The Travel Blog by TravelPod

If you want to know about diving, just ask Sam. If you want to know about Spain, ask Sam. Who is Sam? Sam Lister, aka tailormadeandal is another one of TravelPod’s Local Experts. He can help you with all kinds of questions related to Spain, especially the popular Andalucia area.

Why did you become a Local Expert?

I have been living in Cadiz for nearly three years now. I have had many friends come from England to visit me and have met many people traveling the area. It frustrated me that most people didn’t really know half the things that there were to do in the area. Most people think that Andalucia is just sun and beach. But there is so much more and there is so much variety. In Spain particularly, you really have to scratch the surface of most places to find the real gems that lie beneath. Many people visit places around here and fall into the tourist traps and cons, particularly with their accommodation and restaurants. It’s happened a lot to me when I traveled, so I want to help other people avoid it too!

What’s are the best and worst things about living in Spain?

Best:

Climate

The siesta!!!

The food and tapas

The beaches

The quality of life

The variety of sports and watersports

The friendly people

The amount of public holidays and fiestas!

Worst:

Spanish punctuality!!

Efficiency in the working world!

The Costa del Sol!!

What are the top five or 10 things for travelers to do in Spain?

1. Kitesurfing/windsurfing

2. Visit sherry wineries

3. Surfing

4. Visit Cadiz

5. Walking/hiking along the coast and in the sierras

6. Check out the beaches on the Costa de la Luz

7. Visit the Jerez royal academy of dancing horses

8. Visit the Andalucian white villages

9. Daytrip to Seville

10. Eat seafood tapas!

What are some of your best and worst travel experiences?

Best travel experience: Finding Byron Bay in Australia! I was 18 and didn’t have a travel itinerary. I arrived in Byron Bay to stay the night and stayed 3 months!!! Time stands still there and stress doesn’t exist. Great waves, great people, great vibe!!

Worst travel experience: Getting a stomach bug on a 3 day hike through the Malaysian jungle!!! I won’t go into details!!

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Owning my own company

Where are you planning on traveling in the future?

My current plans are to explore what I have nearby. I want to travel around a lot more of Portugal, particularly further north. And despite being able to see it from my balcony, I have still not been to Morrocco. I would love to travel along the coast to places like Essaouira.

What do you do with most of your time?

I chose to move to Southern Spain instead of getting a stressful job in London. I try and remind myself of that as much as possible. I love surfing and any time there is swell I am in the water at 6 a.m. I am learning to kitesurf, play a lot of golf and go hiking and running as much as I can. Pretty much all things you can’t do in London!! I also have a job that I love. I own a small, personalized travel company offering tailormade holidays and activities in Western Andalucia. I help people organize their ideal holiday, recommending accommodation and offering the best activities companies in the area. It means I can ensure that people see the true colours of where I live!

What’s a typical day like for you?

I wake up and walk to the beach for a surf. I have breakfast at my local bar (toast with tomato and amazing Spanish coffee). I then work until lunch visiting activities, hotels and my clients who have booked with me. After lunch I either have a siesta or go to the beach. I then work from home in the afternoon before having a few beers and tapas with my Spanish friends.