Oh I do like to be beside the seaside ("Home or Away? Where's best to live...")

Member Name: mumps

Product:	"Home or Away? Where's best to live..."
Date:	20/04/09 (117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fresh air, the beach, the views, the food

Disadvantages: Traffic jams in summer, a houseful of visitors (lovely but expensive)

Like alot of people from the industrial Midlands I always longed to live somewhere away from the city. The seaside has a special magic for people who need to travel at least three hours to reach a decent beach, so it was my dream to live at the sea.

Well about twelve years ago it seemed the ideal time to move, it just fitted in with work and family commitments so we decided to go for it. To be honest we did have a safety net, our house was bought and paid for so we decided to let it out and buy another house on the coast. If we didn't settle after a reasonable time we would just go back!

So after much trial and tribulation (I hate house hunting) we arrived here in sunny South Devon.

Has it lived up to our expectations? You bet it has. When I drop my youngest off at school I drive along the coast, the view is still magical to me, we did worry that it would just become ordinary after a while but it never has. I then drive to work, Dartmoor opens up in front of me, I cross the Dart and arrive at my office. I knew I wanted to stay forever but the rest of the family were more cautious. After two years the house in the midlands was sold and we were here to stay.

Are there any drawback? Not really, sometimes it can get a bit hectic with visitors but it is lovely to see everyone. If someone is ill it can be difficult. When my mother was very ill I seemed to spend all my time driving up and down the M5. At least it is possible to get back to family in a few hours, not as if we are in Australia.

When I visit family it doesn't feel like home anymore, Devon's home now.

Highlights - when the children were younger picking them up from school and taking a picnic to the beach, summers when every weekend is like a holiday, being part of a small but busy community.
Enjoying the changes - the winter when the beach and town are ours. The run up to Easter when businesses are preparing for the visitors. High season when the town is buzzing and shops are open till all hours. Autumn and its getting quiet again, the town and beach are ours again.

Regrets? No, not one.

Summary: Try living the dream in Devon