So having had my land in Portugal up for sale for a few months I finally had an offer on it for slightly over what I paid for it, from a neighbour I know across the road, which I guess makes sense!
Looking back I had a good time on the land, but it was hard work keeping 6 acres in check - clearing out deadwood from the woodland and keeping the acre or so of grassland strimmed (that's a lot grass!).
I'm glad it's going to a neighbour I actually like (well, we've agreed on the price, pending the sale, which shouldn't be a problem) and I'm glad he's getting a proper olive grove which I know he wanted.
His current land is literally a one minute walk away, just across the track, so this will be like his garden, practically bordering but just not quite!
He's offering me enough to just about cover the massive track I had made up to the top, and for the clearance work I paid for last Spring.
Unfortunately it turns out the house is never going to be legalised because the original owners before me built it right on the border, so it will never pass fire regs...
I spent a couple of grand all in getting the house finished, and that's a loss, but I learnt a lot and enjoyed doing it last year, so that's not too bad!
On balance I won't miss it
Because it just wasn't right!
I mean I enjoyed Autumn 2020 - Summer 2022 there working on the land, doing the house up, being physical, it gave me a taste for all things off grid, but I never really settled in because of the anxiety over the language.
And more than that, the vibe of the land just wasn't right - easier to survive than the U.K. for sure, but I'm just more familiar with UK climes and feel more at home here, I guess it's a matter of where you grew up as a kid, similar maybe to the music you get into as a teenager always stays with you!
So this is a happy sale, and a fond farewell to a project that had to be done, but is right to pass on to someone else!
And I can use the money...
I don't desperately need the money, but I will happily pay down some small debts and taxes, take a few grand off the mortgage, probably buy a van and do a van conversion and just have a few grand to spend on a few things I need/ want - an opticians and a dentists and some new pants and socks are long overdue.