Every year new people find the Soller Valley and they have their first year observations. For those of us who have lived here for years their immediate response to our world is often a wake- up call to take notice of. The comments of this year’s newbies have been complaints about transport and communication. We thought we were doing so well with the new bus service but it is not enough to earn us gold stars in the new arrivals experience. There is an acceptance that the buses are state of the art and comfortable. The daily service is fine but the lack of late buses to Palma and return is a big groan.
This is made even worse in 2022 as the taxis can’t be trusted to turn up when booked and are useless when it comes to transporting groups of six or more heading for the same destination. This is an island wide problem but that fact is of no use to a person dining in Deia who wants to get back to Soller. There is also no point in telling people currently here that new companies are getting underway to offer a ‘semi Uber’ service. This knowledge will not help them for this holiday.
Another factor of the year of ‘22’ is that not all restaurants are open. A number of trendy bars and restaurants have given up trying to offer a seven day service with staff numbers which can barely cover five. Notices have started going up saying. ‘We are not open today as we do not have enough staff’. This is new one for the Soller Valley.
Against all this the people just drink in the beauty and atmosphere of the Soller Valley and now they have found it, will return. New friends I have met have booked an October holiday and two weeks over next Easter. If this place gets you there is no point resisting it. Our American incomers have been discovering the Valley in droves and some have already put deposits down on house purchases. Next year will be fascinating as this new group are bringing their money and ideas to the Soller Valley. Many internet nomads amongst them who will be living and working here. I am not up to speed with the hoops Americans have to jump to obtain residency here, but it can’t be that hard as so many are making their decisions.
Vision planning is very important for the Town Hall as the countdown begins to next years’ elections. The people want to know what they can do about late night buses, taxis and staff shortages largely caused by lack of rentals for local staff. We need a grown up in the room to co-ordinate transport and staffing needs. None of the problems are rocket science and need a blank piece of paper and sensible (not necessarily political) solutions.
The fact that tourists, second home owners and Palma commuters love the area is a testament to years of good work and past vision. In 2022 we need to change the vision again to accommodate this new world of the new, trainee ‘Sollerics’.