We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday, No More Working For A Week Or Two….

After three years, Becky finally decided enough was enough and that we should go on a proper family holiday. Suggestions of camping somewhere wet and windy were immediately dispatched and the hunt was on for a suitable location.
At first Spain was touted, but a distinct lack of flights put pay to that idea, France followed but was not enthusiastically received and it was decided that Italy would be too expensive. As time was running out we made an executive decision and decided on Northern Cyprus, maybe because we knew absolutely nothing about the place.
Our friends the Kahls were to fly out to join us from the UK, and we would spend two weeks in our own little villa (rented) doing as little as humanly possible.
Due to flight connections we stayed in Dubai for a day, treating Jacob and Oscar to a day at Wild Wadi water park. Jacob had been so disappointed last time that he was too small for the rides, we just had to get him back there. The Tunnel of Doom was a particular hit, with Jacob noting that “Mummy screamed like a girl”.
Oscar proved to be his own attraction with a lot of locals having their picture taken with him.
This is one of those things that can be disconcerting to those people straight out of the UK, were paranoia is the order of the day, but in the Middle East there is an innocence that I hope never disappears. It is the norm for complete strangers to introduce themselves to your children and have a photograph taken especially if the child is blond and blue eyed. Whilst I do not advocate any lack of parental judgment, it is something you get used to (but are constantly bemused by) and in some ways appreciate.
That night was spent at the Meridien hotel which was a lovely way to start the hols had it not been for the fact that Oscar didn’t sleep and I suffered from a bout of projectile vomiting. So the following days' journey to Cyprus was less than pleasant for me and somewhat tiring for Becky.
Soon enough though, the Smiths and the Kahls were firmly ensconced in our villa going about the business of doing as little as possible.


The girls had a day out at an expensive spa for some serious R&R and I got to go diving. Whilst not ranking anywhere near the best dives I have had, I live by the motto “A bad days diving is better than a good day at work.”




We didn’t take that many trips out, preferring instead to enjoy the quiet relaxed village life, Oscar and I taking early morning constitutionals to the bakers. In fact the baker attempted to engage Oscar in some form of dialogue for the whole two weeks however, Oscar steadfastly refused and would only offer a suspicious glare at best!



One trip we did make was to the village of Bellapais made famous by the author Lawrence Durrell in his book ‘Bitter Lemons of Cyprus’. There stands the ancient abbey in a tranquil setting with a stunning view of the island below. We spent the early evening relaxing on the balcony of the Tree of Idleness restaurant, enjoying good food, great company and beautiful surroundings.




As ever, the holiday was too short and we were left with a hollow feeling in saying goodbye to our friends and heading back to home and life in Oman.
Oscar and Jacob coped really well with the journey home, which for Jacob was really amazing as he didn’t sleep for the whole 24Hrs!!!!!!!!! The only contentious point was when we opened our front door and wouldn’t let him watch TV at five in the morning (we are such disciplinarians!!!) Jacob went into complete meltdown but was fast asleep before his head hit the pillow.