If you can’t stand the Cyprus heat…

After living here for a few years now, I reckon I've discovered how you can spot a dug-in TRNC expat from a newbie from 60 paces.

1. We're the ones who were dancing around like idiots during the only rainstorm in August that anyone can remember (unless you weren't in Alsancak of course). We know that rain means less cash for the tankerman.

2. We're the ones carefully counting the lira and NOT saying how brilliant the exchange rate is compared to the Euro.

3. We're the ones whose sandals are dusty, whose cars are dusty, whose patio/roof terrace is dusty, and who know that cleaning them when the wind blows is a complete waste of time.

4.. We're the ones NOT moving about at midday wearing nothing but shorts, inadequate sunscreen and red raw skin. We know better than to fry.

5. We're the ones who are still here after October half term, and who wake up every morning to the promise of sunshine and the lure of the ocean. And not a Tube or train or bendy bus in sight. Bliss!

For those of you suffering the winds and rains of a dying tropical storm in the UK, here's one website guaranteed to make you green with jealousy - Nigel Heasman's weather page.

Nigel's incredibly detailed site has got every temperature reading you could ever need, and more, but the most interesting reading is the total rainfall this year to date - 34.7 cms. That's just over the length of the average school ruler. I used to get that much in a flash flood on my patio in Blighty.

Ah well, time to call that tankerman again...

Kathy