Month: September 2017

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I don’t know why but I was awake at 4am, maybe something to do with the wind howling, maybe Mal snoring or maybe the sandflies biting. I had almost forgotten about them. I got up, made a cup of tea and read.

Kedi was back again, she always comes when we are here. She makes herself at home on the outside seats.

We went down to Azant, the estate agents, as they needed to tell us what preparations we need to carry out prior to the prospective sale. While we were chatting to Anthony, who should walk in but Dawn and Neil. I can’t even remember the last time we saw them but lovely to see them again and both looking well. 

We now have a list of things to do starting on Monday. Well, I have started sifting through 14 years of living here! It’s quite a surprise when you discover things you haven’t used for a while have fallen apart in the heat. The stitch adjuster on the sewing machine (plastic) won’t adjust the stitching any more as some of the plastic has come away! Maybe someone can mend it as it works perfectly but I don’t have the time. But a lot of our things will be going to a dog charity with very little money with the help of Margaretha.

Very disappointing to read this today, it means I have missed every turtle nest and it seems the one I sponsored was the last, what a shame.

“Well it’s been a challenging year with lots of highs and lows. At the end of the day it’s all about protecting the laid nests and the eggs within. Then making sure as many hatchlings make it successfully to where they should be, the sea.

We have had some amazing crowds at excavations and releases this year, thank you all so much for coming along and sharing our passion. In addition, thank you for supporting us with donations and purchasing merchandise from us. All of this goes straight to SPOT, the main charity and helps towards the running costs of keeping the turtle project going. So basically, without you we couldn’t all do what we do, so thanks from all of us at KTW and SPOT.

Well, that’s the 2017 season officially over for KTW at Guzelyali Beach, hope to see you and some new faces there in 2018 ????????”

At least eventually I remembered to have a swim. 

In the evening we popped down the road to Tervetuloa forgetting what an enormous meal they serve and it was!!  I just couldn’t be bothered to drive any further.They include the hot and cold mezes,main course, dessert, brandy, coffee and a bottle of water in the price. Again I had fish which really was lovely. Mal had the mixed grill which was huge.

Just after we arrived home we sat on the terrace and watched the Saturday night fireworks display below at the Merit!

Thought for the Day – “Every moment we spend worrying about tomorrow is a moment we lose from enjoying today.”

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First things first, we took the car to Acmenya as the boot won’t shut. This time they exchanged it for a newer clean car with a shutting boot too! 

Today is the funeral of my good friend Tommy, in the UK and so obviously we are unable to go but as he was a Marine and loved sailing I promised to lay flowers on the Med for him. Easy? Well we thought so! First we had to find the flowers/florist. Plenty of people have plants but very few have flowers, maybe a couple stored in a fridge because obviously in 35 degree heat, flowers don’t last. We drove nearly the whole way into Girne. We did have to go to Creditwest anyway to show them a copy of our utility bills.

We found one with a lovely florist who was very helpful. It was the turning just opposite Lemar just before you get into Girne. She made us a nice bouquet of very pale pink roses. If you need flowers please go to this shop, lovely people!

It was 75tl a good price we felt in this heat!

Next on to a place where we could float the bouquet and say goodbye but with a preference not to be surrounded by tourists.That was easier said than done bearing in mind it was really windy so it wasn’t just a case of throwing them into the sea because if we were not careful they would fly right back in my face! We found a place in Karsiyaka. I walked along a small jetty but as I said it was windy and the sea was rough and yes I did get soaked by a wave but soon dried off. Very sad.

Mal then said it was fitting to find a bar Tommy would have enjoyed and say a toast to him. We went to Montenegro C and I had a pint of Guiness. Cheers Tommy, rest in peace!

To be honest after the emotion of the day I didn’t feel like going out in the evening but Tommy wouldn’t have sat around moping, so we just went down the road to Blue Door and I have to say had an excellent meal. I had fish kebab and Mal had the “dinosaur” chop. It was in fact a pork chop but enormous. It was really nice sitting in their courtyard. The two dogs knew who the softies were and came and sat by our table! I had my first brandy sour since arriving and as always made a toast to Sue…….too many of my friends are leaving this earth before they should be.

Thought for the Day – “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” ~ John Lennon

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We got up later than usual, me thinking I shouldn’t have sunk a bottle of wine at speed last night! I had a shower and the next thing we know we have someone shouting over the gate “Mr Malcolm”. It was one of our viewers from a couple of days ago who had now brought his wife. She loved it, he made an offer instantly, which topped the one we had last week. He is a Cypriot cash buyer who wanted to hand over a deposit then and there. I also think bypassing the estate agent which we refuse to do. We told him to go and see Anthony. 

Meanwhile we returned the rubbish car to Açmenya and asked Ali for what we ordered. I could have it but it needed cleaning etc etc. I told him I would just take it dirty.  We then had to drive to the estate agent. We apologised to Anthony because of the problems with David. Our prospective buyer was sitting there already! He has left a deposit but we still are not holding our breath. It will be a relief to sell it, we have done “the dream”, no regrets just time to move on and visit other places instead of constant back and forwards to Cyprus.

We hadn’t had breakfast and so called into Açmenya snack place for pide.

We need a bank account here if this does go through so as recommended by Anthony we went to see Deniz at Creditwest and opened an account.  Anthony had arranged the appointment for 2pm. We just made it in time. 

On the way home we stopped at Lemar as we had no food in. Home for a coffee and both our heads were spinning! That’s a lot to take in on our first day! 

In the evening we went for a quiet meal at Blue Song. Kerim asked if we had reserved a table, no we hadn’t but he found us one! We just ate and then left. Kerim asked if were staying for coffee and brandy but to be honest our heads were not in the right place for anything so we just came home.

Mal even looks tired here! We both are! This visit was supposed to be a relaxing holiday!!

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Travelling day! I wonder just how many times I have made this same journey?! Far too many and it doesn’t get any easier, in fact worse because now we have to change planes in Istanbul.

Torin dropped us off at the airport. It is now £3.50 if you drop off at the front of the terminal and if you stay there over 15 minutes then it is £25!!!! We discovered if you go to the Mid Stay, you get an hour free. It is then a very short bus ride to the terminal.

There was a new shop at Stansted, Hema. It was a little like Ikea without the furniture! On the flight to Istanbul we had fish and chips. That was a first! It was a really good flight to Istanbul as the plane wasn’t even half full so plenty of room to spread around.

The last photo is of 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü (15 July Martyrs Bridge) which crosses the Bosphorus in Istanbul.

It was nice to feel the heat as we got off the plane! We booked a car with Acmenya and they collect us from the airport, this time in quite a flashy Mercedes and then we collect our car from the office on the way past. This time the driver drove past the office. We told him we wanted the car and he told us “tomorrow”. We told him no we want it now. Well, he phoned someone, took us half way up our drive and emptied the cases out of the car. We have a very steep drive and so it wasn’t easy getting them the rest of the way to the house. He lost his tip at this point!

We started to unpack and then noticed someone had dropped the car off at the top of the drive. An automatic Focus. We asked for a manual Fiesta! 

We had a quick look at emails only to discover our estate agent and David have had a falling out! We opened a bottle of wine and sat by the pool! It was 2 am when we finally went to bed. It is always such a long day.

Thought for the Day – “You should never regret anything in life. If it’s good it’s wonderful. If it’s bad it’s experience.”

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We packed for Cyprus and then took Ellie to Lou and Rhys’s. She started barking at Rhys because she could smell some of Roddy’s biscuits under the fridge! Lou got them out for her. I think she was being a little demanding! She doesn’t do that at home.

We then drove to Torins. A good thing it was the A1 we were travelling on and not the M1 as they had closed it down at Milton Keynes because of “something suspicious” and had the bomb  disposal there. I know some people had been sitting there  for 5 hours.

When we arrived at Torins we heard from David that we have another viewer tomorrow.

In the evening  we had our dinner at the Crown Hotel, the new Wetherspoons.  Back home and we had a drink or two and watched the ladies football. I prefer it to the mens, fewer egos on the pitch. England won 6-0

Thought for the Day – “If you get tired, learn to rest not to quit.” ~ Banksy

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Apparently the turtle nest that I sponsored was a success and a lot of people went to see the release last night. There was  a clutch of 52, 1 live hatchling, 1 dead in shell, 11 eggs to nursery, 40 egg fragments, so 39 hatchlings made it safely to sea overnight.  Result! Just such a shame they couldn’t hold on a couple more days.

I went off to Demelza. Linda has gone on her cruise and Petro was at Uni. In the afternoon it was just Jack and I. It was the worst takings since I started working there. Three girls tried on wedding dresses and reserved them but no money yet that will end up in another days takings after I spent three hours with them!

Thought for the Day – “Character is how you treat someone who can do nothing for you.” ~ Malcolm S Forbes

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For the turtle watchers in NC…..

“????????????EXCAVATION AND RELEASE TONIGHT 17th September ????????????????????

Another nest hatched last night, so we will be conducting an excavation and release this evening. Hopefully there will still be some little hatchlings still in the egg chamber for us to release at sundown. If you’d like to join us please be at The Turtle Shack for 18:15, no need to book ????”

I’ll repeat if you have never seen this do go along and again thanks to Karsiyaka Turtle Watch for all the work they do. I am really hoping that my nest that I sponsored doesn’t hatch until I get there!  Having just written that, I received an email from Moyra, who is one of the volunteers at KTW, saying it is my nest tonight. Some fishermen contacted them as it was hatching. It is normally mentioned who has sponsored the nest. A slight breakdown in communication may be one of the reasons Moyra is no longer going to work with KTW after this season. Such a shame she has been a rock in the organisation, in my opinion.

We took Ellie to Goodnestone and walked the Serpentine Walk. Unfortunately the first field we crossed, before getting to the woods, Ellie caught a pheasant! I managed to get her to drop it and it wasn’t harmed but all the same it wasn’t too impressed as it flew off! Ellie was left with a mouth full of feathers!

There were a lot of fungi in the woods but we still dare not risk trying any as we don’t know enough.

We went and looked in the church, one of the rare churches that aren’t kept locked! We then went into the Fitz (Fitzwalter Arms) for a coffee. It has now changed hands and it seems the chef has taken it over from the previous couple. It’s still a dog friendly pub with dog biscuits on the mantlepiece and a water bowl inside the bar!

We spent the afternoon cleaning all the garden up, mowing the lawn and cleaning the car. 

Thought for the Day – “I’m not interested if you have stood with the great. I am interested in whether you have sat with the broken.”