Fawlty Towers or Gracie Towers?

I am not sure whether Cyprus is ready or not but the Clan Gracie arrive tonight and Polis will never be the same again. The great adventure we set out on just over two years ago is being re-enacted by David and Letitia (not forgetting Bonnie the dog), and I shall picking them up from Paphos Airport this evening. It seems only yesterday that we walked into the Arrivals Hall there, looking at the brilliant sunshine and with Palm trees waving outside, and hardly able to contain our laughter as we had been completely ignored by passport control. He seemed more interested in reading the book that was on his knee.

And so their adventure begins, and to those of you waiting to follow in their footsteps ... research, research, research. Of course those of you planning to arrive in 2015 will have the benefit of my ebook to help you on your way. If only my book had been available two years ago ... but actually we didn't make any really dreadful mistakes, and we had the advice (and opinions) of people we had met or were soon to meet.

Tomorrow Becky and Pam, friends from Bexhill, arrive to stay for ten days and they were our first visitors last year. The weather won't be quite as warm as it was in early May, but we are looking forward to seeing them again. Odysseas, from Polis, will be meeting them at the airport and bringing them back to Polis - where their hire car and Ann and I will be waiting. If you are considering hiring a car when visiting Cyprus, and are staying in this area, Odysseas is your man. With very competitive rates, he will pick you up from Paphos airport, and also return you there at the end of your stay (and that service is included in the price). I reckon if Pam and Becky had taken a taxi from the airport to our house, and had done the same on their departure, the taxi fares would have been just about what they are paying for ten days' car hire. A classic win-win situation. Added to which he has given us leave to pick avocados and mandarins from his land at the end of our drive, and brought round loads of green olives (prepared by his mother) as a gift yesterday.

And then on 11th November, just after Becky and Pam return to the UK, Ann's daughter (another Becky) arrives to stay. And how many shopping days left till Christmas?