CYPRUS

Warning:- a kebab in Cyprus is a 5 course meal with all the extras. Take it really slowly and allow a whole evening. Drink Kokkinelli. It’s 50 cents a bottle and fantastic after the first few glasses. Steak houses tend to be good in Cyprus as well, although somewhat more expensive. Beaches are topless and vary form superb to rubbish. Hottest, driest place in Med. in summer but can rain solidly for a fortnight in winter. Keo beer is the worst lager in the world and Carlsberg (brewed locally by Keo) is the second worst (probably). Overall Cyprus is a rather poor, shabby place. Violence involving the British armed forces is over-hyped and between rival Cypriots underreported. You can ski on Mt. Troodos occasionally in winter. Citrus fruit is good and cheap. White roads on the map are a laugh as they are mud tracks. Avoid in wet weather but see some real culture of old if it has been dry for some time. Cyprus is becoming quite popular for Arabs to let their hair down.

Paphos:- A sleepy harbour town at the west end of the island. Worth a day for the tombs of the Kings, roman villa, a chill by the harbour and a few excavated settlements on the way there. Otherwise best left to geriatrics.

Nicosia:- Worth a look around, including over the green line at the Turkish side.

Akrotiri:- RAF base on a lump of land nobody wanted off the south of the island. Good selection of non-touristy restaurants and English style pubs just outside gate. Base has facilities to match any UK RAF base plus a few small beaches, water-skiing etc. Cider is available in all bars.
Mike's favourite bar:- AAA
Mike's tip:- For real cheapness go to Naafi and buy 2 bottles of brandy, one bottle of Lex lemon squash, 4 litres of soda water, one bag of ice and one bottle fake angastura bitters. This will cost about £7 and keep 7 people going all night on the verandah! In a big jug mix equal amounts (1.25") of brandy and squash, 5 drops of bitters, mix well, then add a big hand full of ice and top up with soda.

Limassol:- Best beach is the strip out towards Akrotiri where the locals go. It’s quite a way away from the tourist area where the hotels are. Loads of bars, nightlife etc. A young persons place. You can take a boat from here to Egypt, sometimes for under a £100. It includes cabin and bus tour of pyramids, papyrus factory, etc. Well reccomended by those who have been.