Returning to Altea with joy.

The decision had been made and yes we are now returning to Spain and will it work out for us? Perhaps time will tell or will it be having faith that will make the difference.

Liverpool skyline at night.

Thurstaston Beach on a chilly November day

Travelling from Wirral and leaving Liverpool behind is always an emotional tie for me as I have a real love for my near city of birth. With lovely beaches, great friends and my own cats, its a hard place to leave yet the weather and my health are important factors in this move.  As is the chance for my partner and I to actually sample living together for the first time!

It’s funny how you take notice of things around you, just that bit more when you know you are leaving. Just thought this skeleton was amazing against the winter sky.

A midnight start down to Poole, with a short sleep in a motorway service station and we were ready to board the LDLines ship over to Santander. We were lucky as the previous weeks sailing had been cancelled due to bad weather, yet we knew we had a rough journey ahead of us. The ship and the Bay of Biscay is actually the start of our journey as it rocked and lurched up and down. Our move together to Spain is a huge leap into living together and the ups and downs will happen to us too till we find our calm sea.
The ship we were on is a much smaller ferry than the Brittany lines and the Bay of Biscay is rough at this time of year. With the lack of sleep the night before, we managed a good sleep on board though the moans and groans of the ship as it lurched through the waves did wake us a few times with sickening crashes.

Back in Spain and the sun had decided to come out for us as we headed along the roads to Soria, which was our stop for the night. A fantastic Parador on top of a mountain. It was late at night as we crawled up the steep roads to this hotel that we had just picked of the satnav by chance. I had always had a dream to stay in a nice hotel and wake up the next morning and go ‘WOW’ at the view as I threw back the curtains and the following morning it happened.

It was 9 am and the cold night mists were still clinging to the mountains with crisp air biting my lungs as I stood on the cold tile floor of the balcony mesmerized by the view. A dream had come true.
Every window was a stunning picture frame from the breakfast room to the bar and even walking around the grounds you realised this mountain retreat had a magic for making the ordinary into amazing glimpses of a world beyond, ready for our travels ahead.

A park surrounded the hotel and come summer you could imagine it filled with families enjoying time out of the city, below in the sheltered valley.

The road ahead looked inviting, with more to be seen of central Spain.

A variety of landscapes from desert to forest and mountain ranges. It was a long drive ahead and a stop was needed.

It happened to be the same one that Russ stopped at on his motorbike trip down, a huge favourite with truckers, bikers and travelers with its fresh food and energetic staff ready to serve and send you on your way. It felt like the 1950’s with music, a buzz and just a feeling of warmth from the cool temperatures outside that comes from being over 1300 meters up!

More long hours ahead and sun was settling down behind the mountains as hills crowned with wind farms came into view.
Miles of them atop the hills, pouring natural energy into the national grid. You could see the immediate connection there in front of you as the pylons disappeared over more hills to the towns for light and warmth.

Did that electricity make it all the way to Altea and the Christmas lights that welcomed us?

We had made it back in time to celebrate the New Year in the Spanish way. Up to the Old Town square we went with our grapes. It was packed, full of ‘foreigners’ and seemed more a night to celebrate being alive, being happy and being part of a community that wanted to celebrate rather than it being a Spanish New Years Eve.

Party packs were given out to everyone with masks, streamers and garlands inside, there was even free cava!

Then it was off to see Sara at our fave bar Altearte.

Bringing in the New Year with the great crowd that David and Sara attract. Its multi- national and always good fun to spend time there. We even had our first dance of 2014 with some surprised looks off the other revelers!

Then it was another day and a magnificent sunrise.
The sky had changed from normal reds to dark blues and purple, the start of something brand new.
A chance for us to start life together, both independant souls now trying to find what fits together and how we need to appreciate each other and keep those best bits strong.

A year ago I had not even begun to plan coming to Spain. It was something in the future. Now I have my life partner with me and together we are even stronger.
I guess this last year has been a lesson in life’s opportunities and now we can ask together ‘what are our next opportunities’.
Take time to sit and ask that question yourself and let time give you the answer.