This article was submitted as part of Eye on Spain's campaign to help promote new businesses in Spain. If you are starting a new business in Spain then click here for more details.
About the author: I am a fairly new mother of Leo, aged 18 months. My partner and I realised the day that he was born that there was much more to life than we had previously thought.
Actually, you could say that our expectations stepped up a few gears. For a few years now we have been researching the local industry in England, trying to find our niche before jumping in with both feet to start a business of our own. Now Leo is here none of our previous dreams or business plans seem to fit and we no longer believe that England can't offer our family what it needs.
With my partner Niki as a pool engineer and with family already in Spain, and us being frequent and very jealous visitors, it seemed an obvious choice to relocate to the Costa Del Sol, La Cala to be precise, and set up a pool cleaning business. We have a few contacts already so we have started the ball rolling and are happy to say that we aim to be happily relocated by May 2008.
What we are offering is a pool and home cleaning service with the added personal touch.
------------->>
We last made the short journey from Surrey, England to Spain in December 2006. We didn't land until 10.45pm and by the time we dragged our suitcases, laden with bottle steriliser and baby formula. And the pushchair (with car seat) through the front door to the villa it was 1.15am.
I rushed to the bedroom, baby cradled with one arm whilst I felt around the walls for the light switch with my spare hand. I began the wonderful task of making the cot and bed in near silence so as not to wake the baby who had only just got off to sleep after wailing, banshee style, during most of the flight. Niki headed for the kitchen to start sterilising bottles and to put the heating on full blast (those marble floors are not forgiving). It was 2.am before we settled on the sofa for our first cup of tea in hours and we drank them black, as usual when we first arrived.
Early morning rise, as always with a little one, to find the kitchen cupboards empty (we did a check just in case the food fairies had kindly delivered some during the night, no such luck!). Other than drinking baby formula we had no choice other than making the 20 minute journey to the 'local' shop or the 40 minute journey to the 'local' supermarket. Deciding that the supermarket would at least have something nice for dinner, we chose the 1hr 20 minute round trip. By the time we returned, stomachs aching, it was after lunch. We had lost half a day.
This seemed to be typical of our trips abroad. Each time we would arrive to unmade beds and empty fridges. I found that from speaking with friends in La Cala, and elsewhere on the Costa del Sol, they all found the same.
Niki and I have arranged with the current contacts that we have in Spain, to take over there pool and house cleaning, and I will even visit homes and prepare them for clients when they have been away. It seems like the perfect answer, we just hope that there will be enough demand to substantiate a family move.
We would love to hear from you if you already use a similar service, to hear how useful it is, and if there are any changes you would make.
Please leave any comments below.
Written by
Alison Foster