Leaving the UK – spontaneously driving 1200 miles.

Leaving the UK – spontaneously driving 1200 miles.

You know that Gap in between Christmas and New Year when you’ve no idea what day of the week it is and you’re in a permanent state of feeling bloated from all the complete crap you’ve overc consumed well it was during that Gap that my wife decided after a while van

Life in the UK during the winter months is crap now that’s not totally true the UK is actually rather lovely but my God the weather is shite so it was during this Gap all heed up on sugar from countless tins of roses quality streets fero R’s lint door and more chocolate coins than

We have real coins my wife piped up with should we just drive south now see as we have nothing better to do right now than wait around for our Cottage purchase to go through we have recently bought a remote Cottage in irelands that we cannot wait to start renovating the only

Real question was Southwest or [Applause] Southeast are we ready we are I’m very excited I are very bound oh we’re have had to get out this early fres oh no I’m quite tired actually a coffee is needed I think we’ve done a lot of fairies lately we doing a lot of fairies

Eastern docks or boats over there she don’t know where I got to go right checkin and ticket sales that’s what we want is it yes please Lori Bus car or coach now what cars Caravans jacking down there then but these got numbers in I haven’t been given a number

Yet so I think checking was down there Jack oh Cy too late now I’m in it I reckon we’ve done it wrong this is bould control ah baby I don’t think we’ve checked in at all where did the pets go that is Boulder control I know it’s Boulder

Control I don’t think we’ve checked in I think we’ve gone I think we’ve gone wrong how do we get back out then it says check in there look no we’re about to find out look it says check in there where did it say check in on the other

Side of border control we do border control first good morning folks welcome back and as you can probably tell we’ve never done this Fairy before I think we’ve made this Crossing what five or six times in the last few years every time we the tunnel but this time we

Couldn’t ignore the price difference so it was it was like nearly £300 to go on the uh Euro tunnel and this for the ferry 136 so you can’t you can’t not do that can so we’re going on the ferry oh it’s on my bloody side as well yes and I’m in the Lorry

Lane do I have to stop at UK Customs no no she’s closed the window straight through straight through thank you right where do I go then well check in that way it says check in that way oh sh have you turn the gas off no don’t go

To the ex pay attention I’m paying attention where we got to go going that way going the P i1 I’m doing it I don’t think we’ve checked in it says check in look what you can’t Den besze say checking call you jck what I you ain’t the one that’s got a reverse

All the way down to chicane if we’ve done it wrong hi y’ passort for the animals as well or oh we do it here that’s one that way dude scan some yeah thank you Lane 209 with so was that it was that pet control I don’t know why

We had to be here so early we bought new pet carrier for some we didn’t even have to get her out of Van this is easy where have I got to go uh two L 2 209 209 yeah so between 203 and 265 oh that was

Way you can tell we got the cheap seats look how much further we reing to drive than everyone else we going all the way down There far do I go how far do I go thank you run we’re on board all right see you in a bit buddy see you in a bit Dy boy the ferry turned out to be pretty simple unfortunately this is all we filmed we had SED during the talent of

Stor gett and well one of us gets seasick I ate it it was a little bit of chopping for you wasn’t it storm what was it emit or something does make it Burpy though doesn’t It with the weather no better in France we were on a mission to get South opting to take the tall roads to cover the many miles ahead is fast from this we got to go our bags are pack so while we wait and fall there’s no in delay and what we

Both ready know the scap this time with me SC time with me 1940 one of many one of many yeah it’s cuz you wanted to get some winter sun Lou oh shut up did I I wanted to get snow in Scotland such a Sweet with me time with me you should go in backwards you me’s going backwards yeah cuz it’s easycap hold that then let me don’t you think so see it backwards makes more sense Louise doesn’t [Laughter] it Go in I’m starting off your exercise regime right happy yes very I love that you get your own little little B it’s good is it yeah that’s it we’re done buddy we are done where’s he going yes we’re going we’re going don’t worry you going dude Yes we’d woken up just north of Ruan in a little village called etville and as pretty as it was we weren’t hanging around we made use of the services and we’re ready to get straight back on the road now I know toilet content isn’t that interesting but honestly it’s all

I’ve got except for a bit more bickering at the tolls all right call your jets he was about to move over that side that’s why now as wonderful as the French motorways through Normandy are honestly they look the same as any other Motorway really so I won’t bore you with endless footage of

Nicely Tac roads after several pit stops and again apologies for more pee content we made it about halfway through France we found somewhere that looked half decent to spend the night and get some dinner and apart from the controversial addition of tomato ketchup to my beans on toast this is no more

Interesting than Road footage there really wasn’t much to report for day two I can’t stand strong black coffee but I think I’m going to need it oh welcome to day three of this Mammoth drive across Europe I’ve just realized we’ve not even told you where we’re going so we are heading south uh

To Portugal Portugal is our destination I don’t know how far down Portugal we’re going to get Emily’s just taking AJ for a big long walk and I’m going to sort the van out so we can get back on the road now I was looking on the map last

Night and if you look at the map it doesn’t look like we’ve come all that far and to be honest we haven’t come particularly far but the problem we have is and I’ve explained this before because we travel with a dog and a cat and here in France it doesn’t get light

Till sort of half eight 9:00 cuz the time difference by the time we’ve taken age out for a big long walk and got our together we can’t really get on the road till sort of half 10 11 drive all day and then we need to be stopping at

About 4:00 because then we need to takeing for another long walk and then pit stops along the way couple that with the fact that the French motorways are 130 km an hour which is 80 M hour now if I drive this van 80 M hour I will

Certainly use all of our fuel very quickly and the engine will be screaming the whole way cuz I’m I’m quite heavy so if Google Maps says we can do it in 4 hours we need to allow about six and yes so you could do this across France in

Like a day or two but for us we definitely can’t in other news though I got myself some new pajamas for Christmas with Land Rovers on and I’ve just discovered they’ve got badges in kayaks how cool is That you know they say Just Animals yeah what animal are you the one who stay so the one who runs away like pre as we’ve been driving down we’ve actually to stop in a couple of shower garages and I noticed they had some showers so there’s one coming up so

We’re going to try like hopefully there is one because I need to wash this hair Emily’s just gone to check if there are showers I’ll tell you if there’s showers on these main m game changer for trekking across France here she comes there’ be showers I had to wait to

Test them because there was somebody in cuz it’s in the toilet as well so yeah let’s get our shower on so excited these showers have probably been on these roads for years but normally we take uh the Country Roads from pretty Village to pretty Village so we’ve never

Noticed have we no we’ve never done it before so this is the first for us yeah I tell you every jungle every cold word that you I know you do [Applause] Everything now your towel you remind me of that woman that was in um oh what was it called Last of the Summer Wine Nora BTY oh oh I did used to have tights like her as well there’s always show them what you look like nor you look

Like right now um we’re going to try and get down to it’s coming up for 1:00 already so we’re going to try and get as far as Bordeaux which is a couple more hours and then yeah maybe find somewhere with a good long hike for this One that do feels level do it yeah it does anything don’t get the trucks out the not going to lie to you folks driving down this side of France quickly along the motorways is boring it’s not Scenic at all is it no it’s not and I thought

It was going to be a good idea to come to Portugal but now I’m kind of recing here a we’re halfway we’re over halfway right you ready buddy ready yeah he needs to go you do de we are just south of Bordeaux so yes it has been very boring but we’re only 2

Hours now from the Spanish border so from tomorrow it’s going to start to get excited and we will slow things down a bit won’t we yeah want to like explore a little bit while we’re going along that Coastline yes cuz we never do this we never just smash it down we always

Explore on the way but we just don’t have the time so yeah we will start to explore and slow things down a little bit more tomorrow today we’re shattered so Emily’s probably going to do us something nice for dinner what you got planned I’ve got a sweet potato chicker

Mushroom Curry so yeah nice Curry for dinner and then we’ll probably just get into bed watch a movie have an early one and then get on the road again tomorrow take your hat off you do not wear your hat today that got me finish finish ning for the day I’ll F on

You good morning folks so today we have one very specific mission two actually so mine is to get us into Spain and Emily’s is far more imediate oh it really is people knew her by her will to make it whatever she put mind to late night hour up the

Hill about Bloody time I been in France for over 72 hours and this is the first time she has taken me to a bade and I have Quant and Pano shakaler let’s have a look Pano chol yeah but fun fact it’s not called Pano ch in this region it is

Chocolatine chocolatine chocolatine and another fun fact now we’ve been coming to France for 3 years and you’ve been trying to learn basic French and every single time we get back into France Emily cannot remember the French but you learned the word chocolatine last time

And as soon as we got here she went oh in this region remember we need to call them chocolatines and I said how’ you say I don’t understand and she was like no I don’t know but chocolatine logged yeah but also I pulled out my best French chel Lise and didn’t speak

English at all go on then give us a rendition everyone loves it when you speak French I was like and un chocolatine and then she spoke to me in French and I think she said um is that everything and I was like we and then I paid and then I was like a

Mercy Buu oh let us know in the comments folks if you think that’s excellent French or you think Emily’s French is on a par with dboy I think you probably is right should we go yeah 2 hours to the Spanish border Vos Vos even though she D down and should where you go where’s your heart at why’ you fall back lately your after go is shining brighter when [Applause] up doing fuel dance fuel dance cooking dances go concentrate G concentrate Lise you know I don’t have much luck with these things please

Remove your smart before refilling your V I was hoping we were going to get all the way to Spain before we had to put any more fuel in but unfortunately we’re not going to quite make it we’re very close to the Spanish border fuel here in France is expensive at the minute so

When we first got in the north it was €210 sometimes €2 as we’ve come down you can now find it in the small towns cheaper for 177 but on the motorway Services it is pricey more expensive than at home pretty much everywhere we’ve seen so far it’s cost us about

£180 in fuel to get from the top all the way down to the bottom and in tolls it’s cost us about £110 now I do think we um got stung for a class three the other day so each vehicle is a different class we should be a class to in a camper van

And sometimes it’ll just assume you’re a big vehicle excuse the battery the battery charger is very noisy sometimes it’ll think you’re a big vehicle and you end up paying class three now I believe you can press the button challenge it and they’ll take it back down to a class

Two one day we didn’t pay any tolls cuz uh what I like to do is each day I’ll open Google Maps and I’ll aim for the next big destination roughly where I think I’m going to get to and Google Maps will give you the price for the

Toll roads uh sorry give you the time it takes on the toll roads and the time it takes on the non- toll roads and some days of your Journey it will be the same amount of time on either of the roads so on those days we take the non toll roads

And then other times it’ll be like 2 hours quicker to go on the toll road so you have to work out which days it’s worth paying them but yeah she’s coming now so I think we’re going to get back on the road and we’ll see you next in

Espia thank you very much pleasure calac kakac I’m partial to a chocolate milk when we’re driving this is my first ever calac though it’s a funny word right it is yeah now is that close enough yes go any closer I’ll knock the mirror off no right don’t start with me Lady oh there they are the Pyrenees is that them can you see them let asking they should we go in the Pyrenees no shall we no shall We Shall We Shall We Shall We Shall we we can see the Pyrenees in the distance they’re huge we’ve never been

I’m tempted I’ve got the wheel I’ve got controls you’ll be in big trouble on on a different note to save your anger it’s 14° and sunny I feel like I need to dress up and Spain is just there I think this is the Border I think the Border

Goes over this River this is it we’re here we’re in Spain we’re in Spain this is it that was quick are you excited I am I am and it is sunny it is relatively warm it’s flipping hot in the conservatory at the front we haven’t been to Spain for quite

Some time so it is exciting although last time we was here it did end um in quite dramatic style didn’t it it did yeah and I’m not going to lie I’ve had a few nightmares about that and I’m just hoping this is why I don’t want to go

Over the mountains we got to go over the mountains but yeah fingers crossed that this our Venture into Spain this time is going to be a little bit more um a little bit less dramatic than last time yes I think it will be it’s going to be

Amazing I’m loving it I’m loving it already cuz it’s just warm feel feel so hot in the van doesn’t it you’re going to get there put all your dress on and everything jump outside 14° freezing I need like Maracas Maracas castet castet Castet now I remember where we broke down last time we came to Spain it’s a lot of heels and a lot of bends which means I’m screaming up him in first or second minutes here we go this is a big one come on fny can’t believe there 15° out

15° I’m sweating too up for me shut up oh I remember it now we did a lot of roads like this last time we was there yes this is this is why it panics me cuz I’m like I don’t feel that funny likes it okay feel like he was very close to

We are very close this too too narrow or we’re too fat for Spain’s narrow roads they’re not too narrow for Us a lovely is lovely we made it we made it to Spain leg one complete leg one complete oh and it feels so good I love feeling that sun through the window it’s going to put me in a full sense of security but I don’t

Care cuz look the sun is shining down I got Some Emily’s on with dinner and you’re already winging you’re too hot a you it’s just a little bit warm when I’m cooking I should take my jump off really I can’t believe how warm it is already we wasn’t expecting this hot this quick was we no and look when we say hot it’s

Not like 30° or anything but we’re just we we can’t handle the heat when you spent four months in the wet Wind and Rain then it definitely feels hot now I know a lot of you are probably wondering why the hell we’re driving all the way to Portugal well you’re probably

Expecting us to be going to Ireland uh cuz if you don’t know we’ve bought a cottage there very very excited we’ve still bought the cottage there we’re waiting for it to go through but um because of the extra surveys and that we had at the end of last year it’s just

Going to take a bit of time and we were starting to get extreme Cabin Fever w’t we yes so the whole reason why I like to have a base is that we go traveling for a few months then we go back to that base I get some alone time in the house

And Louise goes off and does her own thing and stuff and yeah we just get a little bit of space but since we don’t have that base and we’ve been in here for quite it feels like it feels like about 12 months if I’m [Laughter] yeah a little bit of Cabin Fever is

Setting in and especially when it’s raining or cold outside when you can’t get outside and you can’t just sit about and stuff like that so when you got a base and it’s raining it doesn’t matter because you can come back in you can get all cozy and warm cuz you’ve had like a

Nice shower or bath when you got stuff to like hang up and dry everywhere and that’s fine but when in the van it’s quite difficult I’m not going to lie I’m struggling a little bit I don’t want to interrupt your run rent but everyone’s going to see you use your cheating look

You’re using a an as the creamy pre-bought thingy what’s it that’s because we are honestly in quite a rush to get down there so it’s quick meals isn’t it it is it’s quick meals and we are tired as well because it’s just go go go go go isn’t it yeah Emily’s right

As well um CU we live in the van full time now we are used to having we normally do three months because of the shenan zone and then because our house was in Kent we was always going past it so we’d get a nice break we have not had

That and living in living in a van this size with two adults a dog and a cat in lots of rain it is difficult and we was like we wasn’t getting outside enough so we was going on the dog walks together because it was the only two to three

Hours each day that we could get out so we were literally with each other 24/7 and in here for like 21 hours so it we just decided because originally I wanted to go to Scotland maybe spend a couple of months up in Scotland and then go

Over to Ireland when the house sale goes through but Emily’s convinced me to drive 12200 miles all the way all the way down to Portugal but we’re also going to look at some property down here now a lot of you are worried that we’re going to be too wet and cold in Ireland

And um we have thought about that and the the long-term plan is to buy ourselves another renovation project either in Portugal or Spain so hopefully if we got time we don’t know how long this trip’s going to be it could be a couple of weeks it could be a couple of

Months it really will depend on when the sale goes through because obviously we need to go back so that we can sign the final paperwork but if we’ve got time we’re going to look at some properties out here so let us know in the comments

If you want to see the kind of off- gridy properties possibly some tow houses we’ve not decided yet so this trip is a bit of a wrecky really to see a if we like the area and B if it’s something we definitely want to consider cuz then we can keep planning for that

In the future and knowing us and how we make rash decisions we might just buy one this time we’re here if we can find one for the right price that means like dirt cheap I’m talking a pound a pound um it’s not just us that have got cabin

Fever though the real the main reason we’ve come down is for summer our cat now if you followed us for a while you’ll know that Summer She’s a fat lazy cat she’s not too fussed about getting outside and she normally quite happily just sits on like the edge here just

Looking at the door with the door open but over the Christmas period when we was stationary and it was just wet and windy every single day in a row she started to get a bit Restless didn’t she she did yeah she needs to she needs to

Go out and I think that coincides with the fact that we used to have a um a base and we’d only do a few months and she’d be out and things like that but yeah I call her Goldilocks because it has to be the right conditions for her

To step outside yes so hopefully we’re going to find some places where we can park up and have the door open and a bit of space so she can at least sit and look out the door whatever it is she does to keep herself amused sweating sweating I am she’ll ask

Me to turn around and take her home in a minute no no no definitely not it’s already been amazing because like I’ve been like had the doors open I’ve swept out at the front I’ve done loads of cleaning and this one hasn’t moaned it she’s been cold so I’m on to a winner

Can you tell she’s excited loving life loving it I absolutely love pasta bake I know it’s your your favor at the moment is pasta bake and egg and beans on toast are my favorites at the moment and this is a cracking little spot by the way but that’s all right just I’m I’m happy with it yeah it’s a cracking little spot

But it’s very very busy AJ has already made a new friend what was his name oh his name is Thor for the dog said they’ve been playing but there’s a lot of dogs and stuff running around so this isn’t the spot for summer to get out so

We are probably going to get back on the road tomorrow and I know we said we going to slow it down but they give crappy weather for the next two or three days so we might as well crack out some more miles AJ is doing really well

Aren’t he yeah he is yeah’s it’s coping all right and we’ll try and find a nice remote spot for summer um to get out so on that note again it’s another sorry this vlog’s not that interesting we are just literally covering miles so yeah dinner early night and we’ll see you lot

Uh on the road some we tomorrow good morning folks and happy New Year it is the 2nd of January today isn’t it it is Happy New Year 2024 is going to be a big one Emily’s first day back at work today so I’m pretty sure you’re going to be busy with un limited

Emails oh there is so many emails going to take me hours to get through so unfortunately we’re not going to film all that much more because we have decided the weather is on the turn so we are just going to smash down now to Portugal so that’s going to be it from

Us this week so I hope you’ve enjoyed this um rather boring Jolly across Europe I know it’s not been the most interesting but it is going to get really good hopefully well for us anyway when we get to Portugal cuz like I said we’re going to be looking at properties

Exploring getting some sun uh we’re looking forward to it oh it’s going to be so good I’m so excited so on that note we’ll see you all on the next one bye

we felt trapped – Leaving the UK – 1200 miles across Europe.

As we wait for life to change after recently buying a remote cottage in Ireland, our current off grid life living in a van was starting to get to us. Winter van life in the UK can be tough, we were getting cabin fever, starting to feel continuously trapped inside the van and after a while, spending 24/7 with just one other person can get a little.. tetchy!
This week we travel 1200 miles across Europe, taking the ferry from Dover to calais as we begin a journey South..

Check out our instagram for real time updates..
https://www.instagram.com/camper_vibe/

Where we get our music (the link below gets you a 1 month free trial)
https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/g9ibfr

Hopefully you are enjoying this European travel series as much as we are.
As usual, we have tried to include a bit of everything, some cinematic scenery mixed with our usual female van life foolery, we always love hearing what you lot think in the comments so do let us know, and as always, thank you for watching!

Follow us on our journey as we attempt to create a proper youtube travel series as we, two female travelers and vanlifers, attempt to travel across Europe in our rolling tiny home.
Hit the subscribe button to see where our DIY campervan takes us next and how this van life couple copes living in a van!

Have a look at emily’s blog for her thoughts on all things van..
http://campervibe.co.uk/
(this is also where you will find all our park ups and list of our film making gear)

For stickers go to the website or..
Make a £5.00 payment to
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/campervibe
and just leave your name and full address in the notes, just click add note.
If paypal confuses you (as it does me, Lou) then follow the below instructions;
Use your name as the reference then, email
campervibe6@gmail.com
with the same name as your reference of payment and full address.
The stickers will then be shipped out, thanks again for your support 🙂

*We use affiliate links from which we earn a small percentage at no extra cost to yourself. Most of this is used to keep emilys snack cupboard topped up but occasionally she lets Lou have some to buy the dog treats!