The Eucalyptus Dance

About the Book

Changing lives at fifty plus is not an easy option. So when Ken and Sue, an English couple, fell in love with Alombada, a small rural working village at the top of a mountain in the Beiras region of Portugal, a few days into their first holiday together, they took a decision which completely altered their lives. Over the two to three years it took to buy a field of brambles and build a home and holiday apartments they kept a diary. The fun really started once they realised they would never require the Portuguese word for "bored."

From the start Ken and Sue faced setbacks at every stage, often appearing impossible, but they were made of sterner stuff and refused to give up, enjoying their new lives together and integrating fully into a community which hasn't changed for generations.

Their refreshing and sometimes unconventional way of dealing with an intransigent, bureaucratic system is entertaining, exasperating and thoroughly enjoyable.

A heart-warming and moving tale, with characters and locations brought vividly to life, which shows you can really make your dreams a reality as long as you have a passion for adventure (and eucalyptus flavoured honey!).

...Sue, heaving a great sigh, started to walk away with tears in her eyes. I caught up with her, put my arms round her shoulders, looked her in the eyes and asked earnestly: "How much do you really want to live here?"
"Desperately."
"Okay then, let's go and see what can be done."

...Just before noon, I glanced out of the window. Natalio was walking past pushing a wheelbarrow, which had the four legs of a porker sticking up in the air.
"I've just seen Tuesday's lunch going by," I called out.
"That's what I call fresh."

About the Author

Ken Barlow was born in Manchester in 1947 and christened Cyril, which made for a very individual and interesting childhood. His class was the first intake in Infant One at the new post-war Barton Clough County Primary School, leaving after the 11+ for Great Stone Park, then entering printing at 15. He spent several years in his early 20's travelling Europe and working in restaurants. After arriving back in the UK and suffering a broken neck in a freak motor accident, before returning to printing at The Reading Evening Post. More recently he was the landlord of the Swan at Wycombe Marsh, where his son, Christopher, was born: then the Castle Public House in Basingstoke for over 12 years, with Christopher and his two stepdaughters, Louise and Nicola. Afterwards he set up his print company, before embarking on this journey.

Sue Cooper (nee Bradford) was born and educated in Liverpool at Heatherlea and Belvedere Schools. On leaving, she gained experience as a secretary at Sefton General Hospital before moving to Switzerland with The World Health Organisation. She returned to London and was employed as personnel assistant for a firm of Management Consultants, married and moved to Kingswood, Surrey, where her two daughters, Lucy and Mary, were born. After working at an international agricultural company for a number of years, the office was re-located to Berkshire. She met Ken two years later before moving out to Portugal.

Ken and Sue now live happily together in Portugal on 5 * acres of land, and split their time between tending the fields, gardens and vegetable patch, the two holiday apartments, printing business, writing, and in their spare time they produce home made chutneys, jams, wine and Jeropiga. They share a mutual enthusiasm for life, as well as a finely honed passion for entertaining and cooking, especially Indian curries.