend Ken. It is the pub that my mum and dad had and where I lived from age 11-19. Memories heh? The story goes that Snooks, the highwayman came to our pub for his last drink before he was hanged on the moor opposite. I always said the pub was haunted!
Thought for the Day – “ You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
We were up early and so went orchid hunting in the mountains. They seem very early this year. Of course we took carrier bags with us to replenish our supply of pine cones. On the way back we went into Atakara for olive bread and just to see if it had improved we paid 4tl for Cyprus Today. I think you all know the answer to that question! BUT we did discover that here, we now all have POSTCODES! This is an attempt to make sure post is delivered.
Pauline and Chris came round in the morning and they loaned us their pressure washer, we have a lot of paths to clean as they have started turning green.
Early afternoon we had a text from David and Kenny asking us to take a look out on the terrace, at the builders behind and above them. We couldn’t believe what we saw (photos at the bottom of the page). Would you like to buy one of these builders houses??! At least it looks as though the driver managed to get out. They have been building these houses for years and all the time we keep saying about the landslides up there. So much for their retaining wall!
Thought for the Day – “ You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” ~ John Wooden
We were awake early and so went for a walk. All the almond blossom is on the trees and oranges and lemons everywhere. It’s not quite the same not having a dog to walk.
We went to pay for our PO Box. I tried before we left but they declined payment as I was told I was “too early”. Of course, now I am too late and so we had a 75 kurus fine!
Sadly David and Kenny lost their 17 year old cat Cookie, our thoughts are with them, she had a wonderful life with them and as she had been so ill, they did the kindest thing they could do for her.
Thought for the Day – “What greater gift than the love of a cat.” ~Charles Dickens
Mal phoned Multimax as soon as their office opened. Yes, they would be re installing our antenae today! They were here within the hour! Back in the land of the living. A lot to catch up with having had no internet(including this diary!)
In the afternoon we went to Multimax to ensure our payment was all sorted out and also into “Dodgy Turk” to tell them we had no Premier league channel. She told us the channel number had changed but we assured her that we tried them all. So, she said we had better have our box replaced and a new one. I suppose we have had that one for 8 years. Another day!
Shopping in Lemar which included a tray of eggs for 6.40tl. Yes, we use a lot of eggs. We then went to pay our house insurance but Steve was not in the office. On to the Post Office to pay for our PO Box, hadn’t realised they closed at 3!
We haven’t seen any of the cats/kittens since we have returned. I guess they have all gone back home to the Russian house, where their dog who was constantly barking is no longer there. I have no idea what has happened to it. David and Kenny said it hasn’t been there for a long while. Hopefully it escaped as they never ever took it for a walk.
I thought the Uk had a lot of rain but we are getting our fair share here. I spoke to my sister today and they had 5 inches of snow overnight in High Wycombe, we left just in time I think.
In the evening I cooked one of Jamie Oliver’s “15 minute” meals. Don’t be fooled, they take longer than 15 minutes. But it was chicken with fennel seeds, garlic, chilli and rosemary. I cooked it in the UK but tonights version was far tastier with lots of fresh rosemary out of the garden.
We didn’t get to bed until about 2.00am, having lit the log burner and turned the heat on in the bedroom and the electric blanket, so we were warmed up.
We were still up at 7.30 and tried the internet again, nothing! Mal rang their support later and we were told as we hadn’t paid they had been and removed our antenae!! I always understood in this country it was against the law to go on someone else’s property unless the Police were present. Well, I guess we are only ex pats so we don’t count. So, no internet all day nothing would be done on a Sunday and yes, we had paid and we had also informed them before we left and emailed prior to our return.
In the afternoon we decided to sit by the log burner and watch the Premier matches on “Dodgy Turk”. No they wouldn’t let us watch it! I really wonder why we think things will change here.
We went and bought some shopping and I have to say I was so looking forward to fresh, tasty vegetables. The fresh beetroot looked so fresh and was an amazing 1.60tl (about 57p) a kilo, so I will be making borscht.
We do have some oranges in the garden, I will be looking forward to those as well. We didn’t do much else as we were so tired, just looked around all the gardens and saw how much work needs doing! It was nice to be back with such stunning views around us.
Mal emailed every email address we have for Multimax to ensure that our internet was on as soon as we arrive back in North Cyprus. We had given them this information when we went into their office before leaving but just to make sure!
In the morning we packed up again after having breakfast, said our goodbyes to Torin Scarlet and Jack and headed for the Stansted. We dropped the Avis car off at the airport, very speedy process as a “preferred” customer.
Our plane (Pegasus) appeared to be leaving on time, we were all sitting on board waiting and waiting and waiting…..eventually we were told they had to take off someone’s luggage! An hour we sat there!! A nice Turkish Cypriot gentleman sat next to Mal and explained a family member had messed up his ticket booking and he should be on that plane as far as Istanbul but tomorrow’s plane from Istanbul to Ercan but had been told his luggage would be going on to Ercan today. He was quite elderly and was not sure exactly what he should be doing.
So eventually we took off. A Turkish Cypriot “gentleman”, I use the term very loosely here, sat the other side of the aisle to us and started demolishing the contents of a bottle of Famous Grouse whiskey. He became louder and louder and eventually one of the stewards moved him to the window seat in front of me (great!) and told his friend to make him behave. Of course he didn’t! 3 hours 50 minutes of a drunken passenger in front of me, he hammered the seats, shouted abuse in Turkish. I was informed by a Turkish Cypriot lady that his languiage was foul. I had intended getting some sleep, no chance.
We arrived at Istanbul and it was chaos. The crew put their coats on to leave the plane and so I asked the steward what he was doing about the drunken passenger. He replied that he, the steward, was leaving the plane!! I told him something had to be done about the drunkard and he said security had been called. So, we all had to wait for security during which time he started hurling abuse to various Turkish Cypriots and a fight nearly broke out.
Finally after a long delay, security arrived and they managed to remove him from the plane in spite of his protests that he was travelling to Ercan….not tonight he wasn’t! We must have had about four head counts and ticket checks while we were waiting at Istanbul and in spite of all this, the man whose ticket from Istanbul was the following day,he managed to stay on the plane without any query! It makes a bit of a sham of all their checks…well done Pegasus! NOT!!
Thankfully Chris was still waiting for us when we arrived very late at Ercan. Our phones didn’t work and so Chris stopped at Ileli so we could top them up, we had been away too long, so they don’t work when you return. So, we didn’t get indoors until tomorrow! We tried the internet, to use Skype to tell family we had arrived safely……of course the internet didn’t work! We went to bed exhausted.
We spent the morning packing and cleaning the caravan and then headed off to Torin’s house for the night as it is nearer to Stansted for our flight back to North Cyprus on Saturday. Torin was working late, so we put Scarlet and Jack to bed and I have to say Torin when he did arrive home was still buzzing about his new job, having handed in his notice to his present employer. Thy did ask if he could work an extra few weeks but he declined, so he is just working his 4 weeks notice!
Mal and I had realised with all the mayhem we had been through that neither of us had confirmed out Ercan collection with Chris!!! We had to send a quick email. I think we both believed the other had done it. Must be old age and our brains are going!
