An island in the Eastern Mediterranean roughly south-east of Greece and South of Turkey. It is an island filled with conflict from the Cypriots, Greeks, Turks, and British then back through the Venetians, Knight’s Hospitallers, Romans and Phoenicians to the Greeks and Turks!

I am staying with friends on the Akrotiri Peninsular and the Lady of the house posed the question, why do the British want to go abroad to warmer climate in summer? Which is roughly when there is a decent spell of weather at home. It would make more sense if people took their “holidays in the sun” at a different time of the year ~ though one does appreciate employers do have a say as to when they want their staff to work. The only difficulty, if such it can be called, is that you are looking at approximately a four-hour flight (on top of a two hour wait – at either end if your taxi is late!) at the end of which you are two hours ahead of British Time – as Cyprus follows British Summer Time rules, I flew into Pafos which is about an hour run from Akrotiri.

Travelling around the island with a chauffeuse or a hire car seems to be relatively easy ~ certainly outside of the towns ~ and causes no great hardships, so there are plenty of opportunities for sight-seeing, and as for photography whatever your equipment ~ there shouldn’t be too much in the way of  problems there either irrespective of what one likes to photograph. As the Cypriots drive, like the British, on the left, it is a simple transfer of skills to Cypriot Roads. Newcomers to driving on the island, however, can be lulled into the false sense of security that it is as safe to drive as in the UK – which in the past it may well have been… but in an era of fast cars, slow goats and a general local contempt for road “rules”, some caution is advised. However, the ‘tourist’ sites, out of season, are virtually deserted so you don’t have the problem of ‘bumping into’ the world and his wife, or asking them to move while you absorb the quiet history that surrounds you ~ they are all at home whilst you are enjoying yourself.  Why else might one think about a holiday during the off peak season? OK, in the quiet seasons some of the hot summer attractions are unavailable. The children may grumble that the Aqua-land is closed or the beach is too quiet… but on the other hand, the flights are cheaper, the hotel deals are generous and the welcome is sincere, regardless of season. The Cypriots that I have come across are a lovely people, friendly and speak English very well ~ as they have tolerated the British on the island for some years. The muleteers the British Army recruited to help them in the Egyptian Campaign two centuries ago came mostly from these shores, so the Cypriots have learned a polite patience with us as a nation over long association.

On arriving I was taken for a meal in Pafos, to taste my first piece of real Cyprus in a lovely local fish restaurant, only to find the waiter who was serving us had spent some of his youth in London ~ my home of origin ~ and according to my hostess he had a better grasp of English Colloquialisms than she did… so there you go!

 Sidney Skinner can be contacted here