A few people have asked us how we’re doing various things and how we’re getting around obstacles along the way. Well, we are basically having to learn as we go, but I think we’re doing alright!

Obviously there is a global pandemic to contend with, but we chose to up and leave the UK when we were allowed to so we are fully respectful of the rules and still want to stay healthy along the trip, so we mask up at every opportunity and try to stay away from big crowds of people. To be honest, apart from the beach and a couple of restaurants, we haven’t seen that many people. It’s too hot! No one is out, they’re all tucked away in their air conditioned homes.

But we have our trusty van and outdoor living is becoming quite natural. We cook full meals (veggie/vegan mostly – apparently the French put milk in nearly all of their meat, grim, plus its just easier to cook veggie meals) in our kitchen or on the collapsible BBQ we bought for £20.

We park in places the lovely towns of France allow us to for a night or two here and there – found on the park4night app, which is so useful – they usually have maintained toilets which would be perfect only Covid means that 75% of them have been locked up or removed. But we have our own portable flushing toilet, teamed with our pop up shower tent, we are always good to go.

We have water tanks in the van and a camping shower that you fill up and leave in the sun, so we are always able to keep clean, and for a proper decent night with and indoor shower and amenities we tend to go to a paid campsite and recharge our batteries, literally and figuratively.

We travel a couple of hours every few days to move to where we want to go, and will probably have to keep doing this if we want to last out here the whole year as it seems many countries are beginning to impose quarantine or shut down cities. We march on!

To really put into perspective just how lucky we are, I started making a list and I will probably keep adding to it as we go. All of the good and all of the bad (there isn’t too much bad) and everything in between.

The Good…

• Our blackboard! We simply bought some chalkboard paint and painted a large square on one of the wood panels in the van and fixed a chalk holder above it. It’s getting a lot of use, and not just for childish notes to each other. Every time we think of something to buy or somewhere to go, it goes on our blackboard. So handy.
• “The Seat” which is where the old cupboard once stood in the van. It was a brainwave one night that told us to take it out and replace it with a big storage box that doubles up as a seat. When we did it, it opened the van right up, gave us extra space and now a comfy corner to sit and read or wait for things to cook on the hob.
• The views while driving. Couldn’t be further from a boring trip up the M5, waiting to get to your destination. We look forward to our road trips here, you see so much and we’ve hardly hit any traffic the whole time. Stay off the toll roads and you get much more out of the journey.
• Wine! We aren’t wine snobs but we do love a good red, and you can pick up a bottle for a couple of quid if you’re not too picky.
• Card games are making a comeback. Luke has somehow got lady luck on his side as I can’t seem to beat him, but it makes for a fun evening.
• Mosquito nets! We bought a load of insect repellent candles and diffusers for sitting outside, but the only way to keep the bastards out of the van and have the door open is to buy one of these. (I got 9 bites last night because it was so warm inside, we hade to sit outside, I’m not happy.)
• Friendly people. Everyone says “Bonjour” when you walk past. EVERYONE. It’s such a polite thing that the UK just hasn’t got. People have been really patient with us, especially me with my attempts at speaking French. They usually reply in English, am I that bad at it?!
• The locations. Luke has been doing an amazing job at finding us some great spots to camp at. We have yet to do much exciting stuff, but as I said earlier we are still finding our feet and learning how things work in different districts of France. But 99% of places we’ve stayed have have amazing walks, lakes, ponds, views, amenities so we cannot complain.

The Bad…

• The unbearable heat. I never thought I would moan about the heat, but it’s something else right now. It tends to peak at around 32 degrees most days, although this week has seen 37/38 and its due to get hotter. The days get warmer until around 5pm, then the night grants us a nice cool 28 degrees around 10pm. Cheers.
• Insects. I won’t bang on about it, but these things are relentless. And they love a good bit of skin to nibble on. How residents deal with it, i don’t know, but I will find out!
• Lack of tattoos. It might not be a bad thing to some people but I’m finding it really hard to deal with the attention. No one seems to have them, especially not women and especially not in the towns and countryside. I’ve had some really nice comments, but I’ve also been stared at with burning eyes of disgust many times. But it’s too hot for jeans so they will have to deal with it!
• The fact we haven’t got a stove top oven. I checked out a few travel blogs and so many people recommend the Omnia Stovetop Oven and I’m gutted we didn’t discover it before we left. As soon as we get somewhere with an address to send it to, I will be having it! I will be having homemade oven chips! Stop me.

This is a long post, but hopefully it’s inciteful for those who want to know how we’re doing things, and maybe helpful for those who are thinking of doing the same as us. Regardless of all the bad, we wouldn’t change this trip for anything.