Homeward Bound

Winter in Spain - same as it ever was

A year ago we were stopping at Collbato under Montserrat mountain in Catalunya, as the Covid 19 tidal wave was about to break over us and the rest of the world. We have spent the intervening 12 months trying to make the most of a tough situation - with travel restrictions, lock-downs and a general disruption to the freewheeling lifestyle we have enjoyed over the past 10 years.

Climbing at Montesa

The first lockdown we spent in the Ariege - possibly the safest place in France at the time, the restrictions meant we had to stay within 1km of Chez Arran, but the weather was good, the shops were fully stocked and there was no-one around. Then when we were 'released' in June we got back on the road, slowly climbed our way north to the UK for the summer, then southwards again to Spain by October.

The second lockdown we spent in Valencia and the restrictions in place (curfew, facemasks, closed cafes and restaurants etc.) hardly affected us at all to be honest. We climbed, walked, worked on the next Costa Blanca guidebook and generally enjoyed another winter in the sun.

Beach bums for the winter

BUT - with Brexit we have to be out of the EU by the end of this month, plus we need to be back in the UK to get our Covid Vaccinations. We are not looking forward to the next three months, a trip across Biscay, the UK still in lockdown, the need to quarantine after travelling and stay out of everyones' way for another three+ weeks after that, but we have to bite the bullet. Once we have our second jab in June things might start returning to a semblance of normality. Cyprus and Greece are already suggesting tourists who have been vaccinated will be allowed in from early summer - bring it on!

Still Here, Still Waiting

Our pad in the sun - that will do

Five weeks since we moved from La Mata to Mascarat, and it has been very pleasant: nice weather, a great pad, a bit of climbing and a few local felines to keep us occupied. I have had a stack of work to get on with, both on the Blanca guidebook and on a variety of crags for the Rockkfax App. We have also done a load of walking, locally and further afield.

Sunset over the Puig Campana

I got the call for my first Covid 19 jab back in the UK two weeks ago - I'm glad to report the surgery have assured me I can get it as soon as we are back home. We have already booked a ferry: Santander to Portsmouth for the middle of March, though technically we still can't travel across borders in Spain - hopefully that will change in the next fortnight.

Of course we are supposed to be out of the EU by the end of March (Brexit) but I found something on the Spanish Gov website that said if you were here within the 90 day limit and got stuck by the "State of Alarm" this would automatically be extended by 12 weeks - to be deducted off your next 90 days. Useful!

So, still here, still waiting and still enjoying it.

Stuck in the Middle with You

Stormy skies over the Costa Blanca - very appropriate

 So after thirteen weeks we left our quiet corner of La Mata and moved up the coast ninety minutes to a rather grand pad at Mascarat, just south of Calpe. We actually stopped here 18 months ago, so we contacted the owner and he gave us a good deal for an initial six week let.

It is good to be back in the hills and to get some climbing done too, every where it pretty quite with few tourists and even fewer climbs, though the last two Sunday's have seen Toix West packed with around 40 climbers - courses I assume - Social Distancing didn't look too evident. Currently the borders are closed, there is a curfew 22:00 to 06:00, bars and restaurants are shut (except for takeaways) plus social mixing is discouraged - none of that affect us much.

Mascarat - there could be (much) worse places to be stuck

 

So an overview: the UK is currently in lockdown, you need a negative Covid test to enter France with talks of a lockdown there too, and cases are rising steeply in Spain - after all the Christmas get-togethers - who would have thought it? The latest plan floated by the UK Gov is to quarantine all arrivals at hotels at their own expense for ten days - £1500+ was a quoted figure. Fair to say travel is being discouraged.

I am expecting to get the call to be vaccinated sometime soon, but can't see any point in trying to get back to the UK just at the moment - I think we are much safer sitting it out in Spain, for at least another month. The weather is great, avoiding people is easy and I can plug away at the next edition of Costa Blanca Climbs, probably due out towards the end of next year. 

Of course the elephant in the room is that we are only allowed to be here in Europe for 90 days (Brexit!!!) so I guess our hand will be forced not too far down the line.

2020 - Good Riddance - or a Sign of Times Ahead?

More climbing in 2021 - let's hope so

A year ago we saw the end of 2019 at Chez Arran, the same as we have done for quite a few years now, before heading down to the Costa Blanca to work on the new book. There were already rumblings about a virus in China that might be 'the big one' but no-one was ready for the tidal-wave that engulfed the planet. We made it back to the Ariege in mid-March before the shutters went down across Europe - it was a pretty pleasant place to spend 'the Great Confinement'. When we were finally let out 16 weeks later we continued our wanderings, climbing up through the Alps on our slow way back to the UK.

The winding road ahead

Then of course there was the other big issue on the horizon - Brexit. We have spent a fantastic 10+ years wandering through Europe at our leisure, from Spain to Norway to Greece and Turkey, popping back to the UK when required - and now that great adventure has to end - we are not best pleased about that.

After a lot of research/reading around we decided getting Spanish Residency might be the best way to sidestep the coming restrictions so we relocated to La Mata/Torrevieja in October to look into it in more detail. In the event, Spanish Residency doesn't really do what we wanted, it requires spending at least six months a year in Spain (no big chore tbh), paying tax on your 'Global Wealth' in Spain and changing your driving licence amongst other things. 

So back to square one? Well maybe not - we are now 'allowed' (cheers for that, Brexit voters) to be in the EU for 90 days out of every 180 days - but there are options - Turkey, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus aren't included in the restrictions - you are allowed 90 days in EACH of these without it affecting your EU entry/exit days - looks like there may be a plan forming there. 

Of course there is the small matter of the role out of the Covid-19 vaccine, but at least that has started, so maybe there really is a little light at the end of the long, dark tunnel?

It Was All Going So Well

Climbing at Ambol

Almost four weeks since I last blogged - everything seemed to be ticking along quite nicely back then, we had got a rental contract and the NIE - the number that lets us interact with the Spanish system. With them we submitted our Padron application to Torreveija Town Hall and since then - four weeks of deadly silence. We have everything else we need but without the Padron we can't begin to apply for the Residency - TIE. On a positive note, apparently if you are/were resident in Spain before 20 December you have until June to complete the process.

Callosa across the Salinas

We have talked to our solicitors who suggested we called in at the Town Hall which we did. That was fine in theory but a policeman on the door won't let you in without an appointment. Of course we had previously tried to get one - the phone lines are never picked up and the website says there are no appointments available. Eventually a passing stranger helped with some translation - it turns out if you have applied on line (we have) you will get notification in 'about a month' - so the wait goes on.

A deserted Calpe

We have continues to explore the local area - and know it pretty well by now, everywhere is pretty quiet which is just  how we like it. We have also had three very pleasant trips to Calpe, climbing and working on the next book. The highlight for me was the first curry in over a year, followed by two more - might risk a Vindaloo next time :-)

Slowly, Slowly, Catchee Monkey

La Mata in November - could be worse

 I has been a month since we arrived at La Mata, and it has been very pleasant. We got a long-term let (three months initially) in a smart modern pad, right on the beach for £16 a night and we began to look into some kind of Residency Permit with the aim of not having to spend six months a year in the UK - can't even imaging which six - two blocks of three, three months apart - we would choose.

In the event, the 'simple' process turned out to be a bureaucratic nightmare - fortunately Sherri's old college friend Gill, who has lived down here for years, recommended a friendly solicitor and she had move things along quite nicely.

We currently have managed to gather/get:

 - a rental contract, (to show we are resident) - plus letters from the Russian owners to prove they exist

- an S1 form from the NHS (to get reciprocal health cover)

- an NIE (equivalent of NI number) - had to do this in Alicante

- a digital certificate from the town Hall (so we can do things on line)

We have an address/postbox

- submitted forms to the Town Hall (closed to visitors) for the Padron - (like a local census to get you on the councils books).

Still to do 

- once we get the Padron - we have apply for the TIE (Residency) which apparently involves two more trips to Alicante and one to the police station to get finger-printed.

- convert the S1 into heath cover, requires a visit to the medical centre, and some other place - not looked into it yet. If we get that the UK/NHS will issue us with a new EHIC card to cover the rest of Europe - very useful.

- and finally (?) possibly change our driving licences.

So - getting Residency isn't particularly easy or straightforward, and there is no reason why it should be I guess. Without a good understanding of the system and the ability to speak Spanish - I'm guessing the whole process would prove to be near impossible. We are actually learning Spanish - via Duolingo and that has been quite an enjoyable experience 

** Necesito aprender más español, más rápido **

!

Southwards to Who Knows What?

White Cat hanging on

In the end we had a pleasant month in the Ariege, climbing and hiking, thought the weather was unseasonable, very hot to start with then cool and damp with snow on the high tops - very unusual for October. Our 'favourite feline', White Cat had deteriorated significantly in the three months we had been away, so we decided to stick around to look after her (him!) for her (his) last few days. Anyway - a month later she was still enjoying sleeping, sunshine and tickles and time was pressing on - so we handed her over to John and Jackie, she has become an indoor cat now in their nice warm apartment. Fifteen years is a great innings for a tatty old farm cat but we will miss her :-(

UPDATE - White Cat lasted another 10 days and is now buried in her favourite spot for morning sunshine in the garden.

La Mata - warmer than the UK

Then it was southwards via the snowy Pyrenees to La Mata near Torrevieja, where we have booked a long-let close to the beach to see about some kind of Residency before Brexit. It is all a bit confusing and daunting but the alternative - six months a year in the UK - doesn't bear thinking about.

Settling In

A couple of days in we had a hot day's climbing at Callosa and got back to find the car had been broken into - a large concrete block through the rear driver's side window. There was nothing of value in there but what a nuisance - Welcome to Spain!