Monday 1 March 2010

cyprus calling


We are off to North Cyprus next weekend for an exploration trip.
We want to explore the area and get a feel for the cost of living and potential areas for a six month winter stay. It appears to be virtually impossible to get a flight from the airport direct into North Cyprus. The only other alternative is to fly into Turkey and then transfer but we only have a week so its a bit of a rush. So we will fly into Larnaca in the south where our hosts will pick us up and drive us the one and a quareter hour journey accross the border. We will be staying in Bellapais. We have a week so I want to try and get a good look around but at the same time get some relaxation in too.
I am looking forward to the break. After all the stress and busyness that the flat sale brought it now feels like an anticlimax. I think perhaps we should have just escaped straightaway after we sold the flat but now we are signed up to a six month lease so thats the decision made for us really.
I will report back:)

8 comments:

Reformed Manager of Money said...

Hey Dreamer ... have a great time. The countdown has definitely begun for you so congrats on making the change towards something much more positive.

Stay in touch - I will remain (temporarily) trapped for the foreseeable future but I can live vicariously through you LOL

You can find me here:
http://reformedmanagerofmoney.blogspot.com/
My new blog which highlights my embarrassingly sketchy knowledge of investing :)

RMoM said...

PS. Reformed manager of money AKA Moneyblogga .... sorry, forgot to mention that!

Anna said...

Good luck with the recce... what made you decide to check out N. Cyprus?

Dreamer said...

Hi moneyblogga - thanks definately stay in touch this time, I'll be over to look at your new site - I dont know a thing about investing LOL!

Anna, well we've been to the greek cypriot south part before and we liked it, the people are lovely, english is widely spoken, the winters are mild and we can hike in the mountains one minute and then go and lay in the beach the next. The food is wonderful. The cost of living reasonable, regarding the north of course this is the turkish owned part of the island where I have never been but I have read lots about the cheap cost of living, also there is the added bonus that sterling is widely accepted and the prices are in sterling. I think it is a place where we could hide out over the winter and live on less than £1k per month or around about that figure.

There are some good deals re Long term winter rentals with apartments starting at £250 with a villa with pool at about £400 upwards and utilites are cheap. Our fuel bills this winter were outrageous.

Anna said...

I was furious at our fuel bills, too! It really is scandalous that the UK gas and electricity companies are achieving record profits by ripping us off. It is a prime motivation for us to get away to warmer climes.
Cyprus sounds great. I did hear something about expatriates having to give their homes away to locals but I think it was in the northern, Turkish part???
Are you going to continue working - remotely?

Dreamer said...

Anna, yes its the turkish part in the north, we wouldnt be buying there though just renting, the problem is that (generally) people are buying properties in the north without good title, ie its land owned by the greeks not the turks, recent court decision in the greek cypriot part went againgst an english couple, although at the moment the greeks cant enforce that judgment in the north because they have no jurisdiction, the problem comes if and when there is unification on the island then the greeks will be able to enforce the judgment. Its causing a lot of unrest with the english landowners in the north.

However, some english people hold assets in the UK and so there is the threat that the greeks will enforce the judgment in the UK and seize assets there, cos UK is part of the EU.

Yes the fuel bills make my blood boil, rip off britain, well i cant wait to get out.

No we wont be working remotely, we are cutting ties with work, we just dont have that option.

Anonymous said...

Oooh I hope you enjoy!!

Anna said...

It's great to read your blog because we will be cutting ties with work too - neither of us have transferable jobs or remote working options. I am nervous because no income seems a little scary but I am sure it is doable on what we have and will be getting a few more years down the line (ie. pensions). In fact, perhaps it's the best way - truly liberate oneself. I can imagine how fed up I would be tied to deadlines on a laptop with a beautiful climate and sea calling me...
:-O