Itchy Feet..

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Gasman
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Gasman » Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:12 pm

Excellent to hear you and Mrs B are staying put :thumbup: , but what a shame for that young couple! All their hopes laid waste ---- :thumbdown:
Anyway, perhaps they will find somewhere else nearby?
We all await to hear your reasoning on this momentous decision .... :clap:

Also, agree with you (and Miro) on the subject of re-adapting to UK life, after 15 years in France and now over 10 years in Huelva province, we really do not think we could cope with the UK, traffic, grey weather, grey faces, cramped lifestyle, rules and regulations, etc etc. :crazy: Love the campo lifestyle but it really has been too hot AGAIN this summer! Perhaps in another 10 years we will be thinking of regressing back to UK, but I really do doubt it!

Miro
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Miro » Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:34 pm

Just to clarify, we moved back to the UK after 20 years in Spain, and found no difficulty in adapting, and in no way feel that we have regressed! In fact, in many ways we feel we just leapt forward 20 years!! Pros & cons of both places, of course...
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

Pamela1
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Pamela1 » Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:54 pm

Had a feeling it was going to be numbr 1 but at least you came to a decision and perhaps now your feet might stop itching. Those kind of life changing decisions are not easy, they can drive your mind up the wall trying to decide what to do and sometimes it leads to over thinking to the point where making a decision is impossible.
There has been occasions where i've found myself telling myself to just don't think about it and just do it because if you do think about it you never will do it.. I'm glad to say that when i have had those moments it's all turned out for the best...Good on you Gordon for staying put. :clap: i'm sure you will continue to be happy. :) :wave:

BENIDORM
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 1:06 pm

Wicksey,....answer 1..
You are quite right when you say that it has to be a personal choice, I have always thought that we all have different needs and lifestyles, however we are all in the same boat when it comes to occasionally feeling homesick, we do even after 30 years away and sometimes this feeling lasts only a short time but sometimes it is really strong, particularly when family thoughts enter our minds.
But it really is so important , in my opinion, to sit down and weigh up all of the pro's and con's, and in our case it came up as 50-50, so what a difficult decision for us especially when we actually have a good potential buyer.
I think on this occasion the uncertainty with the political situation in UK has been unsettling for us and I now believe that the UK is going to take a very long time to reach stability, so better the Devil We Know in Spain wins our hearts...for at least awhile.
Thank you again for your kind and helpful thoughts.

Regards,
Gordon

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 1:51 pm

Countryboy added..''Exactly the same thoughts and motives Gordon, even similar timings.''

Answer 2...
Yes I agree that your thoughts-motives have been very similar to ours.

I'm sure that your process of elimination included many of the factors that we have considered.
Probably one of the major factors for us has been the fact that we really feel very integrated in our local Spanish community, made easy with the fact that we do live on the outskirts of a very progessive and interesting 'pueblo' and we have to wonder if we could do the same if we returned to the UK.
I'm aware that many expats live in areas where they are not able to integrate easily based on location and type of area so I do ponder on the possibility that you may live in the wrong area for your personal needs.?
As for putting your property on the market to see what 'turns up' I can understand, however based on my observations and experiences I have to ask ..are you really ready to move back to UK ?
And I do wonder if you could maybe try reverse psychology and 'mothball' your present house in Spain and rent in UK for say 6 months to ascertain that you would be doing the 'right thing' ?
I understand cost etc., can sway decisions ..of course.
I hope that all of your plans and dreams come true. :thumbup:
Regards,
Gordon

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 2:47 pm

Olive,....Answer 3
Thank you for your input, but less of the 'Twilight Years' codger type reference...please.... :D

I have the body of a 72 year old but the brain and aspirations of a 30 year old..!

As you know my main hobby and interests are history and psychology and for me they blend seemlessly and have helped me to decide about our decision to stay on in Spain..but who knows what the future holds, I did own a real crystal ball, but sold it, so can't check out what the future holds for us.. :wave:

Regards,
Gordon

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Wicksey
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Wicksey » Sun Sep 23, 2018 3:05 pm

Gasman wrote: we really do not think we could cope with the UK, traffic, grey weather, grey faces, cramped lifestyle, rules and regulations, etc etc. :crazy: Love the campo lifestyle but it really has been too hot AGAIN this summer! Perhaps in another 10 years we will be thinking of regressing back to UK, but I really do doubt it!
Like you we don't like the summer but aren't in a position to avoid it unfortunately, but a month or so in the UK avoiding the worst of the heat may be nice perhaps when we don't have the ties of animals here. It's the English winters we can't stand. I don't mind the cold but it's the greyness and the darkness that finished us off and one of our main reasons for leaving the UK all those years ago.

We had our itchy feet moment when we moved to France and I'm glad we did try it. Before we left Spain we travelled throughout Andalucia but never found anywhere else that we'd like to settle more than where we are now. I think. as I get older, it's the thought of starting again somewhere new and having to make new friends that I would find daunting. It was only when we moved to France that we realised how many people we knew here and how difficult it was to join any sort of social group there.

One thing about being in the UK that makes life so much easier is that we do fully understand the language (we struggle here with the locals' Andaluz accent). Where we stay in the UK is so friendly it takes ages to visit the shops down the High Street as so many people chat to you, which I do find very nice and something of a novelty. Most people I know here split their time between the UK and Spain, so that's probably a good option to have the best of both worlds, but you need the money to be able to do that.

Glad you're not deserting us Gordon just yet (mind you, ACommers move away but still contribute!)

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:58 pm

Katy ...answer 4

You know me well...as I know you.... :wink:

But you are right about not fixing something that ain't broke...

I have to say though that this time the decision to stay was much more difficult and it really was a tug-of-war decision.

A fellow Brit said to me the other day...Would you like to end up in a Spanish Care Home if you couldn't look after yourself ?

I quickly answered YES.....no contest..!

Thank you for your thoughts....

Regards,
Gordon

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country boy
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby country boy » Sun Sep 23, 2018 6:19 pm

Yep...that's it right there, we would say "NO". End of story really.
Bottom line... Where would you prefer to Die?

katy
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby katy » Sun Sep 23, 2018 6:38 pm

After being involved with a good friend which started with a bout of flu it sent me thinking. After being ill for weeks I took him to CDS urgencias. He was placed in a room with about 20 other patients all in dental type chairs. They were being given oxygen until the blood level showed sufficient. Wasn't even given a meal or coffee. Received a call at 11pm to collect him, was in a real state. 73 years old and looked much younger until his illness. I had to help dress him as he was too weak to tuck in his shirt. Given antibiotics which cost around 100 euro. myself and his wife helped him into bed. later that night he had a seizure and had to be placed on life support which was switched off the next day.

The outcome may have been the same in any country but it was the total lack of information, care etc. which threw me even though my Spanish is good. There was nobody to explain or discuss, just an odd nurse who was immediately surrounded by others asking questions as I was. Care homes are a nightmare anywhere but fancy being stuck in one with everyone Spanish, especially when dementia has set in. Speaking in another language is fine if you know it but imagine doing it in extreme pain and illness.

BENIDORM
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:03 pm

Country Boy,
I have some experience of Care Homes in UK ( mainly North and East Yorkshire ) and in Spain, in several places and that is why I would choose Spain..
But that is just my own opinion based on my personal findings, some may have had different experiences.

And as to where I'd like to die, nowhere really, but after much thought and experience I have to say Spain and I would be happy to be buried in our local cemetery in a 'niche' and as a lover of crosswords you will probably be able to find me 3 across, 2 down .. :(

But if we ever find that we have to return to the UK I will make sure I don't have to go into a care home....I really wouldn't be happy about that !

Katy,
I can't give any thoughts about CDS hospitals , but I've visited numerous people in Granada Province hospitals and was quite impressed, but of course hospitals everywhere are under extreme pressure most of the time .
I don't really want to discuss my experiences with UK care homes, all I would say is that they were bad experiences, whereas the Spanish care homes that I've visited where spotless with very caring staff.

Regards,
Gordon

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:53 pm

Mark,
We did actually consider the move that you suggest and it will still stay as an option should things change.


Peter,
I followed your reports about the move to the Mar Menor area with great interest and I'm sure that your reports helped many people.
And I'm sure that you are correct about the age issue when it came to the stress factor.
May I ask you if you have any real regrets about your move ?

Pamela1,
I know that you have much experience of Spain and are able to give good accounts about your husbands reactions as a Spaniard living in UK, all of your reports and experiences have been considered by us when we were trying to decide just what to do.
I hope that both you and your husband are able to enjoy life wherever you are. :thumbup:

Gasman,
Your experiences in France I guess have been similar to Wicksey and you both now have a good appreciation of living in Spain, but I suppose a change in your circumstances could alter your views about returning to UK, I know that when we lost our youngst son here it made us very confused about staying in Spain, but we did and I'm sure that would have been what he wishedfor us.

Irene,
I know that you've had quite difficult times and I admire your courage for getting on with life, but having met you I do wonder if you could really settle back in UK ?.

Miro,
When you added your details about your return to UK on the other thread I was most impressed with your honest in-depth reporting giving every detail that you could and just telling the story as it happened.
It was when you did this that we started looking at the possibility about us returning and we started watching house availabilty and prices both on Merseyside and in North and East Yorkshire, areas that we knew well, but perhaps not now.
So as stated...who knows what we will do or where we will end up in the future..?

Many Thanks to everyone who has contributed and I hope tht you will continue with the input... :thumbup:
Regards,
Gordon

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:16 pm

For anyone interested I'm in the process of listing some of my research into 'going back', maybe of use to some.

I'm really busy at the moment so it may take a few days to compile and post...
I have learnt quite a lot while researching so if anyone has a specific question please ask, I may be able to help.

Regards,
Gordon

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:02 pm

They say that moving house can be as traumatic as coping with a bereavement or breakdown of a relationship.

I can understand that, however we have moved many times during our married life and although for us quite a stressful time we've soon recovered, but I know some people really do suffer health problems, physically and mentally, especially older people.
So this time I really have considered this problem when trying to decide whether to move or not, and this factor was taken into deep consideration when we decided to 'stay put' at least for the moment.
Of course we were looking for the best solution, but however we looked at the possibility the more it stacked up against moving and in particular moving back to the UK.
Knowing what to do for the best is always going to be a very personal decision , but it has been interesting and helpful to read and investigate other peoples ideas and motivations.
If we do ever get around to moving I'm now pretty sure that it will be more of a downsizing exercise and perhaps finding a more manageable property for a couple of old codgers !
I guess that many other people are like me and just get fed up with a routine and think that a better life is somewhere else.?
And really I think that most will know when it is the right time.?

Regards,
Gordon.

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Pamela1 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:19 pm

A better life somewhere else or maybe an easier life...in my village.. shops are few compared to how many there used to be,there is no longer a post office and services are limited. People tend to drive for everything and although i am more than accustomed to living in an area where i have to drive 10 miles to the local town for items that are unavailable in the village i am starting to want to be somewhere where life will be easier.It has got to the stage where the 10 mile drive isn't enough anymore as shops have closed in the nearest town and i now have to go further afield in order to get the items i want which is some 25 miles away. I have been happy living where i am but as i'm becoming older i am becoming less tolerant with the inconvenience. My family have moved on and although they don't live that far away i am staring to get the feeling of what is there left here for us.There used to be around 6 pubs in the village and all used to be quite busy, now it's down to 2 and they are hardly busy, MOH rarely goes out because he says no one is out and so his quality of life has changed. My father on the other hand still has a walk to the pub and must stare at the walls, all of his friends have passed away. It's sad when places start to die but that is the sign of these modern times. The problem is i have no real desire for any particular place, i just know i don't want to move away from the County but have yet to get that "Oh i could live here feeling" when we have driven around. I don't know if it will ever happen but it's been on my mind for quite some time.

BENIDORM
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:18 am

Pamela1,
That was a good response and does really highlight the importance of living as near to amenities as possible, especially for older people.
The problem of smaller villages losing shops and pubs is a problem in most countries, but I suppose that the locals have to take some of the blame for not supporting them as much as they should have.
Here in Spain and in our village most of the small shops seem to have good support, certainly food shops,and I hope that it continues, but I do feel a bit guilty when we do our big shop in Mercadona/ Lidl etc.
We do use the small shops as often as possible and price and quality is quite good, probably cheaper when you take into account fuel costs etc., but we do need to shop in the likes of Lidl to get the selection of products suitable for Northern Europeans.

When I'm asked 'Where is the best place to live in Spain', I always reply ..anywhere that you can walk to all amenities ...car not necessary.!

Regards,
Gordon

olive
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby olive » Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:27 am

I can identify with the small shops problem. We are good friends of the owners of a local "Super." However only buy a very few lines from them sadly. They sell Greek yoghurt for example but only the awful sweetened version. No demand for unsweetened!
Last week I bought 4 pears and four tomatoes and some bread. the pears were badly damaged by the time I got home (loose in bottom of carrier) and two tomatoes actually had black bad bits. Only one type of tomato available too. You cannot beat choosing your own stuff from the likes of Mercadona.

Pamela " i just know i don't want to move away from the County but have yet to get that "Oh i could live here feeling" when we have driven around. I don't know if it will ever happen but it's been on my mind for quite some time." Yes I can identify with that.

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby BENIDORM » Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:43 pm

Olive,
I know what you mean about fancying different places to live/move to and I'm sure many others think the same. !

I was just thinking today how many expats I know who seem really restless and pondering on moving, of course that's nothing new , over the years I've observed so many arriving and going, natural I suppose.
But lately it seems so many people have seriously started considering moving and that goes for UK to Spain and vice versa, I can only think that it's being caused by the future uncertanty of what's happening in UK politically or maybe global warming ...even whales are splashing around in strange places .. :D

It's also good to see younger people making the move, I just hope that they've done their homework properly and will be able to have a good life in Spain.

Where and when will it all end ?

Regards,
Gordon Prophet of Doom.... :(

olive
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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby olive » Fri Oct 05, 2018 8:24 pm

Gordon

How about a motor home or caravan. Satisfy your wanderlust and then come back to what you know. We will move into your house, leaving ours free for someone else on here and so on. When you come back we all go " home" and marvel at how nice it is.

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Re: Itchy Feet..

Postby Pamela1 » Fri Oct 05, 2018 8:40 pm

Sounds like a good plan olive. :thumbup:


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