The challenges of week three

While still in holiday mode, this week has certainly not been the most relaxing, and the realisation that if anything goes wrong, then, although I know people here, they may not be around if I need them, is one to bear in mind.A  spare set of house keys is high on the list now, as the only spare set is with the estate agent.

I digress, on Monday I had the offer of a second hand bike, as a result of advertising in the Companians news sheet. So Monday evening found me in La Nucia , where I had arranged to meet Brenda ( the english therapist who has lived in Spain for 12 years ) Well the car stalled at the top of a steep hill in La Nucia, just as I was about to make a difficult left turn against the traffic. Hazard warning lights on, loud blaring of horns from behind;try again, no joy, oh no! try again, car starts, funny sign of car with spanner accross it lights up. Pull out in direction of the address I have, car seems to be OK. Can’t find address, instructions now incomprehensible. I phone her and eventually we agree to meet in the Lidl car park. Great as I am parked on the other side of the road. I walk up and down in the car park discharging adrenalin all over the place.I give some money to a rumanian woman sat in the doorway, whose card reads that she has 4 children and no money. She says she doesn’t speak spanish either, and whether that is so , her situation is , in the order of things, far worse than mine.

The english couple arrive with bike, it looks ok, needs the saddle raising, but it has good tyres and a shopping basket on the front, 25 euros, and the bike goes in the back of the car; at least I can cycle home if the car breaks down again. My chat with Brenda proved very interesting. She works in a clinic in La Nucia, which does physiotherapy, massage, cranialsacral. and a few others. Brenda does a combination of one to one therapies, although she previously ran similar groups to me.Decide not to  mention my car crisis , and happily it proved to be a hiccup in layman’s tems, and although I drove home in the dark on red alert, it was trouble free.

Tuesday I knew was the day to introduce myself to the Companians as a gentle exercise tutor. This would mean standing up in front of 250 people and persuading some of them that they would like to do exercise. I had a table with a poster set up by the door, and some business cards. It was surprisingly easy, and `13 people signed up for a taster session next Monday. I had spoken to Eva of the hotel staff who is happy to accommodate the group in the large bar, and provide access to the loudspeaker system. I had planned that night to cycle along the promenade to the salsa/jive dance session, but the weather became wet and windy, so I made some ratatouille instead, and paid car tax online. I could not use my laptop in the internet shop. so will have to find another, shop that is!

my apartment

Having met some very interesting people at the Companians ball last Friday, I was invited to go to a meeting of the solo club at the VillaSol camp site on Wednesday. The solo club is mainly a social club, similar I suppose to ones in the ,UK, where people go, not to find a partner, but to share in activities with other men and women. I am determined to give every social outlet a try, as I am only here for 6 months, and so far the flamenco has a very small and specialised clientele!

I would say that driving is my biggest challenge so far. Driving to the villasol involved an easy to miss turning, which I did twice. However, arrived finally to sit outside in the sunshine with a group of 30 or so, who came mainly for a chat, and to catch up on the booking arrangements for various outings, christmas dinner being the next important one.I did hear some rather disturbing accounts of other girls night out ventures into Benidorm,Suffice to say that stripograms would be a trifling embarrassment compared with the entertainment on offer in some nightclubs. I intend tonight to only go for the meal in Albir, and then come home for cocoa! More of that in the next installment