6 months here 6 months Spain.

[overherebc]

Getting close to selling here and thinking about 6/6 months in/out to somewhere in Spain.

Anyone out there done it and if so what can you say about it/comment on it.

We still have a house here so staying here is no problem.

Sort of plan is to spend some time in Spain in various places and maybe think about buying later ( post Brexit ) .

Just looking for comments and thoughts from others.

Mods can move wherever if needed.

Edited August 2, 2017 by overherebc

[7by7]

I assume that 'here' is Thailand and one of you is Thai.

 

What is the other's nationality?

 

You mention 'post Brexit' so maybe British?

 

If so, then I wouldn't make any firm plans until we know exactly what the situation regarding British nationals' entry and residency rights in EU countries will be after Brexit.

[davidst01]

5 yrs ago I was using Thailand as a base and traveling Europe in the summer for 3 to 4 months at a time. It was a good life. Ive been all over Spain and one would presume you can speak some Spanish if your planning to spend 6 months of the year there. If I were you I would be leaving Thailand March or April and coming back 6 months later. That way you avoid the songkran heat and go to Europe for the nice summer. I think you have an awesome idea and Im envious. 

[dotpoom]

58 minutes ago, davidst01 said:

5 yrs ago I was using Thailand as a base and traveling Europe in the summer for 3 to 4 months at a time. It was a good life. Ive been all over Spain and one would presume you can speak some Spanish if your planning to spend 6 months of the year there. If I were you I would be leaving Thailand March or April and coming back 6 months later. That way you avoid the songkran heat and go to Europe for the nice summer. I think you have an awesome idea and Im envious. 

I have spent a lot if time in both countries and indeed it is a good life. I wouldn't be concerned however about having an ability to speak Spanish, I got by fine without it (the same in Thailand). I did pick up the odd phrases but could manage just fine without them either way. 

[Destiny1990]

Out of the year which months u like to stay in Spain and which months u like to stay in Thailand?

Edited August 3, 2017 by Destiny1990

[oldhippy]

This is what wife & I have been doing for 9 years now.... 6 months / 6 months.

Leave Thailand around march, come back around september.

 

Believe me, both Europe and Thailand are so much more enjoyable when you are not "stuck" in one of them.

But we go not only to Spain, other European countries too - we like Portugal very much, cheaper / less touristy than Spain.

Airtickets can be very cheap too, since you can fly "against" the high season. And remember that Eur>TH>Eur is much cheaper than TH>Eur>TH (check it on skyscanner).

 

Is there a reason why you specifically mentioned Spain?

[geisha]

I sort of do this too, only Europe side is France for me. I think you get the best of both worlds, a good warm summer, European food , doctors, check ups etc. Then a hot winter, missing the rainy season , and all the delights of Thailand. I would never live permanently in Thailand. I love arriving in Thailand, and I love leaving too!

[DerekMarshall]

Yes, Great Idea. What is your status in Spain? did you process residency with the national police (la policia national, AKA "los maderos"?). For me, well, totally unaffected by Brexit as far as Spain is concerned as I hold PR status. Might be worth your while to process  residency status while you still hold an EU passport. You will get right away a 5 year residency card. After that - renew your UK Passport before the cut off point as to when the UK officially leaves the EU ..then once your 5 year residency card is up - boom PR! 

 

[DerekMarshall]

8 minutes ago, geisha said:

I sort of do this too, only Europe side is France for me. I think you get the best of both worlds, a good warm summer, European food , doctors, check ups etc. Then a hot winter, missing the rainy season , and all the delights of Thailand. I would never live permanently in Thailand. I love arriving in Thailand, and I love leaving too!

Something I have been considering France (instead of Spain). Martinique, Mayotte and so on are still France! 

[observer90210]

Fine idea to go to Spain in summer...I find the sea water warmer in Spain (in the Alicante area) then in Portugal (Algarve area ), or even in Cote d'Azur South of France, where the water seems to get warm only around August....IMHO naturally!

 

I also like the prices in Spain for renting cars, shopping, restaurants etc....much better value then South of France that overcharges solely due to the Hi-So Jet-Set reputation of the Cote d'Azur area. Not worth the buck...

 

As for the booze...some places in Spain are cheaper then Thailand and so is the labour and not all so many scams/dual pricing to cheat farangs as in Thailand.

 

No visa extention issues, visa runs, xx day reporting or immigration hassles either in Spain, Portugal or France...

 

As for the beaches and the high quality of the water...no comparison between the fine European beaches and some of the Thai beaches that have become sewage dumps!

 

Good idea to be in Thailand in winter for the climate, food, to hang out with those who are nice and friendly, a bit of hanky panky and good to leave for Spain for 6 months in summer and thus not be bothered by corruption, farang aimed ripoffing or Thai immigration harassment.

 

Enjoy your trips and have fun!!

Edited August 3, 2017 by observer90210

[catman20]

9 hours ago, davidst01 said:

5 yrs ago I was using Thailand as a base and traveling Europe in the summer for 3 to 4 months at a time. It was a good life. Ive been all over Spain and one would presume you can speak some Spanish if your planning to spend 6 months of the year there. If I were you I would be leaving Thailand March or April and coming back 6 months later. That way you avoid the songkran heat and go to Europe for the nice summer. I think you have an awesome idea and Im envious. 

yes i agree sounds like a great idea, it has given me some thought maybe a bit later down the road.

[Tarteso]

Good idea! And it's works for me, I'm Spanish expat. Spending time in cold winter in south of Andalucía and coming back to LOS. Suerte!

Edited August 3, 2017 by Tarteso

[keithcresswell]

I had a house in Spain and one in Thailand. Tried summer in Spain and winter in Thailand but after two years inevitably we preferred one place over the other, so it became a bit of a chore to leave when we didn't really want to.

[oldhippy]

1 minute ago, keithcresswell said:

I had a house in Spain and one in Thailand. Tried summer in Spain and winter in Thailand but after two years inevitably we preferred one place over the other, so it became a bit of a chore to leave when we didn't really want to.

There are some drawbacks to the 6 / 6 strategy yes.

 

F ex when we come back to our beautifull garden in Thailand, the jungle has taken over, and we need weeks to clean up.

And particularly in Europe friends and family become distant.

 

But Europe offers cheap and good healthcare, easy banking (credit cards, internet banking), a safety net if ever needed, cool morning walks, cheap and plentifull supermarkets, wine and real beer, green environment, and very important to me: cultural variety / culture in general.

And the ease to get a Thai visa...

 

Mind you, if you have not been to Europe for a long time, Europe is no longer what it used to be.  My pet annoyance are cafes (bars) that no longer employ real waiters but use cheap unskilled student labour. And they serve cheapened down menus.

Public transport is getting downhill / expensive too.

 

Nice thing about Thailand is you can walk into a restaurant without worrying about how much it is going to cost you... (unless you like wine).

And for me personally: our fruit / flower garden. I would never even consider living in a big Thai city.

 

 

[craigt3365]

10 hours ago, oldhippy said:

This is what wife & I have been doing for 9 years now.... 6 months / 6 months.

Leave Thailand around march, come back around september.

 

Believe me, both Europe and Thailand are so much more enjoyable when you are not "stuck" in one of them.

But we go not only to Spain, other European countries too - we like Portugal very much, cheaper / less touristy than Spain.

Airtickets can be very cheap too, since you can fly "against" the high season. And remember that Eur>TH>Eur is much cheaper than TH>Eur>TH (check it on skyscanner).

 

Is there a reason why you specifically mentioned Spain?

Sounds wonderful.  We do about 4 months away, with one month traveling around Thailand by car.  Luckily, wifey's mother stays at the house and takes care of things.  We also travel around Europe a lot.  So much to see.

 

Where do you like best in Portugal.  We loved it there also.  Spain is also very, very nice!

[oldhippy]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

Sounds wonderful.  We do about 4 months away, with one month traveling around Thailand by car.  Luckily, wifey's mother stays at the house and takes care of things.  We also travel around Europe a lot.  So much to see.

 

Where do you like best in Portugal.  We loved it there also.  Spain is also very, very nice!

Europe offers so much variety indeed.

 

As for Portugal:

Anywhere is good, but our favourite is the island of Madeira.

Out of our 6 months we spend 2 months there every year.

Reasonably cheap flights from continental Europe, great scenery for both fit / not so fit walkers, cheap supermarkets and restaurants, flowers and gardens everywhere (with both tropical and temperate plants), pleasant people, open air eating & drinking, no obnoxious tourists - because there are no sandy beaches / disco ghettos. Very much unlike Spain. Comment of my wife when we first visited Tenerife: "Farang have loso too" 555.

 

According to my wife Madeira offers the best of Thailand and Europe combined, without the drawbacks.

When we visit continental Portugal, we always have the feeling: "This is very nice, but it is not Madeira".

 

PS. Do you have any particular favourite areas in continental Portugal?

 

 

 

[craigt3365]

Interesting.  Never been to Maderia, but will go now!  Thanks!

 

We loved Seville.  But not sure I'd want to stay in such a big city for a long time.  Granada was also pretty neat as was Madrid, but only for a short visit.  We spent some time exploring the small towns and villages in Southern Spain by car.  Wonderful.

 

We ended up in Faro and rented a car for a few weeks.  Exploring Southern Portugal.  Beautiful.  But it was late  October, so quite dead.  Many restaurants were closed.  Ended up somewhere near Evora for about a week in a great small city.  I'll try to remember the name.  Finished off in LIsbon.  Loved it, but wouldn't want to live there.

 

Next up is Northern Portugal. Near Porto and the river valley.  The explore the coast a bit.  And of course, Maderia!! LOL

 

I'm hitting my 100th country this month.  Sri Lanka #98, Bangladesh #99 and Maldives #100.  Can't wait!

[oldhippy]

4 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Interesting.  Never been to Maderia, but will go now!  Thanks!

 

We loved Seville.  But not sure I'd want to stay in such a big city for a long time.  Granada was also pretty neat as was Madrid, but only for a short visit.  We spent some time exploring the small towns and villages in Southern Spain by car.  Wonderful.

 

We ended up in Faro and rented a car for a few weeks.  Exploring Southern Portugal.  Beautiful.  But it was late  October, so quite dead.  Many restaurants were closed.  Ended up somewhere near Evora for about a week in a great small city.  I'll try to remember the name.  Finished off in LIsbon.  Loved it, but wouldn't want to live there.

 

Next up is Northern Portugal. Near Porto and the river valley.  The explore the coast a bit.  And of course, Maderia!! LOL

 

I'm hitting my 100th country this month.  Sri Lanka #98, Bangladesh #99 and Maldives #100.  Can't wait!

There are flights from Porto - nice city too - to Funchal Madeira

 

[Ace of Pop]

I lived i Madeira for many years,its expensve,beautiful,couldn't fault it, but you get Island Fever after a few years,its novelty just faded for us.?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[oldhippy]

1 hour ago, Ace of Pop said:

I lived i Madeira for many years,its expensve,beautiful,couldn't fault it, but you get Island Fever after a few years,its novelty just faded for us.?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Was that many years ago?

Otherwise I would not understand expensive?

Fish and meat are closer to Thai prices than to European.

And wine.... 3 euro for a reasonable bottle.

Was it before all the tunnels were built? And the shopping centers?

Before the EU poured in all that money?

 

But I understand that living on a not very big island can become claustrofobic.

 

 

 

[Ace of Pop]

May1969 to 74.

[oldhippy]

1 minute ago, Ace of Pop said:

May1969 to 74.

Aha - that explains it!

I was there too in those years (for short holidays).

You would not believe how Madeira has changed, and they have changed for the better.

 

I remember poor old women on bare feet, no supermarkets, only 19th century style grocery shops, expensive grotty guesthouses, took ages to travel anywhere, now it is 30 minutes from airport to Funchal, tunnels everywhere, even to the other side of the island, the dangerously short runway of FNC - now extended on concrete poles above the sea, big shopping centers, and the people even more friendly than before.

The old city is now almost like an open air museum, with very well kept buildings and promenades.

Travelling to Europe and NOT spending april (flower month) in Madeira / may (cherry & apple blossoms) in Norway.... I can not imagine it  - it is more important for me & wife even than visiting my home country Belgium.

 

(sorry if this sounds like a publicity ad)

[craigt3365]

8 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Travelling to Europe and NOT spending april (flower month) in Madeira / may (cherry & apple blossoms) in Norway.... I can not imagine it  - it is more important for me & wife even than visiting my home country Belgium.

Flower month in Maderia is April?  Very interesting.  Cherry blossoms in Norway?  Hmmm.

 

I was in Japan some years ago for the cherry blossoms.  Absolutely amazing.  Last fall, we went to Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to see the trees change colors.  Absolutely amazing.  Though we did get snowed on going over a pass one day! LOL

[hackjam]

4 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Interesting.  Never been to Maderia, but will go now!  Thanks!

 

We loved Seville.  But not sure I'd want to stay in such a big city for a long time.  Granada was also pretty neat as was Madrid, but only for a short visit.  We spent some time exploring the small towns and villages in Southern Spain by car.  Wonderful.

 

We ended up in Faro and rented a car for a few weeks.  Exploring Southern Portugal.  Beautiful.  But it was late  October, so quite dead.  Many restaurants were closed.  Ended up somewhere near Evora for about a week in a great small city.  I'll try to remember the name.  Finished off in LIsbon.  Loved it, but wouldn't want to live there.

 

Next up is Northern Portugal. Near Porto and the river valley.  The explore the coast a bit.  And of course, Maderia!! LOL

 

I'm hitting my 100th country this month.  Sri Lanka #98, Bangladesh #99 and Maldives #100.  Can't wait!

Yes Seville is the most beautiful place we have visited in Spain.

[Tarteso]

Yes Seville is the most beautiful place we have visited in Spain.

Aha!!! Hackjam, These is the city that I was born !!! Really nice and special place. Take a look again...

[Tarteso]

May1969 to 74.

So...you choose a special decade for live on these Island, mate...[emoji120]

[Ace of Pop]

Its built up now ,ive been back its not the best idea to do that.?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[oldhippy]

In the post in which I declared my love for Portugal in general, and Madeira in particular, I may have given the impression that I did not like Spain all that much.

OK OK not "may"....

But I do love Spain, visited many times,  so much to see (and eat & drink) there, it is just the costas that I have a problem with.

 

Thank you Tarteso for not calling me a #@&(*&)! (even though I am)

 

Now may I please have a slice of toasted Spanish bread, with a tomato & garlic scraped over it, and some olive oil?

And some serrano ham with my wine, as I want to have a proper breakfast.....

 

 

[theoldgit]

Can I take the liberty of reminding members that this is a visa and migration forum, not a travel forum.

If members could restrict their post to giving advice regarding the visa processes, that would be great.

Thank you

[oldhippy]

10 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Can I take the liberty of reminding members that this is a visa and migration forum, not a travel forum.

If members could restrict their post to giving advice regarding the visa processes, that would be great.

Thank you

Sorry, I got carried away....