Why become an emigrant?

Why not? Nothing new to me, doesn’t make me brave (as people often say). I had lived abroad before, spending 3 years in the Far East, living in Malaya and Singapore. So why? The answer is that all of a sudden I found the U.K. had become dull,grey,depressing and I wanted to ’spread my wings and FLY’.  It all came to a head after spending many years working for the Probation Service in an admin. capacity, then qualifying in my own right as a Welfare Officer and knew from over 15 years as a Trade Union Officer that my chances of crossing the dividing line were zilch.  I also wanted to be somewhere were people smiled, didn’t continually talk about the weather or what were the latest happenings in Eastenders. I supposed I had reached the age of 50 and wanted a challenge and knew that if I stayed put I would only face a culture where failure was the only success.

So, why Torrox?

It was choice of area firstly. My partner remembered it from years back when, being stationed in Portugal in the RAF, he used to drive up through Spain to the U.K. the long way, following the coast road up to Barcelona and then into France.  It always stayed in his mind that just East of Malaga seemed a good place.  We did the normal things of sending for property information from various Agents, deciding on the Competa or Torrox area, and then took a very un-normal decision of booking just one weeks leave from our jobs, me carrying £3,000 in Travellers Cheques in order to buy ‘the small village house that would call out to us’, despite the fact that we were in what could be called a ‘non-committed’ relationship.

Competa was the first stop, which lasted just long enough to get out of the car in the main square, hear all the English voice, get back in the car and drive off. No, thank you, that was not what we wanted. So, we headed down the hills and arrived in Torrox. Complete heaven! (it was 1992 and not many English voices to be heard………at that time!!). Neither of us could speak any Spanish, we didn’t know anyone, but what the hell….this was a challenge! Within the week we had found the house, paid the deposit and started the procedure.  At first, for the next two years, we kept the house just for holidays when we could do it up.  Then, in 1994, I had passed my exams at Diploma Level and at Merit, was as qualified as the Officers I was typing for and more or less said the very unladylike words of ‘Shove it’ to my Senior Officer and took early retirement and basically never set foot in the office again!. My ‘uncommitted’ partner on being told I intended move to Spain, took the same decision and in 1994, a month after I buried my mother, we moved out here and, as far as I am concerned, have never looked back.

Now, all these years later, I am my own boss, dealing with three ventures. I run Spanish-hols.com, I have a blossoming photography  project……..making memories of the old Andalucian doors, windows and ruins and I also teach and demonstrate Scrapbooking.  I also have a couple of books on the ‘back burner’

Now to the fun questions…………

What book are you reading at the moment? Ian Rankin’s Fleshmarket Close. I love anything by Rankin and just adore DCI Rebus.

Favourite food(s)/meals? My last favourite meal was Xmas Day in a Rural Hotel, up in the hills behind Malaga. I had Wild Mussels, Lamb in Liquorice Sauce and Strawberries in Wan Tons….lovely. Besides that I adore the Curries my son makes, most things Italian (including the gorgeous Italian Count , by the name of Francesco da Mosto, who sometimes does travel programmes on Italy for BBC2!!!!!!) and of course I have a liking for good, basic Spanish cooking.

Favourite music? Anything by Gordon Haskell, ‘Home’ by Simply Red, Robbie Williams, Barbra Streisand,  Earth,Wind and Fire, soft soul music, romantic Russian Classical music. Any music I can dance to including swirling around in the arms of Anton de Bek. The love song from Titanic ALWAYS makes me cry (why? because it brings memories of someone not here anymore). And what about ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’?  Either of these would make a smashing National Anthem for England!

Dinner Party guests? The voice from the Magers’ Cider advert, Germaine Greer, Claire Short, Robbie Williams (’cause he comes from where I do), Pippa (my lovely local Lancashire friend), Dick Strawbridge and his wife (from the ‘It’s Hard Being Green’ programme,),Mark Ramperkash (can’t spell it!) and Anton du Bek from Strictly Come Dancing, Carol Thatcher, Janet Street-Porter. John Caldwell and Alan Sugar.

Favourite Place(s)? Here in Torrox plus Malayasia, anywhere ‘up North’ (of England), the Outer Hebridean Isle of North Uist, Poland, Berlin and Belfast.

Hugs or kisses? Hugs

Likes and Dislikes? Strong,independent women……..chauvinistic, patronising men.

What would you wish for (and it may come true!) That my health keeps good and the ability to become famous!

Favourite word? F—

…..and does the sun always shine? Yes , for me, it does.