a trip to Immigration!!!

I had to be up early this morning as I had promised I would be down with Mum in Emba at 7.30am as she had an appointment at Immigration.  I had not slept overly well because I was convinced I would miss the alarm going off but I actually ended up getting up before it went off.  It was a very bright morning and because of that there were unusual blankets of clouds sitting down in the valleys but it was clear in Droushia where we are a bit higher.

I set off at exactly 6.45am leaving more than enough time to get to Mum as planned.  The reason for the visit to Immigration was twofold.  Brexit has been concentrating the minds of all and sundry on getting their paperwork uptodate so that they can continue to stay Deal or No Deal - this is about time for the swathes of Brits and 'Swallows' (those that come back and forth) who have never bothered to regularise their position often so that they can take advantage of the best of both worlds particularly in terms of health care.

Mum was granted permanent residency many years ago with Dad but her paperwork is so old that it isn't on a computer anywhere so when I went to Immigration to check I was advised that she should swap her current paperwork for the current MEU3 yellow slip and that this would, come Brexit, be replaced free of charge for whatever paperwork is required by someone who is not a Member of the European Union.

Unbelievably at the time the next appointment was five months ahead!!  That seemed like ages ago but today was the day and I wanted to double check all the paperwork and get to the office nice an early because I seem to remember that despite what the office hours say they actually open around 7.30am and I had heard that they were trying to get as many people sorted as possible before the Brexit date.



It was a very pleasant ride down to Mum's - I went via Stroumbi as it would be quicker and where the clouds were lying low areas of land looked like they were islands emerging from a lake.  I didn't really have time to admire my surroundings - just enough to snap a couple of photographs so that you could see how beautiful it all looked.  You can see why people living in certain parts of Stroumbi and Polemi have it very cold and wet though looking at these conditions.

I checked Mum's paperwork and we set off for the Immigration Office, parked up and got inside before 8.00am.  There were a few people in already and no-one on reception - in fact no-one appeared on reception the whole time we were there although there were signs saying that if you had an appointment you were to be issued with a number by reception for your interview today.  When we made Mum's appointment she had been given number 15 but that was, as I said 5 months ago, so I reckon the Immigration Office has got wise to the fact that they often sit around waiting for people to turn up who, for whatever reason, are not going to show so to make sure that they get one in, one out they issue you with a new number when you arrive.  The door opened and Mum got given number 7 - it just so happens that we were lucky that we were there when they did that because after that chaos reigned as people queued at the un-manned reception and didn't realise they needed a number from the mysterious man who periodically emerged from behind the door - once to offer me a rather uncomfortable village chair to sit on!!  When it was Mum's turn we went in and realised that there was one poor girl doing everything, save issue the numbers and take the photographs - this the mystery man did.  We were pleasant to her and she was pleasant back and checked all the paperwork, stamped bits and pieces, took Mum's 20 euro, issued a receipt and wished us a nice day.  Mystery Man took Mum' photo and we were done and dusted in less than 10 minutes.  It should now be a formality that Nicosia rubber stamps the application and Mum's yellow slip gets returned in due course.

Before treating ourselves to a celebratory lunch in the Mall (Mum's favourite KFC) we went to the bank to close any remaining accounts bearing Dad's name.  I thought of him as we were served by a very attractive girl wearing what can only be described as the shortest dress in history which zipped up the back from backside to neck and skimmed her bum cheeks flashing her knickers - he would have had something to say about that and not very quietly either.  Anyway Elena worked her way through all the paperwork - this took considerably longer than Immigration but again by the end we had sorted out everything we needed to sort with little issue save for our time.

We certainly deserved a little treat after all that so made our way down to the Mall and KFC - it was a little early so we went into Sun Tower for a mooch - Mum bought me some nice cushion covers for the garden which may only last a season before fading away to nothing but will look nice for as long as they last.  Then we parked up and walked through Jumbos picking up a few bits and pieces - rude not too!!!

I found some lovely flat-ish shoes in Crysanthou Sale - they are a loafer with a low wedge (although I must say my feet look very podgy in this picture I think it is the camera angle!!!)  They were reduced to 12 euros!!!!! and as a thank-you for dealing with Immigration Mum bought them for me as a thank-you which was very kind.

It had been a very successful morning and we had got two more things ticked off the list of things to do that have been hanging around for a while.  There are really only two other things we need to sort for Mum, one is her tax and I have an appointment with an accountant in a couple of weeks' time and the other is getting her registered for the new National Health system here.  She says that there is a nice doctor in Emba who is part of the scheme and we called in on our way home but she is on holiday so Mum is going to go there on her return.

I returned home to sort the cats out and to get myself ready for John's return as he was coming in this evening on the EasyJet Manchester flight.  I set off in good time, yesterday it had been the last super moon of 2019 and it was clear tonight and the now just about waning moon was super bright and super large.  I got to the airport a bit too early so sat outside The Base so I could see when the flight came in.  I was sat there minding my own business when a guy pitched up and parked by me obviously going into The Base which I had thought was closed.  Anyway he said "Hello" to me and asked if I was waiting for a flight - I thought he might be upset that I was parked there rather than paying at the airport and I said "Yes I am waiting for the Manchester flight"  he then asked what time it was due and I told him in about 10 minutes so he then said "Not enough time for me to offer you a coffee then?"  I politely declined - he seemed a genuinely nice man but how can you tell???

John's flight was due early but actually came in on time and he was quickly through with his hand luggage.  He had had a lovely time away but was glad to be home - it had been a long day for him so after a cuppa and a partial unpack he threw in the towel and went to bed!