After too, too many years in the UK, in December 2005, we decided to quit. It was time to jump from the treadmill. Time to start again, have a break, enjoy a slower pace, take time to live.
It was finally time to move........to Spain, where we had just renovated an old village house in the beautiful Alpujarra region.
A few years before we'd bought a creaky old place in a nature reserve near Junsele, in Ångermanland, as a holiday place. The plan was simple: we'd spend summers in Sweden and winters in Spain. Great idea.......but having spent the summer of 2006 in Sweden we found ourselves reluctant to leave as winter approached and so we stayed. This time, it was a great idea.
Winter was incredible: minus 33, frosted hair, snow, snow and more snow, cold, dry and stunning. Startling skies, glorious sunrises and sunsets, wonderful woodland walks and wildlife.Local downhill skiing was a bonus.
Summer came and summer went. A year had passed. We made the Herculean drive, with dog and gear, to southern Spain for winter 2007. It was as expected and hoped for. Bright blue skies, puffy clouds, warm sunshine, cheap food and booze. Every Brits dream. But.......a few months later we were already missing the snow, snow, snow, the cold (astonishingly!); the superb skies, forests and landscape; the feeling of community, with both its independance and interdependance, and our wonderful, welcoming, helpful, confused and at times confusing neighbours.
We still have the house in Spain, but never go there. Can't say we miss it.