Two weeks in Cyprus

Last time I updated the blog I was in Tasucu waiting for the ferry to take me to Cyprus. And this time I’m also waiting for the ferry but on the other side of the water. 

Two weeks ago I got on the ferry at midnight but had to wait another two hours until the ferry left the port. But I had interesting company with Earthian, a man on a peace mission. He had managed to get himself from England to Cyprus including a trip to Iraq without spending any money. He is strongly against borders and only showed his passport as a last resort. We had interesting conversations on the trip over to Cyprus and had a little lunch together before I had to get going because I wanted to get to Larnaca before sunset and the clock was already 11.30.

Visit Earthians blog to read more about his epic journey. http://earthianblog.wordpress.com

The day started with a long uphill with a strong headwind. And it felt very strange cycling on the left side of the road for the first time. But after the climb the lad flattened out and pushed on towards Lefkosia. The plan was just to pass through the capital but it was difficult because a minimal amount of signs showing the way. I had to ask around to find my way over to the south side. Eventually I found the checkpoint to cross over and it felt a little strange cycling through a big city and suddenly finding yourself at a checkpoint. But they let me back in to the EU and I continued on towards Larnaca. I just managed to make it in to the city as it was getting dark. Even though I had a flat tire just 20 km outside of the city. My couchsurfing host Nicola met up with me and showed me back to his place where I had my own guestroom with a big bed. I stayed there two nights and had a nice time with good company and some advice on what to do on our vacation in Cyprus. Nicola also had another guest the next night from USA. Chris was on a one week vacation in Istanbul and squeezed in a trip to Cyprus also.

On Friday I left Nicola and headed down to the sea and to the hotel my parents had booked for us. I checked in and couldn’t wait until they would join me. Eventually I heard some familiar voices outside of the door. It was amazing seeing them again after almost seven months apart.

We had a great vacation together with a lot of good food and just the fact that we were together. We wanted to see more of Cyprus after a weekend in Larnaca so we rented a car for four days. As a cyclist it felt like stepping over to the dark side, but it was a great way to see more of the island. And at this time of the year a rental car is really cheap. I had driven a car on the left side before in New Zealand, but that was eight years ago so it took a little time to get used to. Our first day on the road we went to the capital Nicosia or Lefkosa, depending on what side of the border you are on. It felt even stranger crossing the checkpoint this time when we were walking down the main shopping street and suddenly having to show our passport and enter the Turkish side. We walked around inside the castle walls and visited and old cathedral that was turned into a mosque. And of course we had to eat a kebab before crossing over again. I was happy to be out of the big city which was a little stressful when I’m not used to drive on the wrong side of the road and in a city where you sometimes have to guess where to go because of the lack of signs.

The next day we drove up in to the “Troodos” mountains and after pushing the KIA up the hill we came to the top of Mount Olympus where the ground was covered with snow. Not at all like back home but it was still nice to see some snow again. After Olympus we drove to Kykkos monastery not far away. It was a beautiful place but in my opinion to much gold and bling bling when the church claims to be helping people in need, they could do so much more.

The next two days we took trips along the cost and had a good time seeing Cyprus. But as all vacations do this one also came to an end and my dear mother and father had to catch a flight back to Sweden. But they are already planning for the newt visit which might be in China.

And I was also back in the “office” cycling towards Famagusta where I had an invitation from a couchsurfer. I hadn’t looked close enough on the mat and ended up at a road that was closed off by military. In front of me was the part of Famagusta called “The Ghost town”, an area full of houses and hotels abandoned and closed off in 1974. So I had to turn around and go around to another road where I could cross over. Again it felt very strange cycling past military areas, British military camps and seeing UN vehicles passing by. Just as I entered the Turkish side the sky opened up and it started to pour down. I found cover and waited for the rain to stop before continuing into Famagusta and the university to meet up with my host. My host Mohsen is a PH.D student from Iran. And since I’m going there soon it was great to get some good advice on where to go and what to see. The next day me, Mohsen and his girlfriend Vofe got on our bikes and cycled outside of the city to an ancient site. After that I went back into town to the beach to get a better look at the ghost town. There where military lookouts right at the beach but you could walk to the edge of the closed off area and look at what once was a beautiful place full of hotels right by the ocean. Right next to the sealed off area new big hotels and casinos where up and running like nothing had happened next door. I also went for a visit in the old town and another cathedral that was converted into a mosque. The old town was completely dead with just me and a few others walking around. And the reason was a massive sale on the city where I met up with my friends who were in the middle of some serious shopping.

Yesterday I left Famagusta and cycled into a terrible head wind. First I planned on cycling longer on the Karpass peninsula, but the wind was too much and a man who invited me in for tea told me there was road work up ahead. So instead I went to the north cost and set up my tent away from the wind. Today when I woke up it was raining so I slept a little longer since I didn’t have much longer to cycle today to Girne. I arrived here at the hostel earlier today and tomorrow night I’m leaving on the ferry back to Tyrkey.

I have had two great weeks here in Cyprus and from here awaits a lot of uphills towards Erzurum.