We decided that there was more to life that the drab 9-5 in the UK - bad weather, miserable people and living just to work. So like many others before us, we found a house in Italy, sold up in the UK and after restoration, opened Villa Sibillini Country House, once an old farmhouse and now running as a small hotel.

There were many troubles along the way - the language and difference in culture for a start in a region that no one had heard of. But now just 3 years in, we are just about turning the corner. I still have to do some work in the UK while we are still improving and I do at least an hour a day on the internet finding more ways to be found. We've tried many ways to market ourselves, with competitions, exhibitions, and publicity but it still surprises me how many people are looking to do the same.

We were 49/50 when we took this giant step and had both run businesses, but young couple are also turning their back on the UK to start a new life with their young families. It seems we are looking for the old values; family, friends, and helping each other. There's much bartering, ready help - even if you don't know the person and a general feeling of well being, but most of all we are here working to live, not living to work.

Someone else, when asked the difference in the UK an Italy said "Life in England is in black and white - in Italy it's in colour". I couldn't have put it better myself.