Those pesky insects!

Since my ‘self-imposed exile’ here in North Cyprus, I’ve been staying at my mates flat in Arapkoy (I briefly touched upon the subject in my post of 6 July) until I found a place of my own. Well I completely forgot to mention I moved into a one bedroomed flat on the 25 July but I don’t think I’ll be here very long!

Up until I moved in I was almost insect bite free. From that day on I’ve been ‘eaten alive’ by something or should I say things lurking in the flat. My mates flat had fly screens on every window and door but this place is bereft of such luxuries. In the eleven days I’ve been here, I have been woken up (Except this morning) by the excruciating pain of insect bites! Over the eleven day period I’ve spent a small fortune on cans of insect eradicator the likes of Raid, which didn’t work too well, fly spray which didn’t work at all and finally yesterday a product called ‘Off,’ (I’ve re-named it ‘F-off for obvious reasons) plus various ointments like TCP, Germaline and an anti-histamine cream. I was so elated at firstly getting my first decent night’s sleep and of course for not having been bitten by the little bastards.

I went about my normal morning activities which of course includes my morning constitutional (A crap to you and me!) and blow me down, one of the little gits bit me on my big toe and I never saw a thing! I’ve now found out from the chemist the culprits are sand flies. They are tiny little bleeders and the same colour as sand, that’s why they’re called sand flies! They are in and out of the kill faster than a Euro-jet fighter!

Incidently, I went to view a property last Sunday, a traditionally built Cypriot 3 bedroomed villa about eight miles West of Kyrenia. As this is Cyprus, it never quite got finished off (The owner and his English wife now live in Sussex) hence the temporary rickety spiral stair-case, no electricity connected and various omissions that a woman and even more so a wife would not tolerate. But for a man like me on his own, it looks like a palace. Most of it is built from re-constituted material, including tiling in the living room/kitchen taken from a three hundred year old building. We agreed on a few things should I take the place, like the price and I would pay for the electricity (He says he’s a little short of the pennies) to be connected plus the place needs a bit of decorating doing. When I told him I was a decorator his face lit up and instantly agreed any jobs I do will come off the rent. That should mean at least five months before I actually have to pay any more rent.

Well, that’s all for now folks. Still enjoying myself in my ‘honeymoon’ period and let’s hope it lasts. I should mention my beloved camera has fallen over and I've not been able to find a Canon dealer locally but believe there is one In Nicosia so will have to take a ride out on the bike to check it out.