Cuándo en Roma ... Haga cualquier deseal!

As you've seen by the pictures, cycling is a major part of our lives and for me the extended periods of heat keeps my joints and muscles supple and relatively pain free. However, for others this climate can be intolerable and unbearable with non- stop complaints about little rain or cloud.

My thoughts are don't be so daft!! Why come here if you can't get on with the heat! My old doctor in England said to me before I left that 80% of his patients would undoubtedly feel better or even be totally cured of the commonest of ailments if they lived in warmer or sunnier climes. It's true, for example, neither of us has suffered a cold or cough or any sort of lung problems. Rose especially used to suffer terrible sometimes with bronchial trouble, but not here. As I said, heat treatment for my joints and working parts is on tap most of the time and my improved diet certainly helps in the internal department.

And what a lovely healthy colour people comment on, yes, you can't tell me a good tan, gained with all the right precautions and at a gentler more natural pace, doesn't look good.

I remember we use to try and cram three months worth of sun into four days with disastrous results when experiencing sunstroke, hyperthermia and tender pink tinted flaking skin! We rarely lie out in the sun, though a life where the beach, pools and terraces are common place, it's hard not to look like a local after a short time. Some again however do choose to remain pasty and white, matter of choice I suppose, but then again, my wife and I can go out and work or enjoy the surrounds when others need to lay down and perspire.

Keep it coming I say, the longer the better, shine down and colour me morena'!

This week was another Fiesta Ferrier' week so most of the shops were closed and the town square was handed over to the BBQ and beer revellers where merriment lasted all day and night with the culmination this morning at around 4am of the end of holiday firework display. Played havoc with the dogs and no one seemed to complain, but hey, this is Spain.

The morning of our first full day living in a new land. Did we feel different? Did we realise yet what we'd done? Had any of it sunk in? The answer plain and simple was no. I can remember sitting up in bed and looking out at the pool and bright sunshine, I was neither happy or sad, more like confused. Rose however slid up next to me and rather hearing any word of good morning or intimate gesturing of affection grinned as she said, What have we done?'

It was only the first day and we had promised ourselves not to rush into anything and to take our time, after all, we had nowhere to be any time soon. That was the earliest emotion I can honestly say I experienced, a sort of emptiness, a feeling not of freedom, though I had always told myself it would be.

It was more like an inability to accept that there was nothing to do in the way of employment, and I don't mean jobs round the house or anything like that. There was nowhere we had to be, no one depending on us, no routine to be followed, and no one to tell us what to do. It may sound like utopia, but the reality is, it isn't.

Early retirement is all very well for the limited few who have the funds to travel the world and buy into everything they have ever dreamed of, but again, this has no bearing on age, it's purely down to funds. We had enough income from investment and pension to live comfortably, but not excessively. The exchange rate was good which meant we could afford a new car, some renovation work to upgrade the property and could eat out five nights a week as long as it wasn't anything too posh. No, the problem was simply down to purpose! What purpose did we have in life? What plans could we make and what dreams could we realise? There's a misconception by a lot of people that once you become free, the world's your oyster. That's true to some extent. The pluses are that time gives you the freedom to choose when you want to do something, however it's cash that allows you to achieve it.

So, our first thoughts turned to immediate plans for the future, be it Villa, holiday, motor, travel, work, beach, shopping ... I tell you, making plans with time on your hands is not as easy as you think.

Our first goal was to decide in the very short term on what to do, say, from our arrival in the August until Christmas. Then plan for the first full calendar year, then put a second and fifth year plan together, and so on. But feelings, emotions, circumstances and a million other factors change your initial outlook, so much so that it appeared to us that the only goals we could fulfil would be in the short term only. So that's what we did. We would enjoy our new country and explore the region in more depth while choosing to carry out some household chores like repainting and minor groundwork. Both the boys and inlaws were due to visit at different times before Xmas so we would have some company in the short term.

The summer was very hot which limited the amount of exertion we could put into our work. We hadn't acclimatised to the weather and it proved more difficult to actually move around let alone work than we thought. There was one bright spark though in those first few days we looked forward to, the impending arrival of our small but beloved bird, Spot.

We had, on an earlier visit the previous year, purpose built an aviary using half of the covered woodshed complete with tanonised wooden framing and wire. We had also put in an old wardrobe with the doors removed, a number of broom handles for her to perch, an electric pump feature with running water to keep her cool and a radio. This was all topped off with a night light and side sheet, which could be dropped down at night for added privacy and to allow her to roost. A false wired pallet floor was put in to assist with keeping it clean. Yes, it was a luxury five star accommodation, ten by four block for one eight-inch cockatiel, talk about spoilt!

We had a call at lunchtime on the third day to say the pet transport was five minutes away and after giving directions to the bottom of our Calle, (street) we walked down to meet them. We could hear her before we saw her. A black 4x4 turned the corner with a man and lady in the front, and there, right between them in her cage, was Spot, whistling away merrily without seemingly a care in the world. They drove up to the house and handed her over. She had travelled in that position all the way, air conditioned luxury with music and a fabulous view. Better than we had travelled anyway!

We took her up and round to her new home. Spot is very tame and she sat on my shoulder while we placed her cage on a special stand point in the aviary to assist with familiarity, not that she seemed bothered. With her radio, waterfall, food and water dispensers and a host of new toys and mirrors in place, she appeared to settle quite well wasting no time in exploring her new rent free and ample accommodation. It's the little things they say that help you settle when you move. Having our Spot whistling and flapping around instantly induced a more relaxed feeling. The rest of our belongings and furniture were due to arrive the following day and that then would complete the transportation from Britain to Spain for the Davies'.

There is no doubt though, and I'll call anyone a liar if they say otherwise, that until you experience the whole thing of leaving one country for another, you cannot truly prepare for the feeling and emotion that hits you as you sit and ponder your actions so far from all you knew. Even with my abundance of positive and patient attitude, with all the planning and forethought in the world, you cannot begin to understand what it's like to realise the finality of such a move.

That's why so many people go back from where they came. They never manage to complete the journey from the fantasy of foreign living to the reality. The two are so far apart and very few manage to manage it completely. But as you will read, there are things you can do or achieve very quickly to help you with the attempt at that transition.

Useful tip
Some people in business here still try to live the 9 to 5 routines, but for me, this just doesn't make sense! Take the Spanish for example, they know it's going to be really hot between about 2ish and 5ish in the afternoon, so they choose to knock off work, eat dinner and snooze the afternoon away with a Siesta. Nothing wrong with that. They usually work from early in the morning til lunch, then again from teatime until late in the evening, sounds sensible. But why are some people still against this split shift system? Not so bad for me, as an ex Navy man, I was always used to watch keeping and split shift work, no big deal. But if you're going to try and live like the Spanish, then shop and work like them. It's certainly more amicable and conducive to good business, I mean, when some of the immigrant shops or businesses are closing, everyone else is just going out to shop! And when my fellow Brits are getting out of their skulls and ready for bed at 11 o'clock, everyone else is just going out to party. It's cooler for one thing and it's livelier. I like going to a job at 6am on a Sunday morning when it's comfortable and fresh. It's a lovely time of the day though I never appreciated doing so back in England. The difference is that I rarely work after 11am and take the rest of the day off. If I haven't finished a job, I will go back in the evening and do so before dinner, which for us is usually around ten in the evening.

Useful hint
Don't take the Mick out of the locals! It's still a shame, but a great amount of those who choose to live here believe the indigenous populace to be either subservient or stupid, usually with very negative results. An acquaintance of ours here on a number of occasions has voiced her disdain at the local people. Fine as long as you remember you reap what you sow. But if you do this, then beware the ignorance you will receive when you require help! We have on a number of occasions learnt and experienced the benefit of trying to fit in, even when embarrassed by our own shortfalls. Don't mutter expletives under your breath and don't call them names as more and more Spanish can understand more than a little English and will undoubtedly take offence. There are, as in any country, a number of the populace which will always resent your presence as a foreigner, I mean, you only have to pop into a Brit bar on the coast to see good reason for it. No, I'm sorry, I have to say my wife and I have not experienced hostility from even the staunchest of so-called off limits' bars or ventas as tagged by the immigrant population. I don't care what they say about me behind my back as long as the service is good. It's just a matter of being polite and saying thank you, though there are still a number that believe there's no need, well, good luck to them.

Spanish facts
Names are very important here, below is a list of the most popular Spanish names and in some cases their more obscure meanings;
Boys: Abraham (Father of many) Andres (Andrew) Arsenio (Virile) Caleb (Gods warrior) Benjamin (Favourite son) Celestino (Heavenly) Enrique (Henry a prince) Emanuel (God is with us) Felipe (Happy)
Girls: Abigail (Happiness) Agustina (Majestic) Azura (Clear blue sky) Brunela (Dark skinned) Diana (God of hunting) Andrea (Brave) Alison (Noble) Belinda (Pretty) Carla (Strong) Angela (Full of grace)
Some more next week.

Remember your green cross code? Well, forget it, if you use it here, you'll get run over!
We've just had the eighteenth bank holiday of the year, still eight to go!
I love Pulpo de Frito (Fried Octopus) but although it's been established they actually have six legs and two arms, I still prefer a bit of breast!

Useful phrase
Lo siento para su comportamiento, pero nosotros todo lo mismo!
Pronounced: Loh seeayntoh pahrah soo cohmpohrtahmeeayntoh, payroh nohsohtrohss tohdoh loh meesmoh!
Meaning: I'm sorry for their behaviour, but we are not all the same!

Next week
Getting past the first week, after all, it's not a holiday now!