I really look forward to your videos and I have to say I admire you two for just getting out there and making it happen, despite all the issues you have with an aging van. Love the dynamic between you both, one super chatty and the other dry as the Sahara. For gods sake , get a garlic press!❤
Morning! Funny you should say that, we were at my mum's recently and I just realised how much easier a garlic press would be! So sod the grater, that's next on the list (or I'll just permanently "borrow" my mum's 😂). Anyway, thank you for the kind feedback, we're pleased you enjoy our travels. We are not the best at this, and it's got its ups and downs, but we have loved going to so many places in our old van and making the best of it. We are similar in some ways, but with obvious differences too and I think (hope!) we make a good team 🙏❤️ See you on the next one! 😁
I hope you have many more years of travel for us to enjoy but even if the van has to go at some point please find a way of continuing as your a joy to watch
Thank you, we hope to find a balance of travelling but still finding a permanent home, while continuing the videos, so we'll see how it all goes! We do love making them so I hope we can carry on 😁🙏
Ah thank you, it definitely feels like fixing up Daisy would give her a new lease of life and as you say, she'd feel like a brand new van after some tlc 😍
Aah thank you, I mean we do get bothered and we do have the odd meltdown about it 😂 But we also know that's part of what comes with living in a van. You take the rough with the smooth and all that. But even though we won't do this for the rest of our lives, we're glad we got to experience it 😍 Thank you and see you on the next one 😊
Happy New Year guys 🎉🎊🥳 I thought Maybe the truck driver was a subscriber and was saying hello 🤭 drooling 🤤 as you guys eat those cakes 😜Glad you made it back safely 🙂
Haha maybe! 😄 There might have been nothing wrong with our vent at all, and believe us, we've considered that after we've superglued it shut 😂 Happy New Year to you! ❤️
Glad you made it safely back home! Thanks for letting us follow your adventures, your movies lighten up my Sundays! (By the way, beard looking good both natural and dyed!)😚
Thank you so much Catarina, we've been glad to have you along for the journey and pleased you've enjoyed the videos 😍 Appreciate the comment on the beard. I'll probably get bored and shave it off now 😂 But personal appearance is there to be played with I guess when we feel like it. Take care and have a good week ❤️
Loved this one too, thanx! The bit about travelling time from South to North of France - and vice versa. I'll never forget the time, in 1987, when I was travelling with a group of us young ones in a huge tour coach and it seemed to take about 2 days to get from London to Argeles-Sur-Mer. We must have had a handful of stops to stretch our legs and for toilet breaks. Right now there is a severe weather warning out of snow and ice - and we've already had a large flurry of snow which has turned to slush and ice. I'm now in 2 minds whether to venture out on foot to village for a newspaper or not, but I can't get over to see my dad who could be doing with a hand with stuff. All the best for now, keep safe and well and really look forward to your next video.
Hello! 😊 Thank you, we're pleased you liked it, especially as there wasn't much travel stuff in this one 🙈 But yes, it's a damn long journey, France is so BIG, and frankly doing that in a coach sounds horrific 🙈 I hope you had a good time there in 1987 and it was worth the long trip! Yes the weather has definitely taken a turn this week, do be careful and maybe just give your dad a call to see he's okay, I'm sure he wouldn't want you risking these roads! We are in the south east and as always, you see nothing of it here. Stay safe and take care ❤️
Aww thank you so much Marie, I'm glad the video could make you smile 😍 That makes us happy 😁 Steve is definitely calmer than me, and thank god for it, I just flap about too much 🙈 Take care and have a good Sunday ❤️
You poor things. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Glad you made it up to the ferry OK. That last aire looked good and a useful tip. Just one hour from Calais. See you next time. X
Morning Denise, ah it's just the reality of life in a van I guess, we move on and either fix it or ignore it 😂🙈 As always we're just glad it's not anything too bad. That last aire was amazing! A great place to spend a night so close to Calais. Hope you had a good new year, take care ❤️
Happy New Year guys, thanks for your email. I've only been to France once and it was Christmas time.....on the drive back to the UK we stopped off at a service station to buy food and I picked up some chocolate. If you like chocolate, get some Mon Cheri, they'll be on sale now. They are effing delicious.
Hello and Happy New Year to you too! ❤️ I've just googled Mon Cheri and I'm sure it won't take much persuading on either side for us to try them by the looks of it, so thank you for the suggestion 😍 I hope you had a good time over the festive season and things are well with you? Best wishes to you and thanks for sticking with us 🥰
Bless you guys. Don’t worry…we keep our kettle on the floor 😊 old vans have teething problems…. My old bus (50) yrs old is a constant money pit but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
A 50 year old bus! Wow, that's incredible...but if you love it and want to look after it, that can be rewarding enough. Do you live in it? I bet she gives you a lot of space at least 😍 And that made us laugh about the kettle, at least it's not just us 😂
@ Unfortunately not she’s just my second drive really I use her in the summer mostly for camping and festivals. We live in Essex so visit canvey island and clacton for day trips. She is the only other woman in my life other than my wife 😆 she’s an absolute money pit, but nether the less she if fun. Maybe I will see you about on the road on day. 🚐 Happy travels to you both roll on the summer sun ☀️. 🤘🏻
Ingenious lol. My old man's a mechanic, and the amount of times he's used cable ties to do an emergency temp fix to get us from A to B 🙄! Our old girl has an intermittent window leak, fridge awaiting a regulator (?) and a dodgy fridge lock. Saying that, Bee is 20 years old, bought and paid for, is our pride and joy and has taken us to some wonderful places🤗. Here's to a fab 2025 for you both (and some warmer weather!) 🥂 x
The power and versatility of cable ties! 😄 They really do help with all sorts - even when we had gear problems in Spain, one mechanic tried a temp fix with them (it failed, but that's not the point I guess 😂). I'm glad Bee has done so well for you, that's the thing, they will always have problems, like our bodies, but look what they give us. Here's to many more adventures in her 🙏 Thank you, and wishing you a happy 2025 too 😊❤️
Haha thank you, oh my god we would say cakes might just be the main reason to go to France 😍 They are so much better than UK bakeries in our opinion. Happy New Year to you, I hope you're well ❤️
Thank you 😊 She has given us everything and changed our lives, for this period in time, and experiences that we'd never dreamed of. In some ways, it's probably shaped our whole future, even if we stop being full-time eventually. We do intend to keep her for as long as we can 🙏
WELCOME HOME CHAPS!! So glad both of your have arrived back safely. Thank you for another great video. Hope 'Daisy' gets her treatment, lol, and will be ready in the next few weeks for another fab adventure. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and prosperous 2025! Stay warm and safe. 🙏💚
Hello! Thank you, it was a relief to get back safely, and the vent is so secure now we're not in an immediate rush to fix it, but obviously we will do as soon as we can. It would be nice to actually use it again if nothing else. Happy New Year to you and see you soon for our next UK adventures whatever that brings 😀
Hope you got your roof vent sorted. Loved the video and those cakes looked amazing. You two do make me laugh. Hope you had a great Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to watching your new adventures in 2025
Hi Lynda, thank you ❤️ We haven't had time to fix it yet believe it or not, with work and catching up with family it's been the last thing on our mind, but we think it's secure until we do - we rarely opened that one anyway. Once we're off exploring again we'll get it done...eventually 🙈 The cakes were sublime, the highlight of France I reckon! Miss that so much in the UK. Our Christmas was spent working but we had New Year which was nice, hope you had a good one too. Happy New Year to you, take care ❤️🥰
Hi Dan and Steven, We are glad you are both ok. We used to encounter problems with our caravan. We no longer have it due to the floods in 2023. We still miss it, it got us away. Happy New Year 🎉Best wishes Gary, Jackie and Family. Xx ❤️
Hi Gary, oh no, what happened, was it damaged in the floods I take it? So sorry to hear you no longer have it 😟 We're driving up the UK now and seeing the remnants of floods everywhere, it seems to be a risk year round and definitely something we need to consider when settling down again 😬 Best wishes to you all ❤️
@ Hi Dan and Steven, yes it was damaged in the floods in 2023. Water damage is awful. We bought a Gigantic tent which is great for all the family to use. Will one day go back to caravaning or buy a motorhome. Hope you are both ok, it’s awful with the floods. Keep safe. Yes it’s definitely something to consider if you are settling down somewhere. Love from us all, Jackie, Gary and family. Xx
Morning! 😁 It wasn't a bad little spot that town, but damn it was freezing and dark, and the one thing that looked appealing to look around - the big church - was closed for renovation works. Still, at least we got cake out of it. Yes those tomatoes rather shrank to nothing! Pure witchcraft. But not as much witchcraft as spinach, which you buy a big bag of only to see it dissolve into nothing before your very eyes. I hope you're well and, in advance, good luck for the terror ride which I assume is once again tomorrow. I hope Harry is doing fine too!
@@comealongdear Yes I am dreading the trip already, Harry is great thanks but he would LOVE to get outside. I am watching wanderizm busride around London 4.30pm, pitch dark and 4C. 10pm here the floor is still 25C, walls 27C according to my dig thermometer. I have the aircon on trying to cool the room so I can sleep. It got to 36C late today, 34 yesterday, mid 20s for rest of week. phew. Oh well gives us something to moan about. Good old Daisy and top driver Steve making all your travels possible. Those cakes looked yum but I dont know how you can eat and then sleep, does that require alcohol? 🍻
Happy New Year guys! - What a great adventure that was, I hope it's not too cold in the UK for you now? We had an expensive arrival into Athens after I made a schoolboy error and booked the wrong dates for our flight meaning we had to buy two more tickets at top price Grrrr - Oh well, Life on the road has its ups and downs as well you both know! We are already looking forward to your next UK outing. Hugs, Colin & Karyo
Hey Colin and Karyo 🥰 We have loved this adventure and will have the memories to cherish, so although we're sad it's over it's lovely to say we've done it. The wonders of a campervan! Except yes, facing the UK winter is not especially appealing 😂 This will be our 4th one in the van, I think any novelty appeal has worn off on that front, so we'll just ride it out until Spring arrives in about 6 months' time 🤪 We'll make the best of it regardless. Yikes, sorry to hear that, that's a real hit for the wallet 😬 Hope it doesn't dampen your stay though and you enjoy Athens! Never been to Greece but we would love to take our van there. Take care both and thank you ❤️🙏
Happy New Year 🥳. Good morning fellas and thanks for another brilliant video. Glad you managed to locate the issue that the lorry driver was trying to alert you to. Things always go wrong in a campervan/motorhome/caravan no matter how old. It’s all part of the experience - brings out the creativity in us 🙄. I know a lot of brand new outfits have plenty of problems, possibly because they aren’t as well-made as Daisy. I have to say I love your “put together” lunches - that’s my kind of food - as are your delicious breakfasts 😋. I’m glad you managed to avoid the really bad weather - that is, probably until you got back to the UK. I really enjoyed your (my) trip through France and into some remarkable places in Spain, thank you for sharing all those wonderful places. I hope all was good with your work over Christmas. I’m looking forward to whatever adventures you take us on this year. Stay well and safe travels. ❤️❤️
Good Morning to you Irene 🤗 We are so grateful and lucky to that lorry driver - because we had the damn vent taped up (because spiders got in through it at work and then we never actually untaped it 🙄) we couldn't hear it properly, so thank god we pulled over and avoided an accident as it inevitably would have come off in those winds. But as you say, all part of van living! And you're absolutely right, it's just the same in modern, fancier vans, I don't think we've ever seen a vanlife youtuber in a self-built, motorhome or anything really, not go through these hiccups, it will always happen. I'm pleased you enjoy the lunches 😁 That's my (Dan's) favourite sort too, just a bit of everything chucked on the plate and lots of tasty colours. The weather in the UK has fortunately not been too bad as we work in the south east, which usually avoids the very worst. But we will be driving all over this month so I expect we'll run into some typically grim stuff before long 😂🙈 And thank you so much, we're so pleased you could come on this journey virtually with us, and that you enjoyed the places we took you too 🥰 While we can't do that all the time or every year (time, money etc), at least we got to experience it and if people enjoy where we've been and what we film, then all the better ❤️ I hope you both had a good new year, take care and we'll see you on our next UK adventures 😍❤️
I just love your videos 😃 really tasty pastrys😃 I hope that everything is well with you and that the new year has started on a good note. Btw, the beard looks good 😀 All my warmest thoughts from a sunny Andalucía
Hi Mattias 😍Thank you, we appreciate that, and I'm glad you like the beard job 😁 I won't always keep it but it's fun to play around with. Everything is okay for us, we are just preparing to head out exploring in the UK again, although not looking forward to this weather 😂 I hope you're enjoying warmer times down there! Take care and sending our best wishes to you too ❤️
Happy New Year, guys. Hope you're well. Not looking great this week with all the issues going on for you. Hopefully when you're UK based should be able to get them fixed. Patiesseties looked amazing. All thought u didn't need to have an org....m over it lol. You really did enjoy it. It's nice been having a choppy video this week and seeing different parts of your life. Anyways stay safe in the warning areas.❤
Hey Paul 🥰 Yes not the best week, and all as we return to hideous UK weather and cold but never mind! I'm sure we'll get those bits fixed, though we are terrible procrastinators when there's a temporary fix in place that we can just leave 🙈 Cakes were indeed amazing and they absolutely did require the org...! 😂 They just don't taste the same here. Did you have a good new year? Happy New Year to you too, and onwards we go for fun travels in the UK winter 🙈
Morning, another splendid video, I have to say you eat really well, and your cooking and food always makes me hungry! that curry looked warming, and that last lunch before ferry looked so healthy! I loved the the look Stephen gave to at 02.12, I burst at laughing
Good Morning to you, ah thank you so much, we don't always eat well (damn French treats 😂) but we do like a plate of different salady bits with lots of colour in there. I (Dan) love lentils and fish too so that's always good to mix in. Bit more varied than a sandwich at least. Stephen's always got the best looks 😂 No words needed, just steals the scene with a glance! 😁 Thank you and have a good week 😊
Aw, no more sun. 😢 That shocked look on Sebastian made me laugh. He sort of set the mood. Wouldn't be surprised the truck was warning others against itself as well.😅 I was stopped once by a car saying a rear tyre was coming off so I stopped and everything was fine, but I had driven through some water so only part of the tyre was dark and the other dusty so while drivning it probably looked wobbly. 😅 Steve MacGyvering things again was excellent. I don't mind drivning in stormy weather as long as it's not snowy. Little over a year ago there was a massive jam just a few miles from where I live. Heavy winds and snow made the roads get covrered instantly after plough trucks had gone through, as well as foreign trucks and local cars with inadequate winter tyres couldn't get a grip on the winter roads and ended up with literally over a thousand cars getting completely stuck. The last car got towed away 38 hours later. Traffic control could have avoided it but were too late in their decision to close the road. By then, it was too late. Skåne has really treacherous roads in winter and can go from one extreme to another in minutes. Wow, those toll fares were awful! I felt so bad for all your bad luck. I agree with the fridge, old fridge like that lasts forever, so I hope you found the spare part. Wouldn't have guessed about he dye, people dye their hair all the time, just for the heck of it, for fun and for yourself, so, good for you! And those pastries, yum! What's an ice bun? Hope you had a good time working, hope to see the next adventure soon, AND better luck! Stay warm! Cheers from Skåne! ❤
MacGyvering things 😂 Yes he was very handy and thank god for the quick thinking! It's now probably more secure than the original fitting ever was (as long as you never try to open it 😂). It's pretty terrifying when drivers try to warn you of something but there's no way to indicate exactly what, and, as in your case, they can be totally wrong and spook you for no reason 🙈 But we are grateful for the good intentions of drivers anyway, especially in this case! (Although, as you said, it would be hilarious if he was doing nothing of the sort and we've just glued our vent shut for no reason 🙃) Christ, that road snow sounds horrific! I didn't imagine it would get too bad in Skåne (and I guess not as severe as the north) but I suppose like you say it can come out of nowhere. The North of England, which Skåne is sort of level with, can get very rough weather, though rarely is the snow as bad as what that sounds like I dont think. Having lived in the south we have always been protected from it, though it'd be nice to see some snow every now and again! An iced bun is just a bit of bread, like a roll, with some basic white icing smeared on top. They are pretty rubbish 😂 I always imagine a French person seeing that in our bakeries and walking out in horror! Those French cakes were spectacular and we do miss them (our bodies don't miss the calories mind). I think we'll have to see if we can find a French-style one here in the UK now every time we're in a new town. And thank you, the beard dye is just a bit of fun to play about with as you say! People wear makeup, dye their hair and all the rest of it, so why not 😁 Our work went well thank you and we'll be on the road again ASAP. Hope you had a good new year and are staying warm in Skåne! Take care 🤗❤️
First time viewer here (and just subscribed) - not sure how this came up in my recommendations but I'm glad it did! Your little van is so homey with its various busted bits and you both are lovely travel mates - you yakking away and Steve just head down and getting on with it. 'Happy Trails to You!' (Roy Rogers) ☺
Well hello, and all we can say is, thank you for stopping by and commenting 😍 And of course, thank you for subscribing 🙏 Our little van has done us amazingly well, and we both work together in our own way to make this strange life happen. In many ways, we are alike - on the surface, not so much - but we are in this together whatever the road brings. Thank you and we hope you stick around for whatever lies ahead ❤️ We will now youtube Happy Trails as it only seems apt 😀
Zip ties and duct tape can get you through most minor disasters. I think most people put their kettle in the sink, but the floor works. :) Monty, my Pontiac Montana minivan, is in the shop for a new battery and to find and fix the parasitic draw that keeps killing it. My car fob also needs reprogramming after I let its battery die. I called on Friday, for an appointment sometimes in January, but the owner said to drop it off on Saturday so his guys could work on it in between regular jobs. Finding a parasitic draw takes awhile. I was hoping for more time to get over the flu, but my son was coming up for my birthday, so he came a day early, met me at the garage, and brought me home. Because my blood sugar was low, after hauling in some of the camping gear, like my Luggable Loo, that I didn't think they'd want inside whilst the minivan was up on the lift, then boosting Monty to start, then clearing two feet of accumulated snow off the top, he bought us some chocolate donuts from Tim Horton's. It was on the way home, and the gas station it's in has bathrooms. Monty is a tall minivan, but I have an old kitchen sponge mop, with a bent handle, that is perfect for clearing snow off the roof, then the windows and sides. I learned the hard way, that's the sequence, so you don't have to do the windows twice. I told the garage owner what needed done and he asked if I wanted an oil change, too. Since it's been a year or so since I had that serviced, I told him to do anything that needed done and to fix anything that needed fixing. It's a great place that does good work and never overcharges. I hope Daisy gets her bits and bobs fixed so she can take you on many more adventures. :) Cheers. Jon in rural BC, Canada
Good Morning Jon in Canada 🥰 A belated Happy Birthday and I hope that flu gets gone soon! Sounds like the mini van is having a full on service which is often for the best - may as well get everything ship shape rather than just one or two issues. Monty sounds compact and ideal for exploring, do you ever stay in it on trips out? I can't even fathom how much there must be to explore there...so much space, a world away from the UK and its dense population and close together towns and villages, though even here we have a few remote spots, miraculously. That must have been good to see your son, is he in Canada too? Good on him for buying the donuts when your sugar was low. We've never tried a Tim Horton's, but recently they've been popping up in the UK in retail parks mostly. That did make me laugh about the snow, that's exactly what we'd do, clear the windows, only to clear the roof and cover the windows again. But then I'm sure you're used to it, whereas we barely see snow in the south east of England. Anyway I hope Monty comes through with a clean bill of health 🤞 Our temporary fixes on Daisy will no doubt sit like that longer than they should, but we'll get around to "proper" repairs in time. Happy New Year to you Jon, take care 😊
@@comealongdear Thanks. My son lives 1 1/2 hours away, but my daughter lives in Sweden. On the subject of uneven colouring, the white in my beard is fairly symmetrical, on the chin and sideburns, but my left side of my head has gone white, while the right side is still dark. At least it comes in handy when I'm driving in the slow lane and someone takes the passing lane (on the left) and sees the white hair, they don't get too mad seeing an old man driving slower than they'd like. There are some perks to being 73. :) Yes, I've removed the two back rows of seats to turn Monty into a campervan. I've got a camping cot, 3" foam mattress, 12 V fridge/freezer, USB fans and lights, a butane hob, kitchen gear, bucket toilet, and a 12 V lunchbox oven for warming up food while driving. I hope to take Murphy, my cat, camping when the weather warms up. It's usually only cold in January and February, but, lately, November, too. We had a white Christmas, then a big dump of snow, now rain again, but getting below 0 C at night. The mountains surrounding my village are still snowy, but as we're in a valley desert, we don't get as much snow as a lot of places. It is very arid here, so it doesn't feel as cold as places with high humidity. And the highway has lots of dips and turns, so I did get a laugh out of your driving in similar, but less dangerous roads. But when I moved here, the roads petrified me. You can get used to almost anything. Wow, sometimes I talk too much. :) Cheers. Jon in rural BC, Canada
Definitely not too much talking, Jon, it's always good to hear from you 😊 For 73 to have some dark bits left is pretty good going - I think me and Stephen will be lucky to have anything left at all in a few years, never mind at 73 😂 The camper sounds cosy and with everything you need for a few trips. We like the sound of a 12v lunchbox oven. Hopefully you can get out and about in it in the spring. Here we are currently waking up to minus 3, which in a little camper like ours isn't much fun, but we are hardened off to these conditions now being our 4th winter in the van. Still, a bit of warmth is much longed for. I'm glad you don't get too much extreme weather, though I must say having a white Christmas sounds nice, I dont think we've ever experienced one. Haha those roads, yes I expect you have worse, and in fairness to the Spanish, theirs are looked after pretty well. But they are a shock to us soft southern English folk 😂 Yet old ladies were driving past us, smiling and calm as anything. As you say, you can get used to anything. Be careful on them though regardless especially at this time of year. Take care Jon ❤️
Welcome home Dan and Steve. Skylight gate, fridge gate etc I think Daisy was saying stay abroad! I did notice the change in beard colour, with or without, grey or brown you guys look great. We liked Stephens art installation (rags). Oh my those French cakes looked delicious. The curry looked fab, the macaroni cheese with sweet potato and tuna and carrot 😅 I had to think about but I guess it was like a tuna pasta bake so mmmn that would work. Nice last town. Sad to leave but look forward to seeing you on your next adventure. Thank you for sharing xx
Hi Susie, thank you, despite missing Spain, it's always good to see the UK again and be able to speak the language 😂 (not always true, mind - we've been in places here where people are speaking Welsh or Gaelic and obviously had no idea!). It was definitely a bit of drama this week, but hey ho, that's life in a van I guess! We are just glad it wasn't anything catastrophic 🙏 At least we had lovely cakes, my god the French are so much better than us at that stuff 😂 Oh the carrot and sweet potato mix with macaroni cheese and tuna, you have to give it a try Susie, it's so much better than it seems - and that was with a pretty basic tin of macaroni cheese. Maybe not for everyone but we thought it was like comfort food 🥰 And thank you, the beard will come and go, its just fun to play with dyes, but like with all things I'm sure we'll get bored with it and just grow old (dis)gracefully 😂 I hope you're well and do give Fifi a big cuddle (or a stroke if she hates cuddles like so many cats) from us both xxx ❤️
@comealongdear I know what you mean about coming home to the UK it is the familiarity. Drama happens wherever you are I guess. You are right the French do know how to make a good cake. I do like all the ingredients of your macaroni surprise so ime sure I would like it. I am good thanks Dan just chilling on this cold wet Sunday ( as is Fifi she's just been chilling for 18 hours longer) she likes strokes and cuddles and tummy tickles and is sitting with a hares breath distance between her nose and the radiator. Hope work is going OK and Daisy will soon be preparing for her next journey. Have a great week and take care Susie xx
Drama-Llama special today :). Lol. I do love French food, but it can be costly at times, and those tolls are expensive. But probably a good idea really, if the $ goes back into maintenance. Having returned back to blighty, and the horrendous weather, at least you have a vlog of some sunshine and joy to remember. :). When you say you are 'guards'? What work do you actually do? Is it just security of some sort? Keep well.
Hey, France is indeed expensive, tolls and food and general shopping, probably more than the UK on all counts (except, hilariously, wine..) but we do love many aspects of it. So we are just security guards, we have a regular job we go to where we are "static" security, looking after a building and doing patrols etc, and occasionally we do event work like Glastonbury or sports events for a few days. It keeps us going at least in this strange old life! Take care and thank you for watching ❤️
Aah thank you, well it's just part and parcel of living in an old van, these things happen and eventually we'll sort them out and carry on as normal. As always, it could be a lot worse! ❤️
He does! I love how he looks either way but I've become accustomed to him without it now after previously loving the beard...just as it now begins to grow again 😂
Hi guys.. Loved watching you explore on your trip and thanks for sharing so many amazing places that I would never get to see..being from Australia it spins me out how you can drive to another country and it looks like a different world, it takes me 5 hours just to get to another state here😅.. I also love how you keep it real.. Looking forward to seeing what's next on our journey stay safe x
Hi Andy 😊 Thank you, we're pleased you've enjoyed this trip and the places we've been! We had a blast and feel lucky to have done it. It's funny you mention about the countries, we often think how amazing it would be to live where you are or in the US or Canada, and have so so much open country to explore...and then we remind ourselves, how Europe is essentially the same size but packed full of all that variety and culture! So while that can bring its own challenges, we are blessed with totally new things every few hundred miles or less technically. Still, seeing anywhere new is great, and that's why it's still fun to explore the UK for us. Thank you and see you on the next one 🥰
Probably, but I think we're craving an actual "base" too, that way we might keep Daisy and mix up the two worlds, if life and finances allow, which isn't going to be easy 🙈
Eek sorry 😂🙈 I guess you could have imagined the taste with us, but that's just torture really. It's especially bad when you can't get this stuff very easily in the UK. As I said elsewhere, I think we might go on the hunt for French-style bakeries next time we're in a town here, there must be some somewhere. Cheers! 👍❤️
Now this may be due to our bad eyesight, but neither of us would have noticed that you had dyed the beards if you hadn't mentioned it. Well that seemed like a nightmare journey, but glad you are back safe. The cake at the end looked AMAZING... Did you ever find out the name so we can order one next time we drive through France. Much love Darren and Alison 🤟♥️
Hi guys! No sadly, we didn't get the name, however I've just relooked at a video clip we took and I have it- mine (Dan's) was a traditional bûche, which was basically a yule log, but more caramel and creamy as opposed to a chocolate one. Stephen's was a carré glacé. They look different in all the google pictures though! Haha the beard thing, well, I'm glad it wasn't so obvious as if I'd stuck a fake one to my face! It's worn off now, and the grey is well and truly in force, I'm not sure if the shock of seeing that again when you've disguised it makes me want to do it more or less! I suspect I'll buzz it all off at some point regardless. It's fun to play with your image I guess, like a real-life photoshop, only with consequences 😂 Was a drama filled ending to the trip but thank god we got "home". Much love to you both and safe travels ❤️ 🤟
@@comealongdear no offence was intended i enjoy watchin your vids i like the way you show good and bad its refreshing to see keep up the good work and i look forward to your next one
Hello you two! I don’t think anything runs smoothly ( the fridge door) there is aways something 😩 Anyway Dan there is nothing wrong with dying your beard ! Us women do it all the time! Meaning hair that is! That curry looked lovely Dan . Well back for you to Blighty , I would find it depressing myself, your vlogs are always watchable! I’m looking forward to seeing in the next one . Keep safe xx
Hi Lindsay 🥰 Nope, it's never simple in our van 😂 But we muddle along. All just little challenges in life that we either choose to take on or ignore entirely 🤪 And thank you, it's good to hear about the beard, I think I'll probably do it on and off as time goes on. It's definitely a bit depressing being back in the UK especially in freezing awful weather like this but never mind! Anyway lovely to hear from you as always, take care and see you next time 🥰❤️
They are indeed, and that's about as far as our skills stretch to as well 😂 The perils of living in a van, we ought to follow in your footsteps I think 😄 Thank you ladies and hope you're coping okay up there in the Scottish winter 🤗❤️
I need a sharper knife. I've just chopped up a leek and a carrot. In the pan. Sweet chilli sauce, wholegrain rice, and spinach. I sometimes chop up leafy veg with scissors. Snow in North Lincolnshire. Now turning to rain. See you next time. ilona PS. When you next buy a cake each, cut them in half so you can swap, and try them both.
Hi Ilona 🥰 A mouth-watering sounding dish that is, as we've come to expect from you, delicious I'm sure 😁 Our knife definitely needs to be sharper or at least, sharpened itself. I think you're right about the cake thing - we tend to pick our own, but im sure half and half would be a lot more fun for both, except if the one you didn't choose was disappointing of course 😉 I hope the snow, rain and floods haven't got you too much there, it's been very extreme the last week or so. We are coming up to Yorkshire very soon to explore some towns, so hopefully we'll get lucky and avoid anything dreadful. All the best to you ❤️
@@comealongdear Hello. Snow all gone here. Very cold with some rain. No floods near me, only puddles. My village is high up. You mentioned Driffield, that's an option. If you come down as far as the bridge I am just the other side. Free parking and use of the facilities, on my drive. Or I can come out and meet you. My email address is on the sidebar of my blog. Disguised, you will work it out. Toodle pip.
I always knew living on a hill had its benefits 😁 Good to know you're okay there. And Ilona, thank you so much for your very kind offer ❤️ That's very generous of you and we do appreciate it. It would be lovely to say hello at some point - I think we will be exploring some of the Lincolnshire wolds before heading into Yorkshire (whilst also squeezing in a first aid course for work..!) and there's a lot of town investigating to do (including yes, Driffield) but hopefully we can arrange to meet for a cuppa 🥰
Why don't you get a new van because once something goes wrong, everything seems to follow. i hope you get it sorted soon because you definitely need something bigger .
Hi Julie, it's definitely something we've considered, though in our experience even modern vans will have their problems. Admittedly an older one can have more, but when you live in it, I think you go through the same things no matter how old or new the vehicle is. The main worry is that her engine and mechanics are sound, and with 3 plus years on the road, Daisy's not done too badly. But, that could change of course so we are keeping our options open. Ideally, we'd like a base so we can live somewhere in between travels and have a chance to give Daisy the tlc she needs. Thank you and have a good week ❤️
I found your channel on a TH-cam search. I visited your channel and watched some videos, the content is awe-inspiring. However, due to video optimization problems with your channel, the video is not getting viral views, likes, and comments. Your issues need to be fixed very soon
I really look forward to your videos and I have to say I admire you two for just getting out there and making it happen, despite all the issues you have with an aging van. Love the dynamic between you both, one super chatty and the other dry as the Sahara. For gods sake , get a garlic press!❤
Morning! Funny you should say that, we were at my mum's recently and I just realised how much easier a garlic press would be! So sod the grater, that's next on the list (or I'll just permanently "borrow" my mum's 😂). Anyway, thank you for the kind feedback, we're pleased you enjoy our travels. We are not the best at this, and it's got its ups and downs, but we have loved going to so many places in our old van and making the best of it. We are similar in some ways, but with obvious differences too and I think (hope!) we make a good team 🙏❤️ See you on the next one! 😁
I hope you have many more years of travel for us to enjoy but even if the van has to go at some point please find a way of continuing as your a joy to watch
Thank you, we hope to find a balance of travelling but still finding a permanent home, while continuing the videos, so we'll see how it all goes! We do love making them so I hope we can carry on 😁🙏
Once all the bits are fixed on an old van you have a new van after all the jobs are done that’s the best part of getting bits fixed.
Ah thank you, it definitely feels like fixing up Daisy would give her a new lease of life and as you say, she'd feel like a brand new van after some tlc 😍
@ the more new parts you put on. Is making the van newer enjoying the content.
You two are amazing. All the things that go wrong and it doesn't faze you. Look forward to your video each week.
Aah thank you, I mean we do get bothered and we do have the odd meltdown about it 😂 But we also know that's part of what comes with living in a van. You take the rough with the smooth and all that. But even though we won't do this for the rest of our lives, we're glad we got to experience it 😍 Thank you and see you on the next one 😊
Happy New Year guys 🎉🎊🥳 I thought Maybe the truck driver was a subscriber and was saying hello 🤭 drooling 🤤 as you guys eat those cakes 😜Glad you made it back safely 🙂
Haha maybe! 😄 There might have been nothing wrong with our vent at all, and believe us, we've considered that after we've superglued it shut 😂 Happy New Year to you! ❤️
Glad you made it safely back home! Thanks for letting us follow your adventures, your movies lighten up my Sundays! (By the way, beard looking good both natural and dyed!)😚
Thank you so much Catarina, we've been glad to have you along for the journey and pleased you've enjoyed the videos 😍 Appreciate the comment on the beard. I'll probably get bored and shave it off now 😂 But personal appearance is there to be played with I guess when we feel like it. Take care and have a good week ❤️
Loved this one too, thanx! The bit about travelling time from South to North of France - and vice versa. I'll never forget the time, in 1987, when I was travelling with a group of us young ones in a huge tour coach and it seemed to take about 2 days to get from London to Argeles-Sur-Mer. We must have had a handful of stops to stretch our legs and for toilet breaks. Right now there is a severe weather warning out of snow and ice - and we've already had a large flurry of snow which has turned to slush and ice. I'm now in 2 minds whether to venture out on foot to village for a newspaper or not, but I can't get over to see my dad who could be doing with a hand with stuff. All the best for now, keep safe and well and really look forward to your next video.
Hello! 😊 Thank you, we're pleased you liked it, especially as there wasn't much travel stuff in this one 🙈 But yes, it's a damn long journey, France is so BIG, and frankly doing that in a coach sounds horrific 🙈 I hope you had a good time there in 1987 and it was worth the long trip!
Yes the weather has definitely taken a turn this week, do be careful and maybe just give your dad a call to see he's okay, I'm sure he wouldn't want you risking these roads! We are in the south east and as always, you see nothing of it here. Stay safe and take care ❤️
@@comealongdear The hol itself was fantastic and yes, will phone dad to explain things.
When Dan is filming himself sometimes he is sitting in the passenger seat of 'Daisy' but appears on the wrong side of the vehicle.
Bless you both stev not a panicky as you though lol ,gave me a right old giggle im disabled and u cheared me right up xxx
Aww thank you so much Marie, I'm glad the video could make you smile 😍 That makes us happy 😁 Steve is definitely calmer than me, and thank god for it, I just flap about too much 🙈 Take care and have a good Sunday ❤️
You poor things. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Glad you made it up to the ferry OK. That last aire looked good and a useful tip. Just one hour from Calais. See you next time. X
Morning Denise, ah it's just the reality of life in a van I guess, we move on and either fix it or ignore it 😂🙈 As always we're just glad it's not anything too bad.
That last aire was amazing! A great place to spend a night so close to Calais.
Hope you had a good new year, take care ❤️
Happy New Year guys, thanks for your email. I've only been to France once and it was Christmas time.....on the drive back to the UK we stopped off at a service station to buy food and I picked up some chocolate. If you like chocolate, get some Mon Cheri, they'll be on sale now. They are effing delicious.
Hello and Happy New Year to you too! ❤️ I've just googled Mon Cheri and I'm sure it won't take much persuading on either side for us to try them by the looks of it, so thank you for the suggestion 😍 I hope you had a good time over the festive season and things are well with you? Best wishes to you and thanks for sticking with us 🥰
Bless you guys. Don’t worry…we keep our kettle on the floor 😊 old vans have teething problems…. My old bus (50) yrs old is a constant money pit but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
A 50 year old bus! Wow, that's incredible...but if you love it and want to look after it, that can be rewarding enough. Do you live in it? I bet she gives you a lot of space at least 😍
And that made us laugh about the kettle, at least it's not just us 😂
@
Unfortunately not she’s just my second drive really I use her in the summer mostly for camping and festivals. We live in Essex so visit canvey island and clacton for day trips. She is the only other woman in my life other than my wife 😆 she’s an absolute money pit, but nether the less she if fun. Maybe I will see you about on the road on day. 🚐 Happy travels to you both roll on the summer sun ☀️. 🤘🏻
Ingenious lol. My old man's a mechanic, and the amount of times he's used cable ties to do an emergency temp fix to get us from A to B 🙄! Our old girl has an intermittent window leak, fridge awaiting a regulator (?) and a dodgy fridge lock. Saying that, Bee is 20 years old, bought and paid for, is our pride and joy and has taken us to some wonderful places🤗. Here's to a fab 2025 for you both (and some warmer weather!) 🥂 x
The power and versatility of cable ties! 😄 They really do help with all sorts - even when we had gear problems in Spain, one mechanic tried a temp fix with them (it failed, but that's not the point I guess 😂). I'm glad Bee has done so well for you, that's the thing, they will always have problems, like our bodies, but look what they give us. Here's to many more adventures in her 🙏 Thank you, and wishing you a happy 2025 too 😊❤️
Omg I wanna go to france just for those cakes 😂 cake is my weakness..they all looked yum..great vlog 🙂 happy new year 🎉
Haha thank you, oh my god we would say cakes might just be the main reason to go to France 😍 They are so much better than UK bakeries in our opinion. Happy New Year to you, I hope you're well ❤️
The van has no end of stories from all your experiences. Hopefully you’ll keep her and the memories. Thanks for another great video. Stay safe lads 👍👍
Thank you 😊 She has given us everything and changed our lives, for this period in time, and experiences that we'd never dreamed of. In some ways, it's probably shaped our whole future, even if we stop being full-time eventually. We do intend to keep her for as long as we can 🙏
WELCOME HOME CHAPS!! So glad both of your have arrived back safely. Thank you for another great video. Hope 'Daisy' gets her treatment, lol, and will be ready in the next few weeks for another fab adventure. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and prosperous 2025! Stay warm and safe. 🙏💚
Hello! Thank you, it was a relief to get back safely, and the vent is so secure now we're not in an immediate rush to fix it, but obviously we will do as soon as we can. It would be nice to actually use it again if nothing else. Happy New Year to you and see you soon for our next UK adventures whatever that brings 😀
Happy New Year Dan and Stephen looking forward to the New Year XX
Thank you, and a Happy New Year to you too! ❤️
Hope you got your roof vent sorted. Loved the video and those cakes looked amazing. You two do make me laugh. Hope you had a great Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to watching your new adventures in 2025
Hi Lynda, thank you ❤️ We haven't had time to fix it yet believe it or not, with work and catching up with family it's been the last thing on our mind, but we think it's secure until we do - we rarely opened that one anyway. Once we're off exploring again we'll get it done...eventually 🙈 The cakes were sublime, the highlight of France I reckon! Miss that so much in the UK. Our Christmas was spent working but we had New Year which was nice, hope you had a good one too. Happy New Year to you, take care ❤️🥰
Hi Dan and Steven, We are glad you are both ok. We used to encounter problems with our caravan. We no longer have it due to the floods in 2023. We still miss it, it got us away. Happy New Year 🎉Best wishes Gary, Jackie and Family. Xx ❤️
Hi Gary, oh no, what happened, was it damaged in the floods I take it? So sorry to hear you no longer have it 😟 We're driving up the UK now and seeing the remnants of floods everywhere, it seems to be a risk year round and definitely something we need to consider when settling down again 😬 Best wishes to you all ❤️
@ Hi Dan and Steven, yes it was damaged in the floods in 2023. Water damage is awful. We bought a Gigantic tent which is great for all the family to use. Will one day go back to caravaning or buy a motorhome. Hope you are both ok, it’s awful with the floods. Keep safe. Yes it’s definitely something to consider if you are settling down somewhere. Love from us all, Jackie, Gary and family. Xx
That last French town was lovely. All those tomatoes didnt add up to a big meal. 🍻
Morning! 😁 It wasn't a bad little spot that town, but damn it was freezing and dark, and the one thing that looked appealing to look around - the big church - was closed for renovation works. Still, at least we got cake out of it.
Yes those tomatoes rather shrank to nothing! Pure witchcraft. But not as much witchcraft as spinach, which you buy a big bag of only to see it dissolve into nothing before your very eyes.
I hope you're well and, in advance, good luck for the terror ride which I assume is once again tomorrow. I hope Harry is doing fine too!
@@comealongdear Yes I am dreading the trip already, Harry is great thanks but he would LOVE to get outside. I am watching wanderizm busride around London 4.30pm, pitch dark and 4C. 10pm here the floor is still 25C, walls 27C according to my dig thermometer. I have the aircon on trying to cool the room so I can sleep. It got to 36C late today, 34 yesterday, mid 20s for rest of week. phew. Oh well gives us something to moan about. Good old Daisy and top driver Steve making all your travels possible. Those cakes looked yum but I dont know how you can eat and then sleep, does that require alcohol? 🍻
Happy New Year guys! - What a great adventure that was, I hope it's not too cold in the UK for you now? We had an expensive arrival into Athens after I made a schoolboy error and booked the wrong dates for our flight meaning we had to buy two more tickets at top price Grrrr - Oh well, Life on the road has its ups and downs as well you both know! We are already looking forward to your next UK outing. Hugs, Colin & Karyo
Hey Colin and Karyo 🥰 We have loved this adventure and will have the memories to cherish, so although we're sad it's over it's lovely to say we've done it. The wonders of a campervan! Except yes, facing the UK winter is not especially appealing 😂 This will be our 4th one in the van, I think any novelty appeal has worn off on that front, so we'll just ride it out until Spring arrives in about 6 months' time 🤪 We'll make the best of it regardless.
Yikes, sorry to hear that, that's a real hit for the wallet 😬 Hope it doesn't dampen your stay though and you enjoy Athens! Never been to Greece but we would love to take our van there. Take care both and thank you ❤️🙏
love this channel so much
Aww that's lovely to hear, thank you for sticking with us 🙏😍
Happy New Year 🥳. Good morning fellas and thanks for another brilliant video. Glad you managed to locate the issue that the lorry driver was trying to alert you to. Things always go wrong in a campervan/motorhome/caravan no matter how old. It’s all part of the experience - brings out the creativity in us 🙄. I know a lot of brand new outfits have plenty of problems, possibly because they aren’t as well-made as Daisy. I have to say I love your “put together” lunches - that’s my kind of food - as are your delicious breakfasts 😋. I’m glad you managed to avoid the really bad weather - that is, probably until you got back to the UK. I really enjoyed your (my) trip through France and into some remarkable places in Spain, thank you for sharing all those wonderful places. I hope all was good with your work over Christmas. I’m looking forward to whatever adventures you take us on this year. Stay well and safe travels. ❤️❤️
Good Morning to you Irene 🤗 We are so grateful and lucky to that lorry driver - because we had the damn vent taped up (because spiders got in through it at work and then we never actually untaped it 🙄) we couldn't hear it properly, so thank god we pulled over and avoided an accident as it inevitably would have come off in those winds. But as you say, all part of van living! And you're absolutely right, it's just the same in modern, fancier vans, I don't think we've ever seen a vanlife youtuber in a self-built, motorhome or anything really, not go through these hiccups, it will always happen.
I'm pleased you enjoy the lunches 😁 That's my (Dan's) favourite sort too, just a bit of everything chucked on the plate and lots of tasty colours.
The weather in the UK has fortunately not been too bad as we work in the south east, which usually avoids the very worst. But we will be driving all over this month so I expect we'll run into some typically grim stuff before long 😂🙈
And thank you so much, we're so pleased you could come on this journey virtually with us, and that you enjoyed the places we took you too 🥰 While we can't do that all the time or every year (time, money etc), at least we got to experience it and if people enjoy where we've been and what we film, then all the better ❤️
I hope you both had a good new year, take care and we'll see you on our next UK adventures 😍❤️
@ 👍 ❤️❤️
I just love your videos 😃 really tasty pastrys😃 I hope that everything is well with you and that the new year has started on a good note. Btw, the beard looks good 😀 All my warmest thoughts from a sunny Andalucía
Hi Mattias 😍Thank you, we appreciate that, and I'm glad you like the beard job 😁 I won't always keep it but it's fun to play around with. Everything is okay for us, we are just preparing to head out exploring in the UK again, although not looking forward to this weather 😂 I hope you're enjoying warmer times down there! Take care and sending our best wishes to you too ❤️
❤@@comealongdear
Happy New Year, guys. Hope you're well.
Not looking great this week with all the issues going on for you. Hopefully when you're UK based should be able to get them fixed.
Patiesseties looked amazing. All thought u didn't need to have an org....m over it lol. You really did enjoy it. It's nice been having a choppy video this week and seeing different parts of your life. Anyways stay safe in the warning areas.❤
Hey Paul 🥰 Yes not the best week, and all as we return to hideous UK weather and cold but never mind! I'm sure we'll get those bits fixed, though we are terrible procrastinators when there's a temporary fix in place that we can just leave 🙈 Cakes were indeed amazing and they absolutely did require the org...! 😂 They just don't taste the same here. Did you have a good new year? Happy New Year to you too, and onwards we go for fun travels in the UK winter 🙈
Happy New Year, great vlogs 😊
Hello, thank you, we're glad you like them 😊 Happy New Year to you too! 😍
Morning, another splendid video, I have to say you eat really well, and your cooking and food always makes me hungry! that curry looked warming, and that last lunch before ferry looked so healthy!
I loved the the look Stephen gave to at 02.12, I burst at laughing
Good Morning to you, ah thank you so much, we don't always eat well (damn French treats 😂) but we do like a plate of different salady bits with lots of colour in there. I (Dan) love lentils and fish too so that's always good to mix in. Bit more varied than a sandwich at least.
Stephen's always got the best looks 😂 No words needed, just steals the scene with a glance! 😁
Thank you and have a good week 😊
Aw, no more sun. 😢 That shocked look on Sebastian made me laugh. He sort of set the mood. Wouldn't be surprised the truck was warning others against itself as well.😅 I was stopped once by a car saying a rear tyre was coming off so I stopped and everything was fine, but I had driven through some water so only part of the tyre was dark and the other dusty so while drivning it probably looked wobbly. 😅 Steve MacGyvering things again was excellent.
I don't mind drivning in stormy weather as long as it's not snowy. Little over a year ago there was a massive jam just a few miles from where I live. Heavy winds and snow made the roads get covrered instantly after plough trucks had gone through, as well as foreign trucks and local cars with inadequate winter tyres couldn't get a grip on the winter roads and ended up with literally over a thousand cars getting completely stuck. The last car got towed away 38 hours later. Traffic control could have avoided it but were too late in their decision to close the road. By then, it was too late. Skåne has really treacherous roads in winter and can go from one extreme to another in minutes.
Wow, those toll fares were awful! I felt so bad for all your bad luck. I agree with the fridge, old fridge like that lasts forever, so I hope you found the spare part.
Wouldn't have guessed about he dye, people dye their hair all the time, just for the heck of it, for fun and for yourself, so, good for you!
And those pastries, yum! What's an ice bun?
Hope you had a good time working, hope to see the next adventure soon, AND better luck!
Stay warm!
Cheers from Skåne! ❤
MacGyvering things 😂 Yes he was very handy and thank god for the quick thinking! It's now probably more secure than the original fitting ever was (as long as you never try to open it 😂).
It's pretty terrifying when drivers try to warn you of something but there's no way to indicate exactly what, and, as in your case, they can be totally wrong and spook you for no reason 🙈 But we are grateful for the good intentions of drivers anyway, especially in this case! (Although, as you said, it would be hilarious if he was doing nothing of the sort and we've just glued our vent shut for no reason 🙃)
Christ, that road snow sounds horrific! I didn't imagine it would get too bad in Skåne (and I guess not as severe as the north) but I suppose like you say it can come out of nowhere. The North of England, which Skåne is sort of level with, can get very rough weather, though rarely is the snow as bad as what that sounds like I dont think. Having lived in the south we have always been protected from it, though it'd be nice to see some snow every now and again!
An iced bun is just a bit of bread, like a roll, with some basic white icing smeared on top. They are pretty rubbish 😂 I always imagine a French person seeing that in our bakeries and walking out in horror!
Those French cakes were spectacular and we do miss them (our bodies don't miss the calories mind). I think we'll have to see if we can find a French-style one here in the UK now every time we're in a new town.
And thank you, the beard dye is just a bit of fun to play about with as you say! People wear makeup, dye their hair and all the rest of it, so why not 😁
Our work went well thank you and we'll be on the road again ASAP. Hope you had a good new year and are staying warm in Skåne! Take care 🤗❤️
@comealongdear glad to hear. Except for the iced bun. 😂 Next time you should go for a more festive beard color. 🙃
Great Video guys , welcome home 🇬🇧❤❤❤
Thank you Alice, it's good to be back even if we miss Spain! ❤️
Back to old Blighty then guys. You ain't missed much. All the best lads.
😂 Definitely not missed the cold and weather, that's for sure. Cheers Gareth, and Happy New Year to you 👍
@comealongdear u defo ain't missed this wet rock m8. Happy New Year lad's.
First time viewer here (and just subscribed) - not sure how this came up in my recommendations but I'm glad it did! Your little van is so homey with its various busted bits and you both are lovely travel mates - you yakking away and Steve just head down and getting on with it. 'Happy Trails to You!' (Roy Rogers) ☺
Well hello, and all we can say is, thank you for stopping by and commenting 😍 And of course, thank you for subscribing 🙏 Our little van has done us amazingly well, and we both work together in our own way to make this strange life happen. In many ways, we are alike - on the surface, not so much - but we are in this together whatever the road brings. Thank you and we hope you stick around for whatever lies ahead ❤️ We will now youtube Happy Trails as it only seems apt 😀
You will love their vlogs! We met Stephen and Dan a year ago on a campsite in the UK and what you see is what you get. Really lovely guys. 😊 Dione
@@vanandrewschrisanddione How nice! They do seem so content and just happy to go with the flow. We all need that! 😊
Zip ties and duct tape can get you through most minor disasters.
I think most people put their kettle in the sink, but the floor works. :)
Monty, my Pontiac Montana minivan, is in the shop for a new battery and to find and fix the parasitic draw that keeps killing it. My car fob also needs reprogramming after I let its battery die.
I called on Friday, for an appointment sometimes in January, but the owner said to drop it off on Saturday so his guys could work on it in between regular jobs. Finding a parasitic draw takes awhile.
I was hoping for more time to get over the flu, but my son was coming up for my birthday, so he came a day early, met me at the garage, and brought me home.
Because my blood sugar was low, after hauling in some of the camping gear, like my Luggable Loo, that I didn't think they'd want inside whilst the minivan was up on the lift, then boosting Monty to start, then clearing two feet of accumulated snow off the top, he bought us some chocolate donuts from Tim Horton's. It was on the way home, and the gas station it's in has bathrooms.
Monty is a tall minivan, but I have an old kitchen sponge mop, with a bent handle, that is perfect for clearing snow off the roof, then the windows and sides. I learned the hard way, that's the sequence, so you don't have to do the windows twice.
I told the garage owner what needed done and he asked if I wanted an oil change, too. Since it's been a year or so since I had that serviced, I told him to do anything that needed done and to fix anything that needed fixing. It's a great place that does good work and never overcharges.
I hope Daisy gets her bits and bobs fixed so she can take you on many more adventures. :)
Cheers.
Jon in rural BC, Canada
Good Morning Jon in Canada 🥰 A belated Happy Birthday and I hope that flu gets gone soon! Sounds like the mini van is having a full on service which is often for the best - may as well get everything ship shape rather than just one or two issues. Monty sounds compact and ideal for exploring, do you ever stay in it on trips out? I can't even fathom how much there must be to explore there...so much space, a world away from the UK and its dense population and close together towns and villages, though even here we have a few remote spots, miraculously.
That must have been good to see your son, is he in Canada too? Good on him for buying the donuts when your sugar was low. We've never tried a Tim Horton's, but recently they've been popping up in the UK in retail parks mostly.
That did make me laugh about the snow, that's exactly what we'd do, clear the windows, only to clear the roof and cover the windows again. But then I'm sure you're used to it, whereas we barely see snow in the south east of England.
Anyway I hope Monty comes through with a clean bill of health 🤞 Our temporary fixes on Daisy will no doubt sit like that longer than they should, but we'll get around to "proper" repairs in time. Happy New Year to you Jon, take care 😊
@@comealongdear Thanks. My son lives 1 1/2 hours away, but my daughter lives in Sweden.
On the subject of uneven colouring, the white in my beard is fairly symmetrical, on the chin and sideburns, but my left side of my head has gone white, while the right side is still dark.
At least it comes in handy when I'm driving in the slow lane and someone takes the passing lane (on the left) and sees the white hair, they don't get too mad seeing an old man driving slower than they'd like. There are some perks to being 73. :)
Yes, I've removed the two back rows of seats to turn Monty into a campervan. I've got a camping cot, 3" foam mattress, 12 V fridge/freezer, USB fans and lights, a butane hob, kitchen gear, bucket toilet, and a 12 V lunchbox oven for warming up food while driving.
I hope to take Murphy, my cat, camping when the weather warms up.
It's usually only cold in January and February, but, lately, November, too. We had a white Christmas, then a big dump of snow, now rain again, but getting below 0 C at night. The mountains surrounding my village are still snowy, but as we're in a valley desert, we don't get as much snow as a lot of places. It is very arid here, so it doesn't feel as cold as places with high humidity.
And the highway has lots of dips and turns, so I did get a laugh out of your driving in similar, but less dangerous roads. But when I moved here, the roads petrified me. You can get used to almost anything.
Wow, sometimes I talk too much. :)
Cheers.
Jon in rural BC, Canada
Definitely not too much talking, Jon, it's always good to hear from you 😊 For 73 to have some dark bits left is pretty good going - I think me and Stephen will be lucky to have anything left at all in a few years, never mind at 73 😂
The camper sounds cosy and with everything you need for a few trips. We like the sound of a 12v lunchbox oven. Hopefully you can get out and about in it in the spring. Here we are currently waking up to minus 3, which in a little camper like ours isn't much fun, but we are hardened off to these conditions now being our 4th winter in the van. Still, a bit of warmth is much longed for. I'm glad you don't get too much extreme weather, though I must say having a white Christmas sounds nice, I dont think we've ever experienced one.
Haha those roads, yes I expect you have worse, and in fairness to the Spanish, theirs are looked after pretty well. But they are a shock to us soft southern English folk 😂 Yet old ladies were driving past us, smiling and calm as anything. As you say, you can get used to anything. Be careful on them though regardless especially at this time of year. Take care Jon ❤️
Welcome home Dan and Steve. Skylight gate, fridge gate etc I think Daisy was saying stay abroad! I did notice the change in beard colour, with or without, grey or brown you guys look great. We liked Stephens art installation (rags).
Oh my those French cakes looked delicious. The curry looked fab, the macaroni cheese with sweet potato and tuna and carrot 😅 I had to think about but I guess it was like a tuna pasta bake so mmmn that would work. Nice last town. Sad to leave but look forward to seeing you on your next adventure. Thank you for sharing xx
Hi Susie, thank you, despite missing Spain, it's always good to see the UK again and be able to speak the language 😂 (not always true, mind - we've been in places here where people are speaking Welsh or Gaelic and obviously had no idea!). It was definitely a bit of drama this week, but hey ho, that's life in a van I guess! We are just glad it wasn't anything catastrophic 🙏 At least we had lovely cakes, my god the French are so much better than us at that stuff 😂
Oh the carrot and sweet potato mix with macaroni cheese and tuna, you have to give it a try Susie, it's so much better than it seems - and that was with a pretty basic tin of macaroni cheese. Maybe not for everyone but we thought it was like comfort food 🥰
And thank you, the beard will come and go, its just fun to play with dyes, but like with all things I'm sure we'll get bored with it and just grow old (dis)gracefully 😂 I hope you're well and do give Fifi a big cuddle (or a stroke if she hates cuddles like so many cats) from us both xxx ❤️
@comealongdear I know what you mean about coming home to the UK it is the familiarity. Drama happens wherever you are I guess. You are right the French do know how to make a good cake. I do like all the ingredients of your macaroni surprise so ime sure I would like it. I am good thanks Dan just chilling on this cold wet Sunday ( as is Fifi she's just been chilling for 18 hours longer) she likes strokes and cuddles and tummy tickles and is sitting with a hares breath distance between her nose and the radiator. Hope work is going OK and Daisy will soon be preparing for her next journey. Have a great week and take care Susie xx
Sunday is a good day its not about dinner anymore its getting up and watching your video
Wait, we come higher than a hallowed Sunday roast?! Nathan, that's sacrilege! 😂 But thank you so much, we're glad you enjoy them 🙏 Have a good week ❤️
Drama-Llama special today :). Lol. I do love French food, but it can be costly at times, and those tolls are expensive. But probably a good idea really, if the $ goes back into maintenance. Having returned back to blighty, and the horrendous weather, at least you have a vlog of some sunshine and joy to remember. :). When you say you are 'guards'? What work do you actually do? Is it just security of some sort? Keep well.
Hey, France is indeed expensive, tolls and food and general shopping, probably more than the UK on all counts (except, hilariously, wine..) but we do love many aspects of it. So we are just security guards, we have a regular job we go to where we are "static" security, looking after a building and doing patrols etc, and occasionally we do event work like Glastonbury or sports events for a few days. It keeps us going at least in this strange old life! Take care and thank you for watching ❤️
Sorry to hear that guys you both are due some good luck
Aah thank you, well it's just part and parcel of living in an old van, these things happen and eventually we'll sort them out and carry on as normal. As always, it could be a lot worse! ❤️
do love Steen without the a beard he looks great......
He does! I love how he looks either way but I've become accustomed to him without it now after previously loving the beard...just as it now begins to grow again 😂
dont let him....he looks georgeous now!!!!
a quiet giant
Get a kiddie lock for your fridge they really good if you cant fix it.
Aah thank you for the tip! 🙏 That might be worth doing and maybe cheaper too as the fridge part we need is surprisingly expensive for a tiny thing!
Hope things pick up for you two
You suit your beard touched up and also your natural salt and pepper look.. Great video guys
Take care 😘
Aah thank you, I'm sure I'll get bored, as it's a bit of a faff to do, but hey it's fun to play around with it 😁 Have a great Sunday x ❤️
Hi guys.. Loved watching you explore on your trip and thanks for sharing so many amazing places that I would never get to see..being from Australia it spins me out how you can drive to another country and it looks like a different world, it takes me 5 hours just to get to another state here😅.. I also love how you keep it real.. Looking forward to seeing what's next on our journey stay safe x
Hi Andy 😊 Thank you, we're pleased you've enjoyed this trip and the places we've been! We had a blast and feel lucky to have done it. It's funny you mention about the countries, we often think how amazing it would be to live where you are or in the US or Canada, and have so so much open country to explore...and then we remind ourselves, how Europe is essentially the same size but packed full of all that variety and culture! So while that can bring its own challenges, we are blessed with totally new things every few hundred miles or less technically. Still, seeing anywhere new is great, and that's why it's still fun to explore the UK for us. Thank you and see you on the next one 🥰
Ooo we have an Intermache supermarket 5km from us… have to see if they sell the Opera Cake in Portugal 🍰 😊
Haha that would be a great find, though I suspect that Intermarche is more catered to Portuguese tastes. Worth a go though 😁
D'ya think it's time for a new van?
Probably, but I think we're craving an actual "base" too, that way we might keep Daisy and mix up the two worlds, if life and finances allow, which isn't going to be easy 🙈
You make us all sit here salivating while you plough your way through delectable French treats. You are awful but we like you!
Eek sorry 😂🙈 I guess you could have imagined the taste with us, but that's just torture really. It's especially bad when you can't get this stuff very easily in the UK. As I said elsewhere, I think we might go on the hunt for French-style bakeries next time we're in a town here, there must be some somewhere. Cheers! 👍❤️
Now this may be due to our bad eyesight, but neither of us would have noticed that you had dyed the beards if you hadn't mentioned it.
Well that seemed like a nightmare journey, but glad you are back safe.
The cake at the end looked AMAZING... Did you ever find out the name so we can order one next time we drive through France. Much love Darren and Alison 🤟♥️
Hi guys! No sadly, we didn't get the name, however I've just relooked at a video clip we took and I have it- mine (Dan's) was a traditional bûche, which was basically a yule log, but more caramel and creamy as opposed to a chocolate one. Stephen's was a carré glacé. They look different in all the google pictures though!
Haha the beard thing, well, I'm glad it wasn't so obvious as if I'd stuck a fake one to my face! It's worn off now, and the grey is well and truly in force, I'm not sure if the shock of seeing that again when you've disguised it makes me want to do it more or less! I suspect I'll buzz it all off at some point regardless. It's fun to play with your image I guess, like a real-life photoshop, only with consequences 😂
Was a drama filled ending to the trip but thank god we got "home".
Much love to you both and safe travels ❤️ 🤟
as funny as fuck like watching the two ronnies,,thanks for making my day
Haha no worries, we've had worse comparisons 😂 Thanks for watching and glad it gave you a laugh this morning 😁
@@comealongdear no offence was intended i enjoy watchin your vids i like the way you show good and bad its refreshing to see keep up the good work and i look forward to your next one
Hello you two! I don’t think anything runs smoothly ( the fridge door) there is aways something 😩 Anyway Dan there is nothing wrong with dying your beard ! Us women do it all the time! Meaning hair that is! That curry looked lovely Dan . Well back for you to Blighty , I would find it depressing myself, your vlogs are always watchable! I’m looking forward to seeing in the next one . Keep safe xx
Hi Lindsay 🥰 Nope, it's never simple in our van 😂 But we muddle along. All just little challenges in life that we either choose to take on or ignore entirely 🤪
And thank you, it's good to hear about the beard, I think I'll probably do it on and off as time goes on.
It's definitely a bit depressing being back in the UK especially in freezing awful weather like this but never mind!
Anyway lovely to hear from you as always, take care and see you next time 🥰❤️
What drama. Well done for overcoming it. Glue and cable ties. Vanlifers best friends. 😂🙏🚌❤️
They are indeed, and that's about as far as our skills stretch to as well 😂 The perils of living in a van, we ought to follow in your footsteps I think 😄 Thank you ladies and hope you're coping okay up there in the Scottish winter 🤗❤️
Hi I really enjoy your videos but can t help notice that you reverse the picture quite a lot
Hi Sarah, thanks for commenting, we're not sure what you mean by reversing the picture? Glad you enjoy the videos 😊
I need a sharper knife. I've just chopped up a leek and a carrot. In the pan. Sweet chilli sauce, wholegrain rice, and spinach. I sometimes chop up leafy veg with scissors. Snow in North Lincolnshire. Now turning to rain. See you next time. ilona
PS. When you next buy a cake each, cut them in half so you can swap, and try them both.
Hi Ilona 🥰 A mouth-watering sounding dish that is, as we've come to expect from you, delicious I'm sure 😁 Our knife definitely needs to be sharper or at least, sharpened itself. I think you're right about the cake thing - we tend to pick our own, but im sure half and half would be a lot more fun for both, except if the one you didn't choose was disappointing of course 😉 I hope the snow, rain and floods haven't got you too much there, it's been very extreme the last week or so. We are coming up to Yorkshire very soon to explore some towns, so hopefully we'll get lucky and avoid anything dreadful. All the best to you ❤️
@@comealongdear Hello. Snow all gone here. Very cold with some rain. No floods near me, only puddles. My village is high up. You mentioned Driffield, that's an option. If you come down as far as the bridge I am just the other side. Free parking and use of the facilities, on my drive. Or I can come out and meet you. My email address is on the sidebar of my blog. Disguised, you will work it out. Toodle pip.
I always knew living on a hill had its benefits 😁 Good to know you're okay there. And Ilona, thank you so much for your very kind offer ❤️ That's very generous of you and we do appreciate it. It would be lovely to say hello at some point - I think we will be exploring some of the Lincolnshire wolds before heading into Yorkshire (whilst also squeezing in a first aid course for work..!) and there's a lot of town investigating to do (including yes, Driffield) but hopefully we can arrange to meet for a cuppa 🥰
@@comealongdear Yes, give me a shout.
Why don't you get a new van because once something goes wrong, everything seems to follow. i hope you get it sorted soon because you definitely need something bigger .
Hi Julie, it's definitely something we've considered, though in our experience even modern vans will have their problems. Admittedly an older one can have more, but when you live in it, I think you go through the same things no matter how old or new the vehicle is. The main worry is that her engine and mechanics are sound, and with 3 plus years on the road, Daisy's not done too badly. But, that could change of course so we are keeping our options open.
Ideally, we'd like a base so we can live somewhere in between travels and have a chance to give Daisy the tlc she needs.
Thank you and have a good week ❤️
vanderfull as alvays----
Vanderful! I like it Robert 😍 Thank you, I hope you're well in the Netherlands
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