Shhsh... it's midnight.

There was a time when New Years Eve was one of the biggest nights in the year for me. In the weeks running up to the big event there would be numerous visits to Ishwar the tailors for fittings to try on the latest gown that was being made, and tooing and frowing from shops for the accesories to match. Then in more recent years there were parties at home, with wild mushroom pate and pink champagne, watching the fireworks from our balcony across the ever changing Dubai Sky line. They were fantastic times and I have very found memories of them and the people that I shared them with, however every year hidden behind the party facade was a deap yearing to find a simpler quiter pace of life, a need to be away from the madding crowd,where being me without the party frock and full face of makeup was acceptable.

This year my wish came true, both TBH and I had been a bit off colour so to speak, and though the pub in the village was doing their usual NYE bash, neither of us really felt it was our scene, so we chose to stay home alone. We sipped the most exquisite Roast Chestnut and Parsnip soup made by TBH'S own fair hands and I thrashed him at scrabble. By 11.15pm we were tucked up in bed, drinking Bellini's overlooking the twinkling lights of the village in the valley bellow, antisipating a few fireworks at midnight.......................... we heard 2 gun shots and that was it. Happy New Year.

At the time I was somewhat dissapointed and I suppose felt cheated in a way of my big night bash, but in hindsight I realise I have been on a long journey to reach this stage in my life and when I awoke on New Years Day, to bright sunshine across the emerald green fields,with a clear head and no clearing up to do, there was nothing else to do but get out there and enjoy every breath of fresh air and see some more of this beautiful island we live on.

We headed towards the village of Pyla, the only village on the Greek Cypriot side of the border where the villagers Turkish and Greek refused to be divided during the 1974 war. We crossed the border at Pygros and drove North across the empty plains of the pan handle towards the dominant mountain range, through small villages dotted along the slopes, where churches are now homes to the local pigeons. We climed through the pineforest, the views are glourious looking back across Famagusta bay to the South and then once you go over the crest the sheer drop of the montains and view down to the sea simply takes ones breath away. We found our way to Kantara Castle perched on the cliff edge overlooking the Karpaz Peninsula, it is where Isaac Komnenos is supposed to have surrendered to Richard the Lionheart in 1119.

We didn't go in as we figured this would be a good thing to share with the next visitors that we have, but check out the vista from the car park!

We continued our journey meandering down the hillside towards the rugged coastline through the village of Kaplica where we found a nice spot in a restraunt on the beach to have lunch overlooking the sea.

We pootled along the old coast road and found a wonderful place where they have wooden chalets on the beach that one can stay in.We intend to return in the not too distant future before the tourists arrive and engulf ourselves in the peace and tranquility of this beautiful costal cove.

We were back over the border by sundown and later that evening I spoke with a very very dear old friend who's NYE like many others around the world had been laced with alchohol mixed, with a dash of desire,spice of life and waking to a headfull of oh 'goodness what did I do last night', which in turn has made for a turbulant and emotional start to 2011.

Whilst chatting about his eventful evening, I realised that though mine was uneventful, I am absoloutely where I want to be to begin another year. Clear headed, quiet, and calm, looking forward to more of the simple pleasures that life has to offer.