Wow, it’s been absolutely ages since I last wrote a personal blog post detailing all the ups and downs of our simplistic caravan life….and to be honest I really couldn’t be bothered.
After the most intense winter, and as if in payment for sticking it out, we have been blessed with a summer antipodean expats have only ever dreamed of!
I don’t mean to gloat, but yes, everyday does feel like a holiday. I can’t remember the last time we cooked or ate indoors, I have a tan that rivals my Portuguese friends, we have met some of the loveliest people through our volunteer work, have been invited to a caravan launch as part of the media (we had a badge and all!) and we even fitted in a whistle-stop tour of Amsterdam.
And the kids, I hear you ask…well after missing out on two years of UK schooling, receiving a years homeschooling and only spending 6 months in their new schools they are finally on their summer holidays. Ella sailed through her year 6 SATS, Aiden scored the highest grades for 4 subjects in his exams and Sebastian was awarded the Headmaster’s award for year 9. Although we are super proud of them, these achievements have also helped to confirm that traditional schooling is not the only option and that the kids education will not suffer when we set off on our travels- a topic that comes up often!
But it’s not all smooth sailing in the Binedell caravan. Two weeks after spending all our savings on the ‘new’ tow car it started spewing black smoke out of the exhaust. Not just a little puff here and there- tons of the stuff. A quick trip to the local garage confirmed that £800 would be sufficient to get *’Ross’ back on the road. So needless to say, savings are at an all time low.
(*We name everything-The kids recently watched the entire series of Friends and decided the new car should say ‘Kids are welcome’ but also, ‘Come here to me’…hence Ross)
With regards our travel plans-we will be wrapping things up in the U.K within the next 8 months. We have decided that our European tour will start off in Portugal and hope to book our ferry crossing in the next two weeks. We are currently compiling a list of stopovers, so if anyone in or around Portugal could use a hand between April and July please do get in touch-No job or project is too big or small.
Although we are currently living the dream we are aware that winter is just around the corner and we have a number of things we’d like to get in place before we are once again in the grip of the cold. We need to service the caravan and hope to replace the carpet and soft furnishings and somewhere in between I need to get my licence to tow 😱
Well I think I have just about covered everything- I hope wherever you are you are happy and healthy and living your best life. Look out for my upcoming blog post ‘Teens in Amsterdam’ to find out more about our eye-opening experience of this beautiful city.
Until next time….
Our Travelling Family 
Love reading your updates.. will look forward to the next one. Keep doing what you’re doing Binedells xx
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