Expats in Spain tell of their move to Moraira on the Costa Blanca

Expats Beryl Allen and her husband Len initially bought a holiday home in the town of Moraira on the Costa Blanca in Spain and then subsequently they moved permanently to Moraira.

Below Beryl shares their story of their move to Moraira, Spain.

In this months news letter you asked me if I love or hate Spain, the answer to that question is a resounding YES I DO LOVE SPAIN and have done since 1990.

In May of 1990 my husband Len and I came to Spain to start looking for a holiday property. Len had for a few years earlier said we would look for a retreat away from our business for a few weeks each year.

Now you have to know my husband to realise when he says he is going to do something like that it could take a while before it really happens so my name for him in these situations is "Mr Gunnah" fortunately as far as business was concerned he was a very good "Mr Done it" so you can imagine my surprise when we actually flew out that morning in May to start our quest for a place in the sun!

Sorry I got sidetracked there for a moment - so back to why I love Spain. It has all that we required and more, we have the weather which is glorious, the laidback style of life, no rushing here and there, no clock watching and you don't know where the time goes to it's such a wonderful feeling to be doing just what you want to do.

The Spanish people are some of the nicest, kindest people I know, they seem to have a permanent smile on their faces when you meet them out and about and that makes me feel very good.

In all the years we have been coming to Spain, first as a holiday place then as a permanent resident, we have never had a cross word with any of our Spanish neighbours, just the opposite in fact and where we live now is mostly a Spanish community and as Len and I don't speak Spanish very well (laziness on our part which is shameful really), our neighbours are very good at trying to help and understand us.

We have enjoyed finding and visiting the different small villages and the open countryside takes some beating for scenery and believe me I always thought that nothing could beat the Peak District for scenery and the Derbyshire countryside, where I originate from, was like looking at a chocolate box picture I think stunning is the word I want, but this part of Spain has proved to me they are on a par to one another and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

When we came in May 1990 as I said we were looking for somewhere to get away for a break and we did get a nice holiday home in El Portet on an urbanisation called El Flamenco and it was a new build and completed in December 1990 and we stayed there until 1996.

By then our 2 sons were married and had children of their own so our little bolt hole wasn't quite big enough so we decided to look for something larger and after a few months we came across the property we live in now which is on Pla del Mar urbanisation, still in Moraira and funnily enough it was a property my husband had always liked and used to pass it most days and he always said, and I quote "if this villa ever comes up for sale I'm going after it".

Low and behold a few months later it did and he did, buy it I mean. In 2001 we moved out here permanently but there was a bit of blackmailing going on Len's part he decided to retire at the age of 65, he'll be 73 this year, and I was 70 last June and the reason I've mentioned this is because he nearly didn't retire because I wasn't sure if I could live here for good and not see my grandchildren as often as I used to so the ultimatum was if I agreed to give it a try he would stop working, if not he would continue to work I said I would try it for 2 years and I'm still here 8 years on and again yes I love it.

If I have one regret that is we should have done it at least 5 years earlier, in all we have had a property here in Moraira for 19 years come December of this year and I wouldn't like to live anywhere else in Spain, should we move to something smaller, which we are in fact looking at.

I will be sorry to leave Pla del Mar if we don't find something on this urbanisation and we would still want to live in Moraira. We are so well looked after and so lucky to have such a good security man in Manolo he makes us all feel safe and his son Eduardo takes care of the garden areas and keeps Pla del Mar clean and tidy.

I have to congratulate Moraira Teulada council for how well they care for this little town, because it really isn't a village anymore, it has grown so much over the years and I do hope they continue in office for sometime to come.

Beryl Allen

Summary: This page features the story of a couple who bought a holiday home in Moraira and then decided they liked Spain so much they would move to Spain on a full-time basis. Try also our related article on moving to Javea which is next to Moraira.

Expat Stories Spain - Moving To Moraira by Beryl Allen

Expats Beryl Allen and her husband Len initially bought a holiday home in the town of Moraira on the Costa Blanca in Spain and then subsequently they moved permanently to Moraira.

Below Beryl shares their story of their move to Moraira, Spain.