snakes - water - litter

ajney


Joined: 30/04/2008
Posts: 40

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 11:45

Hello. I am new to the forum but have spent some time reading your threads. It is clear that you all love Cyprus. I spent some time there early 1974 and before. I was staying in what is now called Olanzoy and loved it there. I have recently been giving some thought to buying a property in the same area to retire to. However I now have a slightly tarnished image of the place. Is the litter really a problem - it was so beatuful when I was there I find it hard to imagine full of litter. There is talk of a water pipeline from Turkey. If that does not happen, in the light of climate change what are the propects for adequate water supply. Lastly I would be looking to buy an old village house in Bellapis, Ozanoy - there is virtually nothing for sale on the web. Are they very hard to find or just advertised locally. What about renovating an old house how do the building costs compare to the UK.

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 12:23

Hi ajney and Welcome

Litter can be a problem but I don't think its quite as bad as people say. I think the main problem is when you arrive you notice it but then after a while you don't really see it any longer. Its the same as the UK. If you really look around you will see every piece of paper, dropped coke can/bottle/dog mess. If you live there long enough you don't seem to see any longer it just becomes part of the place.

Karen

cruggs


Joined: 06/04/2008
Posts: 498

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 13:06

hi ajney.welcome to the forum , the only way to make up your mind, would be

too visit, the country and look around,as we have done, and as karen has said

you dont notice it after awhile.as honestly , could it be any worst than kent, as

too the water, situation, i cant comment. on your heading, (snakes,) is this a

referance to ex pats or just people from Kent.as we hope too slither,over to nc

permenantly.this year.ps no snakes , were harmed in the typing ,of this reply!!!

have a nice day.

cruggs


Joined: 06/04/2008
Posts: 498

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 15:13

hi again ajney. hope you dont think my reply was factious,just light hearted

banter,as we also live in kent for our sins.wont give our adress as as i might now be in trouble.have a nice day when it stop,s raining.

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 15:43

Hi ajney,



I agree with Karen, there is a litter problem here and it is mainly the locals that cause it. There are no recycling bins here as in England and as far as I know there is only one land fill site in the north. In England we have got used to having these facilities on our doorstep and yet we still have problems with litter. I think with a little education from us Brits and some pressure put on the government, we should be able to make a big difference over time. Yes there is a water problem here but again a pipeline from Turkey is promised. We do have snakes and scorpions in Cyprus, you have to learn to recognise the ones that could be dangerious. Lastly there are old properties for renovation in Ozonkoy, I looked at 2 last year. Renovation costs are lower than in UK, just shop around for a good builder, word of mouth is best. Ozonkoy is a lovely village and I am sure you would be very happy in the TRNC.



AA

mint1955



Joined: 30/05/2007
Posts: 988

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 16:05

Hi Cruggs,

We are also from Kent and have just bought a villa at Sweetwater Bay. We will be going over again in July for a couple of weeks to really have a good look around.

Sheila&Phil

cruggs


Joined: 06/04/2008
Posts: 498

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 16:51

hi.sheila&phil aka mint1955.

glad to read some body else from a civilised area,has bought in n.c perhaps

we wont be alone when we get there!!

p.s.dont forget the sand fly cream and strawberries.

have a nice day.

Madthai


Joined: 30/04/2008
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 19:17

Hi, I'm new to the forum. We have a house in Thailand at the moment but are hoping to sell and move to TRNC. We have a major problem here with the Thais and their rubbish. There is a fantastic collection and recycling service which we pay 10pence per month for!!!! But do the Thai's use it not likely. They burn everything, which plays havoc with the washing and keping the swimming pool clean. Perhaps someone could update me on what the problem is exactly in TRNC

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 19:41

Hi Madthai

the problem is plastic. Whether it be bottles or bags people just throw them into the hedgerows. The beaches are quite littered but that isn't the fault of the locals, most of it comes in with the waves and stops at the beach.

A large proportion of builders are also a problem as they just dump their rubble at the next available spot.

We have a twice weekly rubbish collection in our village and are very grateful for this. Our bin is always full even though we compost as much food waste as possible you still manage to accumulate a lot of stuff for the bins.

Karen

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 20:02

Madthai

Suggest you read the many tales of woe on this and the other NC forums to realise 'what the problem is' in the TRNC before you move.

Good luck!

Martin

ajney


Joined: 30/04/2008
Posts: 40

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 20:05

Hello all. Thanks very much for your replies. i actually forgot to post my question about snakes. I have a real snake phobia and would like to know if it is common to encounter them (not the Kentish ones). When I was in Cyprus in the seventies the village was overun with cats. We were told that St Helen had brought cats to the island many years ago to keep the snake poulation down. Reading the forum I see that poison in being put down which must be killing the snake killing cats.



What happens to household rubbish, I assume it is not collected as it is here in the UK?



I am going to come over to see the island for myself later this year. Is it still a buyers market, and do old propertieis command a premium price? Have thought to use either Ian Smith or Korinia agents. Opinions welcome please.

Many thanks

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 21:06

Hi ajney

We are in Esentepe and have been provided with a wheelie bin and have 2 weekly collections. I'm not sure how it works elsewhere as each belideysi is different.

Yes there are snakes on the Island. In the 25 years we have been visiting/on the island we have never come face to face with any snake. We have seen many dead ones and seen a few wriggling across the road. Apparently snakes like to curl up in the pump rooms of pools but these apparently are mainly the black ones which are harmless.

I would say a definite yes to it being a buyers market. There are many unfinished properties around. With regard to old properties I'm not sure. I know Ian Smith has been trying to sell an old "shell" in Esentepe for a long time.

Karen

lesleyb


Joined: 27/02/2008
Posts: 126

Message Posted:
30/04/2008 21:33

Hi Ajney, we live in Girne and all our rubbish is collected in the early hours of Monday morning regularly. As for the snakes, it is very built up where we are and we have never seen any snakes around, but we have seen the black ones when we`ve been out of town. My other half also has phobia when it comes to snakes so is very wary when gardening or travellling out of town.



Good luck in your search for a property

Lesleyb

andre 514


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 1163

Message Posted:
03/05/2008 23:00

hello ajney,



we startled a black snake in gozo, malta, above a tourist resort

gozo has a dry climate like cyprus with similar snakes etc

poor thing was terribly frightened and quickly wriggled out of sight

in terms of being bitten the danger is pretty remote:

this is the mediterranean not joseph conrad's congo jungle

(the horror! the horror!)

have you thought of therapy,

for example, I have nearly persuaded myself

that spiders are a great asset, and bring money into the house

my own phobia is being hit on the head by a huge chunk of yellow ice

that has fallen from the bathroom of an airplane



litter?

do be-have!!!

our british country town is a total slum by sunday morning and

the council rarely gets access to the bin area of some flats opposite

due to badly parked cars and it's a towering heap at the moment,

and that is 10meters away from ten miles of greenbelt

a positive thing you can do in nc is to fill a plastic bag with litter

every time you visit a beach and take it back with you

some of the stuff we find is builder's junk, some is flotsam



water shortage:

please don't worry your pretty little head about that

luckily most of cyprus' water resources are in the north

but you may well find the price is rising fairly rapidly

you have to think seriously about swimming pool yeay or nay

maybe investigate the new type filled with seawater

or mineral water if in a villiage or have hot tub instead



finding a property, get to know some good estate agents

they should tell you if something suitable comes up

and you can also ask around...

you can do that locally or even on cyprus 44

bellapais and ozankoy are both upmarket areas ie expensive

I always wonder if people are selling what is the real reason?

enjoy lots of holidays on the island and check out other places

it is an ideal time with lots of finished properties still unsold

and many builders are currently open to offers,

but beware of known rip-off merchants



as regards rebuilding and renovating costs.

it is theoretically somewhat cheaper than the uk

but it is equally important that it is a quality job

there is much less choice of furniture and not the bargains

you find in britain but on the credit side

you can get a few local firms to make up stuff to order

or copy your designs, see other forum "furniture for my flat"

try and go by by recommendations, check out other jobs they did

remember north cyprus is very much a cash economy

but don't part with any of it before the work is done or at least started

the foreign ministry used to allow foreigners to do up an abandoned place,

in exchange for granting a 49 year lease



does anyone know more about this?



andre