Our Andalusian Adventure

I have just started learning Spanish again with Duolingo which isn't easy but the hardest part is trying to get my girls involved and coming up with a way to make them realise how a basic knowledge of teh language will really benefit them when they start school. I'll keep trying.

I had my first Skype conversation on Monday evening and after a tricky start (the microphone wouldn't work) i quite enjoyed it. The reason for the call was to fill in the girls school forms which are due in next week luckily our estate agent Toni had offered to translate! I must say I am looking forward to the school side of things with the different hours, extra activities and culture. The girls have certainly not complained about the 9.30am - 2.30pm day! 

After a lot of recommendations we have chosen a Abogado for the conveyancing and of course to get the ball rolling we have another form to fill in. Once i've finished writing this, that's what i'll be doing on this dreary day in the UK. So far the communication has been good and all our emails have been answered in full promptly. As have our dealings with Toni, she has gone above and beyond to help. The house we are buying needs a little work, mainly because it has an inner courtyard which i believe is common in a town house, to prevent you from getting wet when it rains, the current owner added a roof with guttering. Unfortuantely the family that rented the house during last summer were not desirable and somehow kicked a ball into the downpipe which blocked the pipe for the winter causing a flood in the courtyard.     The inner walls are a nice shade of green in parts, we will have the works needed carried out as soon as possible. I have added a photo but i can't make it rotate, ha ha. If anyone knows how please let me know.                                                                                  Here is also a picture of the view from the patio (the pool needs a clean). Apparently Pepe is the man

As it's half term here i must go now and try to make them learn Spanish... i mean entertain them, and of course not forgetting fill in another form! !

I am sitting at home in sunny Northamptonshire wondering where to begin on my very first 'blog'! Maybe introductions would be a good place to start... I am a 38 year old lady who has always known that they would end up in Spain, I am married to a equally gorgeous man Paul who also shares my longing to be wild and free in Spain. Together we created Olivia aged 10 and Chloe aged 7 who as you can imagine are the apples of our eyes. Both fiercely independent girls who have a lot to offer the world. The adventure planning began in July 2017 when Paul and i surrendered to the life we lead and agreed we wanted more for ourselves and for the people we cared about the most. Our plans have changed many times since then but we know that we will be in Spain this summer, we have managed to put our lives into order over the last 10 months and the timing seems perfect. We both knew that for Olivia it was important that she got to grasp with the language and schools before she turned 11a nd now all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

It has been a huge learning curve, there is so much to think about and so much to learn. The internet is a great place to research any issues but it is not always accurate and there is conflicting information. The list of things to learn is endless but i have been taking one day at a time and having the faith that all that you need will come to you, you just have to believe. Our first trip to Spain since deciding to make the move was to Nerja in April, our plans were slightly scuppered by Olivia being on crutches after pulling her achilles tendon, i must say though going though the airports were a doddle with the Special Service assistance. While were in Nerja we viewed a property in Iznajar which amazingly had 2 holiday lets for sale with the villa. We traipsed off on our 90 minute journey to view the house using our out of date Satnav we found the house albeit taking the back route through narrow roads which had almost been washed away during the storms. To say i was relived to find the house was a understatment and what we found was idyllic. Nestled in the beautiful countryside was a stunning property with a fantastic pool and views. After the viewing the agent took us on a short tour to the lake which i must say was pretty special, i would definitely recommend a visit spectacular views and a gorgeous town. Once we spent the day exploring we returned to Nerja and finished our holiday. When we returned to the UK we knew that we could only obtain a 50% mortgage as the property is classed as rural so that property was put behind us. As soon as we were home we knew we had to book another trip to Spain asap to continue our search for a home in the sun, i then got straight on the case and found flights and houses to view via Rightmove and google. We returned in May with a strict schedule via Primera Airline which i must say were fantastic! The plane was brand new, seemed roomier and half empty  we were very impressed. We viewed 8 properties in 2 days, this time we focused on the Axarquia region which is a very special area. Countryside, mountains, sea and sun. The last house we viewed was the one, a town house on the edge of a village was it, when you know you know. The criteria was at least 3 beds, 2 baths, in a good community with a great school.  That is what we got, we visited the school with the agent and had a very positive experience. The head teacher made us fell very welcome even though he doesn't speak English. We made an offer that night and after a little counter offer the deal was done.  We left the next day via another fab Primera Air flight although totally shattered from our mini tour of Axarquia and excited to tell everyone our news.