We had thought that the well publicised sinking pound, the world wide  recession and even the more recent Swine Flu would effect the holiday rental bookings for 2009 – both in our Spanish hot tub and pool villa holidays, El Roble Holidays, and even could drop the 93% occupancy we had enjoyed last year in our Award winning Chester holiday apartment, Chester Canalside Holidays.  

However, after a very slow start, generally, with the Spanish bookings -  we did had some May / June bookings that had been made a year ago! – this has now picked up and we are enjoying near normal booking levels.  Usually we have the main Summer season booked out by the end of January……………. this year the main Summer weeks were finally all booked out by the end of June – just a week ago!

El Corcho Villa now has only one week available until 2nd October quite an acheivement in this economic climate – surprisingly though the missing week is NEXT WEEK, a special July late holiday offer, so maybe at this stage we will have to accept it might not get booked out, ………………. We could lie by the pool, enjoy the refreshing jacuzzi and relax taking in the wonderful views…….in fact be guests for a week!

La Bellota is also empty next week -  is everybody working next week surely someone can take a weeks holiday - after that it is booked until the 29th August………although while I write this blog I have just taken a call to possibly book next week ! You never know…

The main change we have seen is the nationality of guests, we now get around half our bookings from Spanish nationals, this suppliments the drop in the British guests – which has been very noticable. Although we are now getting calls from the UK about holidays in Summer 2010….. are British people going back to Summer holidays abroad for 2010?

Our Chester 4* gold Wharton Lock Apartment,  meanwhile, benefitted from the publicity that to stay in the UK was best idea for a holiday. It has maintained its full calendar, resulting in us now passing almost all enquiries across to other owners in Chester. It is fully booked until October and hold some bookings after that as well!!

Sandra is enjoying a Raynauds free time and its hard to believe seeing her like this that Winters can cause her so much pain and problems. We have never regretted the move and enjoy the Spanish relaxed way of life, it gave us an opportunity for a career change and the chance to work together in the holiday rental business. Over the seven years the business has become well established with guests returning time after time and this has certainly helped in the current climate.

Sadly all too many UK people who moved to Spain as retirees have found the last 12 months very difficult and some are struggling to sell up and are trying to return to the UK. This is a very sad situation for them however, it is certainly not the situation for the majority of ex-pats in Spain who, like us, are perfectly happy with our move to “a better way of life” in Spain.

There “fried” onto the control board was a slug, so always beware if your electric circuits stop working it could just be because a slug curled up for a sleep on it and got fried in the process.

The men decided a meatier option was needed for this week so off to Zeng in Coin. Well from light on meat we went to plenty! The meal started with mini chop suey rolls, then salad, then on to a fantastic main course served in an unusual box type dish – one section had rice, one plum sauce, another had sliced duck and a chicken dish. Then all topped off with a dessert or irish coffee afterwards.

 All that for 13.50 euros a head!!

Anyway its nice to try to out a new restaurant and we are certainly spoilt here in the Alhaurin el Grande!!

Simon is suffering after visiting his friends new kitten – very sweet but its not helped his cat allergy.

Whereas I, despite enjoying the beautiful Spring Andalusian trees and flowers, am allergic to the pollen of the Cork and Encima Oak trees that cover the 15,500 sq metres of land that we own around our own house and the “El Roble Holidays” properties.

7 years ago when we sat on this bare piece of land, watched the butterflies playing and enjoyed the view of the Mijas Mountains, little did I think that each Spring would bring Asthma and sneezing with it!! The only plus point is that in the UK I had hay-fever from Spring to Autumn – here I only get it while the Oak trees are in pollen so hopefully in a month or so it will be over for another year and I can enjoy the Summer hay-fever free.

Tomorrow night we are off to Santiagos Restaurant in Alhaurin el Grande for a Fijian night, so I will let you know how it goes.