Day Two: Chilling Out Before PG's Hen Night

3.23pm. Sunning by the pool after a lie-in until 10.30!


I never really tan, partly due to my very pale (English rose/yellow rose of Texas hybrid?) complexion and partly due to my use of factor one million sunscreen but I do feel recharged after topping up my vitamin D levels and thawing out from the British winter!

This morning we had a nice walk down to the harbour for a bit of exercise. Neither one of us is keen on sunbathing on a beach. We like beaches and the sea, but the sand just gets everywhere. Better to walk on beaches and sunbathe beside pools. It's much tidier.


Pafos harbour

The poolside relaxation this afternoon is also preparation for tonight's hen night and stag do. I happen to know that the venue for tonight's hen festivities serve fabulous margaritas and daiquiris, and that is exactly what I need!

Oh yeah, I walked near Starbucks this morning but didn't go in. Instead we had a Cypriot coffee in a cafe. It's a very interesting experience and much better than the firewater we were given complimentary at the restaurant where we had dinner last night. I thought my whole head was burning!!!


Cypriot coffee

4.20pm. I love people watching. For example, most of the people on the minibus from the airport to the hotel were old people from Yorkshire.

And the people in the room next door to ours are chavs who sound like they're probably from Lancashire. One lad was booming this morning "I spent €15 on water last night!!!"

It looks like he and his fiancée are here in Cyprus to get married, and they're having a bit of a pre-wedding piss up by the pool. The groom even had a plunge of sorts by sticking his feet in the tank for a fish pedicure.

The wedding guests are even funnier. One man has nearly started a domestic by referring to his next wife while speaking to his current wife.

Four hours until the Hen Night begins!!!

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Location:Agiou Filonos,Paphos,Cyprus

Day One: Airborne!!!

11.30am The only time I don't mind getting up at stupid o'clock in the morning is when we're going on holiday. Still, 4.45am felt like it came around much too soon, and I'm never a morning person.

An uneventful drive to East Midlands Airport, which will probably be dumped from my memory banks in due course. A relatively fast-moving queue to drop off our checked-in bags and have my non-EU passport checked. (I highly recommend the practice of online check-in before going to the airport. The queue for the people who hadn't was enormous!)

Apparently, however, I am a bad person because I didn't take my Kindle out of my bag before it went through the scanner. David did, but he asked if he should, by which point I was on the other side of the metal detector. Well, I was asked if I had a laptop and I don't!

Naughty Melinda.

Normally we fly from Birmingham Airport and have breakfast in the Weatherspoons but East Midlands is much smaller and without such luxuries. I did spot a sign for Caffe Ritazza's new coffee: a caffe tiramisu! Being a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, that was my mind made up. I nabbed a table and made David queue to get me one, much to his disgust.

I'm sorry to report that it was a real disappointment, and not because it lacked booze. David and I have standards. No alcohol before the sun goes over the yardarm (aka 11.00am).

Again, nothing eventful in the departure lounge and a smooth boarding. I napped, I read, I listened to music and now I blog.


Austria from the air: the hills are alive with the sound of music ...


In the meantime, Pafos awaits with bated breath. Okay, maybe not, but I understand that a swarm of Scots are also descending on poor Pafos today in addition to this American and her English sidekick.

6.43pm We've made it to Paphos and to our hotel. Cheap and cheerful but there's a pool, a bar and wifi in the lobby so our major needs are met.

The hotel does seem to have the World's Smallest Spa but you can have a massage or a fish pedicure! And for the kiddies there's a big bunny or a big rooster to play on.


I do love places like this because they keep me amused, but I need to cheer David up, as he seems to be in a grumpy mood. I'm hoping the first beer will start to do the trick!

We don't have much planned for tonight apart from food and catching up on sleep. Too little of both today!

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Location:Spyrou Kyprianou Ave,Paphos,Cyprus

We're Off on Our Travels Again

I have finished going through the mountain of papers on my desk in my office. I have washed my coffee cup of the remnants of coffee mate and coffee grounds. I have left the building.

It's time to set off on another journey to Cyprus.

David and I haven't been away for a "proper" holiday since we were in Cyprus last September. Although we made it to Rome and Paris for rugby weekends and to Edinburgh for Hogmanay, this will be our first week away from work and into the sun this year.

Despite the fact that this will be our third trip to Pafos to see our friends Pauline and Stevie, this will be a trip with a difference because Pauline and Stevie are getting married on Saturday.

So once we're off it will not just be sun and moussaka but sun, moussaka, a hen night, a stag do, a wedding, an F1 watching party and karting.

And I'm ready!


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