So, tell me who YOU are and how you arrived at this stage in your life?

I am Rob Townsend, one half of R&R Builders who built Sandra’s rather lovely pergola. I am married to Tracy and have two teenage children.

Having had to leave school at the age of 15, because of the early death of my Dad, which made me the main bread winner in the family as I had younger brothers and sisters, I began work in the building trade, where I served my time. My ‘dream’ at the age of 15 was to become a Blacksmith, but this had to go by the board as I needed to bring the money in. So, basically, since that time I have been a provider!!…….and to be quite honest, the training I received in those early days has stood me in good stead because now I can build anything from the garden shed to a villa with swimming pool.

What decided you to become an emigrant?

Basically I was fed up with the UK.

And why this particular area?

The wife has family out here.

NOW FOR THE FUN PART!!!!!!!Tell me your favourite piece(s) of music

All types through the oldies/Reggie/R & B/……with my particular favourites being ‘Against All Odds’ by Phil Collins, anything by UB40 and Curt Steiger and ‘Good Year for the Roses’ by Elvis Costello.

What food do you like?

Roast dinner is the favourite, plus Spaghetti, Curry and Chinese. One thing I don’t like is Blue Cheese……………after a mate of mine when I was young made me a sandwich made of the stuff!

Any favourite places?

Greece and Turkey

Hugs or kisses?

Hugs.

Who would you invite to dinner?

Jennifer Lopez and/or Shakira! Plus any of the old time gangsters.

What are you reading at the moment?

The Lifeguard by James Patterson.

Likes and dislikes?

Can’t stand 2 faced people and liars I prefer people to be up front

What would you wish for (bearing in mind it could come true!)?

Health and happiness……and maybe winning the Euromillions!

Favourite word?

Claro……….clear (in English)

So, does the sun always shine for you?

No, it never has done……….I am a pessimist!

So, tell me who YOU are and how you arrived at this stage in your life?

I am Julie Lowndes, I am a hairdresser (and have been for an eternity!) and you can find me in the Simply Beauty Salon, in Nerja.

What decided you to become an emigrant?

I always wanted to do a ‘Shirley Valentine’………but I brought the old man with me!

And why this particular area?

I had been to Nerja for a holiday with a friend, so I thought it’s a good place as anywhere to start. If I hadn’t liked it, we would have gone somewhere else.

NOW FOR THE FUN PART!!!

Tell me your favourite piece(s) of music:

I like all kinds of music from Frank Sinatra (‘That’s Life’) to Elton John (‘The Club at the end of the Street’)  to James Morrison (‘You give me something’).

What type of food do you love?

Anything creamy and garlicky (not together though!), anything from Gambas PILPIL to a cream bun, plus everything in between!

Any favourite places?

Loch Tummel in Perthshire, Scotland

Who would you invite to dinner?

James Martin (to cook it) plus Bette Midler and Tom Hanks.

What are you reading at present?

I have just finished the latest Harry Potter which was brilliant and have just started ‘A Step In The Dark’ by Judith Lennox

Likes and dislikes?

People who make me laugh and people who live and let live.

Housework, feet and cynical people.

What would you wish for (bearing in mind it could come true!)?

I’d like to win the Lottery ( a BIG win).

Favourite word?

TWAT

So, does the sun always shine for you?

Yes, most of the time it does.

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.

Read more on ME…. what better place to start!…