Chris should have been a travel agent. He knows all the tweaks and loves finding bargain fares and excellent accommodation at the best value for money prices, which is why I always leave the arrangements to him. This trip was no exception.

Our cheap Ryanair flight from Bournemouth to Malaga was absolutely fine (and who really needs more than ten kilos of luggage anyway?). Incidentally, my new lightweight case was so lightweight that the zip broke but, fingers crossed, it will remain steadfast on the flight back (so long as it doesn’t have to be put into the hold with other cases pressing against it!). Our friend and neighbour Alan, who is with us on holiday, was met off the plane by a fit Spanish lady who invited him aboard her wheelchair and speed-walked him (and us – we jogged along beside them) through Passport Control, Baggage Reclaim and Customs. She carried on to the “On the Record” (or something like that) car rental counter where we had to pick up the car Chris had pre-booked. He had been so thrilled that he found car hire for under fifty pounds… The unexpected excess insurance was nearly three times the amount of the car hire!

But never mind, now we’re here on the outskirts of the beautiful white village of Frigiliana, just three miles from Nerja and the sea. A local goatherd takes his goats past our cortijo twice a day and it’s rather pleasant to hear the tinkling bells around their necks – very countrified and quaint. Roses grow on the walls and ripe lemons hang from trees in the garden… why don’t I just post some photos?