We met with the guys from Rodeka (the rental company) and drove to our possible new home. As we got gazumped on the place we found last time, we arranged to take this place for a trial week as a)we hadn't seen it yet, b) We NEED the internet, if we can't get it, theres no point staying here and c) it was brand new! (and we've all heard stories about Spanish builders...) We've got the upper floor of this apartment here, its the one without the security grills (to be fitted in the next couple of weeks.) We pulled up and the neighbours faces were a picture as us two got out the car, music pumping. They'd bought theirs (below us) off plan and had upped and moved from the UK to quietly retire out here! How pissed would you be?!? Ha ha.
We introduced ourselves to them and they were quite sure that it was going to take two years for phone lines to be installed up here, but they did know people on the other side of town with rental places with phone lines if we were interested??
That first night in the apartment, in my new bed, it fully sunk in that I really was doing this. The ups of last year with the downs of returning to Romford have all lead to a new life, a new adventure out here... Cool.
Anyway, this is our Pad, 192 Serena Apartments.
Scott's dad Vince moved out here with Scott's step mum and 2 younger brothers (Robbie, White T-Shirt and Rhys, Arsenal top) last November. The other guy is their mate from school.
Inside, the apartment is really light and airy and the kitchen and my room have great views out onto a tree covered gorge out the back.
This is the view from our front balcony. The pointy building is a restaurant, to the right, a supermarket and to the right of that, our community pool.
This is the view from my room.
We spoke to quite a few people of the best ways to get a telephone line installed becasue we really liked this place. I went into Telefonica armed with ideas about bartering and demanding a business line etc and the guy just said "One Week. €110 Please." Woo-Hoo!
When we actually got chatting to the neighbours, Colin and Dawn a bit more, I think they realised we weren't the ALICANTE:UNCOVERED 'beer and vomit and dance music' type and we all get on really well now. They told us that the reason they told us they had friends with places on the other side of town was because they knew the owner, and the thought he wanted to sell this place, "But don't tell the rental company" they said. Er, O.K.
When we did call Rodeka to say we could get the phone line and would definitely take it for at least 6 months they said "Oh, we've just spoken to the owner and he's thinking about selling it."
Shit.
Well its a long story but its all come good in the end. We have this place for at least six months, the owner is paying for all the new house 'niggles' to be fixed via Rodeka. We have little quirks like the logic puzzle light switches. Turn this on. No, this one? No. This one, and they're all on! Except... now that ones off. The front door doesn't actually click closed unless you put the bolt on (always an exciting security feature, especially without security grills) and the front 'garden' is rubble with a promise that 'something' will be done soon.
Its also a little strange buying things like Contents Insurance and fabric softener. I suppose life can't be Rock 'n' Roll all the time.
Workwise, Scott's blagging himself some bar work until we can get moving on making lots of websites (there is a lot of interest from the looks of things). I'm also meeting up with the guy today about possibly starting the Alicante 'Loot' paper. I'll let you know more as and when... from the sounds of it, we have quite a good one coming up about a casino, but I'll tell you more when I know.
Socially. Its hell here. I'm drinking the same 'volume' of vodka lemonade but the proportions are a little different. Instead of a squirt of vodka and small bottle of lemonade, its two thirds of a tall glass (of absoulut for €3) and the little lemonade bottle lasts three drinks! Its carnage! One night and I'm drunk for about 2 days! We've also been invited to a party on Monday (you won't beleive this) by the girl who gazumped us on the apartment we found last time (a 20yr old geordie barmaid called Laura). And we should have gone out last night night into Alicante town with a bunch of Swedish guys on a 'business trip' who create the red dots (not lasers) for sniper rifles. But unfortunately I was a bit out of it from the night we met Laura...
If you're up for a bit of it, get your arse out here. We can have 3 people staying at a time as the sofa has a pull out bed, and also we have an inflatable lilo bed thing, and actually, we can have 5 people staying becasue me and Scott have double beds. Though there may be some 'guidelines' for those last two places (single, fit, nice tits etc.) Or hey, if you dont want to rough it, Gran Alciant is like a one huge holiday complex, Im sure finding a villa wont be hard!
See ya soon.