There are alternatives to Ryan Air, if I can fly from London (no way!) OR fly from Southampton to Alicante... If I was hiring a car that would be OK but, the villa is 2 mins from Murcia, so Bournemouth to Murcia was the best option even at the sufference of RA.

I was at my dad's villa in Los Alcazares. He has had a villa there for over 12 years and sold his first one 5yrs ago and bought this one. He has just received a bill for capital gains tax of £3.000 on his previous villa... AND they charged 10% for non payment, but he did not know until this week there was a bill to pay! He is debating whether to contest this. I do not hold out much hope there.

I have been to the villa quite a lot over the years. This trip was just to rest. No sight seeing this trip, did not even bother with a car. I went for a bike ride every day, usually going along the sea front  and ogling for exercise.  

The villa is in a quiet close and very mixed, The villa opposite is owned by a french couple, one behind by a Russian couple who live in Germany, on the left a retired couple from Berlin who my dad moans about because the wife, in his words ' walks around with hardly any clothes on.'  (er.. its a bikin Dad) 'I dont know where to look, quite embarassing!  I would not mind if she were younger, but she is wrinkled '.  Dad! She might be seventy but is still younger than you!  On the right is a spanish family that live there, well, when I say spanish, he is she isn't, she is Italian but was brought up in Germany.  A useful neighbour as she speaks Italian, Spanish, German and English..(I hate show offs).  Other neighbours are a mixture, Swiss, Scottish more French and English.  So as you can imagine, social events are amusing as nobody understands each other and and usually ends up looking like a game of charades. :))