The last few years have been difficult and you can always guarantee most of your so called friends will disappear when the going gets tough.

However, news has recently filtered out of my big lottery win. And I mean big! And now they're all back, feigning concern that my problems have all gone and, of course, all with a worthy cause that I need to support. I can't hold grudges and begin to do my best to help people out but it's just never ending!

Eventually, I've had enough and decide it's time to get out and do something for me. I tell my 'friends' I am off to visit family in Canada for a few weeks then buy myself a one way ticket to Almeria in Spain.

I live it up for a month or so, enjoying my freedom, soaking up the sun and drinking the Sangria. The ex-pat community are very welcoming and I soon make new friends who do not seem the slightest bit interested in what they can get from me financially.
Very quickly I have decided this is where I want to stay and start to make enquiries to the authorities about the right path to follow.

I have contacted Procoal Villas and other companies and have been to look at what they have on offer. I decide to buy a villa with my own pool - what a luxury. My villa faces onto the sea with gardens of lush greenery and a gorgeous, cooling evening breeze. I have room for my family to come and stay and when I want to go overseas to see them, I can rent my property out to holiday makers.

As soon as I move into my villa, I know I have done the right thing. Life in Spain is something I should have looked into long ago. With its deliciously warm climate all my aches and pains have gone. I get to enjoy the Spanish cuisine and when I'm hankering for some good old fashioned British food, its also on hand.

Spanish fiestas are a regular occurrence and the atmosphere of one of these carnivals is way above anything the British can do alone. The effort and planning that goes into these things is something that everybody likes to get involved with.

The siestas are also something I enjoy about this life. Shorter than popular opinion, the siesta lasts about half an hour and is well worth having in the hottest part of the day, if only for the recommended chocolate eaten on wakening.

I have even found work helping out at the Spanish grand prix. I'm helping to sell and distribute official merchandise for Ferrari and McLaren. I even get to keep some! Some of my so-called friends back in the UK would consider this quite priceless in itself!

I have no intention of going back to my life in the wet and dreary UK. I'm going to spend the rest of my life soaking up the sun and downing the Sangria in my sunny villa in Spain.