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Hello there. I just joined, let me say a bit about me.
I'm a nearly 50 year old English/Welsh man (boy). I unofficially retired young and left the UK to explore South East Asia for a month. Well that was 15 years ago. I discovered Thailand and w0w I fell in love and stayed here.
Many people will already know about Thailand. It has everything that the foriegner needs ... and some.
So easy and fun and cheap and friendly. Everything is geared around making the tourist happy. And some awesome beaches and islands. Beautiful.
Well now I am getting an urge for a change. A culture change and new experiences. I have been feeling this for a little while now. Spain seems to be calling me. I was up late last night surfing the web and googeling and all and I got quite a few answers and info but even still I am not completely satisfied that I would be doing the right thing by leaving Thailand and going to live there in Spain. I see many great things said but also lots of complaining and "Don''t come here" kinds of comments. But I know that some people should probably never have left home for a foriegn land in the first place. They complain about heat, insects, attitudes, corruption etc blah. Well I am very experienced in all these kind of aspects, living in Tropical "3rd world" Thailand for 15 years already.
Can anybody advise me further? Also, has anybody got experiences of both long time staying in S.E. Asia and Spain?
Something that is bothering me already is while I am searching for fairly inexpensive accommodation, it seems that nowhere allows smoking and nowhere seems to provide internet or WiFi in their apartments. Is this right? Is smoking frowned upon by apartment owners and is internet a rare thing in Spanish rental accomodation? I hope not! I am only searching around for a low cost studio apt. Not a posh villa or anything.
Any replies to this (my first ever blog!) would be very welcome
This message was last edited by Skajd on 07/12/2012.
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Hi, I am 75, married to a Filipino, have spent holidays of 3 months at a time in Thailand, Philippines, and Penang.
I have lived in Spain 25 years. I have no substantive complaints about Spain and am happy to live here forever (or as long as I live ! )
I have considered living in Thailand or Penang. Some ways things I found in Thailand reminded me very much of Spain, and if I was not so content here, I might well have moved to Thailand.
Cheap apartments, in comparison with Thailand, are not cheap but bargains are around.
By coincidence, a friend aged 78 who recently sold his apartment in Spain was going to move to Thailand. However, my son has an apartment for sale here but is in no rush to sell. He has allowed my friend to stay rent free for as long as he wants, anticipating that property prices will increase at ‘some time’ and that if Spain were to go broke, having a property is a ‘better place to be’ than having sold it and put the money in a bank.
My friend is a non-smoker !
Give Spain a go.
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You make it sound good John. You seem to be very contented. Thats good.
I have been to Spain a few times but many years ago. I know a little about the feeling there but it was a long time ago. But never had to think about long term renting. It's not easy over the internet. One needs to actually try a place before committing to long term agreements. It's a gamble (I'm not a gambler)
You are right about there being bargains around. But still online the ads are quite vague and I can't find places which say they have internet and allow smoking so still unsure.
I have found a place but they want a deposit wired as a gaurantee before even viewing the place so I won't be doing that.
Does anybody know this place?
AVDA GENERAL DUQUE DE AVEIRO 10 , 29140 CHURRIANA, MALAGA
This message was last edited by Skajd on 07/12/2012.
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I would suggest you either pre book into a hotel, or a hostal for a few days or if you arrive early in the day, go to the area you want to start your trip and find one. Don’t confuse hostals with dormitory hostels, they are hotels. There are many in the coastal strip towns.
Then spend some time travelling around to see what suits you. I am sure you will find your feet with no problems. Apartments booked locally, directly with the owner will be much cheaper than through an agent or on-line.
A lot or bars have wi fi and probably most hostals.
There are also internet shops although with more and more people owning their own computers etc there are many less than previously. We noticed that too in Penang last year
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Yes I think that will be best John.
I have been thinking of heading towards Andalucia. There seems to be quite a varied choice of interests and nice places there. I like to by nice and cozy and quiet at home but sometimes like to go out and about too.
Will it be easy to find apartment owners? Do they all advertise locally or hang out in certain places?
I am about to Google "Hostal Spain" ...
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Plenty of rentals available, expect to pay around €300 pm for an attractive small house, probably a bit less for apartments. I'm talking about villages around half an hour inland, Málaga province. Once you've narrowed down your chosen area, find a specific forum for that area, and probably there will be rental lists on there. For example l read a Facebook group that covers the Axarquía region of Málaga province, and there are often lovely apartments and houses to rent. And by dealing direct with the owner you can find out all the info about wi-fi and smoking, plus you can often tell if someone has been part of that Facebook group for a long time they are probably trust-worthy (you can read their inter-actions with other people and make a judgement). Good luck!
_______________________
Blog about settling into a village house in the Axarquía. http://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/tamara.aspx
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Thanks Tamara. Great advice and encouraging. I will get on that immediately! Cheers
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I would not recommend anyone, except a hermit, to live any distance from the coast.
Apart from needing to speak Spanish, the winters will be colder and the summers too hot.
I have lived in a few places.
My friend who is now in my son's apartment was 8 miles from the coast. He is now a few mins from everything and says it wonderful, so much better than where he was.
He can get a coffee or a tapas for 1 euros at several places ’on his doorstep’ so eats out all the time for a few euros, and in 8 weeks has not bothered to get on line nor get a TV, whereas before he spent most of his time on his PC or watching TV. He has done 42 km in his car since moving.
Of course its horses for courses, but it would be like living in a Thai community miles from any centre, I have done that as I am sure you have. I know what I prefer.
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Cheers John. Thumbs up ;)
This message was last edited by Skajd on 07/12/2012.
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Hi Skajd,
Thailand & Spain are arguably 2 of the best options for retirement - but very diifferent.
Objectively, some issues to consider re Spain are that (1) winters can be cold (2) more expensive (3) lacking the Thai grace/service & (4) risk of being consumed by expats.
I know Thailand very well & previously worked in Asia for 20 years. Mind if I ask which part of Thailand you live in - I reckon Hua Hin (where the Thai King's summer palace is) would be hard to beat for retirement !
Cheers,
Harry
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Great reply here Harry. Good to meet you. I think you have summed it up. Now I can really get the picture. Maybe I will miss all the things you mention. But I think I take them for granted now so a culture shock might do me good?
In my 15 years I have lived pretty much every where that is well known here. Main tourist destinations I mean. Eventually fell in love with Bangkok and after spending 6 months or a year on a beach area like Samui or Phuket or Chang I always end up missing the big bad city and returning there.... Definately the best looking girls and got to love the big bad city ways, Pattaya too.
Very amazing how attitudes can be so different just by going to anther province or region. Can be so different. But I think I will always miss the Bangkok attitude.
I've been north, north east, south, over by the cambodia border and pretty much all over and spent time in Philipines and Bali but always return to Thailand.
And what do you know, I have been in Hua Hin the past 3 months and here I am now in a nice little apartment just out of town near the beach.
I keep getting urges to move on to new experiences and travels. I get restless after a while.
Yes it was the Kings birthday the other day - Well fathers day or something but they referring to it as "Today faw da keeng!" with proud smiles. Had to go to side street bars for a beer.
I am presently looking at 2 possible places in Spain. One is "La Cala De Mijas" and the other is "Torre del mar" in Malaga.
Cheers Harry
Andy
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Hi Andy,
The other challenges re Spain may be (1) the language (2) taxation ??? & (3) red tape/regulation. Spain has many attractions & I am not in any sense knocking it - just being entirely objective !! Regardless, no harm giving it a try for a few months but suspect it might be an "adjustment" after the ease & grace of Thailand for past 15 years !! John's point about not living a "hermit" inland existence is valid particularly if you are single.
Cheers,
Harry
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Hi again Harry
I don't see how taxation would affect me. I won't be working, at least its not my plan to. Learning the language I am quite looking forward to that challenge. Sitting on a beach listen to mp3s of english in one ear and the translation in the other ... over and over and brainwashing it into my mememory banks and then going out on the town practising. I speak great Thai. Thai's jaws drop when I''ve had a few beers and start waffling on lol
But about the red tape and regulations? In what way?
Yes I agree about being near to central as I am single and a fun lover ... Sometimes ...
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I wonder how far inland you begin to see as a problem John? And isn't it a very personal thing? We are all looking for something diffeent, after all !!! You could be ten kilometres inland but have no transport, or where I am which is half an hour inland but we have 8 buses a day to Malaga centre. I'd hate to be nearer the coast because of tourism and because some areas have (in my opinion) been over-Anglicised.
_______________________
Blog about settling into a village house in the Axarquía. http://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/tamara.aspx
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Tamara,
It would seem I am on SKAJD wavelength.
Yes I agree about being near to central as I am single and a fun lover ...
I lived a few miles in land in a couple of different places.
I always had a car and a motorcycle, but there is no comparison for me between living outside a town and living in the town, close to the beach and facilities. No drink and driving problems after a meal out etc. All within easy walking distance or minimum cab fare.
And the climate is more temperate than even a few miles inland.
I will not move again.
PS. And isn't it a very personal thing?
I did say horses for courses.
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Tamara,
It would seem I am on SKAJD wavelength.
Yes I agree about being near to central as I am single and a fun lover ...
I lived a few miles in land in a couple of different places.
I always had a car and a motorcycle, but there is no comparison for me between living outside a town and living in the town, close to the beach and facilities. No drink and driving problems after a meal out etc. All within easy walking distance or minimum cab fare.
And the climate is more temperate than even a few miles inland.
I will not move again.
PS. And isn't it a very personal thing?
I did say horses for courses.
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I agree about wanting to be central and being able to roll back from the bar :-) Are we in danger of confusing inland with campo? I live inland, in a town where I can roll back from a choice of 12 bars and a similar number of restaurants, choose from all these for a morning coffee while I read the Spanish papers, have a ferreteria, pharmacy, health centre, fire station, live music, free language classes etc all on the spot, but still be half an hour inland! Campo living, however, is not for me because of the isolation.
_______________________
Blog about settling into a village house in the Axarquía. http://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/tamara.aspx
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Are we in danger of confusing inland with campo?
In fairness to John, I do not think that was his point !!
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hI MATE .
** EDITED - Against forum rules **
LIVING SPAIN IS FAB,FOLK WHO MOAN ARE SKINT THEY CANT DEAL WITH THE HEAT AND LIFE STYLE SPAIN HAS TO OFFER.
QUICK NOTE
MIKE
This message was last edited by EOS Team on 08/12/2012.
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