Full-timing family: Warm welcome Halfway through their year of touring and volunteering in Europe, Karen and Warren Binedell return to western France, to help out at a small family-run site, and teach a very popular bushcraft class
Six months into their year of touring and volunteering in Europe, Karen Binedell and family pay a return visit to western France ‘It seems like yesterday we were setting off, yet here we are, having travelled 5200 miles’
AS WE MENTIONED in last month’s update, for the first time since leaving the UK, we headed west rather than east, to one of our previous hosts, Camping du Bois de St Hilaire, in Chalandray.
But unlike our first visit, where our tasks included repairing and refurbishing the mini golf course and building a fire pit, this time, we helped with front-of-house, the bar, and the site’s glamping accommodation.
Warren also ran a bushcraft club, where children staying on site could learn to build a shelter, purify water and light a fire without matches. The atmosphere was electric and there were lots of times when we were fully booked.
At times, it’s hard to believe that we have been on the road for six months.
It seems just like yesterday that we were hitching up and setting off from a small CL in St Albans, yet here we are, half a year later, having travelled 5200 miles, visited three countries, and participated in eight volunteer projects. Now we are just about ready to pack up for the ninth time and head to Belgium.
Home on wheels
The journey has surpassed our expectations on absolutely every level. We have been welcomed with open arms by each and every person we have met along the way. Our little home on wheels has provided the perfect base for our family and ensured that, no matter where we are, we are completely self-sufficient.
It is also remarkable to see how much our children have grown and adapted to life on the road. All three of them have managed to keep up with their home-school curriculum, as well as assisting with all of the volunteer projects.
Our eldest, Sebastian, is preparing for his IGCSES in France next year. They have all learnt new languages and made new friends.
The next six months sees us take on uncharted territory. We will tow our caravan north for winter, and head to countries we have not visited before. So here’s to our next adventure!