We say Goodbye to our Family...

So today was the day that the Thomas/Godfrey clan (and I should say Cockerill as Ellie and Andy are married after all!!) had to pack up their things and vacate the villa and make their way back home and work on Thursday.  They seem to have had a brilliant holiday - the weather has improved daily.  When they first arrived they were sitting out in the evenings in blankets! 

Their flight back to Birmingham meant that they had to check-in at 1.00pm and so Dad had suggested that we go to Mandria and have an early lunch at the Fish and Chips taverna which is absolutely fantastic (if you like fish and chips of course!!).

We were all feeling a little bit foodied out at the moment so most of us opted for a child's portion.  Want to see what a child's portion looks like?  well check out my aunt's plate on the right - there were about half a dozen pieces of battered fish on it!!!  It's strange isn't it that you don't think you are hungry and then when something really lovely is put in front of you you can manage to eat it.  Now fish and chips are not my first choice for a meal but when they are this good I really do enjoy them.  So if any of you reading this are ever in Cyprus and want to eat some corking fish and chips then go to Mandria which is just after the airport if you are travelling from Paphos - there are quite a number of eating places in Mandria and I bet they are nice too but you cannot miss the fish and chip one - it has the blue sign - and you MUST BOOK otherwise you could be very disappointed.

As you can imagine it was quite emotional when we came to say goodbye.  Mum and Dad get to see John and I all the time so time spent with my sister and her family is special and precious and it is lovely that my niece Ellie - their grand-daughter - still wants to spend time in their company even though she is fairly newly married and probably has a million and one other places she might want to visit!  It was brilliant that Kaye, Richard, Ellie and her two brothers Matthew and Michael were all here last year for Dad's 80th birthday - it meant a lot.  Sadly we did have to say our goodbye's and we left with Aunty Joyce and Uncle David to take them back to Emba whilst Mum and Dad went to the airport.  I understand that their flight was slightly delayed but am sure they got home safe and sound.  Until the next time...