sujee

Hi all.

We expect to be out there 'living the dream' in the near future.
This forum has been a great source of information in our quest to a new life in the sun.
Before you all start flaming me with 'don't do it!' etc. We know what we are going into and are retired with a liveable pension.

As an introduction I am retired ex teacher and OH will be working from home, for the next couple of years (as he does now) with a few trips back to UK for meetings.

If we can ever get completion on our house here we hope to be living in the Tolox region.

I don't have any questions for you all atm but will probably be swamping you with some in the near future.

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

You will enjoy living here being a retiree. The problems arise more if someone needs to gain an income whilst living in Spain.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

sujee

Thanks for the advice. We have already dealt with the books and given away a huge number and bought a kindle. The only books we have kept are reference books where diagrams and photos are important.

As for the dryer, we debated it and decided that for most of the year it would be redundant ( hopefully).
I am amassing a supply of bayonet light bulbs and also a collection of adapters. In time they too will be redundant as we replace with electrical goods from Spain.

sujee

Doh posted this in wrong thread. I blame old age

Lynn R

I would advise having a rethink about the tumble dryer! I lived here quite happily for 3 years without one, but during the winter of 2008/9 I was forced to go out and buy one as it was so wet we just couldn't get stuff dry, although I have a roof terrace plus an area under cover where I have washing lines. The following winter was also very wet (although, thank heavens, this year has been lovely).

I definitely wouldn't dispense with any warm clothes, duvets, blankets, etc. either. It does get cold in winter here, you will feel it more once you have acclimatised. I don't know Tolox very well but I seem to remember it is at quite a high altitude and thus will be colder than where I live, less than 5km inland.

missile

I would endorse Lynn's comments. We never had a tumble drier in UK, but bought one while in spain.

Strangely, we find winter in spain colder than in the UK. Perhaps it is not the temperature per se but the difference in temperature from day / night? Many of the houses here are not so well insulated and very difficult (and expensive!) to heat.

I don't know how reliable the electricity supply is in Tolox? You might want to invest in a surge protector and a UPS to protect your tv and computer equipment. May I suggest you change the plugs on your UK appliances.

Good luck, I know you will enjoy your time in spain

sujee

Hehe I am old enough to remember living in badly insulated houses in UK in the days before we all had central heating. Hopefully it will stand me in good stead for Spanish winters.
Your advice about surge protectors taken onboard along with changing plugs, such a simple solution

jojojojojo

I have a friend who lives in Tolox with her teenage son. Unfortunately I didnt ever visit her so I dont know what it was like, altho they seemed happy enough. I think the son found it a bit isolated, but then a teenage boy probably would!!???

Jo xxx

sujee

I can't imagine my children would have been impressed as teenagers either. Its the isolation we looking forward to. Peace and quiet, skinny dipping in the pool when hot and no neighbours to scare. Yes there will be drawbacks as always but that's part of the adventure. As long as we keep a decent reserve of gin and cigs we will be happy enough.

anonimouse

It's lovely this winter, I have just come in from sunbathing, Car is showing over 20c.

I have a dryer, it's like new lol Some years can be wet so it's good to have one incase.

jackytoo

I wish I had taken sofas/armchairs. Spanish ones are either cheap and horrible or expensive and not very comfortable. Take garden tools. If I were to do it again I would take most household stuff. You have to sell it for next to nothing or give it to charity and most stuff will need to be replaced when you get there.

missile

You are having a laugh, there will be snow on the ground near Tolox.

jojojojojo

Apparently only snow on the mountain behind Tolox at the moment, but rain is around!!!!

Jo xxx

sujee

Well here we have rain snow and sleet 7 C . So just longing to get away.

Cazzy1

I am in Birmingham at the moment, it is so lovely to have central heating!! Although Spain is a lot warmer, the houses are just not built for the cold weather.