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The Journey #1
Journey to a Dream
Sell up, move abroad, and live the good life. How difficult could it be?
Craig Briggs dreamt of a new life, free from the stresses and strains of modern living. Unlike most of us, he decided to follow his dream.
In May 2002, Craig, his wife Melanie and their dog Jazz packed all their worldly belongings into their ageing executive saloon and headed off to Spain. Not for them the tourist-packed Costas of the Mediterranean or the whitewashed villages of Andalucia. They chose Galicia, an unspoilt paradise in the northwest corner of Spain.
With help from the locals, they quickly settle in to their laidback lifestyle. Long, lazy lunches fill their days and lively village fiestas keep them up until the early hours.
It’s only when they start searching for a new home that the problems begin. They encounter a freelance estate agent of dubious character and risk life and limb tiptoeing through dirty, derelict, and dangerous buildings.
Worse follows: a brush with the law, a builder who downs tools, a floating swimming pool, and the mysterious disappearance of their life savings.
Join Craig, Melanie and Jazz along a colourful, bumpy and sometimes perilous journey and immerse your senses in the sights, sounds, and tastes of a Spanish adventure.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2013
342 people are currently reading
581 people want to read
About the author
Craig Briggs
15 books53 followersIf life deals you a bad hand, don’t fold, take a chance; a good player will always come out on top.
Craig Briggs was born on the 12th of July 1962, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, the second child, and only son, of Donald and Glenys Briggs. The birth of their daughter had been a joy. The arrival of Craig would make the family complete. Unfortunately, Craig was not a ‘normal’ lad; he’d been born with congenital feet deformities.
Unaware of his disability, Craig got on with life as any infant would. His first birthday brought a gift that would change his life forever. A marvel of modern engineering, manufactured by J.E. Hanger and Co. of London for and on behalf of the National Health Service. Bespoke footwear gave him what the Vespa had given the youth of the fifties: freedom and independence. They weren’t quite as stylish as an Italian built scooter but he didn’t care. From now on, Master Briggs was on the move and no one would hold him back.
Over the next five years a series of surgical procedures changed the way he moved. When the time came, his mum walked him to school like any other proud parent and his dad gave him his first and only piece of worldly advice. ‘If anyone hits you, hit ’em back.’
With one exception, his mind proved sharper than his boxing prowess. Academia was not really his thing; he found it difficult to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest him.
In May 1980 he left college and entered the employment market. Margaret Thatcher was busy dismantling British industry and unemployment was running at a post-war high. He signed on to receive unemployment benefit and spent the summer lounging around the house watching the Wimbledon Tennis Championship on telly. As the tournament drew to a close, parental pressure to find work intensified. In September, during one of his many visits to the Job Centre, a job card caught his eye: ‘Wanted: trainee retail managers’.
Five hundred and sixty applicants chased six positions. He pleaded his case at an interview and ended up being selected. After a two-week training course in the seaside town of Southport, he passed with honours, achieving the rank of assistant manager. When asked where he’d like to ply his newfound retail skills, he chose London, a city paved with gold.
In October 1980, he left Huddersfield a naive child, and returned three and a half years later a wiser and more mature young man. A brief period of letting his hair down followed, catching up on lost time and lost youth. During these wild and hedonistic months, he met the love of his life and future wife, Melanie.
His career in retail spanned six and a half years with five different companies but to realise his dream he would have to go it alone. Not long after his twenty-sixth birthday, he handed in his notice. His future lay in leather jackets. Unfortunately, no one shared this vision and his aspirations fell at the first hurdle.
The prospect of returning to the retail trade pushed him into pursuing a different path. He reached a compromise and worked as a self-employed agent for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies. The job title, Financial Consultant, exaggerated the role. In reality he was nothing more than a desperate insurance salesman. Life was hard and the insurance industry ruthless. Trying to sell a product that nobody wants, and which by its nature will never benefit the payee, is not easy. Unlike most recruits, he managed to survive and learnt some difficult but valuable lessons.
His ‘Big Break’ came when he was asked to invest in a fledgling printing business. The first year’s accounts showed greater losses than actual sales. Against all professional advice he jumped at the chance, re-mortgaged his house and bought an equal stake.
By accident rather than design, he’d finally found his true vocation. The company was losing money hand over fist. The bank had taken a second charge on the partners’ homes and his investment was swallowed up in a
Craig Briggs was born on the 12th of July 1962, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, the second child, and only son, of Donald and Glenys Briggs. The birth of their daughter had been a joy. The arrival of Craig would make the family complete. Unfortunately, Craig was not a ‘normal’ lad; he’d been born with congenital feet deformities.
Unaware of his disability, Craig got on with life as any infant would. His first birthday brought a gift that would change his life forever. A marvel of modern engineering, manufactured by J.E. Hanger and Co. of London for and on behalf of the National Health Service. Bespoke footwear gave him what the Vespa had given the youth of the fifties: freedom and independence. They weren’t quite as stylish as an Italian built scooter but he didn’t care. From now on, Master Briggs was on the move and no one would hold him back.
Over the next five years a series of surgical procedures changed the way he moved. When the time came, his mum walked him to school like any other proud parent and his dad gave him his first and only piece of worldly advice. ‘If anyone hits you, hit ’em back.’
With one exception, his mind proved sharper than his boxing prowess. Academia was not really his thing; he found it difficult to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest him.
In May 1980 he left college and entered the employment market. Margaret Thatcher was busy dismantling British industry and unemployment was running at a post-war high. He signed on to receive unemployment benefit and spent the summer lounging around the house watching the Wimbledon Tennis Championship on telly. As the tournament drew to a close, parental pressure to find work intensified. In September, during one of his many visits to the Job Centre, a job card caught his eye: ‘Wanted: trainee retail managers’.
Five hundred and sixty applicants chased six positions. He pleaded his case at an interview and ended up being selected. After a two-week training course in the seaside town of Southport, he passed with honours, achieving the rank of assistant manager. When asked where he’d like to ply his newfound retail skills, he chose London, a city paved with gold.
In October 1980, he left Huddersfield a naive child, and returned three and a half years later a wiser and more mature young man. A brief period of letting his hair down followed, catching up on lost time and lost youth. During these wild and hedonistic months, he met the love of his life and future wife, Melanie.
His career in retail spanned six and a half years with five different companies but to realise his dream he would have to go it alone. Not long after his twenty-sixth birthday, he handed in his notice. His future lay in leather jackets. Unfortunately, no one shared this vision and his aspirations fell at the first hurdle.
The prospect of returning to the retail trade pushed him into pursuing a different path. He reached a compromise and worked as a self-employed agent for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies. The job title, Financial Consultant, exaggerated the role. In reality he was nothing more than a desperate insurance salesman. Life was hard and the insurance industry ruthless. Trying to sell a product that nobody wants, and which by its nature will never benefit the payee, is not easy. Unlike most recruits, he managed to survive and learnt some difficult but valuable lessons.
His ‘Big Break’ came when he was asked to invest in a fledgling printing business. The first year’s accounts showed greater losses than actual sales. Against all professional advice he jumped at the chance, re-mortgaged his house and bought an equal stake.
By accident rather than design, he’d finally found his true vocation. The company was losing money hand over fist. The bank had taken a second charge on the partners’ homes and his investment was swallowed up in a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 4, 2022
What a wonderful read. I know Melanie and Craig personally and have urged Craig, for many years, to put their adventures into book form. I have seen early draughts of his episodes and even then his writing style just made you want to read more. Now he has waited so long (sorry Craig) he has perfected it and I must say this book is free from those endless mistakes you usually see in kindle editions. Very polished. Craig certainly has a gift for writing; he captures the atmosphere and the sights, sounds and smells of the beautiful Spanish countryside which is now his and Mel's home. (You can almost smell the coffee, taste the wine etc.) Craig's writing is so descriptive yet not unnecessarily long-winded. I love the scene where he is describing experimenting with his new cookbook. Fabulous writing. Some really funny moments. What is so wonderful about Mel and Craig's dream is that they didn't do the normal run-of-the-mill move to Spain where it's just like Blackpool with more sun, they moved to somewhere more 'Spanish' a more unspoiled, undiscovered part of Spain and experienced real Spanish culture. Craig writes about all their experiences of this so beautifully. He has excellent comedic timing also: This book isn't meant to be a comedy book but I can remember one chapter for instance where he is telling about something going on for hours (won't say what so as not to spoil for others who haven't yet read) then suddenly he says something like "Were we going to do this any longer? NOT ON YOUR NELLIE!!!"!" It's just so funny with this interjection, a real piece of Yorkshire in a Spanish book! It hasn't been plain sailing by any means for Craig and Mel, they have their fair share of set backs along the way, not the normal run of the mill set backs-this book is by no means predictable. Anyway, Craig, you finally did it and you did good. You actually did great. But how could you do this and stop? There must be another book on the way? I know you have far more adventures to tell-so get on with it! If there was one thing I would have liked to have been included in the book it would be some pictures. I don't know if there are any in the print edition but there weren't any in the Kindle edition when I bought it and I feel that would have added to it even more but I don't know the processes or costs involved. This has been rectified though as Craig has now done an update with pictures which amazon will be sending to previous buyers in the next few weeks and to new purchasers as it becomes available.
UPDATED REVIEW:
I turned on my Kindle Fire this morning and was delighted to discover that the update for this book had auto downloaded. Fantastic-it now has photos. These are before and after shots so the reader can really get the idea how Mel and Craig's home took shape. At first I thought hmm-these pictures are a bit small? I tried to enlarge them using thumb and forefinger as you do on a mobile phone but this did not seem to work. The photos do enlarge: you have to hold your finger in the centre of the photo and then an option to zoom comes up then if you click that the picture will enlarge and you can then use your thumb and forefinger to get it to the size required. The pictures can be viewed in portrait or landscape mode. These do definitely add something extra to an already excellent book. Craig has also written an Epilogue. This ties up the loose ends of the first edition of the book yet still whets the reader's appetite for the next book. It doesn't leave you as 'high and dry' and things can seem to wait a while until the next instalment becomes available. I suppose now, I , as a reader got more of a feeling that Craig had actually 'finished' this first book but another one on the way. The epilogue is just a few pages but boy does Craig pack so much into these! Still the same writing quality, concise yet telling you so much and still quite a few comedy gems in this final bit. Also a very moving bit. Some of the funny phrases, obviously, I can't mention so as not to spoil for another reader but also they just don't sound so funny when I tell them, Craig just has the knack. Well done, great job, congratulations.
UPDATED REVIEW:
I turned on my Kindle Fire this morning and was delighted to discover that the update for this book had auto downloaded. Fantastic-it now has photos. These are before and after shots so the reader can really get the idea how Mel and Craig's home took shape. At first I thought hmm-these pictures are a bit small? I tried to enlarge them using thumb and forefinger as you do on a mobile phone but this did not seem to work. The photos do enlarge: you have to hold your finger in the centre of the photo and then an option to zoom comes up then if you click that the picture will enlarge and you can then use your thumb and forefinger to get it to the size required. The pictures can be viewed in portrait or landscape mode. These do definitely add something extra to an already excellent book. Craig has also written an Epilogue. This ties up the loose ends of the first edition of the book yet still whets the reader's appetite for the next book. It doesn't leave you as 'high and dry' and things can seem to wait a while until the next instalment becomes available. I suppose now, I , as a reader got more of a feeling that Craig had actually 'finished' this first book but another one on the way. The epilogue is just a few pages but boy does Craig pack so much into these! Still the same writing quality, concise yet telling you so much and still quite a few comedy gems in this final bit. Also a very moving bit. Some of the funny phrases, obviously, I can't mention so as not to spoil for another reader but also they just don't sound so funny when I tell them, Craig just has the knack. Well done, great job, congratulations.
August 10, 2013
I loved Craig's writing style, his honest recollections of his failures were refreshing, his lack of understanding for the Spanish language for example, although if I was Melanie I think I may have been tempted to hit him with the phone next time it rang. There are elements of the book where you find yourself laughing out loud, the maize/corn flour one for example, and areas where it shouldn't be funny because it's so sad, but you just can't help yourself, especially the floating swimming pool.
It got to the point where I hardly dared turn the page for fear of the next mishap, and there were plenty. Yet despite all this Craig manages to paint a picture of an idyllic part of Spain that would make any tourist board happy.
My only criticism is that it ended too quickly for me, the last three months seem to be over and done with in just a couple of chapters, and to be honest I wanted more. I would definitely consider purchasing a follow up book to this one.
It got to the point where I hardly dared turn the page for fear of the next mishap, and there were plenty. Yet despite all this Craig manages to paint a picture of an idyllic part of Spain that would make any tourist board happy.
My only criticism is that it ended too quickly for me, the last three months seem to be over and done with in just a couple of chapters, and to be honest I wanted more. I would definitely consider purchasing a follow up book to this one.
January 2, 2019
I've had this book for quite some time but since I've been thinking more about going to Galicia myself, it moved up my horribly huge reading pile. I'm very glad I read it because Craig Briggs confirmed my idea that the north west of Spain is my kind of place. His descriptions are vivid and it sounds very beautiful. The scenery is stunning; I would guess it is much more varied than southern Spain but maybe that's because it rains more. In fact, it seems to rain quite a lot, but the summers are lovely and the author and his wife clearly had wonderful weather between the downpours.
Most of the book concerns Craig and his wife's frequently frustrating experiences in buying a home and having building work done to improve it. So many things went wrong: their brand new pool popped out of the ground after days of rain, walls were inadvertently smashed, their car broke down. It seemed impossible that anything more could happen, but it did. Added to that, learning both Spanish and the Spanish culture often proved depressing and challenging. The reader really feels how bursting with frustration and annoyance Craig Briggs was, but in the end, patience prevailed and the couple learnt much about the Spanish 'mañana' way of life.
I liked reading about the locals they met, the wine cellars they visited and the type of bureaucracy they had to deal with. It's very detailed with a wealth of information, so it isn't a quick read but I enjoyed it and it's really made me want to see the country for myself. The book is well written and I'm sure I'll be reading the author's sequel before too long as I'd really like to know what happened next.
Most of the book concerns Craig and his wife's frequently frustrating experiences in buying a home and having building work done to improve it. So many things went wrong: their brand new pool popped out of the ground after days of rain, walls were inadvertently smashed, their car broke down. It seemed impossible that anything more could happen, but it did. Added to that, learning both Spanish and the Spanish culture often proved depressing and challenging. The reader really feels how bursting with frustration and annoyance Craig Briggs was, but in the end, patience prevailed and the couple learnt much about the Spanish 'mañana' way of life.
I liked reading about the locals they met, the wine cellars they visited and the type of bureaucracy they had to deal with. It's very detailed with a wealth of information, so it isn't a quick read but I enjoyed it and it's really made me want to see the country for myself. The book is well written and I'm sure I'll be reading the author's sequel before too long as I'd really like to know what happened next.
December 5, 2013
In common with the author, I too have left the UK to seek warmer climes and also experienced the house building process overseas so I can easily relate to the frustrations and delays described in the book. Getting used to a new culture and especially the 'loose' sense of time does require a great deal of adjustment. In fact, this is my only slight criticism of this well written and descriptive book; the author does come across as intolerant and resistant to cultural differences at times. On the other hand, we all know that real life rarely goes smoothly and this disgruntlement simply adds to the drama! If you enjoy reading books of the 'new life abroad' genre as I do and appreciate an honest account, then this Spanish adventure ought to appeal. I read the kindle edition and loved the addition of photographs. I'm full of admiration for anyone who actively pursues their dream. Good luck to them.
April 5, 2020
Fantastic Adventure
Love this genre, and this book is up there with the best. This guy can write, his description of events brings them to life. Great first book in what I expect to be an enjoyable series.
Love this genre, and this book is up there with the best. This guy can write, his description of events brings them to life. Great first book in what I expect to be an enjoyable series.
March 22, 2014
Craig and Melanie Briggs dreamed of a life abroad. A chance to realize it finally came when they received a buyout offer for their printing business. Instead of going to the mattresses, they went to the Internet. Relocating to Spain started out as a search for listings and almost by chance Galicia emerged: a quaint (and affordable) area in Northwest Spain bordering Portugal that piqued their interest. After a weekend trial run and a few set backs, Craig and Melanie eventually arrived as new residents of Casa de Elo in Ferreira de Panton. Armed with “vacation Spanish,” their worldly possessions, and the family dog, Jazz, it was the starting point of their new adventure of a life filled with new customs, people, and its own set of trials and successes.
While Craig and Melanie’s journey was not easy, reading about it surely was effortless. Briggs’s work to hone his writing style has paid off with a well crafted memoir of his first 12 months in Galicia. He depicted Galicia’s landscape and society beautifully to set the scene for his narrative of finding a new home and adjusting to the Spanish culture. Briggs’s love and admiration for Galicia cannot be missed among the tales of fortune and misfortune along the way.
If you enjoyed books like Under the Tuscan Sun or A Year in Provence or if you are looking for a getaway, I think you will enjoy Journey To A Dream. It swept me away. Spanish wine, tapas and paella are not necessary, but I am sure they would only add to the whole experience.
You can find Journey To A Dream by Craig Briggs exclusively on Amazon as an ebook or in paperback. Briggs also writes more about his journey in Galicia on his blog or Facebook page complete with idyllic pictures of life in rural Spain in case the cover does not give you enough to dream about. Happy travels!
While Craig and Melanie’s journey was not easy, reading about it surely was effortless. Briggs’s work to hone his writing style has paid off with a well crafted memoir of his first 12 months in Galicia. He depicted Galicia’s landscape and society beautifully to set the scene for his narrative of finding a new home and adjusting to the Spanish culture. Briggs’s love and admiration for Galicia cannot be missed among the tales of fortune and misfortune along the way.
If you enjoyed books like Under the Tuscan Sun or A Year in Provence or if you are looking for a getaway, I think you will enjoy Journey To A Dream. It swept me away. Spanish wine, tapas and paella are not necessary, but I am sure they would only add to the whole experience.
You can find Journey To A Dream by Craig Briggs exclusively on Amazon as an ebook or in paperback. Briggs also writes more about his journey in Galicia on his blog or Facebook page complete with idyllic pictures of life in rural Spain in case the cover does not give you enough to dream about. Happy travels!
August 2, 2014
I found this book being offered for Free one day only and so I grabbed it. I love reading books like this, love seeing how someone makes their dreams come true. This book is so well written and was so easy to follow, that I wanted to finish it so I could find out what happened.
The book is about a husband and wife and their dog, dreaming of living in another country, but living some place remote and different. They chose a country Spain and found a small quaint town to make their home. With the language barrier and being in a different country than the one they were from, made for some interesting stories. The writer really explained in detail of life in the town, telling us about they needed to find a home to purchase and the difficulty with that situation, and finding someone who spoke English in the small town. They did find someone to help translate the language, they had met many local people and seemed to love their new relaxed lifestyle, I am just not sure how relaxed it was for them. It is an awesome read. If you love watching and reading books about traveling and design your own home in a new country this book is for you, the dream is awesome. I love that he wrote this story, I think I would have given up, but I can tell you from reading this book that if you keep pursuing your dream you can do it.
The book is about a husband and wife and their dog, dreaming of living in another country, but living some place remote and different. They chose a country Spain and found a small quaint town to make their home. With the language barrier and being in a different country than the one they were from, made for some interesting stories. The writer really explained in detail of life in the town, telling us about they needed to find a home to purchase and the difficulty with that situation, and finding someone who spoke English in the small town. They did find someone to help translate the language, they had met many local people and seemed to love their new relaxed lifestyle, I am just not sure how relaxed it was for them. It is an awesome read. If you love watching and reading books about traveling and design your own home in a new country this book is for you, the dream is awesome. I love that he wrote this story, I think I would have given up, but I can tell you from reading this book that if you keep pursuing your dream you can do it.
July 30, 2014
Good insight into Galicia
Good insight into Galicia
Living abroad has a myriad of mishaps. Unaccustomed to the culture added with a language barrier and limited funds, makes this experience a rollercoaster ride of stress and strong emotions. This novel represents this same experience including detailed descriptions of Galician life. I did scan through the last half of this because the details and disappointments were getting a bit abundant at the fault of the writer's unwillingness to learn quickly how to maneuver through some of these stresses that comes from the spanish laidback approach to business and live.
Good insight into Galicia
Living abroad has a myriad of mishaps. Unaccustomed to the culture added with a language barrier and limited funds, makes this experience a rollercoaster ride of stress and strong emotions. This novel represents this same experience including detailed descriptions of Galician life. I did scan through the last half of this because the details and disappointments were getting a bit abundant at the fault of the writer's unwillingness to learn quickly how to maneuver through some of these stresses that comes from the spanish laidback approach to business and live.
July 25, 2014
One of the better books in the genre of moving to a foreign country and building a house and a new life. It's interesting to see the Briggs grow and change through their often frustrating experience.
August 26, 2019
Craig and Melanie dream of leaving England and moving to Spain. They pack up their dog Jazz and make the drive over. They choose Galicia as the area to live out their dream.
After choosing a dodgy estate agent named Ramone to help them find a place to land, it becomes clear that it's not going to be a easy journey.
The language barrier becomes a constant frustration even with 3 years of night school taking Spanish lessons. Galicia has it's own language, Gallego, more in common with Portuguese.
Finally, they find a decent estate agent, a house to renovate, a decent architect and even an interpreter. Even with all these in play it is a struggle, it is Spain after all.
They persevere through it all and can't believe that they will actually be moving into their dream home after 12 months of renting and blood, sweat and tears.
A great look inside the life of an expat moving to Spain and have moved on to the next installment Beyond Imagination: When the adventure of a lifetime becomes a lifetime of adventures (The Journey Book 2).
After choosing a dodgy estate agent named Ramone to help them find a place to land, it becomes clear that it's not going to be a easy journey.
The language barrier becomes a constant frustration even with 3 years of night school taking Spanish lessons. Galicia has it's own language, Gallego, more in common with Portuguese.
Finally, they find a decent estate agent, a house to renovate, a decent architect and even an interpreter. Even with all these in play it is a struggle, it is Spain after all.
They persevere through it all and can't believe that they will actually be moving into their dream home after 12 months of renting and blood, sweat and tears.
A great look inside the life of an expat moving to Spain and have moved on to the next installment Beyond Imagination: When the adventure of a lifetime becomes a lifetime of adventures (The Journey Book 2).
May 8, 2020
Patience of saints
Craig and his lovely wife really are saints. Having read the first of craigs memoirs of the move to spain, the trials they suffered not forgetting the enjoyment you feel with them when reading their journey. No supprize that all i want to do now is download book two and carry on.
Craig and his lovely wife really are saints. Having read the first of craigs memoirs of the move to spain, the trials they suffered not forgetting the enjoyment you feel with them when reading their journey. No supprize that all i want to do now is download book two and carry on.
March 19, 2023
Craig Briggs’ descriptive writing kept me turning the pages. This is the fifth book I’ve read about moving to Spain. The vivid details in Journey to a Dream left me wanting to sell everything and buy a house in rural Galicia. I will definitely read more books by this talented author, including the rest of this series.
July 1, 2020
First of a lovely series of memoirs from Craig, sharing his and Melanie's ups and downs as they move to north west Spain and travel their journey to live the dream and take on life's wonderful events whist doing so.
Keep them coming Craig.
Martin
Keep them coming Craig.
Martin
January 27, 2022
enjoyable read!
A very enjoyable read! Easy to follow and a book I didn’t want to put down! I look forward to reading more from this series!
A very enjoyable read! Easy to follow and a book I didn’t want to put down! I look forward to reading more from this series!
June 19, 2021
Excellent book I can recommend. The flawless writing pulls you in with each part of the journey and takes you to beautiful destinations while you learn about their troubles and how they have overcome them.
June 29, 2021
Huddersfield to Galicia
I’m now itching to read book 2! Well written story of how a couple upped and moved from Huddersfield to Galicia
Lots of funny stories and characters
I can’t wait to see what happens next in their journey
I’m now itching to read book 2! Well written story of how a couple upped and moved from Huddersfield to Galicia
Lots of funny stories and characters
I can’t wait to see what happens next in their journey
June 12, 2014
Journey to a Dream by Craig Briggs
***.5 Rating 3.5/5
I thought I’d have a change to my usual genre and the synopsis of Journey to a Dream was appealing. Maybe, somewhat more so, as I have been through a few of Mr Brigg’s experiences: although I haven’t forsaken the shores of the UK.
Craig and Melanie’s decision to sell up and move to warmer and slower paced climes are a step many ex-pats, from a number of countries, take. His easy flowing narrative and humorous take on incidents beyond his control were so sincere as was the occasional and impatient reaction to yet another delay in achieving the dream.
The many characters he introduced us to were, at times, lovely and entertaining but also so very exasperating as were the situations, they found themselves in. The incident with the motorcyclist was hair-raising and scary: what do you do when confronted with gun-toting policemen.
Their excursions to other locations were fascinating and beautifully descriptive. Anyone going to or near Galicia, a small rural province in North West Spain, take note. The scenery was portrayed in such a manner; it should be on a traveller's to do list. And, not to forget the Fiestas, so very different from the larger towns, they are a must to visit. Nor are the visits to the Bagedas, the local wineries. Here I found the descriptive slightly too long but was soon smiling again with the humorous goings-on with Melanie and Craig’s sister, Julie.
Craig Briggs has managed to combine hilarious and frustrating incidents with descriptive scenery. A light, easy read: This will bring a smile to the reader. Are you still passing the phone over to Mrs B?
I have received a copy of this book and given an honest and unbiased review. Recommended.
***.5 Rating 3.5/5
I thought I’d have a change to my usual genre and the synopsis of Journey to a Dream was appealing. Maybe, somewhat more so, as I have been through a few of Mr Brigg’s experiences: although I haven’t forsaken the shores of the UK.
Craig and Melanie’s decision to sell up and move to warmer and slower paced climes are a step many ex-pats, from a number of countries, take. His easy flowing narrative and humorous take on incidents beyond his control were so sincere as was the occasional and impatient reaction to yet another delay in achieving the dream.
The many characters he introduced us to were, at times, lovely and entertaining but also so very exasperating as were the situations, they found themselves in. The incident with the motorcyclist was hair-raising and scary: what do you do when confronted with gun-toting policemen.
Their excursions to other locations were fascinating and beautifully descriptive. Anyone going to or near Galicia, a small rural province in North West Spain, take note. The scenery was portrayed in such a manner; it should be on a traveller's to do list. And, not to forget the Fiestas, so very different from the larger towns, they are a must to visit. Nor are the visits to the Bagedas, the local wineries. Here I found the descriptive slightly too long but was soon smiling again with the humorous goings-on with Melanie and Craig’s sister, Julie.
Craig Briggs has managed to combine hilarious and frustrating incidents with descriptive scenery. A light, easy read: This will bring a smile to the reader. Are you still passing the phone over to Mrs B?
I have received a copy of this book and given an honest and unbiased review. Recommended.
August 22, 2016
It's very seldom, any more, that I read a book, cover to cover, in one day. This one I did. I didn't mean to, it was just there, on the carousel in my kindle and I opened it just to see if it looked interesting. It was a free BookBub offering and like Forest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
This one was a real delight! A great first person narrative by Craig Briggs about his, and wife Melanie's journey from selling their business in England, to a much more relaxed lifestyle in a small province, Galicia, in the northwest corner of Spain.
Let the adventure begin - they find a temporary house to rent, right on the village square, which exposes them first hand to the slow paced, leisurely Galician life style. As they soon learn, this same laid back attitude results in much frustration when they're anxious to explore the offerings of the local real estate market.
There is humor, no small amount of drama, the occasional disaster, such as the full size, partially constructed floating concrete swimming pool, and new friendships that are formed as they proceed forward.
Oh, and did I mention the wine? It almost becomes a character in it's own right, and their travels around the area visiting local vineyards, tasting the various wines, will make you dream of a long vacation of your own, experiencing excellent wine and amiable companions.
All things happen in their own time and Craig, Melanie, and ever enthusiastic collie mix Jazz, see their dream gradually realized as they settle in to their beautiful new home. Let the good times roll!
This one was a real delight! A great first person narrative by Craig Briggs about his, and wife Melanie's journey from selling their business in England, to a much more relaxed lifestyle in a small province, Galicia, in the northwest corner of Spain.
Let the adventure begin - they find a temporary house to rent, right on the village square, which exposes them first hand to the slow paced, leisurely Galician life style. As they soon learn, this same laid back attitude results in much frustration when they're anxious to explore the offerings of the local real estate market.
There is humor, no small amount of drama, the occasional disaster, such as the full size, partially constructed floating concrete swimming pool, and new friendships that are formed as they proceed forward.
Oh, and did I mention the wine? It almost becomes a character in it's own right, and their travels around the area visiting local vineyards, tasting the various wines, will make you dream of a long vacation of your own, experiencing excellent wine and amiable companions.
All things happen in their own time and Craig, Melanie, and ever enthusiastic collie mix Jazz, see their dream gradually realized as they settle in to their beautiful new home. Let the good times roll!
May 26, 2014
A Yorkshire man following his dream outside of Yorkshire - sounds like an oxymoron to me... However, it´s true. Craig, his wife Melanie and their dog follow their dream all the way to Galicia, on the North West tip of Spain. Once there, they throw themselves wholeheartedly into house hunting, wine tasting and joining in the many festivals that Spain in renowned for. Their journey is seldom straight forward, as they ease their way through the obligatory red tape, whilst simultaneously trying to fathom out the idiosyncratic Galician temperament.
Craig Briggs deftly tells his story, crafting a humorous yet humbling memoir; proving that you can take the Yorkshire man out of Yorkshire but ....
Craig Briggs deftly tells his story, crafting a humorous yet humbling memoir; proving that you can take the Yorkshire man out of Yorkshire but ....
February 12, 2015
It was an enjoyable read because I was able to identify with the process of moving abroad ( we moved to France in 2004). Some of the fine details, like the journeys to England, I found a little unnecessary and therefore boring.
The Spanish culture of putting things off until tomorrow is familiar - we have relations living in Spain! And as I had walked through Galicia in 2013, I found the description of the region very evocative.
Craig is a self-published author and it was nice to read such a well-edited personal account.
I would have liked to know more about Melanie - the wife quietly in the background, whose job it is to answer the phone!
The Spanish culture of putting things off until tomorrow is familiar - we have relations living in Spain! And as I had walked through Galicia in 2013, I found the description of the region very evocative.
Craig is a self-published author and it was nice to read such a well-edited personal account.
I would have liked to know more about Melanie - the wife quietly in the background, whose job it is to answer the phone!
March 20, 2015
I found much of the book entertaining, but some of the passages were beyond credulity. I completed it because I wanted to find out if all the inane ideas came to fruition. And in some fashion they did. Now I really don't think that visiting Spain appeals to me. And certainly I wouldn't consider living there.
January 21, 2014
I got kind of bored with this at about the 75% mark. Not enough happened to keep my interest fo the end, though I did finish the book. It's well written and edited, just kind of slow moving. 3.5 stars.
July 22, 2015
Had a good time with it. Since I have lived in many countries on 4 continents, I can totally relate. Author managed to make not so funny events pretty entertaining. I hope they learned Spanish by now though.... Thanks for an easy, well edited read of a down to earth, realistic life experience.
June 30, 2014
An amusing enough read, although not very fast paced.
October 2, 2014
I read this book while travelling in Spain, so my location added to the overall enjoyment. The story is entertaining and the style of writing makes it an easy read.
July 10, 2017
Well done to Craig and Melanie for having the courage to follow their dream of moving to Spain. Their dream was a little bit of a nightmare at times as they undertake the renovation of their property in Galicia. Craig’s description of the floating swimming pool did make me laugh although it wasn’t so funny for them! However they kept going and in spite of all the pitfalls they turned their dream into a reality. Great descriptions of the area and you can see why the couple’s love of this more remote area of Spain grew with time. Refreshingly honest he never tries to disguise his frustration and at times short temper! I’m certain by now he will be as laid back as the Spanish! I enjoyed the fact that there were photos at the end so you could appreciate the progress of the work.
March 19, 2020
This is a humorous and light read. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed the descriptions of village life. However, the Spaniards did not always come out in a positive light. Often they were portrayed as lazy and untrustworthy. Spain almost sounds like a third-world country. I do look forward to reading the next installment in the series. The major drawback was that it seemed Mr. Briggs didn't have a professional editor because there were misspellings and punctuation errors which detracted from the narrative.
February 15, 2022
This book was nothing short of frustrating. This book presents exactly why most of the world dislikes white foreigners. The author’s constant low level discrimination in the form of micro aggressions against Spanish culture and the people, the blatant privilege of never truly trying to learn the language of the place they moved to, and the random moments of sexism make his through process and his book problematic and not enjoyable to read. The one redeeming quality of this book is the lovely descriptors and the picture they create of their natural environment.
June 10, 2017
Oh how familiar this all seems. Having moved to Spain last September and gone through the ups and downs of relocating your life (after dreaming about it for 20yrs) a great deal of this book feels very familiar. Fortunately for us we did not experience some of the trauma Craig and Melanie did.
I look forward to part two.
I look forward to part two.
January 27, 2019
Great Read
I enjoyed reading this book a lot. Took me away from my own problems and to enjoy reading of other problems people may have with a happy out come. Life has its ups and downs but in the end it all works out fine. Can't wait to start their next book.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot. Took me away from my own problems and to enjoy reading of other problems people may have with a happy out come. Life has its ups and downs but in the end it all works out fine. Can't wait to start their next book.
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