Why Islas Canarias?
One question that seems to come up a fair bit is why the unusual working location? My partner and I moved to the island of Lanzarote in 2019, the same month we married and having returned from a hectic meeting in San Francisco. Here’s our story of why we picked the island as our home. Why? Why not.
Eternal spring
They say that the Canary Islands, situated off the coast of West Africa and the most Southern Point of the EU, have the world’s most perfect weather. It’s certainly changing like the rest of the world but it’s true that it’s usually warm, bright and dry. This absolutely suits operating as a consultant who thrives on quiet, peace and fresh air. When considering where to move to, following the Brexit vote in the UK, Islas Canarias won simply on a combination of climate and ease of living for someone with basic healthcare needs, a moderate income and LGBT status. Canada was next on the list but sorry Vancouver, you get chilly. That’s it, nothing more specific was pinned into the map. It’s a good place, very different from the resorts you imagine and it’s now been home for many years.
Inspired by the work of island philosopher Cesar Manrique, I teach a workshop here called “Soul of Marketing” which gives my colleagues a chance to step away from their city and re-evaluate their understanding of how advertising and marketing plays a part in global life. I teach it on the slopes of a volcano and in my own humble home. It’s the most joyful part of my career here. I also own and run the local social media tourism page, just to keep those holidaymakers in check, jaja!
Disconnect to Connect
One dream I’ve always held was to live entirely off-grid. That dream came true when we took on a very remote “cave house” within the northern volcanic slopes of Lanzarote. Peak Rock stood away from the population, in close proximity to the research and observatory buildings at Peñas del Chache. Our cave (all rooms but one underground) stood at the highest altitude of the island of Lanzarote, with a height of around 670 meters above sea level. Powered by solar, stored water, 4G connections and fire, the building was not plugged into the wider world by anything physical or permanent. The land consisted of vines and fruit trees and many, many little rocks that gave homes to lizards. It’s also the location of the rare Egyptian Vulture who nests nearby. For three years we ran my company from this position, including throughout the COVID-19 crisis where we continued life without connection. Eventually we returned to a “plugged in” world due to the infringement of the hunting activity on the mountain, returning the cave to the vineyard workers who continued to cultivate their wine throughout our stay and beyond. We’d return in a heart-beat if the local laws adjusted to protect the livestock more than they currently do but it’s not our place to decide.
Village life
Although I’ve worked remotely for many, many years, the locations have usually been in the UK or USA. Although travel is not easy for me, I’ve walked extensively across my temporary homes in New York, London and the Cotswolds. With mixed heritage, the UK has never been absolutely “my place” but it remains a place of good business, with the majority of my clients operating from there. As such I continue to log-in on a London schedule and many project members have no idea what’s out of my window!
We no longer travel as frequently back to the colder island, having now set up home in a farming village in rural Lanzarote where we enjoy modern facilities and full time power! We’ve upgraded our humble (but normal) home to include 36hr power reserves and dual satellite/broadband connections so that my work continues even when the elements switch occasionally. Clients and friends often visit for some chill time in this very relaxing, inspiring place. Lanzarote is an incredible island that I have visited since I was a young boy and simply represents an environmentally, politically and culturally supportive location for my partner and I. If you intend to visit, it’s around 4hrs from any UK airport.
