The British explored the Cypriot countryside but without losing their habits or lowering their standards! Tea was always at hand, as E M Barry writes in her diary:
When we reached Kolossi we found that the officers had got tea all ready for us. Champagne cup etc and we had a very pleasant meal under the trees. After this we proceeded to explore. There is an old arch which forms part of an aqueduct- I suppose, as water was trickling down the sides which were completely covered nearly all over with maidenhair fern. The tower dates from the time of the Knights Templars, and is very high and square with a corkscrew staircase inside-. The view from the top is very lovely. We stayed up a long while having great fun and then a few, the nervous part of the company, went home by daylight. The rest of us went to the farmhouse close by where the Mitchells had provided a most sumptuous dinner. Everything as one would have had it at home, down to the table napkins in elegant designs. Afterwards we all went up the tower again and by the light of a lantern we actually danced, the dancers, all we ladies in our riding habits! As there were only six of us to even so many gentlemen, two pairs of the latter had to dance in the 16 set. The times we had to whistle and hum and very ridiculous we must have looked all whistling vigorously about and singing breathlessly “Tiddle-iddle-iddle-iddle-tum-tum-tumty-umty”. We were all laughing so much too that we could hardly dance. Then some of the people sang and so we whiled away the time till the sun rose in glory and flooded sea and land and the old tower in light. Then we all went and looked for our ponies and rode gaily home through the mornlit country.