Sunset in Andalusia: Our Great Escape

Follow the joy ... and the pain ... in this upbeat tale of how Alan and Colleen rewrote the sunset of their lives by moving to Spain. Living in a small flat in the south of England, the pair decided they needed to change their lifestyle – there had to be more than work/eat/sleep. Even having lived in other countries over the years, neither of them could foresee just what they were undertaking when they gave up their jobs, sold everything in the UK and bought a semi-ruin in the mountains of Andalusia. Alan, a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy, could turn his hand to anything. Colleen, a Mother and Office Manager, could attempt everything. Between the two of them, doing all the work by themselves, they converted the old almond farm into a thriving, holiday-rental business for a specialised market: all the other people who really wanted to escape from the UK, even if only for a holiday. The tale starts at the very beginning, when the idea was just a small seed in their minds and works its way through all the stages to fruition. This is definitely NOT a “how-to” book. Technical explanations offered by the Chief Engineer have been cut short by the Mother. In fact there are many instances where it is more of a “how-not-to-do-it” book. Written generally in a light-hearted manner, the book reflects not only the sheer, hard work that it takes to succeed when living on top of a mountain in Andalusia but also some of the fun to be had along the way. Photos accompanying this book can be found on: www.finca-chiquitita.com