Interests , Pastimes & Hobbies.

I would love to take up a hobby something "arty" but sourcing the products seems very problematic in Spain & I dont want to travel for miles only to find they dont have what I want. In the UK I would have Hobby Craft and could look on their website. I used to love baking and trying different recipes, but again some foodstuffs are impossible to get here so I have given up.

Good Afternoon Pix,

                                  Good to see that you would like to continue with your 'Arty'  hobby...

I know that obtaining supplies is difficult at times and many years ago we actually had 3 Handicraft supplies shops in the UK and it wasn't always that easy even then.

I always found that handicraft supplies blended well with my other stock---- antiques and collectables, fossils, minerals etc, and I was also a picture framer.!

However now I've found that buying online, mainly from the Far East, is really good, it can be a bit of a wait to receive your goods, but worthwhile in the end.

Even in the 1970's we actually bought many of our craft lines from the Far East ,always in my opinion the best and cheapest source.

So now I would actually recommend using Ali-Express, easy to locate online and very straightforward to order, although I'm aware that it can be quite daunting ordering initially.

May I suggest that you have a look at the site, I'm sure that you will locate what you are looking for and at realistic prices, but as I say please be patient waiting for delivery.

Last year we had well over 100 packets/parcels ordered through Ali-Express and 95 % arrived within 3 -4 weeks, only 2 orders took a long time ..3 months !...but they did turn up eventually..

Have you any idea what craft you would like to take up, you may even be able to get together with other like-minded people, form a little group and even buy together...

If you need any help please feel free to contact me, maybe I could help ?

Saludos,

             Gordon.

Hi,

     Noticed your title, did you ever work for GRANADA TV,

      NICE PIECE, VERY INTERESTING, ,KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK..

              TONY

Hola Tony,

                Thank you for your kind words...

No ..Not Guilty of working for Granada TV..........

I've been self-employed most of my life....

No one would employ me....!!!

However over the years I've done quite a bit of writing.....

Saludos,

                 Gordon

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for sharing a taster of your hobbies.  I have several too and agree they are so important, now more than ever, for our mental health.

I do a lot of online learning, with my particular passion being Forensic Science - and while I can't attend my weekly Spanish lessons, I've signed up for a Spanish course online.  I also paint - watercolour and acrylic, but my favourite is oils.  There are some great art supplies shops in this area, my favourite being Lloc d'Art in Elche, and some of the chinese bazaars are great for arts and crafts supplies.

I wondered whether you have ordered any supplies from the UK since 1 January this year?  There have been many reports of people ordering from UK companies and receiving quite large additional bills for import duty and fees, and IVA on top.  As you say, perhaps we need to look to the Far East in future, even if delivery is on a slow boat from China  :o)

Kind regards,

Kim

Good Evening Kim,

                               Thank you for your interesting reply and information.

Online learning is great even for old codgers like me and your passion for Forensic Science is intriguing, the nearest I've come to that subject is actually working on an archaeological dig.

I do find human and animal psychology very interesting , I've studied it since I was young, strictly as an amateur though, watching the behavioural antics of humans during the past year has been somewhat disturbing though.

I've not ordered any craft supplies from UK recently although I have previously purchased from E-Bay & Etsy UK but have found the postal costs very high.

   I've had several deliveries of other items from the UK since ' B Day ' and have not as yet paid any extra costs, however very slow dispatch and delivery, I've actually received items from the Far East faster.

Many of the purchases from the Far East have been post free or very small amounts of postage and all have been well packed.

Saludos,

             Gordon

My hobby is model engineering. There are various forms of this hobby but the one I follow is steam engines. I own a couple of miniature ones and use these to give rides at a park. I am also building one so have a workshop with a lathe and milling machine, as well as a lot of other bits and pieces. I am not a machinist so the build is a huge challenge. Running at the park is great fun. I know there are some clubs in Spain, but not sure if our move to Spain comes off, just how I will set all this up again in another country.

I'm also a keen dog walker (we have a Springer Spaniel) and I like keeping fit, although of course the gyms are closed at the moment so am finding ways to torture myself at home. I am the chief cook and enjoy new recipes so a new life in Spain would be a dream come true.

Pete, Thank you for your interesting addition .

I'm sure that there will be plenty of other steam engine / railway etc. enthusiasts in Spain and quite possibly many other nationalities so you could find that your hobby could be expanded when you eventually get to Spain.

Meeting up with people who share similar interests is a great way of integrating in a new country and don't worry about language difficulties, there seems to be a common language shared by enthusiasts of all hobbies and interests.

I'm not aware of any groups or clubs on the Costa Blanca, but you could always start one yourself.!

Hopefully someone will be able to give to you more information about your subject...?

There is something about the smell of steam and oil and it always invokes memories of my childhood for me, my Father was initially trained as a toolmaker and often helped a friend who ran a miniature railway in New Brighton Wirral. ( Tommy Manns railway if I remember correctly ).

I also had a short spell working with boilers on a Royal Navy frigate during my training, many moons ago !

I'm sure that with your interests you will blend in seamlessly when you arrive in Sunny Spain.

Good Luck and please keep us informed...

Saludos,

              Gordon

Hi Gordon,

There actually appears to be a miniature track very close to Alicante airport. I am hoping to come out later in the year for a property recce and will have a look.

I am trying to persuade my wife to move out permanently, in which case I could probably build a track of my own if we bought a bigger place inland. They seem to have some quite amazing properties with generous land that would be way too expensive in the UK.

My wife is still working and is younger than me, and won't be able to retire with a pension for 4 years yet. However, I have decent pensions which are enough to satisfy the Spanish income requirements. I am working hard to persuade her to jump sooner. You only get one go on this earth and if anything happened to me she would get most of my pensions to live on. She'd be a merry widow for sure!