Light bulbs

The advice we were given before we moved to Spain was to get rid of any electrical equipment we had.

Obviously we had no intention of bringing large items like fridges, dishwashers etc but certainly there was no way we were going to part with any of the smaller items, some of which were nearly new.

All we had to do was either change the plugs or buy adapters to use them in our house here in Spain.

I had a cable extension reel with British flat pin sockets so I changed the plug on that so that I could use items like my drill and the outdoor vac.

Lights are different.

We brought a couple of table lamps with us. It was easy to change the plugs on these but the bulbs were going to be a problem. We had plenty of spares to keep us going but in time they have run out.

Local DIY shops etc only sell Edison screw bulbs. Our choices were to either bring bulbs back from one of our trips to the UK or scour the British shops to see if they could help.

I'm pleased to say that Johnson's on the Crevillente road (near to Reeves Butcher's) saved the day. The store has been taken over by a couple from Leeds - an excellent reason to shop there! They sell all sorts of goods from Britain including 40, 60 and 100 watt bayonet bulbs.

So the lamps are light again and will last a few more years.

PS This is yet another example of where Britain is out of sync with Europe. It isn't just the big things like the currency and driving on left, it is also the lesser issues like electrical sockets and light bulbs that cause immigrants to Spain irritation.