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    We 're off to Cyprus
    We 're off to Cyprus
    We 're off to Cyprus
    Ebook92 pages1 hour

    We 're off to Cyprus

    By Joyce Smith

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    About this ebook

    Take two people with a dream or is it a crazy idea? Transport them to a foreign country. Add a plot of land, an Architect, builders and assorted farm animals. Mix in applications for electricity, water, telephone and building permits, all in a foreign language. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Sweeten liberally with a sense of humour, a smattering of the local language and the help and friendship of the local people. The result is a book that is easy to digest, especially when accompanied by a glass of Cyprus wine. Or you can settle for any other good wine if not in the mediterranean.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPOWER PUBLISHING
    Release dateDec 1, 2012
    ISBN9789963673391
    We 're off to Cyprus

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      Book preview

      We 're off to Cyprus - Joyce Smith

      WE’ RE OFF TO CYPRUS

      by Joyce Smith

      ~~**~~

      Copyright © 2008, Power Publishing Ltd

      ~~**~~

      Published by Power Publishing Ltd at Smashwords

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      ~~**~~

      ISBN:978-9963-673-39-1 For information:

      Other titles by Joyce Smith at Smashwords.com

      Dedications

      Our grandchildren, who represent our past, present and future. With special love to Isobel, Harry, Eleanor, Matthew and Chloe.

      Acknowledgements

      My oldest friend, Wendy Sellicks, for daring to suggest that my ramblings could be turned into a book.

      Pam and Maurice for their encouragement and advice. Keith Walker, dear friend and brilliant artist, for his wonderful front cover.

      The many Cypriot friends who helped to make our dream come true. My partner, Clive Mills for his love, support and belief in me.

      CONTENTS

      PARADISE FOUND

      A CAR, CHILDREN AND A WEDDING

      TABLE FOR THE BISHOP

      PEANUTS AND CHRISTMAS PUDDING

      WINDOWS AND KITCHEN FOR CHRISTMAS

      A NEW YEAR AND A NEW CAR

      LET THERE BE LIGHT!

      EASTER EGGS AND TELEPHONES

      SHAKESPEARE AND SOUVLA

      BIRTHDAYS AND BOUNDARIES

      PAVEMENTS, ADVENTURES AND A GOAT IN A BOX

      KITES, TELEGRAPH POLES AND A WELL

      PARADISE FOUND

      March 2001

      Let's retire to Cyprus!

      Sorry?

      We need to re-think our retirement plans, we are not having any luck finding an old barn to convert, our only chance would be to build a barn and then convert it!

      True said Clive but do you think we could afford to live in Cyprus?

      I don't know any more than you do but if we go there for a week and have a good look round at old houses, check out utility costs and prices, then we would have a better idea.

      O.K. we'll see if the travel agents have any cheap weeks coming up soon.

      We, Clive & Joyce, lived in the lovely market town of Ludlow in Shropshire, in a 2 bedroom bungalow with a large garden. Clive had spent 3 years at Akrotiri with the Royal Air Force, in the mid-60's and had spent several holidays in Cyprus. I had my first holiday in Cyprus in 1991 with a girl friend and immediately fell in love with the Island. Clive and I came here for the first time together in 1998. We managed to get a week in Paphos, hotel unknown and set off during the last week of May. We stayed in an apartment in Paphos and started looking at old village houses, with a view to renovating one. On Wed. morning we were having lunch at Petros Family Restaurant in Chloraka, a place we had used every night during our previous holiday.

      Yassou Petros, how are you and all the family?

      I am well and it is nice to see you again, how long are you staying this time?

      Only one week replied Clive but it is not really a holiday. We are thinking of coming to live here some time in the future and want to find an old village house to restore.

      Oh, there are plenty, I will ask some friends and let you know.

      Excuse me, I couldn't help over hearing you and I have someone on the phone who would like to talk to you. The person speaking was sitting on the next table to us. The someone apparently knew of an old village house near Stroumpi, a village on the road from Paphos to Polis, did we want to see it? We met him the next morning and he took us to see the house. It was just what we thought we wanted. An L-shaped house, rather derelict but with a good plot of land. It was in need of much work and we decided to find an Architect and ask advice on how to extend and repair the house. Walking through Paphos we noticed Renos Pitros, Architect, Chartered Surveyor RICS. Just what we needed. One of his staff, Harry, listened to our ideas and then said, It is possible but will be very expensive, as it will all have to be done by hand, due to the location. What exactly are you looking for? We said a 2/3 bedroom house with a good sized plot, as we wanted a big garden. He thought we were mad, as nobody wants to do gardening, especially in the summer. He spoke to Renos who told us he had a plot of land in Tremithousa, did we want to see it? Of course we did! The village was about 5 kilometers from Paphos heading towards Polis and consisted of about 100 village houses, three coffee shops and one small church. There were several newly built houses and evidence of more to come.

      The plot turned out to be nearly 900 square meters and was mostly used as the local rubbish dump, with washing machines, toilets, fridges and two old cars. To the right was a field full of almond trees, to the left two Cypriot houses and at the back of the plot a line of almond trees with an empty field on the other side. We stood at the side of the road and said Yes. This piece of land was priced at C£26,000 and Renos had previously said that the house we wanted would cost around C£50,000. Renos took us round the corner to one of two coffee shops and treated us to a celebratory Cyprus coffee for Clive and juice for me. These coffee shops are no more than one room with a few tables and village chairs and are frequented by men, usually old men, who seem to sit all day drinking Cyprus coffee. We were told you need three chairs when drinking coffee -one to sit on, one to rest your elbow on and one to use as a table. Clive and I had a brief discussion on how to raise the money required and decided that if we got a reasonable price for the bungalow and sold some shares, then we could just afford to buy the land and have the house built. It would mean, of course, that we would be retiring early. We returned to Renos' office and were given sandwiches and cold drinks. Right said Renos what sort of house do you want? At least 2 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen and bathroom, nothing fancy.

      Fine, I will pull one from the computer and we can play with it. We had no money (apart from holiday spending money) and no cheque book with us, how could we buy a plot of land?

      Renos gave us a set of plans Have a good look at these when you get back home and ring me with any changes you want to make.

      He telephoned Ioli, an extremely attractive young lady, who became our lawyer and drew up a contract of sale. We then opened a Cypriot Bank Account, with no money in it. This was all on the Friday and we went home on the Saturday slightly dazed by what had happened.

      Having found out the cost of electricity, water etc and Village Tax we had worked out that we could live comfortably on Clive's RAF pension. If we undertook some of the work on the new house i.e. electrics, plumbing, tiling, painting etc we could save quite a lot of money and keep ourselves occupied - neither of us fancied joining the Gin & Tonic brigade.

      We put the house in Ludlow on the market on the Monday and sent Renos a cheque for £2,000 as down payment. We studied the plans and decided that, if we moved a couple of walls and did away with upstairs balconies, we could have a good size 3 bedroom house at no extra cost.

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