03/11/2009, Somewhere near London...
With our Cyprus trip now seeming an age away, we are now busy packing spares, spares and more spares for our return to Grenada in two week's time. With various lists floating around the place, we think we have covered everything we need for our 6,500 Nm sail to Cyprus, which means we must have forgotton something important which no doubt we will find out at some stage, just when we need it! We have had a great time back in England/Scotland/France/Cyprus, catching up with family and friends, and with only two more 'leaving do's' to go, time is flying by at a phenomenal rate of knots. It has been great news to see that no hurricanes have hit Grenada this year (so far!) - this was a major concern when we left the boat having seen what Hurricane IVAN did to Grenada in 2004. So, with any luck, when we return on the 17th, the boat should still be propped up on it's stilts where we left it back in June. We are looking forward to getting afloat again and will get the blog running again on a more regular basis as we explore more of the Caribbean. Our first challenge on our return, after we have carried out a few minor repairs, is to sail in one hop from Grenada to Saint Lucia, arriving by the 8th December. We have volunteered to 'man' the ARC 2009 Finish Line for a few days to time arrivals of boats that complete this year's Atlantic crossing which sets off on the 22nd November from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Check out www.worldcruising.com/arc if you are interested to see what's going on. By assisting with the finish line, we get to go to a few ARC parties in Rodney Bay, most of which we arrived too late for last year, so we will make the most of these as and when we can. Offering assistance is our way of thanking the ARC team for running an excellent event last year which for us will remain unforgettable. So, for now it's back to the packing, and reading some almanacs, and refreshing myself on how to use the sextant again. We just hope that after a five month gap, we can actually remember how to sail the boat!
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04/10/2009, Chlorakas, Cyprus
... and tonight really was nothing like a quiet night out in Cyprus! With 'Ms Debonair' providing the drag queen entertainment at Ben's Bar on the Tomb of the Kings Road, I just knew I was sitting in a dangerous location, far too close to the stage. I certainly paid the penalty! Described (by him/her) as a rich, old, baldy, it went downhill from there! The good news was that the rest of our table were also suitably victimised during the show which took the heat off me slightly. Cyprus is proving great again, as usual, with scorching weather and warm evenings, and a very relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle, complimented by numerous kebabs, mezes, and cheap red wine at 2 Euros a bottle. So, we have had no quiet nights in since our arrival, but then that's the Med for you. We're off to Larnaca Marina tomorrow to investigate storage for QUASAR IV once we arrive here in July next year, with a trip to Latchi and Polis on Tuesday for the same reasons. Marina fees here are one sixth of the cost of those in the UK, so we should be able to get some work done if we get any time off from the new job!
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29/09/2009, St Nicolas, Chloraka, Cyprus
Cyprus has been, without doubt, one of our favourite places ever since we lived here for three years about ten years ago. This is our first return visit and we are staying with our friends Colin and Wendy in Chloraka, near Paphos. The weather is fantastic as usual and the view out to sea across Coral Bay very impressive. We are here for part holiday, part 'find a job for next year'. We are returning in QUASAR IV across the Atlantic next year to the Mediterranean and planning on stopping in Cyprus for the foreseeable future. This is our opportunity to find out what is on offer, where we will be able to live, and where to store QUASAR IV while we save for some more Sailing Vouchers (also known as 'cash'). There is a great deal of building going on around Paphos and we always remembered Cyprus as a gigantic building site so it appears that nothing much has changed here. The great thing is that you do not need to travel far to get away from the noise of JCBs, tourists, and the hustle and bustle of a very busy Paphos town, and find yourself in a quiet country spot without a sound. We have been eating very much as the locals do again here and have found a fantastic restaurant that does a three course meal for 11 Euros - amazing. Washed down with a good old Keo Beer, and we do not feel that we have been away from this great country for very long at all.
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