(Please ignore the car)Well, to tell the truth we didn't really want to leave London but having been on this planet for over 50 years living in London had become a real pain in the arse.
For both of us, growing up in the South East London / North West Kent area was both an inspiration and an education. The years after the end of WW2 saw a massive rebuilding of both the physical attributes (homes etc.) and the communities. However, for myself at least, the new communities that came to the SE London area spoilt that which was so special about the area. There are now drug dealers, violent gangs, argumentative neighbours, road rage, traffic jams, fewer parking places, impossible to get to shopping areas et al.
We visited a town along the South Coast in early September 1997 (just to get away for the weekend) and happened to look in an Estate Agent's window (stupid I know). From this innocent beginning we looked at a couple of houses and BINGO found one we liked.
(Please ignore the car)
Up until 2 January 1998 we didn't know if we were doing the right thing but after driving through our local shopping centre looking for a place to park for ten mins. without spending £1.50 in fees, Not being able to buy some net curtain wire from a local DIY store and not being able to park within 200 yards of our local chemist to get a prescription decided it.
Yippe! We have now discoverd that we should have done this several years ago as our friend did when he went to Spain ten years ago and another friend who escaped to Mid Kent.