What do we need to know about Dhekelia Cyprus?

mhoc

Ta to both, needless to say we will have loads of questions in the weeks to come.

I've found the pre posting booklet from the MOD website and reading through it. Getting your head around how much stuff you can box up and send over - at the end of phase one he had so much kit to take home with him it filled the car up! There wont be room in the boxes for much else! Assume thye are metal boxes?

I suppose the boxes go surface rather than airmail which is why they take so long - booklet says 6 to 8 weeks?

Things like the dress uniform which is so heavy and bulky. If it did not go in the boxes it would take over much of the weight allowance for his airplane allowance. That and the boots!

Much questions to follow

jpwhittle

bring enough uniform to last while you wash the rest, preferably about a weeks worth. Then ship the rest over.

Boxes will come ship or air depending on weight. most stuff gets here in a reasonable time unless it is particularly heavy. it also depends when your stuff lands at the docks to to be shipped, sometimes you can be lucky and catch it at the right time.

Dhekalia is ok, has a little beach close by with a coffee shop and newsagents type shop. Its a nic area with loads around to visit and only about 45mins from larnaca airport.

Other than being very hot i wouldnt worry. We live down the other end of the island, but cyprus is great. Im presuming your son is army as dhek is predominanly army? Once he gets here and settles in he will be to busy to be bored, theres so much to do, especially for singlies, from sports to nights out. Its a great experiance.

mhoc

great, just have to hope he never gets to have to do any formal does or parades where he needs to wear the dress uniform, its so thick and heavy it does not bear thinking about having to wear.

Son has been taught to cook since he was little and also did evening course at college, just for fun. But since joining he has not cooked - slacked off! They go to Tesco for shopping at the weekend and cook some microwave ready meals in their block in the evening to save the long walk to the cook house! I dont imagine there is much in the way of microwave meals so he will have to re learn the delights of salad making as an alternative to standing over a hot microwave.

I think he will be fine once he makes some mates - very much a pack animal

He is not mad keen on water sports at the moment but when he realises that the water is the coolest place and the only respsite from the heat I think he will change his mind :T

mhoc

Do you use shops on base or the local groucerie shops?

jpwhittle wrote: »

bring enough uniform to last while you wash the rest, preferably about a weeks worth. Then ship the rest over.

Boxes will come ship or air depending on weight. most stuff gets here in a reasonable time unless it is particularly heavy. it also depends when your stuff lands at the docks to to be shipped, sometimes you can be lucky and catch it at the right time.

Dhekalia is ok, has a little beach close by with a coffee shop and newsagents type shop. Its a nic area with loads around to visit and only about 45mins from larnaca airport.

Other than being very hot i wouldnt worry. We live down the other end of the island, but cyprus is great. Im presuming your son is army as dhek is predominanly army? Once he gets here and settles in he will be to busy to be bored, theres so much to do, especially for singlies, from sports to nights out. Its a great experiance.

jpwhittle

we use a mix of both. But to be honest when he gets here and has a car, youll find the cookhouse quickly becomes the place to eat. I used to love cooking but its just so hot at the moment that we tend to go to the cookhouse most days. Pay as you dine is fab, and at our mess we have families split from the singlies wich i think is good.

Gonzo33

Larnaca Airport is more like 20 minutes away. The Naafi (Ermes in BFC) is very expensive so as families we use local stores (there is even a Lidl's now). Temperature is currently 35 degrees ish so I expect he will find the water pretty quickly, especially aftr CO's PT!!!

dadof3

Is your son moving as part of a unit or as a individual?

I am just asking as this affects loads of things to do with his move

mhoc

dadof3 wrote: »

Is your son moving as part of a unit or as a individual?

I am just asking as this affects loads of things to do with his move

He seems to be the only one with this posting. There must be others from other units going out as well - I dont think they will run a plane just for him

As he is going on his own what does this affect?

mhoc

Another question.

Internet.

I know certain areas have wi fi like the library - is this free? Otherwise how does he get himself connected up? Can you get dongles?

modger

I would be interested in this response as i have lost all contact via the internet with the other half!