Tourists on tour

The art of batting is all about timing, and I have timed getting man flu to a tee. That Nice Lady Snuffler has been dealing with the consequences of the much milder symptoms of this dreaded affliction that affect a woman for at least the last ten days, during which time I swore that I was not going to catch it. It caught me instead.

It is so unfair. Just as I arrived yesterday in Cyprus for the Sussex Seniors Cricket Tour, I get the dreaded lurgy. On the plus side, I have probably managed to infect everyone on the Easyjet flight to Paphos. There is some crazy selfish solace in that.

After booking in at the Mediterranean Beach at Limassol, and a quick unpack, it was time for the tour bonding over a beer or two. There are 35 people travelling and it makes for an unwieldy group, and mostly couples, but I was collected up by some kindly souls and we went in search of food. We did not venture far, across the road to Frankz in fact, where I was able to take some time to explain the benefits of having an account with Currencies Direct to my captive audience, whilst partaking of a couple of bottles of a cheeky Cypriot red wine. You know when a cheeky kid becomes unpleasant, well, the wine was a bit like that. Amusing at first when one sees the bottle, but rather nasty very quickly, in fact as soon as the first drops reached the back of my throat.

The Mediterranean Beach Hotel, coincidentally right on the Mediterranean coast

I recall that there was much talk of the forthcoming cricket matches and the venues, but I am little short on detail this morning. I think that Cypriot red wine must have some amnesiac qualities, although it was not sufficiently mind numbing that I can forget how bad it tasted. Maybe the post dinner brandy was to blame. Anyway, I feel a lot better this morning, but suspect the effects of the brandy will soon rub off and I will begin to suffer.

The cricket commences on Saturday, but I am being held back until the second game on Sunday. With 17 players on tour, the games have to be spread amongst the tourists, so I have an extra day to allow my dodgy ankle, my niggling side strain, my arthritic knee, my slightly damaged wrist and my swollen bunions to recover before I venture on to the cricket field for the first time in Cyprus. Oh the joys of getting old.

What is truly inspiring is that I at 60, am amongst the younger contingent in the party. There are many older than I and still as keen to play. I suspect that the fielding standards will be significantly below what might be seemed acceptable but I know it will be fun. The first game, which I will attend as a spectator, takes place in Nicosia. It will be the first time that I have been instructed to take my passport to a cricket match. There is apparently some local difficulties between the Greeks and the Turks that requires a large British army presence and they are providing the facilities for the match. When enquiring about just what those facilities there will be, especially with reference to a bar, I was shocked to discover that one is expected to get changed in the open air, which is mildly amusing, but that there is no bar, which is much more distressing. Plans will need to be made in advance.

Chris France
@Valbonne_News