- When are you going to come to the Press Club dinner, then?
- How about the next one?  When is it and where?
- 11 March in Fuengirola.  You can stay the night with me.
- OK, thanks.  I look forward to it.

So that’s how my networking with other journalists and media folk in Andalucía began.
I met Paul at the Pit Stop Sports Bar and Cafe in Calahonda, from where, after a quick drink in the dark interior (the electricity had been cut off that afternoon) I followed Paul’s bright yellow MR2 sports car up into the hills to his new flat.
We chilled out on the terrace for an hour or so before sprucing ourselves up for the forthcoming dinner and heading down to Blackpool on the Med, as Fuengirola is affectionately known.
The Costa Press Club has been going for years and is a forum for bona fide journalists, writers and media people working in Spain.  Members are predominantly British, although there are also American, Danish, French, German, Irish, South African and Spanish on the books.  They meet once a month for dinner.  On this occasion 25 turned up, of whom I think three were guests, like me.
I had a great time, talked to loads of interesting people, including the publisher of Santana Books, a retired American journo who now teaches blind people to play golf, a retired German film-maker, the lady who founded SUR in English 25 years ago and the editor of Costa del Sol News.  
After a few words from the Danish president before the meal, during which I was introduced as Paul from Ronda, a freelance journalist and translator, we tucked into an array of tapas, which kept on coming, supped free-flowing wine, before a substantial main course and a succulent dessert brought a lovely evening to a close.
As we left I was approached by a lady who was looking for a Spanish to English translator.  We exchanged business cards and by the following day I had three days translation work, totalling nearly 4000 words! That covered the cost of my meal, my petrol and some!
Back to Paul’s, a quick nightcap and to bed.  Next morning, down to Calahonda again for a hangover-curing full English breakfast.
Since the dinner and the translation, I have set up a business meeting with a design company next week to discuss a possible commercial collaboration.  Could be good...
No journalistic work yet, but hey...
Now where did I put that membership application form?

©  Paul Whitelock