Was going to Spain from start to finish but now I, Luca have taken over

 Everything went very well getting to Spain & hiring the car with all the expected slight of hands from Ryanair & the car hire company.  I'm well used to these devious dealings having been looking especially for them for 25 years. There are separate stories to all the dealings but not today.

Suffice it to say We have had a very busy 2 days, what with driving due to previous arrangements from Malaga Airport to Torrevieja  including driving for 30 minutes on the A7 the wrong way. I did not have a map knew it was the A7 so it was 50 -50, I guessed wrong. So we drove through the night to see the first property at 10.00 Sunday morning. We were late as we again went the wrong way, but no matter she had forgotten that we were coming. The lady was extremely pleasant with a lovely Irish smile & we went on to view other places.

Everone was extremely nice and helpful even though I explained to each one that I was looking at many properties. There was one though, an English "girl" who proported to be an estate agent who was extemely arrogant and offensive and I never got to see the three properties that she was supposed to be offering for her client (a lovely chap, who I got on well with on the phone). He really should consider changing her! She also had the temirity to call me a liar and question my dealings. So furious am I that I am sorely tempted to expose her on this blog although I am still considering this. Then we came to call another Agent who advertises strongly on the internet so we drove to the town of Almanzora to see him. At Almanzora we tried to call him, but his "box" was full with no further calls. Undeterred we drove into the town to find his place does not exist. Finding a "hotspot looked on Google maps which show the place as unbuilt.

Harder than I thought this looking for properties, we are now down to looking for estate agents, hotspots and anything else that may help in the adventure. So far we have travelled about 1800 kilometres but I'm not even thinking of giving up, but this idea of popping over, seeing somewhere and coming home is pie in the sky.

The countryside though, and we have seen lots and lots is simply wonderful. I always though Thailand was the the paradise but I think Spain beats it.

I also think I now understand how Spain got into this financial mess but that is not for this blog and I may explain more when I get home later in the week.

Through the week I have completed everything on my to-do list & thought I had little left to do. Then the clever experienced of you placed a few other further thoughts into my head.

Basically everything is done right up flying to Spain on Saturday, cash currency sorted luckily just before it dropped today, appointments, Flight, booked in, seat sorted (rob dogs!) hire car confirmed etc in fact everything I have spoken about previously.

But when I reported of the currency exchange I had obtained I was told, "yea but that is a one off holiday rate, but what about larger amounts? what about any pensions? will you leave your money in a British Bank? Have you looked Spanish Banks?"  Now the answers to all these I simply don't know as yet, & they need further research & will be relying heavily here on the good readers (& writers) of "Eye on Spain"

We still have serious thoughts of whether to live in the centre of a town/village & try to manage without a car - or live further out whereby a car will be a necessity. That hopefully will be decided next week when I visit, & then on my return, possibly seeking further advice from you members.

I will probably go for a car anyway, having driven all my adult life & many many thousands of miles at that, I simply love it. Yet again your wonderful site has been very helpful and I am speaking to someone about a possible purchase of a car. I won't buy in Spain, have looked at the Left Hand Drive Centres in England, and don't trust 'em & am truly very very wary about buying from anyone other than British unless I know them personally.

I eventually need to ascertain the  Road fund Licence situation, the Insurances & Companies & costs & then the Driving Licences situation & if there a dreaded points & "totting up" process.

But that is in the future, don't even know what the initials for them are yet!

 We are, I think, as far as we can be now without actually looking at properties in Spain but feel that we are learning all the time.

Flights are bought, paid for & confirmed with boarding passes printed. My wife's schengen visa sorted and both passports, are in order, insurance done, as is travelling to & from Birmingham Airport.

I have spoken to some of the owners and made appointments to view, & arranged with a estate agents for others. I think it's going to be a busy few days as some of the properties are well spread.  

The two things remaining are, one to change some cash to euros (glad I left that to the last moment!), & to maybe to book hotels (or somewhere to sleep at night), might leave that to the day & take "pot luck", dunno yet.

I hope when we get back next week to have sorted something, I am very optimistic anyway.

Oh!! must get some sun block, love the sun but it kills me - literally.

This superb summer weather we are having, (if you're a duck or a blackbird!) sadly can only drive people away from this country.

Shame because I cruised down the River Trent yesterday and had superb lunch on board, the weather was OK but definately not like the Med.

The Spaniards yet again won a European Football Title (under 19's) and the country continues to bask in sun and very hot weather regardless of it's sad financial situation.

So the next investigation was have looking at the money exchange and  to this end did a tour around all the Main Banks and  some Building Societies. The rate at the moment is €1.27 to the Pound. The Banks all wanted to give between €121 to almost €124.

I thought that that was OK until I started to look on line. And here nearly all the Banks had warned about the charges that the competitors especially the on line one's would make.

Well the worthy winner is: http://www.mytravelmoney.co.uk 

I was able to return about €1.255 to the Pound. Yes they do charge ......... a whole £3.95

But they are still winners hands down. So there is no doubt about to whom I shall swap my hard earned dough, the only question is ........... will it continue to rise or is it about at i'ts peak? 

 I've just come back from a beautiful few days in Scotland and we were very lucky, as although the sun rarely shone, it was fairly warm (for Scotland) and we escaped the rain that the rest of Britain was having.

Scotland is a truly remarkable place, superb scenery, warm Scottish people (obviously not the football season) and an easy pace of life. This got me thinking that if the United Kingdom had the Spanish weather this would be possibly the best place in the world ..... or is it?

Came home to Parliament almost getting up to fighting, lying and deceit, distrust and apparent total dishonesty. I know this applies to most governments but we simply don't want it from our own. So it didn't take me long to become even more resolved to leave for sunnier climes, namely Spain.

We are now committed to viewing several properties and areas around Malaga and Alicante and hope to reach a decision where we reside within a month or so. I will speak to the property owners on the telephone in the next day or so to hopefully form a pleasant relationship. So, until we resolve that problem there is little about this a write about.

However, and I hope readers (if I still have any!!) can help me here. I love my old Rover 75, a top of the range model and one of the last off the production line. It has been agood and faithful servant to me for seven years, and we've been travelling all over Europe in it.

I now find however, that under the new Spanish regulations, I cannot bring it to Spain for longer than 6 months. This is a blow as I will probably now have to sell it in England and buy something else in Spain. So that will be my next area of research (and hopefully help!). What are the regulations for purchasing in Spain? do they have annual MOT test's? What about Insurance and is their a Road fund Licence? How much do they cost?  Would hiring a car only when needed be financially better? Questions, questions ! but it gives me further things to do.

I hope you are enjoying the Spanish Sun or if in the United Kingdom the rain.

 Morning everyone (if anyone is reading this!),

I don't normally watch things I consider spin, but last night I watched "Costa del Crime" on SKY,and have to say I think it must be a propaganda programme to change the British public's opinion of coming to Spain.

They major on several areas, which at the moment I won't divulge, but the stabbings, muggings, hold ups, scams and what have you are could be a worry. Not to me however, and the quarter of a million of expats who seem to be doing OK. Just warns me to be a little more careful and a bit choosier where to live. I will now watch further programmes, repeats I think but still news and further experiance for my locker.

A few years ago they did a programme called "Trouble in Paradise" where they reported of untold problems in Thailand - load of rubbish. As long as you beware, of the scams etc. Thailand is one of the best places to live in the world. 

 Having spent most of the day (& last night) researching my move abroad, some startling revelations have been uncovered. You may know of them, but remember I'm just starting on this trail.

There are about a half a million properties on the market in southern Spain, a lot of them for years & years. So of course this made me think of the enormous mistakes possible. What if I don't like the area, maybe the people won't like me, after all I am invading their country or ...... well there are a loads of possible pitfalls. I also don't like the legal situation in Spain today becoming aware of the "mafia" style legislation. Which brings me to the conclusion that I have to rent for a year or even two or three to test the water, as it were, then to maybe consider buying when I am more conversent with the Spanish way of life.

So now I am into looking, but where? Well it has to be the south of Spain somewhere, but again where? On the web sites they all look superb, we are told the area is wonderful & everything is perfect, but that is the job of the seller or estate agents to make them so. I could write the same about England, read, then think it's not so bad, but I ain't into spin doctors. I will have to take a look.

Speaking to several sellers yesterday & today I have now booked appointments to view properties around  Malaga & Alicante at the end of the month. Also to look around the areas. I know it is the wrong time of the year & everywhere will be crowded & top dollar, but the flight is booked the car hired and I am now moving towards the next stage. I know I will have to return, possibly two or even three times, to hopefully get it right.

I have strangely never driven in Spain although it won't pose a problem as I have regularly driven in France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Italy & Denmark, but nevertheless I am checking for any wrinkles. I am told Spanish driving is a revelation although it cannot be worse than Bangkok!  

 Having decided to go to Spain, the next thing is where?

I am a Libran & its said that Librans cannot make a decision. That in fact is not true, they do make decisions, but have to balance (libra - the scales!) all the facts before deciding which may take a while. When that decision is made it is rarely wrong.

Have been to the Islands, Canaries, Majorca etc & love them all, for varying reasons. I have friends on the Canaries and Majorca has always been so friendly, but as I like to "roam" wherever I am, on these islands worry about the distance I can travel.

Over the last four or five years I have seen & been just about everywhere in England, Scotland & Wales so I think I may, in a year or two, feel trapped in such a small confinement of those wonderful little islands.

So I have decided to look at Spain mainland. But of course Spain is a huge place & I could spend years travelling around looking for a suitable place. Catalan and the north, where I went a few years ago is a fine place & the football up their really appeals to me but I also have to consider my wife, so have decided to look around the south.

Now the south is also huge so the next job is where in the south? On the internet & researching books it all looks tremendous. Of course this site has been wonderful and have spoken on line to many persdonal individuals. Shall I go down towards Gibralter or further up three or four hundred miles (yup, still using miles, even when I see kilometres have to convert it in my head). What should I buy apartment or villa, seaside or country? Maybe my family will want to come for a holiday, so should I cater for them? needing therefore a larger place.

I need now to look at a few professionals, the estate agents & the costs. So thats the next job here we go, I'll let you know in due course.

 Hi all.

having recently retired, & being suitably fed up with the weather & one or two other things about England (yes-England not the UK, I am English), I've decided to go abroad.

Looked at loads of countries, as far away as Thailand (fabulous place but have to watch the scams & tricks, the girls will tempt me (again), & the distance. 12 hour flights don't appeal to me anymore), Romania, Bulgaria & the like.

But Spain keeps coming up so this week I started to do my research & over time I'll tell you the good & bad things, if anybody reads & wants to give me a few tips great, if not ........ well suppose I'll manage.

So where do I go mainland or island? rent or buy? I'll let you know eventually