After our Covid hiatus in Australia we got back to the UK in June, to our utterly delightful (but wholly unfurnished) flat in Bristol. We were given a couch, and that was the beginning of the end!
About two months ago (after some van rennoations I’ll recap later) we wrenched ourselves free from our delightful cozy little flat in Bristol and plunged back into a drab, grey, wet UK winter.
It was a bit of a shock, to be honest. After more than a year of being laid up with friends our van seemed constantly to let us down. Never anything mechanical, but we had lots of little annoying electrical issues; flat batteries, wiring issues etc. Week after week we ordered replacement components, and arranged out world around meeting deliveries, installed new batteries / reversing camera / even more batteries.
I re-wired the battery box, changed a million fuses, tweaked and fiddled, swore and complained for what seemed like forever. But FINALLY, after more than a month of life on hold we reached the point where things seemed to be working and booked Le Shuttle to France.
My Dad quoted a sailing vlogger who warned their audience “don’t buy a couch”. It is AMAZING advice! Pre-covid in full van-life swing I’d have approached all these challenges and setbacks as bumps in the road to be taken in my stride. But after a year of living indoors, with soft furniture to sit on, daily hot showers, clean clothes etc. etc. the return to the van was hugely painful. Nothing felt worth posting, life seemed all just a bit too hard.
But we’re over that period now. The grey of the UK has been left in the north and the Mediterranean warmth is seeping into our bones. So we’re starting a blog as a way to focus on the best things in our travelling life.
— Martyn
