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One year in the Algarve

This week marks twelve months since we made the move to Portugal. We can't quite believe how quickly that time has flown, and it's hard to sum up just how wonderful it has been. We remember arriving last August in a 42 degree heatwave like it was yesterday, and we think it took a mere seven days for us to realise it was the best decision ever!

So...how to sum up our 12 months out here. The quality of life is exceptional, and we will never tire of waking up to a blue sky and having beaches on our doorstep. There have been unexpected work opportunities which have cemented our decision to move to another part of the world and give it our all. Life in the Algarve runs at a slower pace, and after a year of living like that, we believe not rushing everywhere is a good thing. We take our time, and appreciate things more.

Are there things we miss about the UK? Well it goes without saying that family and friends were the hardest things we had leave behind....but they can visit! We love our home city of Edinburgh...but we can go back to visit! So no - there really isn't anything that would tear us away from Portugal and draw us back to Scotland. We are making new friends, and that is also exciting at this stage of our lives.

A year on, we feel so settled and Portugal really does feel like home. One of our Portuguese friends commented on how we are all incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful spot - somewhere that people choose to go on holiday, and yet we are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy it all year round.

So what does the next 12 months have in store? Firstly - some bold and exciting plans for Castaway Portugal which we will reveal when the time is right. Soon we will be embarking on a road trip to the North of Portugal to discover some off the beaten track places that we will feature on our blog in the months to come. We will continue to appreciate the simple pleasures - a breeze on a baking hot day, a winter walk on the beach in shorts and t shirts, and sampling the incredible Portuguese food. It turns out that quote is correct - the little things are big.

We would like to thank each and every one of you who have followed our journey so far. We wanted to grow Castaway in the right way - taking time to make sure it reflects the adventure we are on, and showcasing everything Portugal has to offer. Thanks for all the clicks and likes on our social media channels - and if you are enjoying our content, please share and tell others about us.

Finally, many people have said we are brave to do what we have done - to leave high profile jobs and a good lifestyle to chase our dream of living in the Portuguese sunshine. We don't believe it was brave - we took the leap and made it happen, but we do have some suggestions for anyone looking for a new start. Be bold; be adventurous, and if any of you are thinking of starting a new life - our advice is to chase your dreams.....you won't regret it!

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