Former Huddersfield gymnast and pub landlord Brian Hayhurst and his wife Elaine are ex-pats who have lived just outside Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol for 20 years. He writes every week for Huddersfield Hub.
We have been watching the series of storms which have battered Britain over the past weeks, and seen reservoirs filled to the brim. We hope all is back to normal soon.
Now, I don’t want to start making the obvious comparisons with the sunny country we now live in but, as I have mentioned before, the lack of rain here has become so critical that some local reservoirs are only 15% full.
The Costa del Sol, along with other regions, are facing the worst drought since records began in 1942 with little or no rain for months on end.
What concerns me is that the local authorities have not yet indicated that there is a state of alarm which, if not publicised, could bring many services and businesses to a halt without essential water.
I think they should be recommending water saving methods and how to reduce general usage. For example, we should see less filling of pools and fountains, shorter showers, garden irrigation and so on. These are simple measures that all could help reduce demand during the crisis.
The current situation in the province is dire and the few desalination operations, now working flat out, are no way near being able to cope with the growing demand as more building goes ahead at pace.
A large number of sunseekers coming here use the no-frills airline, Ryanair. We also use them for our trips back to the UK.
But the consumer watchdog ‘Which?’ has slammed the budget airline, naming it the worst short-haul flight carrier currently in service.
We can understand it’s a tourist favourite as it regularly offers flights for less than a tenner. The airline scored low on handling refunds, boarding process and food quality and value. We just get on board and put up with it, as we get down safely each flight!
Novak Djokovic has been well covered over the past weeks and now, as he contemplates his future in tennis, he will be looking at spending more time here in his new villa, I’m sure.
He spent €10 million on a luxury villa five minutes outside Marbella in Sierra Blanca, which has sea and mountain views.
The sprawling, secluded house in a luxury gated community has multiple reception rooms, eight bathrooms, an indoor pool and, of course, a tennis court. It will be used by him, his wife Jelena and two children.
And, unlike other top class athletes who come to their second homes here, going unnoticed, Djokovic has become a resident, probably with the golden visa allowing him to come and stay as long as he likes.
READ MORE: Catch up on Brian’s weekly blogs HERE
With travel restrictions changing almost daily there are indications that the number of holidaymakers looking for a warm climate is bound to rise.
And with children under 12 not now needing vaccinations, Spanish tourist officials are expecting a much-needed boost in trade, especially with Brits. Adults and children will still have to complete the Health Control Forms, however, and the new Tourist Tax costing between 5 cents and 2€ per person per night comes into force later in the year so there are still things to consider.
Meanwhile, the Covid Passport has been scrapped in Andalucia and petrol prices have reached a record 1.54 per litre. Life goes on…
