Who hasn’t dreamt of giving up the rat race and exchanging the daily grind for a life in the sun? Easier said than done, you might think – but that’s exactly what Alan Parks and his partner Lorna did a few years ago, when they upped sticks and moved from the UK to rural Spain to start breeding alpacas!

With next to no experience of animal husbandry and only a smattering of Spanish, Alan and Lorna decide that the only way to make such a radical change in the lives is to dive in at the deep end. They buy an old olive mill in Andalucía, acquire their first alpacas from a local breeder, and learn the job as they go along.

Alan has documented the highs and lows of their adventures in his memoir Seriously Mum, What’s an Alpaca?, which I had the pleasure of narrating as an audiobook that is now available from Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes.

From the moment on a seafront walk in Brighton when they decide to take the plunge, to the joys and heartbreaks of coming to terms with the realities of working with animals and learning to live with the locals, it’s a story full of laugh-out-loud episodes as well as moments of high drama. Will their venture succeed – or will it all prove too much…?

Listen to a sample:

The expat experience is an attractive idea for many people, but it certainly takes courage to embrace the kind of major life-change that Alan and Lorna embark on.

But even though they undergo big challenges and hard times – as well as the worst weather Andalucía has experienced in 100 years – Alan and Lorna love their new life and realize that they have learned a great deal about themselves and each other.

Audible customers say:

A wonderful, funny and touching story…

I recommend it for anyone who loves animals and humor.

Seriously Mum, What’s an Alpaca? is now available from Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.