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

Was about researching about where to look & about living in Spain I am here. So was for anyone interested here are the good & bad things that happened to me. But now I (Luca) will tell you about my experiences, both very bad, better and good.

Back to the drawing board - well almost.
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 1:55 PM

I returned from Spain on Wednesday night, full of despondency after a lousy week in the Spanish rain. I made the seriously wrong decision not to take a coat but a couple of heavy jumpers instead thinking that only the colder nights would be my enemy. Needless to say jumpers do not keep off the rain & then the wet clothes made me feel cold & miserable. "Is this Spain?" I thought, "do I really want to be here?".

In fact the best part of the trip were the flights of Ryanair, prompt, efficient, no frills & comparitively cheap. We left on time arrived 10 minutes early at Malaga & on the return arrived back at Birmingham 20 minutes early. Just the horrible uncomfortable seats & whinging Brits! Treat it as bus service, follow the rules & they are terrific.

Richard will not be going to Spain, or at least not for some time & then to Alicante, as it now transpires his brother will be returning after living for many years in Brazil as he has been offered a position in Alicante.

The dubious icing on the cake was that the day before we left Spain I caught this awful cold which just seemed to get worse over the next few days & I have spent the last four days in England trying to regain fitness. I even spent a couple of days either in bed or moping around on the settee. There is no doubt about things look a lot worse when not feeling to good & as the fitness returns the so the despondency disappears. Thank you Tamara for kick starting me again!

Also while I was "away" from the laptop I see I have some lovely encouraging posts, not just encouraging but valuable as well.Thank you all, again one or two further pieces in my jigsaw placed. I think eggcup we may have been in Malaga Airport together but catching different flights.

So its now time to get up off the floor dust myself down start looking again but maybe in a different direction.

I'll tell you my thoughts when I write again soon.

0 Like

Permalink

Spam post or Abuse? Please let us know

9 Comments

eggcup said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 5:09 PM

Hi Gerald. I agree about Ryanair. My husband is going over with a friend in December, paying £42 each for a return Bristol to Malaga flight. I even treat myself to a wine at their extortionate prices, because the flights are so darn cheap.
And it was a shame last week that it was raining so much, but they do need the rain and c'est la vie. Like I said, the Lecrin can be freezing (more than wet) in the winter. My husband visited a Spanish friend up there one January and everyone had their coats on in the house; partly because many Spaniards are in denial about their actually being a winter, so they don't bother to sort out a decent heating system. Like I said before, I'd favour nearer the coast, where the temperature is more temperate. But it looks like you've gone off the idea completely for a bit! Another idea would be to go on one of these two or three-months in winter hotel deals (if they exist), to get a bit more of an idea of the next step.

Gerald said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 6:33 PM

No eggie I haven't gone off the idea of a coastal residence but I am not paricularly a "sea" man having lived 100 miles from it for most of my life. But I will look again closer to the shores.
I will however return, probably in January when the weather is almost at its worst & bring my long johns!
My wife will come this time & we'll do even more research.
Someone in a previous post said "make haste slowly". They are very clever intelligent words that need to be heeded & I will.
Strangely looked at Monarch flying out of Birmingham today & they are cheaper than Ryanair, although I know what I'm getting with Ryanair, Monarch are a mystery!

Patricia (Campana) said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 7:03 PM

Heh heh Gerald. That was me. "Make haste slowly".

So, OK, it does rain sometimes in the Winter in Spain. We need it!
I can remember one day last November being in Málaga city to do a few things, and it was 24ºC. Had to peel off it was so warm.....

Eggcup's idea of the three-month winter hotel deal is terrific, and well worth looking into.

Wonder are those deals still to be had, Eggcup? Probably a travel agency could tell....

Gerald said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 7:32 PM

Patricia there are many words of advice I will follow & use (as yours) & I have had a few private messages which I am finding invaluable.
I am realising that a short term hotel or just a small temporary place is the better idea rather than look for something permanent, unless of course one pops up.

James said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 9:18 PM

Gerald,
Sorry to hear about your man flu LOL.
But the foul weather on your visit may be a blessing in disguise, taking away any rose coloured glasses syndrome, which I am confident you have passed bye.

A hotel deal may be a way to cram more in but lettings are available for shorter periods and may be better in the sense of real living in Spain ratherthan holiday mode.

Await your next post with interest.

Ps. I am back out in 3 weeks and home for xmas then back out end of January cannot wait

Tamara said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 9:31 PM

I agree with all the others about it being a good thing to have the rose-coloured glasses snatched rather brutally away! Spain as a year-round home has rain, wind, storms, floods, fires, electric cuts, water shortages, crop failures, unemployment, fraud, and bureaucracy. It ain't a holiday.

But in return it delivers a lifestyle, a culture, a cost-of-living, a quality-of-life, and (most f the time) a climate that makes up for the downsides.

I have visited at all times of year, including some freezing January visits, but now as a home-owner l'm committing to the country and my village by spending December and January there. A wood delivery and an electric blanket will help. We expected higher fuel bills in the winter in the UK, well l expect that too in Spain so aim not to be shocked.

Come over in January Gerry and hopefully you'll see the blue skies and bright days that make winters in Spain bearable. Find a different area to explore. Did you see "A Place in the Sun" on Thursday morning? If not, catch it on 4OD - it was set just to the east of Lake Viñuela, near me.

Come and see some nice cosy villages with bars and bakeries!

Gerald said:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 10:13 PM

Thank you James, just hope the cough goes quickly now & I will strongly consider longer stay although my wife will only stay away from her business for no longer than about a week.

Tamara we will come back in January but this time will be properly prepared with adequate attire.
I will look at "A Place in the Sun" on "On Demand". Don't know which channel but I'll find it. Incidentally we drove by Lake Vinuela last week.

Louise said:
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 @ 2:30 PM

Oh Gerald, I was disappointed to read that last Blog and to hear you so disheartened. We have sold our Uk house! In 4 weeks! So now we are planning to visit Trabuco in early December to check out the house we like again and hopefully put down our deposit! Around Lake Vinuela is pretty but watch out for the Ex-pat estates which we discovered when we were looking for a place to rent on a holiday! (Can't remember the exact name of the place tho!) I'm so glad we got the chance to see the places we thought sounded lovely! But then again you may want some Ex-pats around you? Some yes but an estate full? Not for me. What about Monda and Coin? They are both nice areas not far from the coast but also inland a little. There are Ex-pats in both places but maybe not in huge droves. I really hope you feel better as its hard to think through things when you're feeling so rough. We've just spent a long weekend in Prague and I now feel like I need a week to get over it! I look forward to reading more, you can't give up now. Chin up and get well soon! :) x

Gerald said:
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 @ 5:43 PM

Louise, thank you, I am so happy for you that your journey is progressing so well & look forward to reading your further instalments but must confess I did seriously consider staying in England.
However very encouraging words & help from Tamara, Patricia ("make haste - slowly"), eggcup, James, yourself & others who have sent me private messages, I am "re-charged".
I will return & write again soon.

Only registered users can comment on this blog post. Please Sign In or Register now.

Blog home page

Gerald
Was a retired old fart who still likes to be fairly busy but now at a more sedate pace, as my occupation always ran at 90 mph often working above 55 hours per week. Love to see new country areas & ain't afraid of change. In England was secretary of quite a lot of institutions. But I'd be lost without my laptop & am lost without my Sky television. Gonna be interesting learning Spanish (or trying anyway!). But now taken over by me Luca, superdog!!