Good god I can't believe it's been months since I last visited the forum (and you are still bickering with guests tee hee - nothing changes - LOL !!) and what a few months it's been. First, the brilliant news is that we finally sold our house - and yes - we have managed to buy a new home in the Algarve!! I could shout it from the roof tops. We are going to live in Pera and I fly out on 6th November to start our new life! Can I say a big thank you to everyone who helped with advice and goodwishes along the way - you are a bunch of stars!!. It has been very stressful selling this house - so much more than the buying of the new house, and now it is all down to juggling. The removal men started clearing the house out on Friday and are coming back on Monday to finish off. Because it's going as a part load it will take between 3-4 weeks to get out to Pera so we decided to live in an empty house here for a while rather than in Pera - at least we can borrow sleeping bags and campbeds here, but we don't fancy sleeping on bare stone tiled floors for too long or at all .

I shall be offline from tomorrow as they cart my computer away but
I just wanted to post again from the UK for the last time - the next time I will be here!! I'm bringing 3 kids by plane and the old man is driving down with my eldest, the 2 dogs and our rabbit - couldn't leave anyone behind (I think they should film that trip!). so bye for now and will talk again soon.

PS ages ago someone posted about a handy man or odd job chap - I searched for the posting but couldn't find it - does anyone know if he is still around and what his number is, or anyone else that can help us do those anoying jobs that need doing when you move in - putting up shelves, fitting electric lights, laying turf etc etc??? (bless him my hub is not a practical man!) bye for now Liz xxx

You may not get to see this until you get here jadzia, but we drove down last week with 2 dogs and it was a great journey. The dogs slept all the way, we took 3 days to do it, and not one person looked at their carefully prepared paperwork!

We are renting for now and hope to look around and buy next year.

Good luck, hope all goes smoothly!

k