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Post by jandl100 on Sept 15, 2016 8:03:41 GMT
I tried it, and failed. Got homesick for good old Blighty. How sad is that! The wife and I quit work in 2001, sold up and moved to Spain. Fabulous house on the outskirts of a village about 25 miles inland from the Costa Blanca. -- property was cheap then in inland Spain!  Amazing wrap-round balcony on the 1st floor, where the bulk of the living accommodation was.  Not bad views, eh!  Some amazing sunsets.  The general area was beautiful with mountains and hills suitable for hiking and general pootling around.    Yep, that's me, heading off into the distance. Fantastic, really. But after about 15 months I started pining for home, the UK that is. It wasn't anything very rational, just a feeling that I wanted to go back. It got worse, a real ache inside. So after 18 months I tentatively sounded out the wife - and she practically shoved me onto the plane back to Blighty to start searching for a house to buy! It took 6 months and a lot of shenanigans to accomplish (we had about 9 cats to bring back and the Spanish bureaucracy to defeat) but returning to the UK genuinely felt like coming home. I'd dreamed of retiring to Spain since I was a wee snip of a lad, and in all rational ways it was a fantastic success, but I guess we just weren't cut out for it. I'm glad we tried, but never again! I now know where my home is. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2016 8:32:21 GMT
I have been here 9 years now.
I have my retirement home in France sorted. When I go back to the UK, it's nice for a break but it no longer feels like home.
I have made my life out here now.
I am glad you tried it though, and were wise enough to realise it wasn't for you and discussed it with the wife. It seems like she was keeping quiet as it was your dream to retire though.
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 15, 2016 8:46:37 GMT
I am glad you tried it though, and were wise enough to realise it wasn't for you and discussed it with the wife. It seems like she was keeping quiet as it was your dream to retire though. Yup. Our first evening back in our new house in the UK she sent me out for fish & chips! She rather surprised herself with that craving. You can't get decent fish & chips in Spain. Not that we have them that often, but 2 years was too long an interval, apparently. It's the small things like that that add up, I suspect. |
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Post by pinkie on Sept 15, 2016 10:36:50 GMT
PG Tips, Andrex, Kleenex tissues (why are French tissues such weedy boxes?), proper bacon, Persil non-bio, own brand ibuprofen - there are a few things we miss
However, we have first class fish and chips every other Friday in the PMU in Quillan, and we have ordered for this Friday.
Obviously early days, but we have made a lot of friends - English and French, and Sue has settled in really well to her job in an Estate Agency - so I think its looking good at this stage
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2016 10:52:21 GMT
If you want some proper bacon, I can get you some. There is a British butcher in the 32 who delivers locally once a month.
It's good stuff. Google Bulldog bacon and bangers and you can see the range they do.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 15, 2016 18:13:51 GMT
The boss just returned from San sebastian.
Sounds like a very nice place.
I might even think about it after a visit of my own
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2016 14:14:36 GMT
Great thread, Jerry. I've had similar pangs in my time, so I can appreciate what you mean. If I'm overseas I miss the UK, and hobbies such as Ebay, hifi dabbling and DIY. I miss the Northumberland Coast and Newcastle. If I'm in Cyprus I miss Greece and vice versa. If I'm in Britain, I miss them both. I kinda need the warm weather now and the 7 hour days of Winter in Newcastle are a big downer I can do without. I've tried living between places but it's just too costly to maintain and you end up worrying about leaving your other places unoccupied. Im giving permanency overseas a go but I honestly have no idea if it's "forever". Right now it's where I want to be and the thougt of no more 5 hour flights makes me smile.
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Post by pinkie on Sept 16, 2016 14:49:39 GMT
Andrew - I couldn't work out from that where you are permanently giving it a go. Are you settling in Cypres?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2016 15:06:28 GMT
Hi Richard. Yes we're in Cyprus permanently now. My temporary pause from forum life was to give me the space to get it done and try to come to terms with it. I decided to forget about the latter and just enjoy life, instead |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2016 10:02:44 GMT
Are you happy with the move, Andrew?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2016 12:02:49 GMT
Right now I'm loving it. I have absolutely no ties and a "blank sheet" in terms of my life ahead. I've always had a tendency to overthink things and spend most of my attention on looking forward, in doing so I have missed out on so much that was good. Not any more: I'm simply enjoying today and I don't even know which day of the week it is, let alone the time |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2016 20:33:12 GMT
That sounds like you've reached Nirvana. Good for you!
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Post by Barrington on Sept 22, 2016 19:21:41 GMT
My sister lived in the Axarquia for 7 years I love it there and have looked into moving but the kids were the wrong age and now Brexit has put a bit of doubt in my mind.
We have short breaks there 2 or 3 times a year , going again early October.
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Post by Barrington on Sept 22, 2016 19:22:56 GMT
Right now I'm loving it. I have absolutely no ties and a "blank sheet" in terms of my life ahead. I've always had a tendency to overthink things and spend most of my attention on looking forward, in doing so I have missed out on so much that was good. Not any more: I'm simply enjoying today and I don't even know which day of the week it is, let alone the time Wonderful ! |
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Post by Barrington on Oct 16, 2016 18:21:32 GMT
My sister lived in the Axarquia for 7 years I love it there and have looked into moving but the kids were the wrong age and now Brexit has put a bit of doubt in my mind. We have short breaks there 2 or 3 times a year , going again early October.A bit of a disaster , went for 3 nights and on the first day we got our car broken into , somebody saw me locking a bag in the boot and they forced the central locking. Passports ,cash , credit cards , camera , hotel keys , house key all replaceable of course and so are the passports but what a hassle getting replacements , British Consulate job and they cost 120euros for one trip only  . And to cap it all it rained solid for 24 hours on the last day , btw we were staying in Torrox the driest town in europe  |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 17, 2016 9:15:30 GMT
Oh dear, a trip to forget?
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Post by Barrington on Oct 17, 2016 16:54:08 GMT
Oh dear, a trip to forget? What trip ? |
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