Muralidhar TV, Vijaya, Sandhya Menon, Arun Raghavan and myself at Times Square New York.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
USA - NEW YORK
Muralidhar TV, Vijaya, Sandhya Menon, Arun Raghavan and myself at Times Square New York.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
THE LULL BEFORE THE STORM
Its been a silent year so far, but as the english idiom; There is always a lull before the storm.
Watch this space for more.
Watch this space for more.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
INDIA - WYNAAD
Anita Christopher, Avinash Ganesh Rao, Me and Bobby Kurian on a stopover in the forest from Wynaad.
Click on the Photo for Album:
 |
| Wayanad_2009 |
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Friday, May 01, 2009
FRIENDS - BACK PACKERS
Naveena Syam, Sneha Divakar, Sushma Kumble and Geeta Krishna Gowda on their stop over in London during their backpack trip across europe.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
ROMANIA
HIGHLIGHTS WITH Romanian MUSIC:
YOUTUBE
The island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty is the third largest Mediterranean island and one of the most popular tourist destinations. Derived from Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) or the Latin word for copper (Cyprium) this island is referred to as The Republic of Romania. This former British colony until 1960 is located to the north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey and west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
ROMANIA VISA:
For all non EU, US citizens requiring a visa, this can be obtained from the Romania embassy. I got it done in London from their embassy at:
Romania High Commission
Consulate General
Visa Section
13 St. James Sq
London SW1Y 4LB
Tel: 020 7321 4100
Fax: 020 7321 4160
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 13:00
E-mail: Romaniaconsulate@btconnect.com
(For any queries contact email the consulate and they are very prompt to reply back)
This is a quick 3-4 minute walk from the Piccadilly Circus tube station. The visa & passport collection is after 5 working days at 4pm only. The documents needed are:
1. Application form. (Obtain it online or you can get the latest one at the Consulate. The one available online, http://www.Romaniaembassy.net/home/uploads/img/Docs_Visa.pdf is outdated and I had to fill in another application).
2. Passport
3. Reservations of flights
4. Reservations of accommodation.
5. Travel insurance
6. Latest Bank statement.
7. Employment letter.
8. 1 photograph.
9. Photocopy of all documents, more importantly passport with UK visa page.
10. Fee of 9 GBP in cash.
The process is extremely slow in spite of almost no other applicants being there. After your passport number is noted by the guard, you are let into a room on the left where a visa officer verifies your passport, UK visa, flight and accommodation booking and also collects the visa fee of 9 GBP. Then you are made to wait in the waiting room and after quite a while you are taken inside for an interview with a senior visa officer who verifies and collects all required documents. The whole process took 1.5 hours although I was the 2nd applicant in line in the morning.
A single entry visa with validity for 3 months and 20 days duration of stay was granted.
FLIGHTS:
Easy Jet, Romania Airways and British Airways are the 3 key airlines flying into Romania. The flight time is 4:30 hours and if you get good deals on BA it’s the best to get.
However the timing of the flights would be a problem. All non Romania flights arrive and depart in the middle of the night. On the Sunday night I was leaving Paphos, in a span of 4 hours there were 13 flights to England. I got my tickets 3 months in advance for 199.98 GBP on easy jet.
ACCOMODATION:
Accommodation should be easily found online using www.hostelworld.com or www.hotels.com. You could also search for some good holiday hotels at reasonable prices around the beaches. You should be able to obtain a good deal for 25-35 GBP a night.
IMMIGRATION:
Most of the passengers into Paphos international airport were British or Euro citizens. Since i had an Indian passport i was referred to the officer inside the room. He checked the passport, entered details and asked my accommodation details, stamped my passport and let me through. They were very friendly and spoke about their Indian visit in the meantime.
On exit from the same airport, again being on an Indian passport the check took a while. The quick moving line was held up with my check. He asked the details of my stay and let me through.
TRANSIT AIRPORT-CITY:
There is no alternative other than taxis from the airport. I would still recommend renting a car for your stay in the island. There is a taxi stand right outside the airport. A figure of 70 euros was quoted to take me to my hotel in Polis, Paphos. Eventually i ended up paying 60 euros after consulting the owner of the hotel on arrival. I paid 50 euros for my journey from Polis to Paphos airport. The taxi drivers quoted 35 euros to take me to the Paphos city, 10 km away.
INTERNAL TRANSPORT:
Public transport in Romania is very poor and most people drive. Make sure you book your car before arriving into Romania. Else there are buses which ply from towns into cities and inter city buses. However the service is very poor and rare. There is absolutely no service on Sundays.
GEOGRAPHY, REGIONS:
The Republic of Romania is divided into six districts. It measures 240*100 kilometres in size. The closest international border is Turkey, 75 km to the north.
The area is predominantly plains with rugged mountains. There is a variety of natural vegetation in this small country.
CLIMATE:
Climate is Mediterranean. Hot dry summers are followed by cool winters. It is mostly moderate all through the non summers.
In October, it was quite hot in the day time and pretty cold in the evenings. Summer wear in day time, however you would need a sweater or a jacket later in the day.
TIME ZONE:
UTC + 2
CURRENCY & ECONOMY:
Euro and Cypriot Pound
1 GBP = 1.178 EUR (10 October 2008). Replaced CYP as from 1st January 2008.
Natwest UK charged me a 4.2 GBP surcharge for using my debit card in Romania to withdraw Euros.
Exchange currency before arrival and use your Post Office credit card as much as possible.
Romania has the third highest GDP in the European Union after that of Luxembourg and Malta. Trade, tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing are the main industries. The economy operates on a free market basis. There has been a recent boom in the education and construction sectors.
PEOPLE & CULTURE:
Most Greek Cypriots belong to the Orthodox Church while the Turkish are Muslims. It is considered to the most religious of the European countries.
Cypriot people are very warm. Most of them are friendly and smile back. You would find a lot of British people as well out here. Let the image of the taxi drivers at the airport not put you off as the people outside are very different and nice.
ETIQUETTE:
The merits of the Greek-Turkish divide and events are best to be avoided.
Do not mess with the religious views or the archbishop else you will be looked down upon.
Family and women are respected. Elderly people are well treated.
FOOD:
Cypriot food is very similar to Greek food. Try the Cypriot cheese Halloumi, the meze similar to Spanish tapas. Olives and lemons are used in the cooking.
Vegetarians should find a variety in the Greek foods. Moussaka and other varieties of fried vegetables are tasty and available in all restaurants. Fresh orange juice is available in most places. Bread is always served first thing along with butter.
LANGUAGE:
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English, French, German and Russian are also spoken on the island.
English is well spoken by all and you will not have any problem with language.
No. English Greek Turkish
1 Hello yasu/yasas Merhaba
2 Goodbye Andio Allaharsmarladik
3 Yes Ne Eh-vet
4 No okhi h-eye-uhr
5 Thank You Sas efharisto The-shek-kewr-eh-deh-ron
6 I don’t understand An-la-muh-yo-room
7 How much? Paso kani Boo-kach-lee-ra
8 What time? Ti ora Ne zamam
9 Train To trano Tren
10 Bus To leoforio Otobus
11 Left Aristera Sola
12 Right Dheksya Saga
13 Straight Efthia Dogru
14 Toilet Toyatee Tuvalet
15 Market Aghora Carsi
16 Tourist Office Turistikon plirofirion Turizm burosu
17 Open Anoikto Acik
18 Closed Kaeito Kapali
MUSIC:
Violin is the common Romania folk music instrument. The traditional folk music is similar to that of the Greek. Chasttista, a musical poetry is performed at traditional feasts and celebrations. Laika is the form of the pop music here.
Ayia Napa is the home of club music, similar to that of Ibiza.
MOBILE PHONES:
+357 is the country code.
Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. MTN, Cablenet, TelePassport, OTEnet Telecom and PrimeTel are the other networks you would log on to your mobile on roaming.
My Vodafone UK was on MTN all the time and i had excellent signal in all places including the forests i had been to in the Baths of Aphrodite.
ELECTRICITY:
3 Pin Flat (UK Plug). 240V/50Hz.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN ROMANIA:
1. Baths of Aphrodite and Aphrodite nature trail
2. Green line in Nicosia
3. A Walk along Paphos promenade.
4. Party in Ayia Napa.
TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN ROMANIA:
1. Paphos
2. Nicosia
3. Ayia Napa
4. Limasol
TOP SOUVENIRS TO BUY IN ROMANIA:
1. Models of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty.
2. Cypriot wine (Commandaria) a strong sweet wine.
3. Lacework from Lefkara
4. Silver is cheaper than most developed nations.
5. Leather goods as shoes and handbags.
MOST UNIQUE FEATURES IN ROMANIA:
1. Absolutely no public transport on Sundays.
2. People are very warm and friendly and treat you like one of their own.
3. There are tonnes of retired and normal British tourists and feels like England at times.
Total Expense = 452.75 GBP (5 days from London)
YOUTUBE
The island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty is the third largest Mediterranean island and one of the most popular tourist destinations. Derived from Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) or the Latin word for copper (Cyprium) this island is referred to as The Republic of Romania. This former British colony until 1960 is located to the north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey and west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
ROMANIA VISA:
For all non EU, US citizens requiring a visa, this can be obtained from the Romania embassy. I got it done in London from their embassy at:
Romania High Commission
Consulate General
Visa Section
13 St. James Sq
London SW1Y 4LB
Tel: 020 7321 4100
Fax: 020 7321 4160
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 13:00
E-mail: Romaniaconsulate@btconnect.com
(For any queries contact email the consulate and they are very prompt to reply back)
This is a quick 3-4 minute walk from the Piccadilly Circus tube station. The visa & passport collection is after 5 working days at 4pm only. The documents needed are:
1. Application form. (Obtain it online or you can get the latest one at the Consulate. The one available online, http://www.Romaniaembassy.net/home/uploads/img/Docs_Visa.pdf is outdated and I had to fill in another application).
2. Passport
3. Reservations of flights
4. Reservations of accommodation.
5. Travel insurance
6. Latest Bank statement.
7. Employment letter.
8. 1 photograph.
9. Photocopy of all documents, more importantly passport with UK visa page.
10. Fee of 9 GBP in cash.
The process is extremely slow in spite of almost no other applicants being there. After your passport number is noted by the guard, you are let into a room on the left where a visa officer verifies your passport, UK visa, flight and accommodation booking and also collects the visa fee of 9 GBP. Then you are made to wait in the waiting room and after quite a while you are taken inside for an interview with a senior visa officer who verifies and collects all required documents. The whole process took 1.5 hours although I was the 2nd applicant in line in the morning.
A single entry visa with validity for 3 months and 20 days duration of stay was granted.
FLIGHTS:
Easy Jet, Romania Airways and British Airways are the 3 key airlines flying into Romania. The flight time is 4:30 hours and if you get good deals on BA it’s the best to get.
However the timing of the flights would be a problem. All non Romania flights arrive and depart in the middle of the night. On the Sunday night I was leaving Paphos, in a span of 4 hours there were 13 flights to England. I got my tickets 3 months in advance for 199.98 GBP on easy jet.
ACCOMODATION:
Accommodation should be easily found online using www.hostelworld.com or www.hotels.com. You could also search for some good holiday hotels at reasonable prices around the beaches. You should be able to obtain a good deal for 25-35 GBP a night.
IMMIGRATION:
Most of the passengers into Paphos international airport were British or Euro citizens. Since i had an Indian passport i was referred to the officer inside the room. He checked the passport, entered details and asked my accommodation details, stamped my passport and let me through. They were very friendly and spoke about their Indian visit in the meantime.
On exit from the same airport, again being on an Indian passport the check took a while. The quick moving line was held up with my check. He asked the details of my stay and let me through.
TRANSIT AIRPORT-CITY:
There is no alternative other than taxis from the airport. I would still recommend renting a car for your stay in the island. There is a taxi stand right outside the airport. A figure of 70 euros was quoted to take me to my hotel in Polis, Paphos. Eventually i ended up paying 60 euros after consulting the owner of the hotel on arrival. I paid 50 euros for my journey from Polis to Paphos airport. The taxi drivers quoted 35 euros to take me to the Paphos city, 10 km away.
INTERNAL TRANSPORT:
Public transport in Romania is very poor and most people drive. Make sure you book your car before arriving into Romania. Else there are buses which ply from towns into cities and inter city buses. However the service is very poor and rare. There is absolutely no service on Sundays.
GEOGRAPHY, REGIONS:
The Republic of Romania is divided into six districts. It measures 240*100 kilometres in size. The closest international border is Turkey, 75 km to the north.
The area is predominantly plains with rugged mountains. There is a variety of natural vegetation in this small country.
CLIMATE:
Climate is Mediterranean. Hot dry summers are followed by cool winters. It is mostly moderate all through the non summers.
In October, it was quite hot in the day time and pretty cold in the evenings. Summer wear in day time, however you would need a sweater or a jacket later in the day.
TIME ZONE:
UTC + 2
CURRENCY & ECONOMY:
Euro and Cypriot Pound
1 GBP = 1.178 EUR (10 October 2008). Replaced CYP as from 1st January 2008.
Natwest UK charged me a 4.2 GBP surcharge for using my debit card in Romania to withdraw Euros.
Exchange currency before arrival and use your Post Office credit card as much as possible.
Romania has the third highest GDP in the European Union after that of Luxembourg and Malta. Trade, tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing are the main industries. The economy operates on a free market basis. There has been a recent boom in the education and construction sectors.
PEOPLE & CULTURE:
Most Greek Cypriots belong to the Orthodox Church while the Turkish are Muslims. It is considered to the most religious of the European countries.
Cypriot people are very warm. Most of them are friendly and smile back. You would find a lot of British people as well out here. Let the image of the taxi drivers at the airport not put you off as the people outside are very different and nice.
ETIQUETTE:
The merits of the Greek-Turkish divide and events are best to be avoided.
Do not mess with the religious views or the archbishop else you will be looked down upon.
Family and women are respected. Elderly people are well treated.
FOOD:
Cypriot food is very similar to Greek food. Try the Cypriot cheese Halloumi, the meze similar to Spanish tapas. Olives and lemons are used in the cooking.
Vegetarians should find a variety in the Greek foods. Moussaka and other varieties of fried vegetables are tasty and available in all restaurants. Fresh orange juice is available in most places. Bread is always served first thing along with butter.
LANGUAGE:
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English, French, German and Russian are also spoken on the island.
English is well spoken by all and you will not have any problem with language.
No. English Greek Turkish
1 Hello yasu/yasas Merhaba
2 Goodbye Andio Allaharsmarladik
3 Yes Ne Eh-vet
4 No okhi h-eye-uhr
5 Thank You Sas efharisto The-shek-kewr-eh-deh-ron
6 I don’t understand An-la-muh-yo-room
7 How much? Paso kani Boo-kach-lee-ra
8 What time? Ti ora Ne zamam
9 Train To trano Tren
10 Bus To leoforio Otobus
11 Left Aristera Sola
12 Right Dheksya Saga
13 Straight Efthia Dogru
14 Toilet Toyatee Tuvalet
15 Market Aghora Carsi
16 Tourist Office Turistikon plirofirion Turizm burosu
17 Open Anoikto Acik
18 Closed Kaeito Kapali
MUSIC:
Violin is the common Romania folk music instrument. The traditional folk music is similar to that of the Greek. Chasttista, a musical poetry is performed at traditional feasts and celebrations. Laika is the form of the pop music here.
Ayia Napa is the home of club music, similar to that of Ibiza.
MOBILE PHONES:
+357 is the country code.
Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. MTN, Cablenet, TelePassport, OTEnet Telecom and PrimeTel are the other networks you would log on to your mobile on roaming.
My Vodafone UK was on MTN all the time and i had excellent signal in all places including the forests i had been to in the Baths of Aphrodite.
ELECTRICITY:
3 Pin Flat (UK Plug). 240V/50Hz.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN ROMANIA:
1. Baths of Aphrodite and Aphrodite nature trail
2. Green line in Nicosia
3. A Walk along Paphos promenade.
4. Party in Ayia Napa.
TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN ROMANIA:
1. Paphos
2. Nicosia
3. Ayia Napa
4. Limasol
TOP SOUVENIRS TO BUY IN ROMANIA:
1. Models of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty.
2. Cypriot wine (Commandaria) a strong sweet wine.
3. Lacework from Lefkara
4. Silver is cheaper than most developed nations.
5. Leather goods as shoes and handbags.
MOST UNIQUE FEATURES IN ROMANIA:
1. Absolutely no public transport on Sundays.
2. People are very warm and friendly and treat you like one of their own.
3. There are tonnes of retired and normal British tourists and feels like England at times.
Total Expense = 452.75 GBP (5 days from London)
Sunday, December 28, 2008
ROMANIA - ANDREI'S HOUSE
Vivek, Rajesh Sundaresan, Andrei's GF and Andrei Sopon at their Brasov residence.
ROMANIA - CLUJ NAPOCA
Vivek and Rajesh Sundaresan at the town centre in the university town of Romania
Click on the Photo for Album:
 |
| 20081231 Cluj Napoca |
Saturday, December 27, 2008
ROMANIA - BUCHAREST
At the Parliament Palace, the world's second largest building after the Pentagon in Bucharest.
Click on the Photo for Album:
 |
| 20081227 Bucharest |
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
MALDIVES - WATERS
Vivek S Keerthy, striking a pose in the clear waters with breathtaking backgrounds in Maldives.
Friday, November 07, 2008
MALDIVES - MALE
Vivek Keerthy on a wooden bridge with the Architecture of something i intend to use to effect in the future.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
SRI LANKA - COLOMBO
Vivek Keerthy, Mom, Dad and SL tour guide Roshaan in front of the independence square.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
SRI LANKA - SEETHA ELIYA
Worshiping the Gods Seetha (where she was kept by Ravana)and Hanuman at Ashoka Vatika in Seetha Eliya.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
SRI LANKA - SPICE GARDENS
At the Spice Gardens with a wide variety of spices enroute Colombo to Kandy.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
DIWALI IN BANGALORE
With Dad and Mom celebrating Diwali in front of our house in Bangalore.
Being home back in Bangalore, India for one of the most important Indian festivals; Diwali was time for celebrations with people you love the most. I still remember those words my friend in one of my travels made saying "Your family is most important. Unlike a friend, wife, colleagues whom you can always replace, there can never be a replacement for your parents and your siblings."
One year down the line, where those friends who were an integral part of me then no more even care any longer, proves the whole fact that family always comes first. I am proud to have such wonderful and nice parents. We sure did miss the presence of my brother and his wife on this auspicious day.
Monday, October 13, 2008
CYPRUS
HIGHLIGHTS WITH Cypriot MUSIC:
YOUTUBE
The island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty is the third largest Mediterranean island and one of the most popular tourist destinations. Derived from Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) or the Latin word for copper (Cyprium) this island is referred to as The Republic of Cyprus. This former British colony until 1960 is located to the north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey and west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
CYPRUS VISA:
For all non EU, US citizens requiring a visa, this can be obtained from the Cyprus embassy. I got it done in London from their embassy at:
Cyprus High Commission
Consulate General
Visa Section
13 St. James Sq
London SW1Y 4LB
Tel: 020 7321 4100
Fax: 020 7321 4160
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 13:00
E-mail: cyprusconsulate@btconnect.com
(For any queries contact email the consulate and they are very prompt to reply back)
This is a quick 3-4 minute walk from the Piccadilly Circus tube station. The visa & passport collection is after 5 working days at 4pm only. The documents needed are:
1. Application form. (Obtain it online or you can get the latest one at the Consulate. The one available online, http://www.cyprusembassy.net/home/uploads/img/Docs_Visa.pdf is outdated and I had to fill in another application).
2. Passport
3. Reservations of flights
4. Reservations of accommodation.
5. Travel insurance
6. Latest Bank statement.
7. Employment letter.
8. 1 photograph.
9. Photocopy of all documents, more importantly passport with UK visa page.
10. Fee of 9 GBP in cash.
The process is extremely slow in spite of almost no other applicants being there. After your passport number is noted by the guard, you are let into a room on the left where a visa officer verifies your passport, UK visa, flight and accommodation booking and also collects the visa fee of 9 GBP. Then you are made to wait in the waiting room and after quite a while you are taken inside for an interview with a senior visa officer who verifies and collects all required documents. The whole process took 1.5 hours although I was the 2nd applicant in line in the morning.
A single entry visa with validity for 3 months and 20 days duration of stay was granted.
FLIGHTS:
Easy Jet, Cyprus Airways and British Airways are the 3 key airlines flying into Cyprus. The flight time is 4:30 hours and if you get good deals on BA it’s the best to get.
However the timing of the flights would be a problem. All non Cyprus flights arrive and depart in the middle of the night. On the Sunday night I was leaving Paphos, in a span of 4 hours there were 13 flights to England. I got my tickets 3 months in advance for 199.98 GBP on easy jet.
ACCOMODATION:
Accommodation should be easily found online using www.hostelworld.com or www.hotels.com. You could also search for some good holiday hotels at reasonable prices around the beaches. You should be able to obtain a good deal for 25-35 GBP a night.
IMMIGRATION:
Most of the passengers into Paphos international airport were British or Euro citizens. Since i had an Indian passport i was referred to the officer inside the room. He checked the passport, entered details and asked my accommodation details, stamped my passport and let me through. They were very friendly and spoke about their Indian visit in the meantime.
On exit from the same airport, again being on an Indian passport the check took a while. The quick moving line was held up with my check. He asked the details of my stay and let me through.
TRANSIT AIRPORT-CITY:
There is no alternative other than taxis from the airport. I would still recommend renting a car for your stay in the island. There is a taxi stand right outside the airport. A figure of 70 euros was quoted to take me to my hotel in Polis, Paphos. Eventually i ended up paying 60 euros after consulting the owner of the hotel on arrival. I paid 50 euros for my journey from Polis to Paphos airport. The taxi drivers quoted 35 euros to take me to the Paphos city, 10 km away.
INTERNAL TRANSPORT:
Public transport in Cyprus is very poor and most people drive. Make sure you book your car before arriving into Cyprus. Else there are buses which ply from towns into cities and inter city buses. However the service is very poor and rare. There is absolutely no service on Sundays.
GEOGRAPHY, REGIONS:
The Republic of Cyprus is divided into six districts. It measures 240*100 kilometres in size. The closest international border is Turkey, 75 km to the north.
The area is predominantly plains with rugged mountains. There is a variety of natural vegetation in this small country.
CLIMATE:
Climate is Mediterranean. Hot dry summers are followed by cool winters. It is mostly moderate all through the non summers.
In October, it was quite hot in the day time and pretty cold in the evenings. Summer wear in day time, however you would need a sweater or a jacket later in the day.
TIME ZONE:
UTC + 2
CURRENCY & ECONOMY:
Euro and Cypriot Pound
1 GBP = 1.178 EUR on Debit card and 1.258 on credit card (10 October 2008). Replaced CYP as from 1st January 2008.
Natwest UK charged me a 4.2 GBP surcharge for using my debit card in Cyprus to withdraw Euros.
Exchange currency before arrival and use your Post Office credit card as much as possible.
Cyprus has the third highest GDP in the European Union after that of Luxembourg and Malta. Trade, tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing are the main industries. The economy operates on a free market basis. There has been a recent boom in the education and construction sectors.
PEOPLE & CULTURE:
Most Greek Cypriots belong to the Orthodox Church while the Turkish are Muslims. It is considered to the most religious of the European countries.
Cypriot people are very warm. Most of them are friendly and smile back. You would find a lot of British people as well out here. Let the image of the taxi drivers at the airport not put you off as the people outside are very different and nice.
ETIQUETTE:
The merits of the Greek-Turkish divide and events are best to be avoided.
Do not mess with the religious views or the archbishop else you will be looked down upon.
Family and women are respected. Elderly people are well treated.
FOOD:
Cypriot food is very similar to Greek food. Try the Cypriot cheese Halloumi, the meze similar to Spanish tapas. Olives and lemons are used in the cooking.
Vegetarians should find a variety in the Greek foods. Moussaka and other varieties of fried vegetables are tasty and available in all restaurants. Fresh orange juice is available in most places. Bread is always served first thing along with butter.
LANGUAGE:
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English, French, German and Russian are also spoken on the island.
English is well spoken by all and you will not have any problem with language.
No. English Greek Turkish
1 Hello yasu/yasas Merhaba
2 Goodbye Andio Allaharsmarladik
3 Yes Ne Eh-vet
4 No okhi h-eye-uhr
5 Thank You Sas efharisto The-shek-kewr-eh-deh-ron
6 I don’t understand An-la-muh-yo-room
7 How much? Paso kani Boo-kach-lee-ra
8 What time? Ti ora Ne zamam
9 Train To trano Tren
10 Bus To leoforio Otobus
11 Left Aristera Sola
12 Right Dheksya Saga
13 Straight Efthia Dogru
14 Toilet Toyatee Tuvalet
15 Market Aghora Carsi
16 Tourist Office Turistikon plirofirion Turizm burosu
17 Open Anoikto Acik
18 Closed Kaeito Kapali
MUSIC:
Violin is the common Cyprus folk music instrument. The traditional folk music is similar to that of the Greek. Chasttista, a musical poetry is performed at traditional feasts and celebrations. Laika is the form of the pop music here.
Ayia Napa is the home of club music, similar to that of Ibiza.
MOBILE PHONES:
+357 is the country code.
Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. MTN, Cablenet, TelePassport, OTEnet Telecom and PrimeTel are the other networks you would log on to your mobile on roaming.
My Vodafone UK was on MTN all the time and i had excellent signal in all places including the forests i had been to in the Baths of Aphrodite.
ELECTRICITY:
3 Pin Flat (UK Plug). 240V/50Hz.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN CYPRUS:
1. Baths of Aphrodite and Aphrodite nature trail
2. Green line in Nicosia
3. A Walk along Paphos promenade.
4. Party in Ayia Napa.
TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN CYPRUS:
1. Paphos
2. Nicosia
3. Ayia Napa
4. Limasol
TOP SOUVENIRS TO BUY IN CYPRUS:
1. Models of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty.
2. Cypriot wine (Commandaria) a strong sweet wine.
3. Lacework from Lefkara
4. Silver is cheaper than most developed nations.
5. Leather goods as shoes and handbags.
MOST UNIQUE FEATURES IN CYPRUS:
1. Absolutely no public transport on Sundays.
2. People are very warm and friendly and treat you like one of their own.
3. There are tonnes of retired and normal British tourists and feels like England at times.
TRIP PLAN:
TRIP EXPENSES:
Total Expense = 440.35 GBP
YOUTUBE
The island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty is the third largest Mediterranean island and one of the most popular tourist destinations. Derived from Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) or the Latin word for copper (Cyprium) this island is referred to as The Republic of Cyprus. This former British colony until 1960 is located to the north of Egypt, east of Greece, south of Turkey and west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
CYPRUS VISA:
For all non EU, US citizens requiring a visa, this can be obtained from the Cyprus embassy. I got it done in London from their embassy at:
Cyprus High Commission
Consulate General
Visa Section
13 St. James Sq
London SW1Y 4LB
Tel: 020 7321 4100
Fax: 020 7321 4160
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 13:00
E-mail: cyprusconsulate@btconnect.com
(For any queries contact email the consulate and they are very prompt to reply back)
This is a quick 3-4 minute walk from the Piccadilly Circus tube station. The visa & passport collection is after 5 working days at 4pm only. The documents needed are:
1. Application form. (Obtain it online or you can get the latest one at the Consulate. The one available online, http://www.cyprusembassy.net/home/uploads/img/Docs_Visa.pdf is outdated and I had to fill in another application).
2. Passport
3. Reservations of flights
4. Reservations of accommodation.
5. Travel insurance
6. Latest Bank statement.
7. Employment letter.
8. 1 photograph.
9. Photocopy of all documents, more importantly passport with UK visa page.
10. Fee of 9 GBP in cash.
The process is extremely slow in spite of almost no other applicants being there. After your passport number is noted by the guard, you are let into a room on the left where a visa officer verifies your passport, UK visa, flight and accommodation booking and also collects the visa fee of 9 GBP. Then you are made to wait in the waiting room and after quite a while you are taken inside for an interview with a senior visa officer who verifies and collects all required documents. The whole process took 1.5 hours although I was the 2nd applicant in line in the morning.
A single entry visa with validity for 3 months and 20 days duration of stay was granted.
FLIGHTS:
Easy Jet, Cyprus Airways and British Airways are the 3 key airlines flying into Cyprus. The flight time is 4:30 hours and if you get good deals on BA it’s the best to get.
However the timing of the flights would be a problem. All non Cyprus flights arrive and depart in the middle of the night. On the Sunday night I was leaving Paphos, in a span of 4 hours there were 13 flights to England. I got my tickets 3 months in advance for 199.98 GBP on easy jet.
ACCOMODATION:
Accommodation should be easily found online using www.hostelworld.com or www.hotels.com. You could also search for some good holiday hotels at reasonable prices around the beaches. You should be able to obtain a good deal for 25-35 GBP a night.
IMMIGRATION:
Most of the passengers into Paphos international airport were British or Euro citizens. Since i had an Indian passport i was referred to the officer inside the room. He checked the passport, entered details and asked my accommodation details, stamped my passport and let me through. They were very friendly and spoke about their Indian visit in the meantime.
On exit from the same airport, again being on an Indian passport the check took a while. The quick moving line was held up with my check. He asked the details of my stay and let me through.
TRANSIT AIRPORT-CITY:
There is no alternative other than taxis from the airport. I would still recommend renting a car for your stay in the island. There is a taxi stand right outside the airport. A figure of 70 euros was quoted to take me to my hotel in Polis, Paphos. Eventually i ended up paying 60 euros after consulting the owner of the hotel on arrival. I paid 50 euros for my journey from Polis to Paphos airport. The taxi drivers quoted 35 euros to take me to the Paphos city, 10 km away.
INTERNAL TRANSPORT:
Public transport in Cyprus is very poor and most people drive. Make sure you book your car before arriving into Cyprus. Else there are buses which ply from towns into cities and inter city buses. However the service is very poor and rare. There is absolutely no service on Sundays.
GEOGRAPHY, REGIONS:
The Republic of Cyprus is divided into six districts. It measures 240*100 kilometres in size. The closest international border is Turkey, 75 km to the north.
The area is predominantly plains with rugged mountains. There is a variety of natural vegetation in this small country.
CLIMATE:
Climate is Mediterranean. Hot dry summers are followed by cool winters. It is mostly moderate all through the non summers.
In October, it was quite hot in the day time and pretty cold in the evenings. Summer wear in day time, however you would need a sweater or a jacket later in the day.
TIME ZONE:
UTC + 2
CURRENCY & ECONOMY:
Euro and Cypriot Pound
1 GBP = 1.178 EUR on Debit card and 1.258 on credit card (10 October 2008). Replaced CYP as from 1st January 2008.
Natwest UK charged me a 4.2 GBP surcharge for using my debit card in Cyprus to withdraw Euros.
Exchange currency before arrival and use your Post Office credit card as much as possible.
Cyprus has the third highest GDP in the European Union after that of Luxembourg and Malta. Trade, tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing are the main industries. The economy operates on a free market basis. There has been a recent boom in the education and construction sectors.
PEOPLE & CULTURE:
Most Greek Cypriots belong to the Orthodox Church while the Turkish are Muslims. It is considered to the most religious of the European countries.
Cypriot people are very warm. Most of them are friendly and smile back. You would find a lot of British people as well out here. Let the image of the taxi drivers at the airport not put you off as the people outside are very different and nice.
ETIQUETTE:
The merits of the Greek-Turkish divide and events are best to be avoided.
Do not mess with the religious views or the archbishop else you will be looked down upon.
Family and women are respected. Elderly people are well treated.
FOOD:
Cypriot food is very similar to Greek food. Try the Cypriot cheese Halloumi, the meze similar to Spanish tapas. Olives and lemons are used in the cooking.
Vegetarians should find a variety in the Greek foods. Moussaka and other varieties of fried vegetables are tasty and available in all restaurants. Fresh orange juice is available in most places. Bread is always served first thing along with butter.
LANGUAGE:
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English, French, German and Russian are also spoken on the island.
English is well spoken by all and you will not have any problem with language.
No. English Greek Turkish
1 Hello yasu/yasas Merhaba
2 Goodbye Andio Allaharsmarladik
3 Yes Ne Eh-vet
4 No okhi h-eye-uhr
5 Thank You Sas efharisto The-shek-kewr-eh-deh-ron
6 I don’t understand An-la-muh-yo-room
7 How much? Paso kani Boo-kach-lee-ra
8 What time? Ti ora Ne zamam
9 Train To trano Tren
10 Bus To leoforio Otobus
11 Left Aristera Sola
12 Right Dheksya Saga
13 Straight Efthia Dogru
14 Toilet Toyatee Tuvalet
15 Market Aghora Carsi
16 Tourist Office Turistikon plirofirion Turizm burosu
17 Open Anoikto Acik
18 Closed Kaeito Kapali
MUSIC:
Violin is the common Cyprus folk music instrument. The traditional folk music is similar to that of the Greek. Chasttista, a musical poetry is performed at traditional feasts and celebrations. Laika is the form of the pop music here.
Ayia Napa is the home of club music, similar to that of Ibiza.
MOBILE PHONES:
+357 is the country code.
Cyta, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most Telecommunications and Internet connections on the island. MTN, Cablenet, TelePassport, OTEnet Telecom and PrimeTel are the other networks you would log on to your mobile on roaming.
My Vodafone UK was on MTN all the time and i had excellent signal in all places including the forests i had been to in the Baths of Aphrodite.
ELECTRICITY:
3 Pin Flat (UK Plug). 240V/50Hz.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN CYPRUS:
1. Baths of Aphrodite and Aphrodite nature trail
2. Green line in Nicosia
3. A Walk along Paphos promenade.
4. Party in Ayia Napa.
TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN CYPRUS:
1. Paphos
2. Nicosia
3. Ayia Napa
4. Limasol
TOP SOUVENIRS TO BUY IN CYPRUS:
1. Models of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty.
2. Cypriot wine (Commandaria) a strong sweet wine.
3. Lacework from Lefkara
4. Silver is cheaper than most developed nations.
5. Leather goods as shoes and handbags.
MOST UNIQUE FEATURES IN CYPRUS:
1. Absolutely no public transport on Sundays.
2. People are very warm and friendly and treat you like one of their own.
3. There are tonnes of retired and normal British tourists and feels like England at times.
TRIP PLAN:
TRIP EXPENSES:
Total Expense = 440.35 GBP
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