RACHELLE TURK
Zealand or Australia; or return to the uK. As with all big decisions there were competing emotions and responsibilities. Tony was tiring of the 24/7 sailing and maintenance programme. Also, our mothers were not getting any younger (despite what they think) and we were starting to have concerns about our finances. After some debate we decided it was time to return to Blighty and get our affairs back in order. But where? The london rat-race held no appeal and besides, we wanted to live close to the sea. so, of all the places close to the water, why did we choose Dartmouth? Whenever someone asks us where
we liked best on our travels we tend to reminisce about the smaller islands and coastal towns rather than larger places. We prefer the stronger sense of community you find in small town new england (for example), where they survive on seasonal tourism but organise year round social events as
much for locals as for visitors. Dartmouth is much like those places we visited. With the various festivals, markets, events in the park or at The Flavel, naval College parades, and various clubs and committees, there is always something going on here. Dartmouth is also a friendly place - each time we’ve visited in the past we always felt welcomed. There are enough pubs and restaurants to
Fowey and Salcombe were so silent it was difficult to find a pint of milk. Happily, Dartmouth was still thriving.
ensure some variety, and the mixture of people ‘propping up’ the bar makes for interesting conversation. When not eating and drinking there is also plenty to do here either on the water or walking the spectacular coastal
paths. Kingswear residents may joke about the ‘Dark side’ but Dartmouth really is pretty special. so, we returned to Dartmouth just after Regatta 2013. I had been watching the housing market for some months and earmarked five properties to view. By day four we had an offer accepted and were celebrating the start of a new life. We enjoyed living on the river and the spectacular views from our boat, but once the weather changed it was great to be back on the land. Family visited us in our new home
over the festive period and we had much fun hosting them around Dartmouth. My 74 year old london- born mother is very much looking forward to visiting this year from new Zealand – the last time she visited Devon was a cycling holiday with her father when she was 10 years old! Joining a new community takes time
and effort but hopefully we are on the road to becoming locals.•
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