29 September here, and as I write we are enjoying an Indian summer. There is a great deal going on – wine festivals, antique fairs, exhibitions and much more. Find out more here. I, however, am typing this surrounded by cardboard boxes. On Monday 2 October work will begin on ripping out our old kitchen … Read more
Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers, If you are new to this column I should tell you that each month I reflect back on the previous one, which in this case is August 2017. My aim is to bring you lots of fun things, and not too many serious ones.Firstly, let’s raise a … Read more
Scotland is a small country with big plans. It has no time for daydreamers or dilettantes. If you want to do something here, you do it for real, and you do it right. Which is why Scotland is on track to achieve an extremely ambitious environmental goal: becoming a zero-waste country by 2025. But to … Read more
Call me sentimental, but I fancy my heart skipped a beat when I first saw the words ‘La Mata’ in the property columns of the local press. I was visiting my daughter here and asked her where this ‘marsh’ was. Soon we were parking the car on one of the many streets leading to the … Read more
Have you ever wondered what you do with your stuff when you use house sitters? Using house sitters really is the perfect way to leave your home, pets and possessions in the hands of someone reliable, while you travel on a vacation, or go back home to see family and friends. For many, the prospect … Read more
My online Harraps devotes an explanatory paragraph to La Rentrée. “The time of year when children go back to school – in September – has considerable cultural significance in France. Coming after the long summer break or grandes vacances, it is the time when academic, political, social and commercial activity begins again in earnest.” They … Read more
Many people who move or retire overseas enjoy the familiarity of like-minded company and seek out destinations with expats already in residence. Other retirees want to live among the local community, become a part of the local culture and are happy if they rarely see another American or Canadian expat. Living a local lifestyle in … Read more
How much money do you need to move to a new country? That’s not the question to ask. The question to ask is this: How much money do you have to live on? In these dispatches, I introduce you to places where you could live comfortably on as little as $1,200 or $1,500 a month, … Read more
Benvenuti and welcome to all my lovely followers, If you are new to this column I should tell you that each month I reflect back on the previous one, which in this case is July 2017. My aim is to bring you lots of fun things, and not too many serious ones.As I write this … Read more
It’s important to discuss the importance of diversifying both your life and your assets offshore in the current global climate. The question then becomes: What should you diversify into? As a speaker at this year’s recent Offshore Wealth Summit put it: “Physical gold is about as useful in an end-of-days scenario as my ability to … Read more