Talking Round North Cyprus

Martin Derbyshire loves to cycle now he's retired to the TRNC from the army, with his wife. He's cycled around the whole island of Cyprus but didn't count on being hit by a car and spending 3 months in traction. But he's back on his bike as he's been telling us.

From rehoming a donkey and two miniature goats on his father's land in Taskent, Kemal Basat has gone on to set up the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute. They are currently running twenty programmes from donkeys in the Karpaz to turtles to collecting seeds for the seed bank. He chatted with Sara about the work the Institute does on very little money.

Don't worry - you've not gone through a time port hole, we're re-publishing this episode as there was a copyright issue with the very small bit of Christmas music we put at the end of the episode! They would have deleted the whole episode otherwise. Merry Christmas!!!

Former army officer, Steve Heap, and his wife have just moved to North Cyprus - even though he could have lived anywhere in the world. Despite rules changing regularly, they still like it especially as his former boss in the Army - John Scott - happens to live down the road.

The fantastic documentary film about the “Cyprus Problem” - The Divided Island - is now available to view on Amazon Prime Video. Roger and Sara chat with director Cey Sesiguzel about its popularity

This episode isn't about god but we do hear from someone who started singing in church in Botswana and, since moving to the TRNC, has entertained many people with her beautiful voice. Divine shares her story of combining electrical engineering with singing.

We celebrated our 100th episode, and our four year anniversary, with guests from our podcast at a party in North Cyprus. Thank you to all who came to celebrate with us and to all our listeners over these past four years.

From Rioja to relocation, Laura Özkerimler and her husband shut down their popular wine bar to set up a business helping expats with their immigration and residency. Laura tells us why they did this and how they managing their busy workload.

We catch up with Dean Lewis, an American living in the TRNC, to get his views on what a second Trump term might look like and how it could affect the TRNC.

Our good friend Eltan Halil, Editor in Chief of Cyprus Today, joins us to look back at the big stories that made the news in 2024 and what to look out for in 2025.

Kate Taylor would love to spend all her time in the TRNC but can't just at the moment. Hear what she loves about the place and how she can beat Roger at table tennis!

Roger and Sara chat about the latest North Cyprus news, the cost of potatoes and being careful about meeting Roger in a bar!!

Darren Stout moved from supporting his beloved Gillingham football club to North Cyprus to support his author wife Kerry-Lee (listen to The After Luke One). Roger met Darren in a bar and got chatting about how life has been for them both after a year in the TRNC.

It's cool to run one marathon in a day but amazing to run 7 in 7 days. That's what Kurt Duffield has done, raising money for Tulips cancer charity. We'll hear from Kurt and also from Roger about how he feels being back in a BBC studio after 12 years!

Sara chats about her first time diving. It was at the only 5 star PADI dive centre in heart of Iskele. Once she surfaced she chatted with owner Mansour Hosseini - an Iranian, living in Sweden, and working in North Cyprus. https://www.instagram.com/scuba_pulse?igsh=MWptdmxxZWthYWhwcQ==

There can be few things worse in life than losing a child. Gulay and Jay Uzun lost their daughter Tanyel to cancer. From a place of darkness comes light as they now help other youngsters in the TRNC who have cancer. Jay tells us how he copes and about his cycle from London to the TRNC.

It's what everyone is talking about. Getting the title deeds for the property you may own. We hear, in this episode, from Carina Svenson from Sweden and American Dean Lewis with their take on how this is affecting them personally.

It's what everyone is talking about. The new laws around property for expats. We get the latest information from Caroline Houghton from The Foreign Residents in the TRNC group, who is working hard with the government to make sense of all these new laws. She is a busy lady but found time to chat with Roger.

The Divided Island is a film showing both sides of the Cyprus problem. With historical facts, unbiased commentators and very personal experiences, it hopes to inform everyone about this frozen conflict. Sara went to a private screening and chatted to Director Cey Sesigüzel

From the Isle of Wight via Butlins and cruise ships, Kerry Bowler has a background in entertainment. She has now settled in North Cyprus using her many talents and teaches fitness classes

Munise Keşanlı loves cycling around the villages of North Cyprus so much that she and her partner have set up cycling tours. She tells us about her love of cycling and her country.

New laws for foreign residents and about immovable property have been issued by the government in the TRNC but they are complicated and confusing. Roger and Sara try to explain them with help from those more in the know.

There can be few things worst in life than losing a child. Gulay and Jay Uzun lost their daughter Tanyel to cancer. From a place of darkness comes light as they now help other youngsters in the TRNC who have cancer. Gulay tells their heartbreaking story

Author Kerry-Lee Delport joins Roger and Sara to chat about her debut novel “After Luke” and about how she's settling into her new life in the TRNC.

Just how effective is the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus? Samuel Lewis-Blanc is back chatting about his role with them and about his new podcast Cyprus Untold

Sam Lewis-Blanc and his family lived inside the Buffer Zone in Nicosia while he was the first continuity liaison officer to Turkish Forces for the UN 2019-2021. He provides a fascinating insight into many aspects of divided Cyprus.

Daz Barton was a British soldier serving across many conflicts. He worked with the UN on the Green Line in Nicosia. He's lived in both the south and north and has an interesting perspective on life in Cyprus.

From working in the NHS and UK prisons such as Holloway and Wormwood Scrubs, Claire Lamb has thrown herself into local life in the TRNC. She chats here about her now famous Table Top Sales raising money for Tatlisu dogs.

Aubrey Beckham came to the TRNC just for the weekend but that was 12 years ago. She loves life in North Cyprus but it was difficult at first as the local Brits at the time weren't very welcoming.

From picking up the violin at an early age in Belfast, via Trinity College of Music in London, from string quartets to backing the likes of Peter Gabriel, Lesley Locke has brought her wonderful talent to North Cyprus. Host Roger Bara finds out what brings her to the TRNC.

We're back after our Christmas and New Year break. And our first guest of 2024 is editor in chief of Cyprus Today, Eltan Halil, who is feeling positive about this coming year for the TRNC.

You'd think that if you were moving to a new country, and decided to open the only bowls club in North Cyprus, you'd have done it before. But no. Martin Appleton tells us why and how he's done just that.

Roger and Sara chat about the new Ercan airport; UNDP Cyprus and children taking over parliament.

Ralph O'Neill experienced many areas of conflict around the world as an army medic. He reflects, this Remembrance weekend, on his career and why he chose North Cyprus as his home. *There is some graphic description in this episode *

Roger is in England and Sara is in Jersey at the time of recording. They discuss the new Ercan airport and the view of the Israel Gaza conflict from TRNC perspective (among other things). Enjoy!

Jemma Neely visited the TRNC on holiday and stayed for 12 years. She lived in quite rough conditions and spent all her time looking after stray animals, particularly dogs. She's leaving N Cyprus and reflects on her time..

Willy Lindt worked for the UN in Cyprus in 1964 but could see the Turkish Cypriots were already being heavily persecuted. He tried to help but ended up in prison in Sweden. Hear his amazing story.

Sara visits Gul Ciplak (The Artist) in Dipkarpaz to find out about her holiday lets and paintings and catches up with Mike and Veysal from Eagle's Nest a year on. Plus The Russians are coming… or here already in large numbers

Sara grabs a quick week at her apartment in North Cyprus and catches up with some previous podcast guests - “The Artist One” and “The Eagle's Nest One”. Plus of course her co-host Roger Bara - in his pool!

Listen here to our guest Peter Wills, who lives in the TRNC, and encourages film makers to come to the island. But his background is very diverse and he famously missed out on hiring The Beatles!

What would you do if you needed part time, or full time care, in the TRNC and had no family to help? They are only 6 care homes in the TRNC and they're not fit for purpose. Professor Hatice Jenkins is working tirelessly to get the government to address this growing problem but we all need to help because sadly, one day, you may need someone to look after you.

Sarah Woods is the author of over a dozen travel books, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. She writes for national newspapers and travel magazines and has appeared regularly on TV and radio. So, of all the places she could have chosen, why has she chosen to live in North Cyprus?

Born to Turkish Cypriot parents in London, Fez grew up in the UK, only moving to North Cyprus once married. She worked hard to make it her home and now works with children inspiring them to be better people. She's passed this on to adults though her volunteer work with Tulips Cancer charity. Enjoy her zest for life!

Former accountant and former hairdresser Nigel and Paul Woollaston-Evans gave up their careers to move to the TRNC where they now help others with their health and well-being. We're also told they host great parties!

As President Erdogan is re-elected in Türkiye, how does that affect the TRNC going forward? We get a full insight from Cyprus Today Editor in Chief Eltan Halil

If you ever have a question, or want help, on life in North Cyprus then Issy Atahasan is your man. He was invaluable during the pandemic in keeping people informed of regulations and his work hasn't stopped. He told us why he does it and about his charity work

This episode is slightly rude! Roger's equipment let's him down so he and Sara end up chatting bollocks (quite literally!)

Barry Miller had been living in the TRNC for around 10 years and has moved into a house in the country. He thought at one point, during the pandemic, he'd leave but he tells Sara and Roger he couldn't be happier.

Irene Scott retired to North Cyprus with her daughter and granddaughter. She picked up a stray dog from the roadside and nearly 10 years later she's set up her own Little Ranch Rescue. She looks after and then rehomes stray dogs. Hear her story as she chatted with Roger and Sara

Well known author Malcolm Hollingdrake's first novel was set in North Cyprus. He lived in the TRNC in the ‘80s and remembers it fondly. You can get his book “Bridging the Gulf” on Amazon

Laura Ozkerimler and her husband have opened a wine bar in Alsancak. It's quickly become a hit. We find out more Laura and how she came to be in the TRNC. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087181704493