Cyprus – 4 to 6 May
No more apple tea, even in the “Turkey” side of Cyprus :o( That stuff was the bomb!
So we arrived on the Turkey side of Cyprus (North) and went to an internet café to book some accommodation. We then took a minibus, which we got off earlier than we needed to – but were able to buy some stamps, so the mistake wasn’t for nothing – and then got another bus to the accommodation, in the middle of nowhere. We booked for two nights, and if you ever go to Cyprus you need longer because you need a car, and they only do 3–day hire agreements. Planning is involved because you aren’t allowed to take them into the South if you hire them in the North – politics!
We basically chilled in Cyprus. We caught buses into town, which is basically hop on and off wherever you want. You get beeped at by every taxi that goes past, even if they’ve seen you deny the one in front of them. The bus beeps at everyone walking on the side of the road – even those who are on the opposite side! It’s kinda like, “Dude! They’re wanting to go in the opposite direction!” I did feel a little more at home because in Cyprus they drive on the left! And there were even normal cars - the steering wheels on the right :p
My legs finally saw some sun after goodness knows how long and I now have a sock tan. I’ve also got a bit of the panda eyes going on – belle!
Overall, Cyprus would be nice if you had a couple of weeks (though it is expensive) and a car to see things and places. We didn’t see much and it was more of a stopover to getting to Lebanon.
We took buses to the south side to fly out of the Greek Cyprus. Much more fun and cheaper than taking a taxi, though this was a time when I learnt how Dan orientates himself with or without a map – so different to me, but it works. A wise leader once taught me, “It doesn’t matter how you get there, as long as it’s the same result.” Thank you my fearless leader and brother, Andy :o).
We got to the airport (really early) and just chillaxed. Dan got out the bubbles. So, I got to the passport check counter and they loaded me with questions about where I’d been, how I got there and who I was travelling with. They told me that coming in the Turkey side and flying out the Greek side “was forbidden” and that I should have come in and out of the south – politics! Meanwhile, Dan is standing on the other side of the gate waiting. Why me? I must look suspicious…or they sense the “I don’t like formalities” vibe oozing out of me. It mustn’t have been too forbidden because they let me through, I guess that’s where the word “strictly” has some power. Meh.
Our flight was delayed by 25 minutes, which could have led to not getting any accommodation in Lebanon…
Beirut, Lebanon – 6 to 9 May
So we arrived to have a dude greet us from the accommodation Dan had “booked.” When we got there I got into an accommodation-snob attitude and wanted to cry. The place was…different, not my favourite (terrible in my eyes) and the dude didn’t make the reservation saying he’d called the guy at the airport telling him to forget about us. Apparently this hostel is not known for it’s organisation, and VERY MUCH known for cancelling any “reservation” you think you may have. I had a bed to sleep in and a hot shower, even if the bathroom’s ventilation was a hole in the wall, so I was ‘okay’ with that. We could only have one night, and I agreed when the dude told us that, I was eager to get outta there. The next morning Dan went to another hostel down the road to arrange 2 more nights, which was much nicer. I have been blessed with the accommodation we’ve had at a decent price, I suppose we can go flash but with the amount of travelling we’re doing we gotta keep it to a budget…but this place was bad. Now in saying all that I feel terrible because there are much worse places in the world people are forced to live in from birth to death…so I shall ponder upon my accommodation-snob attitude and dismiss it if it should rear it’s ugly head again.
Anyway…Beirut is a city, and it’s big. We walked around quite a bit and I thought about getting down to Tyre and Sidon, but we didn’t. The city is quite fascinating when you see the old with the new. Buildings that were hit by gunfire in the civil war are still standing displaying their war scars…literally. They are friendly people and there isn’t so much trying to get you into shops as Turkey was. There are SO many hotels and accommodation buildings going up, they say that people are “beiruting again”, but the amount they’re expecting with all these buildings is pretty hopeful on their part.
In Beirut there are police and army dudes with guns everywhere. I don’t blame them. I read that they are on guard for any “activity” coming from Israel (which is comforting since we’re headed there in 2-3 weeks’ time). I’m not stressing too much as there hasn’t been much activity for a while. Though prayer would still be nice because I would love to go.
We basically ate out twice and were filled up big time. It was reasonably priced in Beirut, one of our meals cost ~72,000 Lebanese Pounds, which equated to ~$54, and we were full.
Then we left on Sunday (Happy Birthday to mah little sis!!!) to Syria – on election day. The guys at the hostel wished us luck in getting a bus, which was leaving at 1530hrs – maybe. So the only way to go was by a service taxi, which is the preferred way to travel anyway as then you don’t have busloads of people getting in and out of the borders.
I have found it difficult (and I mentioned this before) staying such a short time in all these places. We seem to just be doing cities because of time and cost, but I guess that’s just the way it is and what we have chosen. I just need to have the “taste test” mindset - that it’s enough time to mix with the people, taste the food, see the culture and figure out if we’d like to come back in the future.
So hopefully I can post photos on facebook. I’ve been having dramas lately with them – unable to find the server or something.
Anyway, much love to you all. Even as I travel, I get images of being back home and seeing your friendly faces.
Liz
xoxo
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