Roaming Brit
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets

From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

Picture

On 31st January 2016, my partner and I left Southampton to start a new life as Expats in Gran Alacant, on the Costa Blanca. This blog will document our journey, as we navigate the Spanish system, travelling a path untried and untested. With Brexit looming, political turmoil in Europe and an unpredictable future, harsh decisions have to be made. Illness, family bonds and a Change of heart all make for challenging times in a life of a 'Roaming Brit!'

Picture

Benidorm!

14/3/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Easy Horse Care

Picture
Picture
Had to work until 2pm on Saturday.  I still have to start sorting out a new rota when the two shops are combined in a month or so.  It will make for easier Managing, especially in the busy summer season. 

​Having two sets of staff for each shop, is also illogical, when the two should be working a lot closer together.  I know the two shops can only get better and better as I take it on to bigger and better things.

Picture
After work, Darrell picked me up, as we were heading to Benidorm for the evening.  We wanted to pop and see Martin, before the summer season starts, who has lived and worked there for about two years now.  It was only going to take an hour to get there and we are still hiring a car, so it was the perfect opportunity!
Picture
Picture
Picture

Benidorm

Picture
Now most people who know me, understand I am not the biggest fan of Benidorm!
Picture
Picture
To be honest, whilst walking around ´The Strip` I can categorically say, I felt safer walking around the streets of New York than I did Benidorm.  Maybe this is just my impression, but I stick by it.  The place looks and feels tired, it´s dirty, run down and in need of investment!
Picture

Picture
Picture

Martin

Picture
Benidorm was not the reason we were there.  We went to see an old friend who has been living and working in the City for nearly two years now.
Had a great time at The Showboat.  A traditional gay drag show, with one of the funniest drag artists I have seen. The food was traditional British, well cooked and presented, with plenty of it on the plate, who could ask for more.

Martin watched a bit of the show with us, before he had to go on to another job.  We met some great people there, a few of which, we will keep in contact with.  

We hope to go again soon, maybe after the busy season here.  I already have four jobs lined up and will find it difficult to get away now, but look forward to going back soon!


​PEACE AND LOVE ALWAYS!
Picture


​It was a hot Saturday afternoon in Alicante, something I am getting used to, and enjoying, if anything for the novelty of it all.  Coming from The UK, where we hardly get hot days to an area with 320 days of sunshine in a year, is a big culture shock, but extremely welcome, after the last year in  The UK.
Picture
Picture
This is going to sound very snobbish, but the type of people who holiday in Benidorm are really not the type of people I want to associate with.  Don´t get me wrong, I am not branding everyone with the same brush, but as a rule, from previous experience, I just do not like the place.

​Arriving in the centre, and my views had not changed and I am really glad I decided not to move there or anywhere close to it.  After speaking to many different people, we most certainly made the right decision moving to Alicante!
Picture

​When making that decision to come to Spain and choosing a place to live, work was also a priority for us, as it would be for anyone.  Initially I thought Benidorm would be the place to go, because of the amount of holiday makers and how big the city is.

​The biggest problem in Benidorm is the amount of people chasing every job.  In some cases it can be as many as two hundred.  Yes the jobs are there, but it is a full time occupation, just looking for one.

​The restrictive employment laws, the difficulties in hiring and firing and the seasonal nature of work here, all account for a volatile job market.

​
Picture
We met Martin at The Show Boat, one of his jobs in Benidorm.  The Showboat is a Cabaret, Restaurant and Bar in the old town.  We booked to have a meal and see a show.  One of my favourite Drag Acts was on, Stella Artois.  She is fantastic, as you can see from the videos I have included in this blog!

​Martin looks well, very well, which is great to see.  Like us, he had it rough before he came here!
Picture
Picture

The Showboat

Picture

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

The Showboat

Posted by Luke Martin-Jones on Saturday, 12 March 2016

Picture

Sunday

Picture
Picture
It was a great weekend all round, the weekend before we really start to work hard, the weekend before the season starts and the weekend we finally realised, Spain was home!

​Happy Finally!
Woke up on Sunday morning with a massive hangover, after our night in Benidorm.  We had booked a table at Molly Malone`s for Sunday Dinner. One of my volunteers cooks there, along with her husband and had recommended it.  I haven´t had a roast dinner out since I left Britain, so thought we´d give it a go!
Picture
The food was beautiful, cooked perfectly and steaming hot, just how it should be.  If you come to Gran Alacant, we highly recommend Sunday lunch there.
Picture

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    48-year-old Author and professional blogger. Expat formerly living in Gran Alacant on the Costa Blanca! Currently, residing in my home town of Portsmouth on the south coast of England!

    Picture

      Contact Luke.

    Submit
    Picture
    Click me & email for more information!
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Asia 2019
    Australia
    Bettys-revenge
    Bipolar
    Bipolarcoaster
    Britain
    Bullying
    Business
    Cancer Research
    Cats
    Characters I Have Known
    Charity
    Charlatan-or-confidant
    Christmas Thoughts
    Claybornes World
    Coming Out Stories
    Cooking
    Coronavirus
    Current Affairs Politics
    Darrell-in-the-uk
    Dunbars
    Easy-horse-care
    Events
    Events That Shaped My World
    Family
    Fascinating-facts
    Gran Alacant
    Guest Bloggers
    IBS
    Information
    Inspirational People
    Interviews
    Japan And Thailand 2020
    Jersey-2019
    Lockdown Life In Photos
    Lounge-d
    Luke-martin-jones-awards
    Memories-of-home
    Memories Of Spain
    Me-too-oxfam
    Milestones
    Moving
    My Life
    My Writing
    Non Touch Toast
    Oxfam Sociopathy
    Penelope-wren
    Photographs Of Hope
    Quotes
    Rabs-world
    Reviewing-gran-alacant
    Santa-pola
    Self Isolation
    Shopping
    Short-stories-from-my-youth
    Southampton
    Spiritual
    Teaching-jamie
    The-darkness
    The-streets
    The Two Of Us
    Travel
    Verruca-almond
    Visits From Friends
    Year-in-review-2017
    Year-in-review-2018
    Year-in-review-2019
    Year In Review 2020
    Zest

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Tweets by realtruthblog
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    Instagram
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    A place to call home
    Finally, a place we can call home.  A community of like minded individuals, who used to call Britain home.  Now Spain is our choice, an altogether gentler, happier, sunnier and safer experience!
            Luke Feb 16
    Picture
Picture

Telephone

+447999663360

Email

lukemartin.jones@gmail.com
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets