The first arrival

The first arrival at Ercan airport was a very long-awaited event for me as I haven't seen my husband for 2.5 months, so I hardly paid attention to the things around me. But we did make it for dinner to the Kyrenia Harbor under the stars by the sea. Kyrenia Castle walls looked a lot more impressive than I had imagined them. Day one was better than I thought it would be.

I've spent only 3 days on the island and my feelings were gradually changing from being mixed and nervous to being relaxed and open to everything new around me. I must admit I was a bit disappointed at first because there wasn't that 'wow' feeling like I had when I first arrived in Kemer, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, but I should know better and stop comparing places.

On Monday I ventured out from our apartment in Nicosia to the beach in Kyrenia on my own. I had to change a bus in Kyrenia and go another 10 mins by 'dolmush' to the beach. Dolmush is a Turkish version of marshrutka, or a mini bus that travels quickly between the towns. Dolmush literally means to be stuffed with something, but in reality there are no standing places in the dolmushes, so it is all civilized.

The driver spoke excellent English and in general people were very friendly. You don't expect to see a bus full of local people and tourists happily chatting and listening to each other's stories. We had a Greek, British, Italian, Cypriot, Turkish and humble me, the Ukrainian on the same bus.

I tell you a few conclusions I came to that day -

1) don't be afraid to venture out into the unknown;

2) regular people don't have a problem with each other - politicians do;

3)screw all the politics and be ready to go out in the world and listen to people's stories.

Greetings from the Island of Love,

your Tanka Lou