Awwww….. our last day….. The morning was very pleasant and leisurely. We’d done most of the work yesterday. Bob went down to the yapi (opened again today) and got a new garden tap – one of the old ones failed yesterday and fitted that. I watered all the pots and made sure the drip-water-bottles were full and functioning in them. Stripped the beds and made a pile of laundry for Marion to collect and take to the commercial laundry. I’d washed all the towels yesterday and they were dry by this morning so I put them away in the airing cupboard. Just left 2 out for us.

Packed up the lockup cupboards. Pacific came and picked up the hire car at 1030. They’ve been brilliant. Will certainly use them again in the autumn.

We were all finished by 10 so we lobbed in the pool for a couple of hours for a last wallow. It was lovely. Will miss being able to do that. I know Folkestone is only a mile or so down the road but the water temperature is possibly a bit too “refreshing”…… We’ll give it a go!

I made a late breakfast of eggs, bacon and beans to hold us until our sumptuous BA flight meal later tonight. A beef and ale pie is the only hot thing on offer. We’ve ordered it anyway, along with drinks. Don’t want to be caught out like Daisy was when they had absolutely nothing available to eat or drink on the flight unless you’d pre-purchased. Disgraceful for a 5.5 hour flight really. I hope the new owner of IAG stops this race to the bottom. It’s an embarrassment for what is deemed to be our national carrier.

Issy, Ozi’s sister came in the cab to pick us up just before 1215. It was a really smooth, pleasant journey to Larnaca. Took about 75 minutes. No problem at all at the border. Documents inspected and waved through. No problem at all at Larnaca. The BA check in lady was delighted we’d got Verifly! “Ah, you’ve saved me a lot of work”, she said. No problem at all at exit immigration. Stamped out without comment.

Had a mooch around the duty free shops. Sprayed myself lavishly with Penhaligon’s Cairo, a favourite of the moment. Then had a nice glass of wine (price was a bit of a shock after the north, welcome to the Eurozone!!!) and relaxed with the internet. All very pleasant.

The flight was on time and pretty painless. A very new plane which was absolutely spotless. Probably only about 40 people aboard. We were in row 9, the first row of economy with an empty seat between us. Had to laugh when the Tom Kerridge Steak and Ale pie turned up. It was literally smaller than the average Xmas mince pie. And came in a brown bag. Good job we weren’t very hungry.

Landed early at Terminal 5, LHR. It was a bus in to the terminal and then a very very fast transit through the formalities. Routed straight to the e-gates and in we came. Our bags were already on the carrousel when we came out. I doubt it took 30 minutes from exiting the plane to exiting the airport.

John, the hero, was there to pick us up and we had a most convivial trip back, catching up on the news. The house was fine when we arrived. The post is held of course, but there was quite a collection of junk through the letterbox. I can see that the garden is rather more of a jungle than it was designed to be. A very very major hack back will be necessary over the coming days……..

Glad to be back. It’s pretty warm. We have the ceiling fan going and lots of windows open…..