¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte!
Back in Andalusia after a while away and there is a lot to catch up on. More interesting is how I perceive the country now, after being away for a few years. All to be revealed, but this week back to work and the long awaited completion of the audio version of 1984 and the Spanish Civil War. A tempting glimpse of part of the new image above. More later.... 

At a time of great instability, with the Spanish Government clinging to power with fragile coalitions, Andalusia governed by a far right assembly, Britain sinking beneath the waves with the Brexit shambles and the USA, well reaching tipping point, it seems that the world needs to sit back for a moment. To step back and think things through, without concerning ourselves with winning elections or staying in power.  Of course it won't happen, at least not in any productive way for that is how the system was set up, to patch the leaking holes and float on for a few more yards. 

So in the absence of a true revolution....

The gazpachomOnk has been planning a return. At the moment, he's wrapped up in unpleasant stuff, but will soon reappear on the table top of tapas. Writing the complete SLOW ROUTE HOME novel is taking up a lot of time. But expect it out sometime late Spring 2019.
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So we had this idea: To hold onto something your must learn to let it go. 
Back in early 2015, my partner (Cherry) and I realised that to continue working from home we had to leave the home behind. To find the motivation and stimulation for online work, we realised that you have to get out and move about more. Otherwise, what happens? Work gets stagnant or worse, repetitive and you end up just repeating what else is being written. And that's not a good. 
So we packed in our jobs in town, scribbled about the process, invested in a little mobile equipment (tripods, easels, gorilla stands, microphones, flask, a bigger portable hard drive and a travelling water bowl for the Hound. Then planned stage 1.

After 20+ years in Spain, and accompanied by a 15 year old Hound, we moved out of our home and into rented accommodation and began to turn our house into two flats. The idea was to 'Airbnb' part of the house as we travelled (to finance the accommodation we would need). 

Yawn: Same old story. What was intended as a 2 month reform, turned into a 6 month delay, finally completing at the end of last year. But talking about building works is rather dull, and people tend to get obsessive about listing minute and uninteresting changes to floor colours and window frames, so lets skip this part. We spent just one month back in the new place, preparing it for rental, before Hound mobility issues compelled us to move on. The Airbnb rental page was in place, 2016 had arrived and we had found a cheap flat in Portugal.

Expect only the unexpected. Portugal was an inspiring, cultural, linguistic and climatic challenge. We produced a lot of good creative work and despite a few mishaps, the experience was very positive. We even got our first few Airbnb bookings. The future looked as though it was working out the way we had planned it. Ha ha. We should have known better. First off, news came of the changes that Andalucia were introducing to accommodation booking where an online financial transaction took place. These new regulations (targeting Airbnb) would necessitate yet more structural changes to the flat that were completely out of character for an old house in an old part of town. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Andalucia was insisting on a whole series of measure that would make it impossible for us to conform to the new regulations. The hotels celebrated. The digital revolution stepped back. Hosts began to desert the platform on mass. We joined them. But, we now needed a new plan. 

The hound meanwhile, was not well. He could no longer travel and needed to stay in one place. Fortunately, friends offered a house-sit in the dustiest province of Europe, and as the Hound wobbled about, we threw ourselves into work. I produced 15 new videos each month, podcasts, articles and some great new musical collaborations.  But the rental issue remained unresolved. We clearly needed a solution that did not involve an online financial transaction, but one that would enable us to balance letting out our flat in exchange for moving around in other peoples homes. So we looked at home swapping. 
House swapping was always a bit of an organisational challenge. Given the logistic difficulties in finding a swapper that wished to come to you the very week you wish to go to them, it was never going to an ideal solution for many people. But then, someone tacked on a clever little addition: points.
The point system works this way: someone stays in your flat one week (whilst you are about travelling) and you accumulate points for this. Those points can then be used to stay in someone else's flat (anywhere in the world).
​Suddenly, we had a new option. 

So now, its June. Next week we are moving on. We have registered with a site called Guest to Guest. It has more choice, more information and is far cheaper than some of the competition, that may look prettier but are far less comprehensive. 
June also represents new changes and challenges. Britain votes on leaving the EU, and Spain votes on either staying exactly as it is - or - to change. Whatever the outcome of these elections, I don't wish to be passively watching from a fixed position. Another term under Rajoy will drive us away, and if the UK pull out of Europe then the call of lands further afield will be difficult to ignore.
Work meanwhile continues at a pace, new workshops each month, podcasts, new courses and  - perhaps most significantly of all for us - the hound is no longer here. He made it this far, but was called away last week to attend to other more celestial matters. 

So, where to go next month? Another province in Spain or further afield? How will the June elections affect this decision?  Will Andalucia backtrack and rewrite the rules for Airbnb or will Guest to Guest prove to be the future for a new travelling generation?  I wish I knew the answers, but then again, I don't. The fun is in seeing these answers unravel month by month. 

You can follow my crazy production schedule, over at teapotmonk.com, check out the images on Instagram or Pinterest (follow - teapotmonk), listen to the podcasts or catch the videos on Youtube (teapotmonk) 

This weekend marks an anniversary special, thats worth noting down: 79 years for the Republic (what republic!) - the one that the people voted for, that one! Since it was sadly overthrown in a military uprising, no-one has deemed to ask the population if they would like it back. Maybe one day....

Then we have the birthday of Durruti (who?) - ah well, you'll need to read this to find out. 
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Finally the mOnk too has been celebrating, not just his own birthdate, but those of family and friends around the world. So sit back, and for 15 seconds, tap your foot to the sound of a turning tide

Of course a lot of this is impossible to enforce (yet),  but, nevertheless, should you be out and about and see a commotion in the street - a dog disrespectfully peeing up the tyre of a police patrol car, a lost tourist doing a quick selfie with a Civil Guard in the bar - think twice about snapping an image on your mobile phone and posting it to your FaceBook timeline. It could an expensive post. 

Over the last 20 years I have lived in at least 12 different houses or flats in 6 different provinces in Spain. 

Some people ask what have I learnt from all that experience of moving around, and my reply is always: "not a lot". However, if you were to ask me surreptitiously about where best to live in Spain, I might be tempted to pass on the GazpachomOnk’s 5-Point Warning List for Buyers in Spain

Of course, not all Estate Agents are carnivorous, some I've met personally* and can vouch for their high standards and honesty. But I've also had dealings with a dozen others, none of which I would feel safe to leave my budgie with.  
So here it is - the Property-Speak Nonsense that needs deciphering: Print it out and keep a copy tucked down your socks at all times. Ready? Steady? Go...... (read on)