Rides in Larnaca

Rides out of Larnaca come in two kinds — by land upward and by air sideways. The first: the road into Troodos climbs in hairpins, gaining nearly fifteen hundred metres, and is worth the trip in itself. From it you watch the coast drop away while the vegetation changes on either side: first scorched fields, then vineyards, then pines. Stops are made in villages that produce halloumi and wine, so the drive turns out to be a food route as well.

The second is a small aeroplane. Cyprus is not large, and an hour in the air crosses almost all of it, from which its whole geography becomes clear at once: the salt lakes by Larnaca, the Troodos ridge down the middle, the narrow line of the Pentadaktylos in the north, and on a clear day the Turkish coast on the horizon. The flight is a family one, with four seats in the cabin, and the route is agreed before take-off.

Practical notes. Hairpins bring on motion sickness — anyone prone to it should sit in front and not read on the way. Up top it is some fifteen degrees cooler even at the height of summer, so a jumper goes along regardless of the coastal forecast. Flights depend on wind and visibility: in poor weather they are moved or the money returned. Passenger weights are asked in earnest when booking the plane; this is no formality.