Three of the absolute cutest dogs have officially stolen my heart — Dad, daughter and Mum … Charlie, Ruby and Pixie. If this is the welcoming committee, I’d say the next three weeks are shaping up beautifully already.
Jane flies out tonight to Egypt, with a little stopover in Turkey to keep things interesting. Some friends seem more worried than she is about the current Middle East situation, but after speaking with friends on the ground in Egypt, the general consensus is calm — just a bit of extra security and possibly longer waits through immigration. Nothing like a little patience-building exercise to start a trip! She hasn’t booked a return ticket yet — choosing instead to see how she feels once she arrives. I rather admire that kind of freedom.
Yesterday was a two-hour bus adventure into the village (public transport: always an experience), followed by dinner with Baret from Cyprus and Katarina from Austria, who conveniently live just around the corner. It’s always reassuring to find friendly faces nearby. Katarina is an incredible vegetarian chef — I may have unintentionally secured myself some future dinner invitations.
And the cold? Yes, it’s chilly… but not nearly as dramatic as I had braced myself for. I’ll call that a small seasonal victory.
So far: adorable dogs, brave travel plans, new friends, good food and tolerable temperatures. I’d say that’s a solid start.