Rennie and Jan are an example of a couple who have changed everything – geographically and professionally, and landed on their feet. Having married in 1993, they gave up their jobs as Production Accountants in the film/TV industry in Colchester and moved to Lanjarón in 2003. Rennie told us that they found the village by chance and fell in love with it, knitting in with the vibrant local community of expats and locals.

They share their new home in the Chaparra area of the municipality with four former stray dogs: Remus, Max, Laica and Caesar. Far removed from the amenities of Colchester, they happily live with solar power electricity and spring water.

Apart from running the Cueva de Aladín curiosity shop, where they deal in 2nd-hand goods, primarily from house clearances, they took up Latin dancing about four years ago. The original idea was to open a self-service launderette with a corner for 2nd-hand books, but the paperwork was daunting and elusive – not to mention the cost of installing such a set up. So, they opted for converting the 2nd-hand corner part of the idea into the main business: “We found our current premises, did a complete refit, advertised, emptied our house and our friends’ ones for stock and opened on 2nd October,” explained Rennie.

Sadly, the death of a very close friend, Orla Ostervig, on the eve of the shop opening, overshadowed the event: “It has put many things in our lives into a very meaningful perspective,” says Rennie.

However, the response to the business from the locals and those from further afield has been incredible. Business has been very brisk to date.

Rennie summed up with, “I absolutely love every minute of what I am doing. I am meeting new people every day and improving my Spanish in leaps and bounds.”

It’s easy to find, if you come in from the autovía end; you just continue through town until you come to the first roundabout junction, where a municipal bypass road begins. Follow it down about 100m and you will see it on the left – you can park in front.

[mappress]