Our Spanish journey

It was 07:00 on a Sunday morning, I had been up since 03:30. There was a screaming toddler sitting in the row behind me. As I sat on the cheapest easyjet flight I could find for February half-term, over the tannoy the pilot over-promises and says we’ll be pushing off early (we don’t, we’re delayed for 30 mins). I closed my eyes and remembered where I was heading…

In the middle of the covid pandemic, we bought a house in Spain. A very old, in-need-of-much-love townhouse in the Andalucian hills. We signed the paperwork electronically from the UK in October 2020 and then a day later, lockdown 2.0 began. Flights and travel stopped and we didn’t have any house keys.

Gulp.

When we finally crossed the threshold, almost a year later, it instantly felt like this was our family’s next chapter. Our house is on an old narrow street, in a white-washed town, Alhaurin el Grande. It has views to die for and there’s nothing lovelier than sitting on the balcony and drinking an ice-cold glass of San Miguel. And, most days that glass is well-earned given the size of the renovation project we’ve taken on. ‘In-need-of-much-love’ also translates as broken boiler, blocked drains, pigeon nests, leaking roof, dubious electrics. But, remember, the epic view.

We landed to a delightful 20 degrees. That warmth that you breathe in as you step off the plane makes me smile every single time. It’s then just a short 25 minute drive north-west from Malaga airport to our quintessential Spanish town. As we opened the front door to our stone-built house, the cold hit us. There’s no windows, just shutters. There’s no heating, and since the downstairs boiler gave up the ghost in October, there’s only hot water upstairs. However, no matter how much work the old house needs (and boy, does it!), this town, the weather, the people, the food and drink and just the lifestyle in general is the pull to return time and again. It feels like a completely different world to back in the UK.

So in between the post-winter deep clean that was very much needed, building more flatpack furniture, and making some cosmetic improvements to the house in readiness for the mother-in-law to visit, I sit on my balcony and dream about what this place will be. Four years from now I’ll have my next big birthday, and maybe that’s the goal? An epic party in my own little part of Spain. There’s just the small matter of finding enough time and cash between now and then to fix the place up.

What’s true, is that however much we think we’re going to get done each time we visit, we never fully tick the to-do list. There’s too much temptation to just enjoy the town and the Spanish life. With some lovely bars and truly brilliant restaurants to visit, epic scenery to soak in, and the broader history, geography and culture of the Andalucian province, we’re in no rush. Getting the balance right between enjoying today and fixing for the future is important. Mañana, mañana and all that.

And so the end of this weekend was the start of another few days back in a very lovely part of the world. Our Spanish adventure has only just really begun. Standby for plenty more Spanish Stories to come.

For all of the pictures, trials and tribulations, check out my Spanish Stories highlights @kdonov77