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

This week I had the need to use my car but first I had to remove the snow. This is the windscreen which took me about 10 minutes to clear. To think that last week we were in Axaequia in 21 degrees during the day 4 degrees at night.

If i had any doubts about moving to Spain (which I don't), this was ample reason enough to remove those doubts.

Everything is now being formulated for my transition to Spain & most everybody has been told, all worrying about our welfare, but they shouldn't this isn't an overnight thing.

Today I attended "A course and Assessment on Emergency Life Support and Defibrillation. Incorporating  Cardiopulmonary Resuscitaion and the use of An Automated External Defibrillator" A mouthful eh? But briefly I learned what to do if a person appeared to have had a Cardiac Arrest or Heart Attack. Commonly known as CPR but using a Defibrillator. What an eye opener although I have to say do not look forward to the day when I am called on to use it.

Amazingly Sedella, only a little village, but quite forward thinking, has long windy roads leading to it which are very time consuming, so it has it's own helipad.  It also has 4 defibrillators with 8 trained users. But as of today it now has 9!

So at about 6.30pm we arrived at Puente Don Manuel & set about looking for our temporary apartment. As usual the satnav sent us totally the wrong way although the owner, Stephenie did warn us that the apartment & satnav are not compatible. The apartment was lovely, spacious & not expensive with English TV & all mod cons, so that was OK then! We ventured into Puente Don Manuel which in American terms would describe it as "a one hick town" Not our cup of tea I'm afraid. Everyone I heard was speaking English with most of the shops & restaurants English. Sadly there were also also a whole block of half built apartments very derelict, so sad.Seemed to me as if the village was dying.

At the restaurant & later that night, we talked more seriously & in depth about the past three days, the properties we had viewed & how much further we had come. Really there were only two possibilities, the house in Riogordo & the other in Sedella. Phet & I though, mutually & quickly came to the decision that the house in Sedella was the house we liked the best. On our visit the owners Neil & Sandra, we discovered, were really lovely & warm people & we felt an immediate rapport with them. I telephoned Neil & asked him if  we vould look around the house again & discuss the details more fully. We wanted also another walk around, & talk to some villagers, look & visit the bars (again) & look at the little shops. Neil was most happy to see us again & the more Phet & I talked & thought about we liked this house. I felt I didn't want to look at any more houses so happy were we with the one in Sedella so we put off our further appointments leaving us free for a couple of days. 

The following day, Monday we decided to drive to the Sierra Nevada's & from Puenta Don Manuel we  climbed for about 30 minutes untill we reached a 30 miles plateau about 100 Kilo's high & on to Loja where is was pretty cold (2 degrees) & then past Sajar. A few minutes later we were in Huetor Tajar, what a wonderful but unusual place. It is exactly as if you are in the Andes or South America. The people look the same, dress the same, wide roads and the buildings & shops are the same. Could be Bolivia or Peru! We even got stuck in the snow when we arrived at the top of the mountain! 

On Tuesday we went to Nerja but this time came away quite disappointed - strange that!

On Wednesday we drove to Sadella feeling a mixture of apprehension & elation. Would this second viewing crash our hopes would the walk again around the village disappoint us? Neil was waiting for us again with his happy & open demeanour & they left us to look around the house on our own, looking in every nook & cranny, we were even happier this time, so a two minute discussion between us resulted in us shaking hands on a deal with both of us very happy & comfortable with each.

WE NOW HAD A HOUSE IN HOUSE IN SPAIN & the black door on the right is the one in our beautiful little Calle.

On the right is the entrance hall, the centre the lounge & on the right one of the very efficient pellet burning stoves.

We are returning home contented but will their be any twists, we'll see.

So after three days in Colmenar we booked out & plotted the totally unreliable satnav for Sedella. The day had in fact already been planned for us by Tamara before jumping on her flight England. Wonder if she will be my personal secretary – unpaid of course!

Well the time arrived and we were sitting on the Ryanair 737 aircraft flying to Malaga. Leaving 20 minutes early we landed 40 minutes early, but that was OK by me. Mobosol Car Hire were waiting for us & less than fifteen minutes later we were driving to Colmenar & our hotel home for a few days. The sat nav was nightmare & as I drove, Phet just could not get in to it.

Waiting for us outside the hotel in the warm sun was Tamara (now everybody knows Tamara!!), who had kindly consented to help us until she flew to England 3 days later. I have to say Tamara was really wonderful as our guide, translater & sometime estate agent. We were completely helped by her and her assistance was invaluable & I sadly began to rely on her. She also helped to fix the dreadful satnav. The best though, she said I wasn't as grumpy as I look on my picture! Thank you Tamara.

So! a plan of action for the next fews days was mapped out with several properties under scrutiny, then back to Tamara's for a cup of tea (why do the British seem only to make nice tea?) & a tour of her lovely home. Then going on one of her wonderful morning walks & I wondered if she'd rent it to me. She is totally in love with the Almond blossom, but it is beautiful. 

Phet & I went back to the hotel & had a quick drink (or in Phet's case "two or three"), then off to bed in readiiness for a full day. Tamara arrived spot on at 10.00am & said she would drive (who had told her about my "rally driving") & we spent the morning driving to some villages looking at properties, which for various reasons were rejected. All the owners were really kindly & good people, but it were'nt the people we were viewing. Popping into Maria's Bar for a quick bite our quest continued into the afternoon, no siesta's here! We looked at a property in Riogordo but from the outside only as the owner was not available, shame that as the house looked promising. All possibilities, but no real joy & feeling comfortable . We met up with Tamara again in the evening taking part in a quiz. (Don't ask how we did, but we did go home with a wooden spoon!). But there was good news, Tamara had managed to contact the owner of house we had viewed from the outside & we could now see it from the inside as she had adjusted her plans just for us. The house inside was lovely, close to the centre of the village & Phet could possibly set up her hairdressing salon their. Ummm careful thought is needed here. Riogordo is a lovely place, they even have coffee bar in the Town Hall!

The scouting trip continued & I was wondering if Tamara was getting a little worried as she was leaving for England the next morning & she had not packed or prepared anthing yet. The final house of the day was in Colmenar in the mountains, quite cool & windy their. So mid afternoon we parted company, us to continue looking and investigating & Tamara to pack etc.

We had two chances left a house in Sadella on Sunday morning and an appointment with an Estate Agents in Puente Don Manuel to maybe look at properties around the Lake (Vinuella).Was my optimism and dream of 40 years again about to be dashed? Sure the houses in Riogordo were OK but somehow just didn't "hit the spot". Perhaps I was being to choosy & picky. But looking back over the last 3 days Phet & I decided that the best house we had seen was .............................................. Tamara's.

Enough now I'll continue soon to tell you about the next  four days, watch this space !!!!!!

I've missed writing a blog, when I did, even I found what I'd written was boring so have not published anything, but now I have some exciting (for my wife & I anyway) developments.

Despite all the beaurocracy trying their hardest to disuade me everything is ready for "lift off".

Phet's visa is all in order, only for a month this time, dunno why, despite asking for a multiple which generally means 3 months, so they have surpassed themselves again. The whole Spanish system needs German or British organisation although it will never happen as the Spanish way is just that!

My Favourite Airline RYANAIR is all booked with the Boarding Passes printed & securely pinned on my noticeboard in the kitchen At £60 (€75) don't think I'll get any better. Cost is good, efficiency better (efficiency really is an intelligent man's laziness) & the staff will be pleasant & welcoming as usual. They have a new idea now, they initially shut off the first four or five rows forcing peopler to use the centre of the aircraft first thereby reducing people blocking the gangway, again the first for ideas, what a good professional company. The MD might be crap, but he never hinders me, just wish I had his dough.

I have just booked an automatic medium sized car with MARBESOL, the third time now they have always been very good to me. Everything all in for 8 days, full to full fuel tank, GPS, additional driver, extra insurance all for €144 (about £115) or less than £15 per day. No hanging about either on each occasion, we are met at the gate taken immediately to the rental office, small paperwork & off within 20 minutes, brilliant.

The Hotel about 35 to 40 Kilometres away is booked for a couple of nights, so we're on our way. I am so really looking to meeting persons off this forum & feel so positive about it don't think I've been so excited about a holiday than when my family of seven were waiting for the "charabanc" to take us to Rhyl for a week all those many many years ago.