Off to the sun

WARM weather, friendly locals, a relaxed lifestyle and a sea view from her apartment are just some of the many reasons why York-born Charlotte Ferrey loves her new life in Spain. "I also love the culture, the fiestas, the religious festival and the men!" says Charlotte, 23, who left her family home in Bishopthorpe and moved to Marbella on the Costa Del Sol five months ago.

"I'd wanted to live in Spain since I was 16," she says. "During my gap year from university when I was 18, I lived in Tenerife, working in bars - and I nearly didn't come back to Britain."

She did though, and completed a degree in public relations and Spanish at Leeds Metropolitan University, where she graduated from this summer.

During her degree course, she spent several stints both working and studying in Spain - which confirmed her desire to live there.

"It's great having a sea view when I wake up in the morning - it beats looking at a back yard back home in Bishopthorpe," says Charlotte.

While many of her student friends are now working in London, Charlotte knew that wasn't for her - not yet, at least.

Instead, this summer, Charlotte headed out to Spain armed with copies of her CV and bags of determination to find a job and an apartment.

Perhaps surprisingly, the first of these proved easier to acquire. "I had a job within ten days. I got two interviews, but didn't even need to go to the second," says Charlotte, who is working in the marketing department for an upmarket estate agents in Marbella.

But finding an apartment for long-term rent in the height of summer proved much more tricky.

"The best time to look is from mid-September onwards," advises Charlotte, adding that owners tend to rent out apartments over the summer at peak rates.

A good place to look for jobs and accommodation, she advises, is Sur, the newspaper for southern Spain which publishes in English and can be found online at www.surinenglish.com

Even out of season, though, be prepared to pay a lot for accommodation. "One third of my wages go on rent alone," says Charlotte.

However, money does go further in Spain, she adds, as the cost of living is less, particularly for food, wine, petrol and cigarettes - cars are a lot cheaper too.

And if you thought another attraction of life in Spain would be the traditional afternoon snooze - or siesta - then you might be surprised to learn that Charlotte doesn't take them.

"I wouldn't like to work siesta hours as it would mean you don't finish work until 8.30pm, and you wouldn't have a life," she said.

Also, if you thought living in Spain was an excuse to have the perfect year-round tan, you could be disappointed.

Charlotte has been too busy working to get to the beach, and of late the weather's been too chilly to sunbathe or swim in the outdoor pool at her apartment complex.

Last weekend, snow fell in Spain.

"You actually do need some woollies and a warm jacket," says Charlotte. "My apartment doesn't have any heating and it has tiled floors, so I need to buy some rugs and a heater to see me through winter."

There's lots she misses about home, like EastEnders, cosy carpets, her favourite clothes shops and quality cottage cheese.

"You can get cottage cheese, but it's not the same as the stuff in England. However Gibraltar is about one hour's drive away and it has a Safeway, so if I'm really desperate, I can always do my shopping there."

As for all those lovely Spanish men, Charlotte has met a great bloke, but - yes you've guessed it - he's from England!

YORK couple Brian and Maggie Clithero are heading for a new life on the Costa Blanca - with their two Rottweilers, Molly and Elsa. They've just bought an out-of-this world villa, complete with swimming pool, five bathrooms and more than enough bedrooms to provide for the guests they will be expecting after they've settled into their sunshine paradise.

Once they've sold their three-bedroom house in Lamel Street, off Hull Road, they will be able to make the break for Buscot, a small residential area between Benidorm and Alicante.

Moving to Spain has been a long-held ambition for Brian, 50, a lorry driver, but it's only in the past year that Maggie, 43, has agreed to the adventure.

"I lost my mum 19 years ago and my dad about 17 months ago," she says. "Brian brought up the subject of moving to Spain again last Christmas. I was poorly and feeling pretty low and I just rang him up and said my mind was made up - let's do it. And since that day, I've wanted to be off."

After contacting several estate agents that sell properties in Spain, the couple drove out to look at a few, finally settling on their dream home at Buscot.

The entire sale went through in a couple of weeks and the house cost £100,000; not much more than what you'd pay for a small terrace in York city centre these days.

The couple reckon it will take at least a day to drive all the way to their new home - and they'll be taking a truckload of stuff with them, including a grandfather clock, their own bed and their most precious possessions, Molly and Elsa.

The dogs are being vaccinated against rabies and are being 'microchipped' for ID purposes, which should allow Maggie and Brian to bring the dogs back to England on any visits.

The couple plan to take it easy for a while and enjoy their new life in the sunshine.

Maggie, who worked for 16 years with Mechplant in Fulford Road and now works for A&S Homecare in James Street, says they don't plan to work in Spain - at least not for a year or so.

Instead, they will spend time getting their new house in order, getting out and about with the dogs, and enjoying swimming in their own pool. Maggie says: "I'm just looking forward to the warmer weather and less stress. I'm asthmatic and it doesn't bother me over there. It's going to be a whole different way of life - at a much slower pace."

But not too slow. On a recent visit to the house, says Maggie, they befriended an ex-pat. "He was called Bruce and used to run the Snooty Fox on Malton Road in York."

The couple are already planning a housewarming party - taking advantage of the bar by their pool. A world away from Saturday nights at their York local - the Wagon and Horses in Lawrence Street.