It’s been really warm the past few days and we have done little except loll around the pool. Well… Bob did go off and have a round of golf yesterday on the Disney course. He had a session in the driving range beforehand too. Very much enjoyed himself although his driver snapped for no apparent reason. He hadn’t hit the ground or anything, just driven off the ball and it fell in two pieces. He will have to get a new shaft put on.

I sat in the garden and did some watercolour painting which was nice. I am out of practice so I need to work at it a bit. Having a go at some scenes from our trip to the Rockies last year.

Today was even hotter – around 28C – and we stayed by the pool most of the day. There’s really not many people here now. Two other British couples and I think a couple of families, but the pool is very quiet and they’ve relaxed all rules about how long you can stay. So, we pegged out and just popped back to our house for lunch. Pretty much had the pool to ourselves for a lot of the time. It has warmed up a bit since we were here in July.

We have been sorting out arrangements for our next trip which will be out to our house in northern Cyprus. We haven’t managed to get there for over 15 months due to the lockdown and this will be the longest gap in visits in 14 years of ownership. Absolutely can’t wait to get there. We have to have tests and currently the rule is we will also have to quarantine at the house for 7 days. There is some thought that this requirement may disappear but we won’t mind if it doesn’t. It’s no hardship to be there!

We have only booked single air tickets to give ourselves some flexibility about when we come back. It depends a bit on how many jobs we find when we get out there and what there is to do. We know we have some enhancements to make i.e. new pool and dining terrace lights and gates to close off the pool terrace from the garden levels. But….. a house is a house wherever it is situated and there are bound to be diy type jobs to do as well.

Anyway, this morning we put the last bit of the arrangements in place by booking our covid pcr tests which we have to have before flying. They have to be done between 3 and 5 days before flying. So we have booked for private tests which are £120 each. That’s quite low as these things go. They promise to get the results to you by email within 48 hours and you get a certificate of Fit to Fly. When we get to Cyprus we will have another test on arrival (free) and then we have to go to our house and stay there in total isolation for a week. They will probably come on day 3 and give us another test (also free). If at the end of 7 days all is well, we will be released to circulate!! So that was a big relief to get all organised.

About an hour later my phone pinged and I looked at it to find that Turkish Airlines had messaged us to say that our flight on the 21st September had been cancelled and rebooked for the 20th. Or at least the London-Istanbul leg had. The onward connection to Cyprus was still left on the 21st despite them being on the same booking reference. So… phone calls to Turkish Airlines who were very helpful and sorted it all out so that we are now flying all the way on the 20th, quite a nice connection. But then of course our covid tests had to be re-arranged to be a day early!!!!!! And the taxi from Lefkosa airport to our house…. and to tell Marion etc.

It wasn’t quite as relaxing an afternoon as we had hoped, but it all ended well. It’s complicated flying at the moment. A lot of flights are getting consolidated because passenger numbers are low, so we must expect it. Still…. it will be wonderful to be in Cyprus again even if it means having 3 sticks poked up my nose.