This weekend I have been reading “Living in Lanzarote” – a book from Mike Cliffe-Jones who not only lives on the island, but also blogs about it on his site Mike’s Life.

His book starts with a family holiday to Lanzarote, and how the idea to move there permanently developed – something many ex-pats on the island will no doubt be familiar with.  From this point on it is a tale of making plans, selling up in the UK, and starting a new life in the sun.

He continues by describing how he and his wife Julie went about finding somewhere to live, buying a car and starting their own business.  Indeed, much of the second half of the book revolves around the business and how much it developed and adapted over several years, dropping some ideas and picking up new ones – something I can certainly relate to!

Having watched Mike’s videos before reading the book was definitely an advantage for me, as it I could visualise him telling me his story in his own words.  Being reasonably familiar with Lanzarote also helped, as the places he talks about were not completely unknown to me.

I think that if you are considering following in Mike’s footsteps and moving to Lanzarote then the book is definitely worth reading, but be aware that it will not replace a lot of other research necessary, as it is a personal account of the family’s experiences, and not a reference book on “how to do it” or of the Lanzarotean way of life.  If, having read the book, you are still convinced that your future lies in the Canary Islands, you might want to consider applying for the ¡Estupendo! Relocation Pack – another of Mike’s productions.

To buy your copy of “Living in Lanzarote”, visit Amazon.co.uk.