Good Morning Glampers...

 

So good morning Campers - this is John waking from our temporary home.  John, who could sleep on a washing line, had a brilliant night's sleep and in fairness I slept pretty well because the tent was surprisingly spacious, warm and cosy and John didn't snore for England and I didn't need to get up to go to the loo and dice with death avoiding all the other tents and tent pegs!!!  We were well impressed with our Orphanides bargain tent and the airbed managed to stay reasonably inflated.

 

The campsite is pretty well equipped but the one draw back was that there was no hot water in the showers.  A Forester did arrive and give the facilities a good old slooshing out so it was all clean but still no hot water - Alistair cracked it by filling a bucket from the cookhouse where there was hot water and taking it to the shower with him - this started a trend!!!

 

We had a light breakfast of yoghurt and fruit before the group split into two for their morning activities - and we had a light breakfast because we had lounza and halloumi pittas planned for lunch and a good old BBQ (with John-sized portions) for our evening meal so a good appetite had to be built up.

 



 The fitty group of Mark, Jane and Helen biked up ready for their ride, their rather long ride, which ended with a big old uphill which Jane was really looking forward to - NOT!!!

 

Then there was the rather less fitty group of Alistair, John and me who were going for a walk.  Had it not been for the doctor then Alistair would have been in the first group and off on his bike but he has been told to rest.so he was playing Sherpa Smeaton and showing John and I the E4 with the chance of seeing wild mouflon!!  For the uninitiated Wikipedia says: "The E4 European long distance path or E4 path is one of the European long-distance paths starting in Spain at its westernmost point and leading through France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to end in Greece. It visits the Greek island of Crete as well as Cyprus."  Its length is more than 10,000 km, but the route through Romania and part of Bulgaria is not yet completely defined. 

 

John and I had expected a gentle little bimble as those of you who know me know that I am not a natural walker, in fact I am not a natural exerciser full stop - PE at school meant hiding away in the history cupboard rather than running round in the cold getting pink speckled legs and having some 10 stone fatty charging after me with a hockey stick in hand! 

 

However, we had a proper walk and I apologise now for being a right old whinge bag on the way back because I was completely knackered!!!  We walked for an hour-plus downhill which meant that we had the return trip all uphill which was going to take even longer!!!  The scenery was stunning and the dogs had a whale of a time running after every lizard, gecko and butterfly that crossed their paths.

I was very glad when we managed to get back to the campsite - everything was aching and after lunch I opted for a siesta!!!  Jane says that she struggled with the bike ride but good for her she stuck with it and got back in one piece although she admits she was nearly in tears on the hard uphill bit at the end.

The number of happy campers increased as more young lads pitched up in the afternoon and brought with them a little dog who was introduced to Rocky and Arni to avoid the nervous yappyness that comes from little dogs who do not know one another.  This is the initial Mexican stand-off  but nothing came of it and World War III was avoided!!!

 

The Limassol boys could have taught our boys a thing or two about barbequeueing as they just collected wood and used that.  They were good cooks and were kind enough to share with us all sorts of goodies for us to try.  I have to admit that their halloumi was delicious and creamy and the saganaki was to die for.

 

We were fascinated by a guy and two girls that arrived to stay the night and seemingly without a tent - it transpired that they had planned to stay in one of the lodges but when they pitched up couldn't use the electricity or the lodge didn't have electricity - one or the other!  They had no tent but had food so we lent them candles so that they could see what they were eating and when we went to bed after another game of Mexican Trains (and more cries of 'NO JANE - you can't go there because you already have a train on your line) the interesting threesome gravitated towards the Limassol boys - perhaps they thought there might be some room in their tents but they were going to be sadly disappointed - but then that is for the blog tomorrow!!!