After two back to back guided tours we were ready for some R&R. It's funny how day in day out scheduled meals, activities and sleep for almost 3 weeks grinds on you. All we wanted was a sleep in and a change of menu. We were off to beautiful Cyprus for nothing but sun, beach and all the alcohol you could want at our all inclusive resort. I'd traveled to Cyprus about 7 years ago with a friend of mine I'd met while living in Vanuatu. Funnily enough my facebook memories of that trip kept popping up while we were there.
Our last morning in Jordan was the best start to the next 7 days. Relaxed & slow paced. After a leisurely breakfast we packed out bags once again, finding it amazing they sill closed after buying more Xmas presents, and met out driver to make the 1 hour journey back to Amman. On arrival we were met with a tour representative who ushered us inside and stayed with us through check in until we reached passport control where he bid us farewell.
We booked a flight with Middle Eastern Airlines via Beirut for the trip to Larnaca. Having never flown with this airline we weren't sure how they would compare to other airlines we'd experienced. Well all I can say it was one of the best experiences we've ever had. This airline has the nicest, most comfortable economy class. For two people with heights 6" & 6"3 the ample, and I mean inches of space we had along with the full service that came along with it was a pleasure. We had a stopover in Beirut and lucky for us we we had a day time flight because the approach in was breathtaking. The city is built right to the edge of the Mediterranean with the contrast of colors a sight to see. Beirut airport on the other hand was an absolute hole in comparison. Lucky for us we only had 3 hours to waste and then we were back on board for our hour long flight to Cyprus.
For the first couple of days we took advantage of the day spa, the private beach access, sun lounges and of course the pool bar. When I left Adelaide I was in need of a fake tan. Happy to say the last couple of weeks I've developed some nice color. Time at the beach only improved this for me. The resort had nightly entertainment and all the baklava Caleb could eat and trust me the dessert bar was visited each night. By day 4 we decided to hire a car and explore the island.
Our first stop was the city of Nicosia. One of the very few 'split' capitals left in the world (Jerusalem being another) it is the capital of both Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, the territory occupied by Turkey since 1974 and only recognised as an independent state by them. When driving on the highway into the capital we were surrounded by mountain ranges. As we approached Nicosia we saw a very large visible Northern Cyprus flag painted on the northern side of No Mans Land. As divided as this city is, one can only imagine how well this statement is received by the Cypriots.
We headed west then and our first stop was the Kourion Archeological Park. A Roman City dating back to 400 AD, the city is very well preserved and offers some incredible views of the Med. Aphrodite's Rock was our next stop as we traveled up the coast. In legend this is the mythical birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. No less crazy then half the places we visited in Israel, at least everyone agrees on this location. Our travels wouldn't be complete without a brewery stop and Caleb found 1 of only 2 craft breweries on the island so of course we had to visit. The appropriately named Aphrodite's Rock Brewery was run by a British family and from what we could tell most of this customers were British as well. Good food & a paddle for Caleb later we headed made our way back to the resort.
All too soon our week was over and it was time once more to pack our bags and head back to the airport. I highly recommend Cyprus as a holiday destination. It's very popular with the Russian market and of course the Europeans. We got surprised looks when we told people we were from Australia - guessing because of the 24 hours it would take us to get there they don't see many of us often. We've got places like St Maarten & Antiga and Barbuda on the itinerary and assuming we are going to get the same surprised looks.All in all we got exactly what we needed from Cyprus and as it is the end of the European summer the resort isn't jammed packed with people so finding a beach lounger or lines at the bar where easy and fast. Best time to travel!
Follow us on instagram!
No comments:
Post a Comment