We had been invited to spend time with our friends, Gavin and Wendy, at a house on a 'urbanisation' close to Torrevieja between Murcia and Alicante for some time and this was an opportunity that now just worked out. But what does living on a British enclave in Spain really mean - well we were about to find out!

Eagles Nest is the area where the house is located, mainly an area of ex-pats and holiday homes owned by the British although given the ever changing ownership there are some French and Germans owners to. You are however far more likely to bump into someone from your home town than a foreigner. With Morgan's Bar (they do a mean G&T and a tasty Chip Butty, by the way), Rob and Mark's Convenience Store through to a number of other eateries all within easy walking distance there is small need to leave this piece of Little Britain, if that is what you like, and I guess some people do not explore further.

We did however get to experience places other than those owned by our fellow countrymen including a Danish owned restaurant (offering full English breakfast), a German owned bar at the coast (serving a nice cold Veltins), a Chinese owned restaurant (great value with a set meal for four costing €35.90 including two bottles of wine) and I think it might even have been a Spanish team that ran an excellent restaurant in the local town of San Miguel de Salinas where for a very reasonable €13.50 the three course meal included two bottles of wine for the four of us. Everything you need is here and compared to the UK things are better value and even in October the temperature was in the rather pleasant mid to high 20s - I can see the appeal for so many people especially as the beaches are close by too.

There are some hazy memories from our time with Gavin and Wendy, I think we were possibly led astray by the excellent value of the Menu Del Dia (or more likely the wine that came with it), the Gin & Tonic that was served in something the size of a goldfish bowl, the vat of Brandy and Baileys or maybe the Jack Daniels or two served at the Country & Western night. The local bar owners do seem to have a very heavy hand, which made for a heavier head the following morning and some amusement for us all. Reading the local classified adverts (there are some weird folk about), to wearing a paper bag on your head or discussing the merits of talcum powder over oil when paired with latex mean that some things will never quite seem the same again. Holidays are a great way to relax and what goes on tour normally stays on tour or at the very least will end up on Facebook but at least nothing too embarrassing happened to any of us.

Sunday, being the holy day, will now be a day of abstenance for our travels back to Valencia - one day off the pop will certainly be good for our health especially as I have just read about the excellent gin distilleries on Menorca - this is where we will be on Monday afternoon for another part of this European diversion.

Finally a big thank you to Gavin and Wendy (and Wendy's parents as they own the house) for inviting us to spend some time with them. It really has been a great few days in this part of Spain!