Thanks, Enrique.

My biggest worry is am I still covered for any fraud for on-line banking (all this small print that gets sent out in the post, changing terms and conditions)?, but I guess that is a bigger problem for the financial institutions than it should be for me.

At 600m in Canillas de Albaida, next to Competa, we find our south facing 3 storey townhouse very comfortable in the winter. We never have the heating on before the sun goes down, and often have to drop the shades because the house becomes too warm. The small woodburning stove on the first floor lan...

We use Broadband 4 Spain as our ISP. Their service was very good - before all the tv traffic increased (we haven't needed to use it since). We got rid of our two landlines a few years back, but may well consider having Movistar ADSL installed for the future. As BB4Spain are talking about having to r...

We have just done the journey ourselves this week by Chunnel with 2 dogs, but we do go via Biarritz/San Sebastian. A good aire for the dogs just after the tunnel is Baie de Somme. Head for the caravan area, and there is an open field for letting the dogs off lead. Rouen is a bit difficult to travel ...

Look at the web site of Salamandra Aventuras in Competa - they advertise a trip up La Maroma.

NH La Perdiz hotel at La Carolina, just south of Despenaperros gorge, has rooms with private garages. We have never been charged extra for this, just requested it on our web booking.
Dogs stay free, too. Our 1.97m high van fits in fine.

In April on a weeknight, the room was only about 40 euros.

Depending on your route, the Hotel Alisa in Lerma (km 203 north of Madrid on main route) is dog friendly, and makes no additional charge for them. There is also a good menu del dia for 12 euros - always far too much for us to eat, plus good dog walking across the road by the river. You mentioned Ibi...

Thanks all for your help - I will do a translation from that online version of the spanish manual.

Just got a new LG WD10700 MDS washing machine, but the manual is in Spanish. Instructions for day to day use are fine, mainly in diagrams, but I would like the English manual if possible for the "if it goes wrong, try this" section. I have tried Google, but no luck. I have emailed LG UK office, and ...

Many thanks - patience and fertilizer it is!

That was a fantastic view yesterday from 600m in Canillas. A friend had said it was about 185km across the water, but it looked so close! We, too, went down to the coast, hoping for a cooling breeze - wrong!

Any ideas on why we have no flowers so far this year? We are at 600m, the plant is 10 + years old, and it is pruned regularly to keep it under control. We lose the leaves in the winter winds. It is on an east facing wall. It looks healthy now, plenty of leaves. Does it flower on new wood only - in w...

I would also recommend the airport's own long term parking as above - we have never been happy with the idea of giving our car and keys to someone else.

1.244 euros to £ yesterday drawing cash on Halifax Clarity card.

I just noticed your location DA - if it is Competa branch, the fax number is 952 516 055, and Francisco was the contact.

If you need that bill paid quickly, FAX your branch - they need your signature (an email won't do).
I had a similar problem, my online set up failed, but the manager happily paid the bill on receipt of my fax.

When I used this, or a similar company's, annual policy a year ago, it excluded car hire within a certain distance of your home UK address, if you have one. So if you are returning to the UK, hiring a car, and still use a UK address, it is worth reading the small print in case this still applies!

Water snake seen for the first time ever today in the acequia. Do they have a venomous bite?

I had this problem with the "Province" box not appearing, plus a few other boxes being knocked out of position, using Internet Explorer. I got round it by saving the form, coming out of the web site completely, and when I returned to the web site and re-opened the form, the "Province" box was there....

Thanks everyone for the info, I will go and have a look beforehand. I can't tell you the number of times we have taken our lives in our hands in Spanish underground car parks showing height limits of 2.05m, only to find large concrete lumps hanging down from the roof, painted red so we can weave aro...