sm202

Hi there,

I'm a newbie and very excited about joining this forum, there seems to be a wealth of quality info on this site, so i'm really hoping i can get some good advice or/and quality contacts.

I'm a sports massage therapist hoping to up sticks and start a new life in the Algarve within the next 2 years. The question is, is there a need for the kind of service I could provide within the region?

I'm aware that many people in the UK do not how sports massage can benefit them and just wondered if this was the same in the Algarve?

If anybody could give me any advice/contacts/hope i'd appreciate it.

I look forward to any responses.

Cheers

Simon

CHOPPER

I am in Tavira and there are at least 3 places who offer various therapies and sports massage is one of them.

sm202

Hi Chopper and thanks for the info, I don't suppose you would know if they're british do you?

We came back from a two week holiday in Vilamoura about a month ago and, like most, fell in love with the place and lifestyle, or what we deem to be the lifestyle anyway. Since then I've trawelled the internet looking for physiotherapy clinics and sports masseurs in the region to contact, but as yet with no joy

What i'm trying to decide is whether its a feasible plan or not to try and bring my skills to the Algarve and build a business and a new life?

Whats your story and how hard/easy was it for you?

CHOPPER

Two of them are owned by British hairdressers and the others are in one of the hotels and they are from Germany and Belgium. The short answer to your question is I love it and settled in since day one, flew in to Faro in the morning was a member of the golf club by the afternoon, my wife is still settling in but has no regrets about moving from Scotland when we see the weather on TV. We came over January/February looking at property from Villa Real to Fuseta, found Tavira and did not look any further, we have been here since March. Do not expect anything to go quickly, expect loads of paperwork, expect to go to 5 supermarkets to get one trolley load and most of all expect crazy drivers. I was fortunate to retire at 50 so I do not know what paperwork you will require for that terrible 4 letter word WORK. Anyway hope that answers some of your questions, they are a great bunch on this forum so somebody will answer any questions or queries you have.

sm202

Wow, that is definitely the way to do it! Well done you.

I really appreciate your help, it's nice to know common decency exists out there, it's not always that easy to find it in britain but it does happen occasionally. Sorry, I shouldn't be negative about Britain, but when the weathers so bad and interest rates go up everything seems a little less cheerful over here.

As you mentioned earlier about being a golfer/member of a golf club, does the golf club you play at provide physiotherapy or sports massage? if not, in your opinion do you think it's something that could appeal to the golfing community out there?

I hope you don't feel under pressure having all these questions fired at you personally, I'm also hoping somebody else will read this and maybe come up with other words of wisdom for me as well.

cheers

CHOPPER

Silly you, do not worry about me being under pressure to answer your questions, sitting in the sun, OH, one of the other things I should have told you is if anything you need here is taking longer than expected the nomal answer is , ah you are in Portugal. My wife got a new one on Friday, she put a ring into the jewellers to get sized and was told a week, 2 weeks later she is still waiting for it and she was told , ah it is the summer, me I think its great, for the Portuguese people are so nice and genuine. Anyway back to your question, my golf club does not have massage facillities but a few of the members use this one www.salonreflections.com Most of the people I know here have retired so as one gets older the old aches and pains get worse so a good therapist should do well, also the guy I used in Scotland also offered a home service and that may be worth looking at, as a lot of people stay in them there hills of the 125.

CHOPPER

Click on to this, they have an article on Spas, www.the-news.net

sm202

Hi Chopper,

you're doing a grand job out there, thank you so much for your time.

I am currently employed as a sports massage therapist in elite sport, however I also work as a mobile therapist too, so your idea would suit nicely......providing I could come to terms with the Portuguese way of driving of course

Are the hills north of the N125 where most expats live? is it because of the house prices or just to get away from the tourists? or

Obviously they have golf courses in Tavira from what you said earlier but what other sporting facilities do they have? are there many health and fitness freaks that way? Runners, Footballers Cyclists etc??

Off to the golf course today or just sipping at your ice cold beer?

CHOPPER

Nothing as strenuous as that today, just back from an afternoon at the beach as the temps are now in the 30s so if you want a breeze we head for the beach, as for the cold beer that will be shortly. The people in the hills are a bit of both, the house prices can be cheaper and there is certainly not as many tourists. Cycling is a huge sport here as is football, again you would have to look at what areas would give you the most work as here we have 5 golf courses within 20 mins of Tavira but down the coast there are a lot more, maybe somebody on the forum from that side could give you some info.

sm202

Thats great news that so much sport does go on, but where's the best place to look for details/contact no's of clubs/organizations? I'd quite possibly be interested in sending my CV to a few big Golf Clubs but not sure if they're english speaking or not? Any idea's? Most websites only give contact details for e-mail and not sure thats the best way to go?

The Portugal news seems quite a good paper, decided to pay a monthly subscription to keep abreast of goings on in the Algarve, so thanks for the recommendation

In reference to somebody else on the forum giving me some info, do you think I need to re-post and re-word, or should I just be more patient?

CHOPPER

Repost and reword is probably your best bet and most golf courses have English speakers.