Getting out of it

We had come to Tenerife to see how to extricate ourselves from our timeshare and spent yesterday finding out. Through a combination of intelligent financial know how and backing from banks and the Canaries government who are keen to expand and support the tourist industry, this particular company have devised a way to put the new consumer protection laws into action and then expand that to encourage people to come back here in future.
I will not go into the the details until it happens, but they say that with 3 months our original investment will be restored. The management and contractual fees cannot be refunded unfortunately, nor can I easily claim back the money I thought I had been so clever as to buy on eBay, topping up my original purchase, but the greatest relief is that we will be freed of the requirement to pay the swingeing fees in perpetuity - which in effect meant til 2054.  
In addition because we are now registered here to make use of tax rebates for a period of time we can access cheaper travel of all kinds around the world. It was a tiring day, with a huge amount of information to take in, but we are happy bunnies. The man who led us through this wonderland was himself very interesting - an ex-Navy diver and bomb-disposal man, who - among many other adventures went to fight in the Falklands War, and who later worked in the fire brigade in England till he broke his back and had to retire. Moving to Tenerife (warm climate) on doctor's orders, he eventually recovered and was asked to join the Tenerife Bomberos, where he worked for many years.
His stories about the navy, aircraft carriers, royalty, fire-fighting, and life in Tenerife were fascinating, and his insights into the travel industry illuminating. Through him we met one of the company directors who manages this refunding scheme, and several of his colleagues in various offices in Adeje.    They employ 200 people, and he is one of a team of 7 people who each see 5 couples a week, to help them out of their timeshare hell.  We saw some of the files - it's impressive. And, during the whole day, we didn't have to pay anyone anything.  Once it's all gone through I will be very happy to pass on details of how to do this to anyone who is interested - though their appointment books are full till autumn, there is such a demand.
We eventually made our way home, I talked to the Tesco Mobile people who finally managed to get my data roaming to work, and then we drove along the coast to los Abrigos - an old haunt - to eat garlicky fish by the harbour, and at last feel we could begin to enjoy being here.  I can tell I am still a bit frazzled - not calm.  We can't change our quarters till at least tomorrow - our apartment here is very hemmed in by concrete with no views.  I am so so tempted to see if we can take the ferry to la Gomera.... Maybe use our new account facilities to get 30% off our travel costs and accommodation.  We'll see.