Our Life in Spain

Life's a beach..!

2008-07-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

Now that the hot weather is here to stay we have spent a couple of afternoons on the beach at Sabinillas.

The beach there has been awarded a blue flag which signifies it's cleanliness and suitability for swimming etc.

There are a number of beach bars (chiringuitos) all along the beach..just as well as cold beer is an integral part of being there. The sea is cool and sometmes not the cleanest..I guess the litter comes from passing boats or else is blown into the water somewhere..best not to think too much about it!

The recent temperatures have been in the mid 30's and so the beach is a welcome alternative to the golf course.

There is always plenty of room on the sand although the locals do like to set up just a few yards away, something to do with the herding instinct I suppose.

Polo anyone..?

2008-07-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

Each July heralds the start of the polo season in the Sotogrande area and already we have attended on two occasions.

Sotogrande is situated only 15 minutes drive from Sabinillas and Manilva and so getting to the polo grounds is no problem. Entrance is usually free and watching the matches is a wonderful way of spending a couple of hours in the late afternoon sunshine.

There are three polo grounds in close proximity..Rio Sotogrande, Los Pinos, and Puente Hierrero. We have been to the latter and have had a wonderful time.

Matches comprise 5 or 6 chukkas each of 7 minutes with intervals of 3 minutes inbetween, and so each match is of about 50 minutes duration.

If you want to know more about the matches and competitions for the remainder of 2008 go to http://www.santamariapoloclub.com/

Noche de San Juan

2008-06-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Every year and always on 23rd June is held the Festival of San Juan. This is a traditional festival which starts in the late evening of the 23rd and goes on into the early hours of the 24th.

At the centre of the celebrations is a huge bonfire and this year a huge replica of an Egyptian temple was built on the Sabinillas beach a few days before and at around midnight it was set alight. A terrific fireworks display followed accompanied by music which built to a stunning finale.

It is customary to walk into the sea and walk out again leaving any bad luck behind you. This year was no exeception and the sea was filled with hundreds of people.

There followed live music and dancing which carried on into the early hours.

If you missed it this time make sure you put a note on your calendar for 2009 as it should not be missed.

The ITV test

2008-06-23T04:02:00.000-07:00

The ITV is the Spanish equivalent of the MOT test in UK. All cars are tested on a regular basis and even UK plated cars can now be covered. Once a car is over four years old, a test must be undertaken, and, depending on the age of the car the certificate has a validity of up to 2 years.

Claire´s car was tested successfully last week and the procedure is quite impressive.

It all started when a reminder was sent to us by post prior to expiry of the last certificate. I telephoned for an appointment and the earliest date was 19 June..14 days after expiry of the old certificate but that didn´t seem important. The appointment system has been introduced to eliminate the very long queues that used to form outside the testing station previously.

Our local testing centre is in the poligono at Estepona and I arrived just before the appointed hour to register and to pay the fee (39 euros)

I drove the car through the test which started with an under bonnet inspection followed by brakes, tyres, lights, emissions. all in all very thorough.

The Certificate is now valid for two years to 2010.

Some like it hot..(with apologies to Messrs Curtis and Lemmon)

2008-06-17T11:16:00.001-07:00

Temperatures of 30+, warm breezes, cool in the evenings.

June has finally arrived and the weather has been fantastic. The beaches at Sabinillas, Chullera. Torreguadiaro etc have all been full of colourful beach umbrellas where people have been taking refuge from the hot sun, sometimes spending all day a la familiar.

Holiday makers still underestimate the strength of the ultra violet rays at this part of the year and believe that sun block is not an essential..they are easy to spot..they are the people coloured bright red walking stiff legged to the pharmacia!

The weekend was pretty much wall to wall golf. We spent most of late Saturday evening watching the US Open from Torrey Pines in California. Sunday was our day to play and we tee'd off at 1.30pm...talk about Mad Dogs and Englishmen. I stayed up late on Sunday to watch the conclusion of the US Open. Four days of play and the result was a tie..Tiger Woods,of course, along with Rocco Mediate doing it for the 'oldies' at 45 years of age. Play off on Monday and of course Woods won.

More golf on Monday for us and for me today again..in these temps we must be completely mad.

Claire off to UK tomorrow (Wednesday) to visit family.

Watch this space for a report about Easyjet et al!

Some like it hot..(with apologies to Messrs Curtis and Lemmon)

2008-06-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Back to normal (whatever that is)..

2008-06-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

So we wake up for the first time in ten days with no prospect of seeing the grandchildren today.Hey ho.

Friday the 13th today,what else can go wrong? See the last posting about the truck drivers' strike. This morning's news says that it's set to continue so things will only get worse. The reduction in traffic is becoming noticeable and there are hardly any stocks on the supermarket shelves.

What does the weekend hold in store?

A BBQ tonight at the Schooners Inn, maybe some golf Saturday or Sunday, and generally re-charge our batteries after a busy few days.

And so we wave goodbye..

2008-06-12T02:47:00.000-07:00

Katy, Andy, and the children depart via Jerez this evening ( fuel permitting..see sep.blog)

We have had THE most fantastic time and finished it all off with a meal out last night at La Pergola. This is a family run restaurant with our friend and neighbour, Aaron ,and Mum and Dad, Dale and Brian, providing some of the best hospitality around.

Lucky old Claire will see them again next week..Lily will be having a birthday tea to celebrate her 3rd birthday and Claire will already be in UK visiting family and friends.

No more visitors for a while...I guess we will just have to play more golf !!

Batten down the hatches..!

2008-06-12T02:37:00.000-07:00

As if we don't have enough to contend with.

The pound/euro exchange rate almost 20% worse than 12m ago, property values falling and the building industry slowing right down..now we have a truck drivers' strike which is causing food and petrol shortages throughout Spain.

Katy, Andy, and the children are due to fly out of Jerez this evening so I hope the plane has plenty of fuel.

The drivers' strike started at the weekend and yesterday the first "sold out" signs appeared at the pumps. Foodstuffs were also running out and today the situation is worse.

There has obviously been some panic buying of essentials which, here, includes bottled water.There doesn't seem to be much happening in the way of negotiations with the drivers and their Union and so I guess the problems will continue over the weekend.

What a week with the Grandchildren (and Mum and Dad of course!)..

2008-06-10T00:57:00.000-07:00

Wow!..where has the time gone?

Since their arrival the pace has quickened somewhat. This is the first time I have been able to get to the blog to provide an update.

First of all, thankyou to Brunos Car Hire in La Duquesa for providing the car. The cost is very reasonable and we have two child car seats at no extra charge. Go to http://www.brunoscar.com/ to see how they can help you.

We have visited the beach at Sabinillas twice. This year it has been awarded a blue flag again. It is always kept clean and there are a number of bars and kiosks available for cold drinks etc.

We have been ten pin bowling..at Los Barrios and La Canada. At La Canada we also did some shopping. The Centre offers some of the very best shops to cater for everyone. There is also a very good supermarket, Alcampo.

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon at the Parque Aquatico (water park) in Fuengirola and had a fabulous time. Pools, water slides etc to suit all ages. We will definitely go again next year.

We have eaten out a few times. Patisserie Miel in Sabinillas and the Golden Hong Kong Chinese in Duquesa Port are particular favourites and very child friendly. The food is excellent.

Sadly, not many days of the holiday left..they will all be flying out of Jerez on Thursday.

Footnote: Claire is off to the UK on Monday, Gibraltar to London Gatwick, via Easyjet. This is a fairly new service so will let you know how she gets on. She will be getting her Amy Louise fix (our third grandchild born in April)

Katy,Andy,Lily and Finn arrive..

2008-06-03T03:37:00.000-07:00

At last,they have arrived.

I drove over to pick them up from Jerez Airport last evening. The Ryanair flight landed 10 minutes early and they were soon through customs and baggage collection and we were on our way.

The road from Los Barrios/Jerez/Los Barrios is fairly new (about 3 years)and replaces the old road which twisted and turned for kilometre after kilometre.The old road still exists in places.

The driving time from Manilva to Jerez (and return) is about 1 hour 15 minutes,and the journey takes you past the new wind turbines constructed in 2007.

Lily especially is very excited about her holiday and wants to swim,paddle,make sand castles,play games etc...all in the first day!

Today (Tues 3/6)after a morning at the beach we shall be shopping for supplies at either Eroski in the Los Hidalgos Retail Centre or Carrefour in Estepona.This evening we shall eat at Patisserie Miel on the paseo in Sabinillas.

An interview with..

2008-06-02T03:23:00.000-07:00

Most people considering a move to Spain are interested to read about how others have made a new life for themselves..the advantages (any disadvantages), their likes and dislikes, what to do and what not to do.

A series of interviews with people living in the Manilva area will be appearing at www.seguros-ibex.com and the first interview took place this morning.

Read what Janette Mitchell has to say at www.seguros-ibex.com/interviews.

More sunshine golf..

2008-06-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Another enjoyable afternoon at La Canada golf.

Today it was like millionaires golf with, seemingly, no one else on the Course. It could well be that it was too hot for the locals, 30 degrees..mad dogs and Englishmen and all that.

The best two balls I hit all afternoon was when I stood on a sand rake in a bunker !!

Not really..Claire and I both played pretty well, with a few pars here and there and very few blobs.

Shopping in Gibraltar..

2008-06-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

We drove over to Gibraltar yesterday to stock up on supplies prior to the arrival of daughter Katy and Andy along with our two grandchildren, Lily and Finn..they arrive into Jerez at 8.30 pm tomorrow, 02/06.

The Morrison's store sells everything English and so we were guaranteed of getting those special items especially for the children. We tend to do one 'big shop' a month there..with the rate of exchange so poor at the moment we are better off spending our pounds there instead of converting to euros.

One other big advantage is the ability to fill up with petrol at a much reduced price,something like 87 p per litre..even cheaper than in Spain.

Busy weekend ahead..

2008-05-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

Lots to do over the weekend in anticipation of the arrival of Katy and Andy with two of our grandchildren, Lily and Finn.

Exchanged text messages last night..we were sitting on the paseo in Sabinillas having a drink whilst in the UK it was pouring down.

They are flying in to Jerez which is about 1 hour 20 mins from Manilva. The road is hardly ever busy and so the car journey back and forth should be straightforward.

Golf insurance in Spain..

2008-05-30T02:56:00.000-07:00

Further to my earlier posting I have now found something that MAY fit the bill.

The policy in question would cover equipment for theft,fire or damage whilst kept in a room of the caddymaster or in the Pro shop, or whilst being transported by the Insured. Also breakage or damage whilst on the Course is covered.

Hole in one cover, third party liability and accident cover also included.

Further details at www.seguros-ibex.com

Up date on the Sky problem..

2008-05-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

B.B.Installations arrived on the dot. New box required. Fitted, tested, and all now running smoothly.

I strongly recommend BBI for anyone else who has a problem. (952 792 320)

Everything goes wrong at once..

2008-05-29T02:18:00.000-07:00

We discovered yesterday that our aircon unit needs a new part and are just waiting to find out how much this is going to cost. Fortunately, we know someone who will not try to 'rip us off'' and the price charged will be a fair one.

Also, it looks as if we need to replace our Skybox. We have been losing reception on certain of the channels and having spoken with B.B.Satellite Installations SL, I am happy to call them out to have a look. They are coming out in the morning..how about that for service? Watch this space.

Question: Why do things have a habit of going wrong all at the same time. Last year it was the cars which cost us a fortune. Talking of which, Claire's ITV (or MOT) is due and it will have to go to the testing station at Estepona. Will let you know how we get on.

An afternoon at the Golf Course

2008-05-26T04:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday started badly as we awoke to heavy rain in the morning.

However,this did not spoil our enjoyment of an excellent round of golf at La Canada Golf Club.

To read about our round hole by hole go to the articles page of www.seguros-ibex.com.

After a few practice shots on the range, the new golf clubs were given their first outing and I shall definitely be keeping them.

The graphite shafts help to keep the ball flight much straighter and the clubhead design helps to get more loft on the shots.

Can't wait to play again this afternoon.

Manilva International Festival - a line dancers experience

2008-05-26T04:05:00.000-07:00

Well it seemed that Friday arrived in a flash and I found myself, along with my companions tyring hard to battle first night nerves!!! As it was the first night of the Manilva International Festival the crowd had turned out in vast numbers. Needless to say, as with all things in Spain, the evening over ran and the girls and I found ourselves waiting for an hour longer to get up on stage and entertain the crowd. We should have followed the belly dancing girls, but one of the acts arrived late and took to the stage before us. Perhaps just as well, as it gave the men a chance to come back down to earth after watching the young girls girate around the stage.

Due to the wait there were lots of "can I go home now" and a few "I feel sick" but eventually the "Costakickers" were introduced and lots of wobbly legs climbed the stairs to the stage. Once the music started we were off - and what a performance. The choice of music and dance soon had everyone in the crowd clapping along and before you knew it the 'last dance' was performed. A great time was had by all of us and despite the nerves we are all looking forward to the next time!!!!

(Claire 26/05/08)

David and Leanne leave today..

2008-05-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

They have, we hope, had a wonderful time and the weather has stayed good.

Airport run to Malaga later on to catch a departure with Easyjet at 9.30p.m. Pretty much motorway, AP7, all the way as I try to avoid the A7 (N340) at all costs - too many cars and not enough tar. Motorists here tend to drive too fast and too close to the car in front. And as for lorry drivers....!!

Manilva International Festival

2008-05-23T05:13:00.001-07:00

Starts this evening and amongst other entertainment Claire and her friends will be linedancing.

They have been rehearsing all week and Claire is apprehensive to say the least. watch this space.

The Festival continues over the weekend and finishes Sunday p.m.

What a week 3..

2008-05-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

Best of the lot so far.

Chelsea 1 Man Utd 1 after extra time...Man Utd win on penalties..fantastic !!

I have been a Man Utd fan for almost 50 years. I think I went to my first game shortly after the Munich Air Disaster ( Feb 6 1958)

I was at the game in 1963 when George Best made his debut against West Brom and again when Ryan Giggs came on first time as sub against Everton - (what do I know about anything?..I thought Giggsy was rubbish and would never make it!)

League titles, F A Cups, European Cups, Champions League, great players, not so great players, Managers who are Legends and Managers who were just bookends..I have seen them all.

Manchester born and bred and proud to be a Red !!

What a week 2..

2008-05-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

After Golf in the afternoon came the 10 pin bowling at Los Barrios / Guadacorte.

Claire and I, David and Leanne all went to play at the shopping / leisure complex. 3 games, 3 wins. Not bad for an old man!

Now need to have the same luck on EuroMillions.

The complex comprises all kinds of shops, fast food outlets etc. Best bets are Decathlon for all your sportswear etc and Media Markt for electricals.

What a week 1..

2008-05-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

What a week I've had so far.

Remember my note about the sportshq.com? Well on Tuesday the new clubs arrived on the dot, 7 days in transit as promised. A set of RAM irons comprising two utility clubs (3 & 4) two hybrids (5 & 6) and the rest cavity backs up to SW. All for 115 quid!!...bargain!

They arrived too late for my quick 9 holes at La Canada. Now my old Pings are crying out to be kept on as I played pretty well to win 4 & 2..not bad in only 9 holes.

Read about Tuesday evening's activities at Sport & Leisure along with an even better Wednesday!!

Manilva, Casares and Estepona history

2008-05-19T04:08:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what you find out from the Internet.

Having done the research for the articles for the SI website, we now know a lot more about where we live.

We knew of course that Spain has a fascinating history (we've seen El Cid lots of times !!), but we didn't know that a major part of that history is right here on our doorstep. Anyone viewing this blog should take look at "places to visit" on www.seguros-ibex.com.

It seems that the crossing from North Africa to Spain was very popular....even before the ferry to Tarifa was in operation! Moorish architecture around here is much in evidence, there was probably a property boom even in those days.

Manilva International Festival

2008-05-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Next weekend sees the staging of the Manilva International Festival which, this year, is to be held in Sabinillas, which is on the coast just 3 kilometres from Manilva town.

This afternoon Claire and her line dancing friends have been rehearsing their moves before strutting their stuff for the benefit of the visitors to the Festival.

The Festival has been held for the past few years and the venue has alternated between Manilva town, Puerto la Duquesa and this year Sabinillas. The idea is to give the various international residents of the area the opportunity to represent their own countries with exhibitions of music, dancing, food, drink etc.

The Festival is always a big success..let's hope this year is no exception.

David and Leanne arrive...

2008-05-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last night we collected our son David and his girlfriend Leanne from Malaga airport.

They are glad to escape the UK weather for a while and will be with us for a week.Tomorrow we are off to the local market in Sabinillas.

Back in the UK they are in the process of buying their first house together and are just waiting for all the formalities to go through.

The UK market is suffering like that in Spain and so they have been able to get a good deal on the new house.The mortgage provider has put them through the hoop a little but everything now seems fine.

We are all now praying for good weather for the rest of their stay.

Community Insurance

2008-05-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

Had a conversation with the President of a neighbouring Community this morning.

The Community insurance policy is up for renewal and he is not happy with the present insurers.Apparently, following the heavy rains last December, the drains in the Community became blocked and this caused the sewage etc to "back up" into certain of the apartments..yuk!! The insurers said that the cleaning and restoration of those apartments affected was not covered under the policy.

I'm pretty sure that our sister Company, Hamilton Insurance, can come up with a policy which will have wider cover and, for the future, will cover any repetition. Furthermore, if the Community DOES take out this new policy, Hamilton's can offer a 10% reduction on personal policies taken out by the owners to cover contents and maybe first loss.

Watch this space.

Paying the car tax

2008-05-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

My car tax bill arrived a few days ago.For 2008 the cost is 90 euros...not bad for a V6 2.5 litre,much cheaper than the UK.

Claire's bill did not arrive so I visited the local Tax Office this morning where they were able to print me another in seconds.This included the unpaid tax from 2007..we acquired the car in July 2007 and did think that maybe, the tax had not been paid (we couldn't find the receipt). Not too bad as the car came from a friend so we are happy to pay the two years now.For Claire's car..Hyundai 1.4 litre the cost is even less..38 euros for the year.

This does raise an important issue for buyers of second hand cars.If buying from a stranger,make sure the tax is paid up to date.

Guidance for buying second hand in Spain will appear shortly on http://www.seguros-ibex.com/

Golf insurance in Spain ??

2008-05-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

Somebody called me yesterday to ask if it is possible to get golf insurance in Spain.Apparently,some Clubs offer it on a block policy and it is designed to cover accidents etc to Third Parties whilst on the golfcourse.
I know that once you are a member of the Spanish Golf Federation you are covered to some extent but I will need to check it out.
I suppose the best bet is to keep your ball on the fairway where you can see it !!

Another round of Golf

2008-05-13T04:50:00.000-07:00

Just off to play golf at our local club,La Canada,which is near Guardiaro in Cadiz.

By the way,have discovered an excellent website for on line purchase of golf equipment - thesportshq.com.

Well worth a look with lots of good reductions on branded goods.They cover other sports as well.

Our insurance in Spain (3)

2008-05-12T03:58:00.000-07:00

We already had some life insurance in the UK and the geographical limits meant we could continue to rely on the cover notwithstanding we had moved to Sabinillas,Manilva which is in Malaga provice by the way.

However,we needed a top up and spoke with a regulated Financial Advisor who was also based in Manilva.

(A word of warning!! - there are a number of so called "advisors"who are not regulated so make sure you ask about qualifications,licences etc)

We used the Spectrum Group for what we needed and the policy was written by Norwich Union.The Spectrum Group collaborate with Hamilton Insurance and Seguros Ibex and are also based in Manilva,Malaga.

Our Insurance in Spain (2)

2008-05-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

For the first 18 months of our living in Spain,we were able to enjoy reciprocal National Health care based on our contributions to National Insurance in UK.

After that we needed to take out some Private Healthcare so that we could use the local private doctor in Sabinillas,Manilva.There is also a private hospital close by,Hospiten near Estepona.

Sanitas is a BUPA Group company and provide cover from as little as 15 euros per month depending on the extent of cover you need.We decided we wanted cover for both outpatient and in patient care in case of need.The monthly premium for both of us is a little over 100 euros.This gives us complete peace of mind.

We are also members of Helicopteros Sanitarios (we joined as soon as we arrived in Spain).This is a paramedic service 365 days a year 24/7 and covers us whilst living in Manilva.In fact they operate between Torremolinos and Alcaidesa along the Costa del Sol.

Our insurances in Spain (1)

2008-05-12T03:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone reading our blog might be interested to know what insurances we have bought since we arrived.

First of all we had to look for motor insurance to cover us whilst living in Sabinillas,Manilva.

We brought our car with us and so,to begin with,we needed motor insurance for a UK plated car.We found that only a few Companies in Spain offer this service and,IBEX (Iberian Expatriate) Insurance offered the best deal.When we eventually put the car on Spanish registration the changeover was very straightforward - IBEX still offered the best deal.

Buildings and contents insurance.We had already arranged this cover at the time of signing for our new apartment - our lawyer handled everything.Following our arrival in Spain,we were able to look at the various insurance providers to maybe find a better deal.IBEX Insurance also provide buildings and contents cover.It seemed sensible,therefore,to transfer our business to them - which we did.

We have been very pleased with the service we receive from IBEX insurance.Our Agent is Seguros-Ibex based in Sabinillas,Manilva,and they handle the renewals,provide all of the paperwork we need.They also deal with claims handling.

The Story so far..coming out of retirement

2008-05-12T01:40:00.000-07:00

After just two years of full retirement,the "old grey matter" was seeking some stimulation and quite by co - incidence the opportunity arose.

In September 2004,Andrew Hamilton,Managing Director,Hamilton Homes became aware of my background in financial services,and he invited me to set up a sister Company,Hamilton Insurance This new Company has since gone on to serve the local Manilva/Sabinillas expatriate community,providing a full range of personal insurances including;

Motorcar and motorbike insurance in Spain

Buildings and Contents insurance for owners of Spanish property

Private healthcare for expatriates living in Spain

Travel insurance for expatriates living in Spain

More recently another company,Seguros Ibex Costa del Sol has been added to the Group in order to extend further the ability to m eet the needs of our client base..

Seguros Ibex and Hamilton Insurance are approved Agents for many well known insurance companies including Ibex,Zurich,a la Carte,Worldwide Travel,and Sanitas.

The Story so far..making the most of it

2008-05-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

It was not too long before we began to play golf at many of the courses close to our new home. When not playing golf, we spent much of our time at the beach.

We discovered that between Malaga and Manilva there are more than 50 golf courses so we had plenty to choose from. We also discovered that playing golf in Spain is not cheap with courses wanting us to buy a share and then maybe pay a green fee on top.We discounted most of the courses we played, not because of the courses themselves, but because of the cost involved.One Club was seeking a share sale/purchase of 125,000 euros - ridiculous! It turned out that the best option was right on our doorstep - La Duquesa Golf in Manilva.

The cost of joining was within our budget and we very quickly got into the habit of playing 3 or 4 times a week. Visits to the local Sabinillas beach were squeezed in between.

This most acceptable routine became a way of life punctuated by visits by family and friends from the UK. The sunshine, the food, the wine, indeed, the whole Spanish culture, re - inforced our decision to make the move.

Nowadays, we still play a lot of golf, but visits to the beach have become fewer.We have other things to keep us busy - not least of which is that I (Nigel) am back working.

For the next chapter of our lives see "The in - between years".

The Story so far..what happened next?

2008-05-07T04:09:00.000-07:00

Following our arrival,the first thing to contend with was the premature arrival of all our wordly goods from the UK.

Before our departure, we had given strict instructions to the removals company NOT to deliver anything to our new apartment until we said so. Imagine our surprise(?) therefore, when, upon opening our new front door for the first time, we were confronted with the furniture and cardboard boxes we had last seen 10 days previously -we should never have left that key with a neighbour!!.. at least we had a comfortable mattress to sleep on!

Over the next few days there followed an orderly and systematic unpacking of boxes and arrangement then re-arrangement of what little furniture we had sent over. We had made a concious decision to bring only a few items as we were moving from a 4 bedroom family house to a 2 bedroom apartment and had decided to more or less furnish our new home from scratch.

There followed a daily pilgramage to furniture shops,curtain shops and hardware shops (especially Corte Ingles and Leroy Merlin, where at one time we thought we would be invited to the Staff Christmas Party!!) Eventually, we completed the task. The apartment was furnished and we began to relax.

However,we had not quite finished.

Over the next few weeks we became members of Helicopteros Sanitarios (Doctors on call 365 days 24/7), took out Private Healthcare Insurance and re-insured our UK plated car that we had brought with us to Spain. A few months later we transferred the car onto a Spanish registration. We also began to indulge our passion for golf (read on elsewhere).

The Story so far..how did it all start?

2008-05-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

In the early part of 2001 Claire and I were taking a few days holiday to escape the cold and damp in the UK. The weather in Spain was warm and sunny-even in February. One morning we were enjoying a coffee in a pavement cafe and it was then that the attraction of a move to Spain began to grow.

Prior to this we had been taking regular holidays in the sun to escape the UK winters. At the same time we had been fighting a losing battle with the NHS to get Claire some much needed treatment to her lower back where degenerated discs were causing her considerable pain.

Back in the UK, we began our property search and eventually decided to buy a duplex apartment in Sabinillas in a development which had just been completed.

We did not move to Spain straightaway as we were still hopeful of obtaining the necessary treatment for Claire. However,we finally gave up on the NHS and decided to "go private" and Claire finally had her operation on September 10,2001.Neither of us will ever forget where we were on the morning of 9/11 as the tragic scenes at the World Trade Centre in New York were played out on television throughout the World. For Claire,lying in bed after major surgery seemed to be fairly insignificant compared to what other people were going through.For me,Claire's operation was the start of a new chapter in our life together. I could only think that she was getting her life back whilst so many others were losing theirs.

Following a long period of recuperation and convalesence for Claire, our house in the UK was put on the market and was eventually sold so that in August 2002 we were able finally to complete our move to Spain.

We took the ferry from Portsmouth and arrived in Bilbao on the morning of 17th August.The car journey to Sabinillas took about 12 hours and we finally arrived tired but excited at the prospect of setting up our new home.

Better late than never..!

2008-05-06T01:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of our new blog. Maybe a little late as we have been living in Spain for almost six years..but better late than never.
So first of all let's catch up...read on under "The story so far".