I worked for 25 years with Standard Chartered Bank in various parts of Asia, Africa and the Gulf as well as with the National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah. As a child I lived mostly abroad including Italy, Japan, USA and Yugoslavia and went to boarding school in Caterham, Surrey followed by the University of Reading where I read French with German. My main home is in Torquay, Devon. I play golf regularly both at Torquay and Minthis Hills not far from the villa.

Ian Harvey purchased this villa in 1983

I bought the property off plan in 1983 while I was working in Bahrain, as I liked Cyprus and thought it would always be on the way back from wherever I was posted. That was before they sent me to Africa! Originally it was a 2-bedrrom villa but over time it has been extended to add a third bedroom with bathroom and an outside BBQ area by the pool. Most recently, the front terrace has had a fully tiled verandah added with a balustrade to add more privacy. When I bought the villa Kamares was only just getting started and Tala was undeveloped with few places to eat but both have grown greatly since then. I spend 5-6 weeks at a time here in the spring and autumn and am still finding new places to go while many old favourites remain. If I want a bit of exercise, there are plenty of circuits taking around 40 minutes just in Kamares, to the monastery and Tala village.

Relaxing on the terrace by the pool, swimming, reading a book, looking down to the coast; compare that to a noisy shared pool at a hotel or apartment complex. Forget the world, until dinner time.