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00:01Who hasn't wondered about making a fresh start under blue skies?
00:06Oh, it's the sun!
00:07That's the reason. We're here.
00:09We don't want to leave. We don't.
00:12But turning those dreams into reality is the challenge of a lifetime.
00:17The biggest concern for us is money, cos we have none.
00:20Our expats are leaping over Brexit barriers...
00:23In my mind, the world is my oyster.
00:25..and smiling in the face of adversity.
00:27That's what you do, is drive passion.
00:30..setting up anything from silent discos in Spain...
00:34You don't need to panic, Abbie.
00:36I'm not panicking, I'm not panicking.
00:39..to curiosity-themed B&Bs in Italy.
00:43Sliced brains, anybody?
00:45..they're on a white-knuckle ride...
00:47Oh! Oh, dear.
00:49..and hanging on by their fingertips...
00:52Ooh! Ooh! ..as they begin their new lives in the sun.
00:56Quite a long time for this.
00:58It's not a dream anymore.
00:59It's real.
01:02Today, there's no end in sight for an Italian renovation project.
01:06Once you remove one bit,
01:08you notice three other jobs that need doing.
01:10..but there's light at the end of the tunnel in Spain.
01:13Oh, we have a wall.
01:14A big wall.
01:15Quite a big wall.
01:17..while new arrivals in Portugal get stuck in...
01:20..try to do it like this.
01:22Do it like this.
01:23OK?
01:24Scoop it from the side.
01:26And the game's afoot in France.
01:29Ooh! Competition on.
01:31That's mine.
01:32That's yours, isn't it?
01:33Yeah, you pick your own up.
01:34Excuse me.
01:42The wishbone-shaped lake Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe.
01:47Its famous blue waters are a magnet for holidaymakers
01:51from across the globe.
01:53Across the lake from the celebrity hotspot of Bellagio
01:56is the town of Tremezzo.
01:59And it's for this very place
02:01that one couple are hoping to ditch their lives in Dorset.
02:05It's a lovely spot to sit up here and just look across to Bellagio.
02:08I just love the spectacular lake view.
02:11It's beautiful.
02:12Absolutely beautiful.
02:13Complete change, isn't it?
02:15Complete change.
02:15Yeah.
02:16Company director Ashley and solicitor Summer
02:19want to leave the UK to open a bed and breakfast
02:22in this popular part of Italy.
02:24I think my favourite thing is the whole outside life.
02:29Everything seems very colourful here.
02:32Very vibrant, bright.
02:34Flowers seem to be everywhere.
02:36Buildings are colourful.
02:38But much to Summer's dismay,
02:40the four-storey property they've spent €360,000 on
02:45is missing a certain bit of Italian charm.
02:48I didn't expect so much grey.
02:52We bought the house for the view.
02:55That's what you're buying.
02:58A refresh of the exterior is just one thing
03:01on the long list of improvements the couple are working on.
03:05They've gutted the interior and are putting in four en suite bedrooms with a shared dining room and kitchen.
03:13But after buying the property for €360,000 plus budgeting €150,000 for the renovation,
03:21Summer and Ashley are desperate for the house to start bringing in an income.
03:26Sometimes we have the moment where we say, no money in the bank, what have we done?
03:30And then you've just got to look at the photos or the view and think what you're going to achieve.
03:36It's all part of the challenge.
03:37And when it's done, it's like you look back and think, oh, that wasn't too bad.
03:40But when you're in it, it's bonkers.
03:44It's April 2024, and although Summer and Ashley had planned to be open for guests this season, the place is
03:52nowhere near ready.
03:54When we first looked at the house, I looked at it and thought, oh, yeah, OK, I could do this,
03:59this, this, this.
04:00But it always ends up being a lot more, because once you remove one bit, you notice three other jobs
04:04that need doing.
04:05And also the whole place has to come up to code, current code, within the best of its ability, being
04:12technically, it's like a listed building.
04:14The guest bedrooms and bathrooms are starting to take shape.
04:17But the ground floor and exterior are still very much a work in progress.
04:22And it's all had an effect on the budget.
04:26Plenty of stuff on the credit card.
04:30At the end of it, I'll be completely broke.
04:34But looking at this every day is just so worth it, just so worth the risk.
04:38To keep a handle on the budget, Ashley is doing as many of the small jobs as he can.
04:44Turn it over, two more coats, and ready to go, on to the next one.
04:50But the unforeseen costs have been racking up, including some specialist work best left to the professionals.
04:58We've had to put almost foundations in, because the building sits on the ground, that's it.
05:03So we've had to run damp-proof course in, and then put reinforced concrete in, in order to build this
05:09area.
05:11You can see here, where they've had to chase in the walls to put the electric in.
05:16They've had to cut through this rock.
05:18As you can see, it's all made of great big local boulders, which makes it just so much more difficult
05:24to actually get things done.
05:26So that's sort of the difficulty we have with this sort of old building.
05:31Originally, the couple hoped to be living here full-time by now.
05:35But post-Brexit paperwork delays have meant they can only stay for 90 days at a time.
05:42And as Summer can't do her job remotely yet, she's stuck in the UK more than she'd like.
05:48Two years ago I would have been very frustrated by it, but now I'm kind of getting into the lifestyle
05:53and it's just, it'll come when it comes.
05:55With the project nearly a year behind schedule, it's become clear the business won't be open till 2025.
06:03So to get some cash flowing in instead of out, they've doubled down and made a radical new investment.
06:11Against my best intentions, Summer found another apartment just two minutes down the road.
06:20So we've got another project working on now as well, or I have.
06:24They've had to borrow more money to buy the small studio flat, but it also comes with a stunning lake
06:31view and a shorter to-do list.
06:33Initially I was very worried about taking on a second property, but the good thing with this is a quick
06:39turnaround.
06:40We can get this making money straight away to support us in the bigger project.
06:45So it's a quick win, hopefully.
06:57For many Brits, moving abroad means making some serious sacrifices, whether it's cutting back on purchases or leaving behind friends
07:06and family.
07:06It's just perfect, isn't it? Yeah, this is lovely.
07:10But what Tom and Terry from Norfolk sacrificed was a sense of stability, as they traded in their lives as
07:17a gift shop owner and hairdresser and hit the Spanish roads in a camper van.
07:21Once you're here, it's all worth it. I don't think we've ever thought one day we shouldn't have done this.
07:28You know, it's been, from day one we knew we'd made the right move.
07:31After more than a year of exploring the country, they finally settled in the village of Bedar, where they bought
07:38this small bed and breakfast for 230,000 euros.
07:42The actual initial overheads of your life are like a fraction of the cost of living in the UK.
07:50The vegan couple are undertaking extensive renovations before they reopen as a fully plant-based two-bedroom B&B.
07:59There's that little bit of time for it to evolve as a business and for it to grow naturally, but
08:03I think it's in our nature to make it a success.
08:06It's got to work, really.
08:09It's August. Tom and Terry have spent almost four months staying at a neighbour's house, but the end is finally
08:16in sight for the renovations.
08:20Their modernised Andalusian-style kitchen is coming together.
08:26And the luxurious plunge pool is taking shape.
08:32But the view from street level is a bit less inspiring.
08:36We have a wall.
08:38A big wall.
08:39Quite a big wall.
08:40It looks enormous.
08:42But is it too big?
08:45I'm going to start from where people would come from.
08:49See if you can see me in my bikini suit.
08:52Imagine I'm just stood, like, sun-creaming myself or something.
08:57Yeah, you wouldn't see from there.
08:59On the top one, you'd just see this much of your head.
09:02And I'm quite tall.
09:03I'm 6'2", so...
09:04Yeah.
09:04..I think it needs to be that extra one, otherwise you're going to regret it and think we need it
09:08to be one extra brick, you know.
09:09We'll leave it at that.
09:10We're not knocking any bricks off.
09:12I think that is the right decision.
09:14Tick.
09:16Wall height sorted.
09:20Tom and Terry's next job is to pack a bag.
09:24I need my readers.
09:26Because they're off on a very important business trip.
09:29We're having a little night away because, believe it or not, this sounds crazy, but we've never stayed in a
09:35B&B and we're just about to open a B&B, so we thought maybe we should have a look
09:40at one and see how it works and what they do.
09:43Right, let's go.
09:4744 kilometres north in the heart of the Andalusian countryside, fellow expats Steve and Josie are waiting to play host
09:55to the newbies.
09:57Tom, Terry?
09:58Terry.
09:59Hi, Tom.
10:00You too.
10:01How are you?
10:03After going through their own long renovation process, Steve and Josie are thrilled to show off their music-themed bed
10:10and breakfast.
10:13Wow.
10:13Wow, this is lovely.
10:16What a nice space.
10:17So cool.
10:18So this is what we call the Roadhouse.
10:20This is the breakfast room.
10:21I love the jukebox as well.
10:23Yeah.
10:24All free play, so you can pop the jukebox on in the morning.
10:29So come on through, guys.
10:31This is your room for the night.
10:33So this is the Janice Joplin room that we're in.
10:36Wow.
10:36It's really lovely.
10:39Steve and Josie have three rooms to let, and guests also have access to Steve's rather extensive music library.
10:48But the piece de resistance is the courtyard.
10:52Oh, no, sir.
10:53This is the pool area.
10:55Well, it's pretty special, isn't it?
10:57Wow.
10:57Well, we could do proper lengths in this one.
10:59You can.
11:00What a great space.
11:02It makes our plunge pool we're having created at the moment look a bit pathetic.
11:06It does, really, yeah.
11:08Tour over, it's time for Tom and Terry to try out life on the other side of the check-in
11:13counter.
11:15How refreshing.
11:17At their very first bed and breakfast experience.
11:21Well, I mean, what's not to like about this amazing pool, peaceful.
11:26This is everything you want, I suppose, from a B&B.
11:28It's very welcoming and it's very personal.
11:31So I think that sort of resonates with us, because we want it to be as personal as possible,
11:36but also let people feel relaxed and at home.
11:40And, you know, it's just hitting that balance.
11:42And I think it's just about right here.
11:44We're loving it here already.
11:46We don't want to leave.
11:47We don't.
11:48Why is Brooklyn?
11:49We'll have to drag us out.
11:53Wow.
12:00Coming up...
12:01The budget is the budget and there's nowhere to go after that.
12:05Money woes strike newcomers to Portugal.
12:08And we're panicking that we won't have enough to finish the project.
12:13And over in France, will perfection be the enemy of good?
12:17So if it's not level, it's not right, is it?
12:30For many brave Brits moving abroad, the cheaper cost of living is simply a bonus to their new lifestyle.
12:38Shall we head towards the beach?
12:40But for Yorkshire couple Louise and Shay and their two boys, 11-year-old Jonas and 8-year-old Finlay...
12:48Fantastic views, guys.
12:49..it was what pushed them to pack up and leave their home.
12:53We were getting to the point in the UK where we simply couldn't earn enough to keep living the way
13:00that we wanted to live.
13:02That's a good one. If you get the right technique, get low.
13:05We didn't go out for meals. We mostly did our clothes shopping at charity shops.
13:11It was just working to pay the bills, to live with no...
13:17No fun? No.
13:19Yeah.
13:20Determined to give their family a better quality of life...
13:24Is it nice?
13:26Oh, it's really warm.
13:27..massage therapist Louise and personal trainer Shay closed their UK businesses, sold their three-bed semi for £265,000 and
13:37moved to central Portugal.
13:40Being here is bliss. You know, there's just so much more freedom and the boys love it.
13:49For €110,000, the couple bought two hectares of land.
13:54The main house was built in the 1950s and has three bedrooms, one bathroom, indoor and outdoor living spaces and
14:03it all needs renovating.
14:07We're not very conventional people so, you know, we're excited about what we've got here and the different things that
14:13we can do with it.
14:16But as well as living here, the couple have big plans to turn their new home into a money spinner
14:21too.
14:22First on the list is turning this tiny derelict dwelling into a holiday let.
14:30One of the outbuildings will become a treatment room for Louise to restart a massage business.
14:36And another will be a personal training studio for Shay.
14:40But with a budget of just €46,000 to complete everything, they certainly have their work cut out.
14:47It does feel quite overwhelming to think about how much work there's to do.
14:55But we will make it work. We have to make it work.
14:58Moving back to the UK just isn't an option.
15:02It's February and the builders are hard at work on the holiday let.
15:06The plan is to put the kitchen and lounge on the first floor with the bedroom and bathroom downstairs.
15:12Today, foreman Carlos and his team are hoping to complete construction of the upstairs.
15:19We need to fill this now. After we fill it we can cut the boards and everything all around.
15:25And to speed things along, Shay has volunteered to help.
15:29Try to do it like this. Feel it like this.
15:33OK? Scoop it from the side.
15:41Do you know what? When I was 18, I got my NVQ level 2 in Brick Lane.
15:51I never used it. Until now.
15:56To make the most of the busy summer season, they're hoping the work will be finished by mid-June.
16:04And at the rate the builders are working, they're feeling confident.
16:08It's been about an hour since I was last here.
16:11It changes so quickly.
16:15Yeah, it's moving quickly. It's moving a lot quicker now that I am here.
16:24But three weeks later, things aren't looking quite as good.
16:28Rising labour costs and some unforeseen expenses, like a handmade staircase, bespoke windows and doors, and a brand new septic
16:38tank, have drained the couple's bank account.
16:41Budget-wise, it has become a concern.
16:44We've got 28,000 euros left.
16:47And we're panicking that we won't have enough to finish the project.
16:52The budget is the budget and there's nowhere to go after that.
16:55So, we either run out of money or we get it done.
17:02They've had to make some tough decisions.
17:06And work on the treatment room, fitness studio and family home have stopped.
17:13The little house has to be the priority because that's where we can start earning some money.
17:20We need to start taking bookings for that as soon as possible so that then we can generate more cash
17:27for the other aspects of the business.
17:33I wouldn't say that I have moments where I'm thinking, what have we done? That's never entered my mind.
17:40But I kind of maybe have moments where it's like, you know, what do we do?
17:53The Dordogne's diverse landscape sits between the lush green fields of the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, making it the
18:02perfect place for open road enthusiasts to explore.
18:06Ex-builder Paul and his wife Fiona, a former educator, have spent the last eight years here converting an old
18:14farm into a holiday villa in the hopes of attracting some like-minded guests.
18:19Because I have a passion for motorbikes, I thought we could create a villa where groups of people could come
18:25and stay and maybe we could do guided tours of the Dordogne.
18:30I was absolutely in agreement with it because I could see a way of changing our lifestyle and showing people
18:36what we fell in love with all those years ago.
18:40It's June and Paul and Fiona are hard at work on their new Petonc pitch.
18:45But after facing rain delays, they now have the opposite problem. The summer sun is pushing temperatures close to 40
18:53degrees.
18:56The first step is to spread a layer of fine gravel over the base they've already put down.
19:07I'm always in the way.
19:09But Paul is soon feeling the heat.
19:14Oh, my darling.
19:15It's better than a curry.
19:21While Paul packs the gravel down, Fiona's job is to move the timber frame.
19:27Got to be careful because they're quite long.
19:29And we've got windows and doors that I need to be careful of.
19:34I have been known to be a bit accident prone.
19:37For Paul, it's a matter of principle that the Petonc pitch is perfect.
19:41I was a builder.
19:43My father was a builder.
19:45Very much a perfectionist and that rubs off.
19:48So, if it's not level, it's not right, is it?
19:51There's your three metres, OK?
19:53And the timber frame that stops the balls rolling away...
19:56And there's four metres.
19:58..must also have precise right angles.
20:01So, the next one will be five and that will make it perfectly 90 degrees.
20:09But with the heat rising, it's a good job mad dogs and English builders
20:14still go out in the midday sun.
20:16Or the pitch might not be finished today.
20:20Paul's actually got too hot.
20:21He's taken his shirt off.
20:22He works better when he's cooler.
20:33Good job.
20:35Luckily, the temperature drops enough for Paul to put his shirt back on.
20:39And after another hour of hard graft, the Petonc pitch is ready.
20:45La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!
20:47We won, we won, we done the job!
20:51You're loco.
20:53But before they let any guests loose on it,
20:57it's time to give it a test run.
20:59Ready? Yeah.
21:00Don't really know how you play it, but...
21:01The ball should roll a little, but not too much.
21:04Oh, it rolls well, doesn't it?
21:05Oh, it rolls well.
21:07Oh!
21:08And it looks like it's Petonc pitch perfect!
21:12Ooh! Competition on!
21:17I think that's how you do it. I'm the closest.
21:22That's mine.
21:23That's yours, isn't it?
21:24Yeah, you pick your own up.
21:25Excuse me.
21:28The pitch is another excellent selling point for their property,
21:32and after a sweltering day of work,
21:34Paul and Fiona take the chance to enjoy another one,
21:37the swimming pool.
21:39Paul after me.
21:47Coming up...
21:48Which is a drama after drama, isn't it?
21:51...Summer gives DIY a try.
21:54Flat packing is definitely not my forte.
21:58It feels like a real little hidden gem in the centre of Bedard.
22:01Yeah.
22:01Tom and Terry have to get a move on.
22:05There's a really big push now,
22:06because we've got, like, a couple of weeks before our first trial guests.
22:10And Louise and Shay get their hands dirty.
22:13We've run out of money to pay for the builders,
22:15so we have to do it ourselves.
22:25Back in Tremezzo, there's been a spot of good news.
22:29Summer's job is allowing her to work remotely,
22:31so she can now spend more time in Italy
22:34helping with their two renovation projects.
22:38Although progress on the main house is still slow,
22:41the studio apartment is coming along nicely.
22:44Right, so...
22:47Bathroom's gone.
22:48Bathroom's out.
22:48Yep, that's all that.
22:50Electrics are in.
22:51Good work.
22:52And then kitchen out, tiles off,
22:55and then re-skim the walls.
22:56Excellent.
22:57And that's going to be skimmed,
22:59and then the new kitchen will be going in there.
23:02I really like this one.
23:04It's easier, more manageable.
23:07A lot smaller.
23:08Not as scary as the other one.
23:10Which is a drama after drama, isn't it?
23:13This one seems to be nice and straightforward.
23:16Take something out, put a new one in...
23:17..and hopefully done.
23:20With no chance of an income from the B&B this year,
23:24Summer and Ashley have pinned all their hopes
23:26on getting the flat rented as soon as possible.
23:30So, over the next two months,
23:33it's a hive of activity.
23:37And by the end of July, there's a distinct light
23:41at the end of the tunnel.
23:45So, we hope that this apartment should be finished,
23:48hopefully, in the next two days.
23:50It really needs to be.
23:51We've got visitors on Saturday, which I'm excited about.
23:54Ash's godmother, Anne, and her husband, Alan.
23:57They'll be the very first visitors,
23:59and we want it to look beautiful.
24:01Anne and Alan used to run a guest house themselves,
24:04so Summer's keen to impress them
24:06and get their professional opinions.
24:08Bit nervous, I have to say.
24:11But when I look around, I think,
24:13I'm sure we're just about there.
24:14If we had another week, I'd feel really happy.
24:17But I think we'll be OK.
24:20With no time to lose,
24:22Summer gets stuck in with some light DIY.
24:26Flat packing is definitely not my forte.
24:30But we've got this up,
24:32and I'm just trying to finish it off.
24:34Slightly struggling.
24:36I don't think I've ever done DIY, actually, I have to say.
24:40Never done flat pack furniture.
24:42Never really done painting.
24:45It's harder work than I thought.
24:47That looks better.
24:48There we go.
24:49We're winning.
24:51But help arrives in the form of Ashley,
24:53their friend Nicola,
24:55and a bounty of potted plants.
24:57Oh, they're lovely.
24:59It's going to look really nice.
25:00The red one's beautiful.
25:02Very pretty.
25:04Successful shopping trip.
25:07And then it's all hands on deck
25:09to transform the flat from an empty shell...
25:16..into a cosy holiday let.
25:18That's perfect.
25:19And I think if we go up a bit as well...
25:21Yeah.
25:23Perfect.
25:24..and by the end of the afternoon,
25:26they've made a massive dent in the to-do list.
25:31That looks absolutely fabulous.
25:33I think we've pretty much transformed it
25:36into something habitable,
25:38and it looks really pretty.
25:40Good day's work, isn't it?
25:42Yeah.
25:44Three days later, the flat is complete.
25:47It's come a long way from a run-down apartment...
25:51..and now has all the mod cons needed for a comfortable stay.
25:55It's not a big space, but it looks lovely and spacious.
25:59The colours are great, and, uh...
26:01Yeah.
26:02It's brilliant.
26:03The first guests to try it out are Ashley's godmother, Anne,
26:08and her husband, Alan,
26:09who have travelled all the way from Australia.
26:12Because they're the first visitors,
26:13obviously we're a bit nervous.
26:17Hello!
26:18Hello!
26:19Finally!
26:19Hello, my dear.
26:20Absolutely lovely to meet you.
26:22Yes, lovely to meet you.
26:23Lovely to see you.
26:24Yes, it is lovely to meet us, isn't it?
26:25Oh, wow.
26:26It really is, it really is.
26:28Exactly like I thought it was going to be.
26:31Having had a B&B ourselves, it's lovely.
26:33Really, really nice.
26:34You've done well.
26:35And you've colour-coordinated everything, which is really good.
26:38We've cried.
26:40Anne and Alan are staying for four nights,
26:42and Summer and Ashley are hoping they've thought of everything
26:45that will make their stay a perfect one.
26:49It's your family, but I was still nervous.
26:51She looked so surprised, didn't she?
26:54Yeah.
26:55Pleasantly surprised, and she said it was really lovely.
26:58And we'll see how it goes for the next three or four days,
27:01and find out later on how she's gone with it.
27:04But I think it'll be spot on for them.
27:05Yeah.
27:06So, we'll wait and see.
27:07With so much riding on turning this flat into a viable business,
27:11let's hope they get rave reviews.
27:19Back in Andalusia, while builders are hard at work on Tom and Terry's B&B,
27:25the couple themselves are living the good life as guests instead of hosts.
27:29And now they're ready to try the breakfast half of their first B&B experience.
27:35Ooh, wow, look at this.
27:36There we go.
27:37We've put some banana loaf in.
27:39Wow, look at that.
27:40Oh, that looks amazing.
27:41And some peanut butter.
27:43Enjoy.
27:44Enjoy your breakfast, guys.
27:47See you later.
27:48Bye.
27:49As Tom and Terry are vegan, Steve and Josie have gone the extra mile to make them feel welcome.
27:55So, we've got soya desserts, soya yoghurt, we've got a nice jug of almond milk for the coffee, juice.
28:03Ooh, and fruit salad.
28:08And the couple are taking notes about how to make running a bed and breakfast as stress-free as possible.
28:15It's interesting, there's so many things you can buy from the supermarket anyway to make up a buffet.
28:19So, we eat without making anything at all.
28:21It is ready.
28:22Yoghurt, cereal, milks, fruit, obviously, anyway.
28:26So, I think, although we'll be making some cooked stuff, you don't always have to do that because you don't
28:31always want a cooked breakfast in the sun, do you?
28:33So, it's also interesting that they kind of let you get on with the breakfast and they don't have...
28:38That's quite nice.
28:38Yeah.
28:39Just one night as guests and Tom and Terry are already rethinking their approach to the business.
28:46It's been really useful to see how they do it.
28:49So much of what we've been doing so far has been about the aesthetics and the design of the space,
28:55whereas I think coming here has made us remember that it's mainly about making people welcome and creating a feeling.
29:01So, yeah, we've got lots to take back and start putting in place for when we finally open Casa Thrive.
29:08Thanks for a lovely stay.
29:10Oh, you're welcome.
29:11I'm welcome.
29:11Glad you enjoyed it, darling.
29:13It was absolute pleasure to have them here.
29:15Yeah, we loved having them here.
29:17Bye, guys.
29:17Nice to see you guys.
29:18Thanks so much.
29:19Bye.
29:20Bye.
29:21And I love the whole vegan thing.
29:23I think they're going to get a lot of people, a lot of interest.
29:26And I think they're going to make a great success of their B&B.
29:36Six weeks later, Tom and Terry's plunge pool is ready and waiting for guests.
29:42It feels like a real little hidden gem in the centre of Bedar.
29:45Yeah, because there's not many places in the village that have got a little pool, really.
29:48So, to have one feels quite special.
29:51And I think it's USP, really, as a B&B.
29:54But the even more exciting news is that the couple has finally been able to move back in.
30:01The whole of the downstairs on their side is now complete, including the kitchen.
30:07Although they decided against using Terry's handmade pendant lights,
30:11they're thrilled with the end product.
30:14The lounge area has also been transformed.
30:19That first night we sat in here and watched TV, we were like,
30:23is this real or is this a dream?
30:25Well, it's hard to remember that there was double doors here.
30:29And this was like a thoroughfare through the living space.
30:32So, now it's made it so much more usable.
30:36And the entrance through to the kitchen over there...
30:39It just works somehow.
30:40Yeah.
30:42The B&B side of the CASA still needs finishing off,
30:46but Tom and Terry have been given the go-ahead to start decorating.
30:50It's looking good, Terry.
30:51And they'd better get a wriggle on, because they're expecting some VIP guests.
30:56We've got, like, a couple of weeks before our first trial guest, so it's...
31:00And who is the trial guest?
31:01It's the president of the Almaria Vegan Society,
31:04and she's come in with her husband.
31:06To get their seal of approval is quite important to us,
31:09so, yeah, we're going to push on and we can do it.
31:12We'll give it our all.
31:14We will.
31:21Back in Portugal, it's May.
31:23And although it's taken all of their budget and more,
31:27Louise and Shay's little upside-down holiday cottage is nearly guest-ready.
31:33The builders have worked really, really hard on it,
31:36and we've got to this stage in really good time.
31:39The handmade staircase was worth every penny,
31:43and the €3,000 worth of bespoke windows and doors
31:47flood the rooms with natural light.
31:49But not everything has been changed.
31:53We wanted to keep it slightly rustic,
31:57being that it's an old building in central rural Portugal.
32:02We wanted to keep the exposed stone as much as possible,
32:06and we think that that's come up nicely.
32:09So, this is the ground floor, bathroom and bedroom area.
32:16As the build went over budget and they've got no income,
32:19Louise and Shay are desperate to get the holiday-let side of the business going,
32:24so they can put any profits into the rest of the renovations.
32:28It feels like we're pretty close to being able to advertise.
32:35It's within touching distance, really, isn't it?
32:38It's scary and exciting. It's scary.
32:39It's scary and exotic.
32:43Before they can advertise, they need a special licence,
32:47but the couple are holding off on applying
32:49until the little house is closer to completion.
32:53Today, they're working on the outdoor terrace.
32:55So, I'm just patching up here.
32:58I'll just put a coat on and let it harden a bit
33:03and then finish it off neatly.
33:07We've run out of money to pay for the builders
33:09to do anything more than what they're currently coming back to do,
33:13so we have to do it ourselves.
33:16That's basically whatever's left to do is what we have to do now.
33:20Whether we're good at it or not.
33:25That'll do. I'm hungry.
33:31Seven weeks later, the cottage is finally finished and furnished.
33:36The courtyard area is newly painted and ready for guests.
33:40All they need is their licence, and they could get it at any moment.
33:46Check your phone now.
33:48This is what we've been...
33:53My hands are shaking. Shaking.
33:57The Turismo de Portugal has awarded the following registration number
34:01to the local accommodation establishment identified below.
34:05Yay!
34:07Hee-hee!
34:09Thank goodness for that!
34:11Oh, that's it.
34:15I'm buzzing from that.
34:17I don't know why I'm still holding a parasol, but...
34:21I mean, we've put all this money, time and effort into the little house
34:27and all the time in the back of my mind has been,
34:30what do we do if they don't give us the licence?
34:33So, massive relief, yes, definitely.
34:36It is.
34:36I could cry, actually, right now.
34:38Yeah.
34:39But now, actually, what's going through my head
34:41is the different sort of hard work that's to come
34:44and the ups and downs of getting bookings, not getting bookings.
34:49I know, but, Lou, this house has a licence!
34:53Yay!
34:54Brilliant.
35:01Coming up...
35:03Today is for you to see the work that we've done here.
35:07Yeah.
35:08Paul and Fiona have a very important visitor to impress.
35:12And you, you, you make all...?
35:15All the work.
35:16Mm.
35:16Yeah, all the work.
35:18Look at my labour work.
35:20So are you, I see.
35:22And Summer and Ashley face their greatest foe yet, paperwork.
35:27After 18 months of waiting, it's sort of D-Day.
35:30We're here at the Visa Centre.
35:41Back in the Dordogne, it's July
35:43and Paul and Fiona have a busy day ahead.
35:46This afternoon, they're scouting out a new cycle route
35:49they can recommend to guests.
35:51But first on the agenda is a visit from the local Grand Fromage,
35:56the mayor, Monsieur Chapelet.
36:00Bonjour, Monsieur.
36:01Bonjour.
36:01Ça va? Oui.
36:03Oui, oui. Bonjour.
36:05So, today is for you to see the work that we've done here.
36:11Yeah, yeah.
36:12And just for you to know what we have done.
36:15It will be perhaps very difficult to me to explain,
36:18but when I was younger, I knew the family was living here.
36:23Yeah, yeah.
36:24I am happy, very happy to visit your house.
36:27Oh, merci.
36:28I have it.
36:30I am eating one time here.
36:32Yes.
36:33I don't remember.
36:34There is a door here.
36:35Yes.
36:36Yes.
36:38And here, there was a wine yard and I came to help him.
36:43Ah, OK.
36:43To make the wine yard.
36:44Yeah, yeah, yeah.
36:45It's the reason I am eating here in the kitchen.
36:48Ah, OK.
36:48But there was a wall through here.
36:51OK.
36:51And there was a door going into the kitchen.
36:54OK, OK.
36:54And then there was a wall here with the door going into a small room
36:58and then the door going on through.
36:59OK.
37:02Mayors play a hugely important role in the life of every French commune,
37:06so the couple are keen to impress him.
37:10There's a lot of work.
37:11Yes, yes, there's lots of work, but very, very enjoyable.
37:15And you, you, you make all...
37:18All the work.
37:19All.
37:19Yeah, all the work.
37:21Oh.
37:22Look at my labour work.
37:24So you are.
37:25So you are.
37:26Crazy.
37:27Crazy.
37:28Everything.
37:30Everything.
37:30Ah oui.
37:31Ah oui.
37:32The tour continues outside.
37:34And the Great Wall of Tenac.
37:36With some added luxuries that were definitely not there the last time
37:40the mayor saw the farm.
37:42Oh, it's beautiful.
37:44It's, er, it's all turned out really well.
37:47We're very pleased.
37:48Oh, you will like this.
37:49Yeah.
37:49Come and have a look at this.
37:50Trying to keep in the tradition of France.
37:53Yeah.
37:53I put a petonc pitch.
37:54Ah, OK.
37:56Do you play petonc?
37:57Yeah.
37:58Just a little.
38:00If you have a group of you, er, four or five or six of you,
38:04it's good fun.
38:04It's good fun.
38:05Yeah.
38:05She always wins.
38:08The visit has been a smashing success.
38:11And with any luck, Monsieur Chapelet can help spread the word
38:16to potential guests.
38:19After a perfect morning, Paul and Fiona have plenty of time
38:23to hop on their bikes.
38:27We tend to go in and just find some new routes that are a couple of hours long,
38:31maybe, something like that, suitable for families to do.
38:34The plan is that we would like also to encourage, besides the motorcycles,
38:38but the cyclists as well.
38:39It's nice to be able to say, oh, it's nice to go here because you can visit this place.
38:43And it's nice to go there because you can visit that place.
38:45Er, today, there's a lake called...
38:48I'm pretty sure it's called Lac de L'Escarou.
38:51That's the one.
38:51I think that's how you say it.
38:52L'Escarou.
38:53I'm sure the French will say it differently.
38:55But, um, yeah, so we'll head out there.
38:57And we'll just, we'll just see how many kilometres we do,
39:01see what the timings are like, um, and just plan a circular route,
39:05because very often you don't want to come back the same way.
39:08The couple have invested in some e-bikes
39:10that make all the difference on the hilly terrain,
39:13because while the Dordogne is spectacular, it isn't flat.
39:18It's nice up here.
39:19Yeah.
39:20Just imagine trying to ride this if you didn't have any power.
39:22I wouldn't be doing it.
39:24I'd be up and pushing the bike by now.
39:28That's why they're called push bikes, isn't it?
39:30While there's no question they've chosen a beautiful place to live,
39:34now that their villa is open for guests,
39:37it's time to see if they can make a success of being hosts.
39:46It's sunrise in Tremezzo, and superhost Ashley is up with the Sparrows,
39:52ready to chauffeur guests Anne and Alan back to Milan.
39:56It's half six.
39:58It's very quiet here in Tremezzo,
40:01and, um, I'm just going to get them off to the airport,
40:05but I think they've enjoyed their state.
40:10This is next level, you'd have to say.
40:12There's something special here.
40:15Fabulous job.
40:15There's been a lot of work put into this.
40:17The bed was perfect.
40:17It was excellent.
40:18Um, it was, the bathroom's lovely.
40:21Just everything.
40:22It was great.
40:23We did suggest to them about having a nightlight in the toilet,
40:27because one doesn't want to kick their toe in the middle of the night.
40:31I wish, perhaps, a microwave,
40:33and, quite honestly, that really is the only thing that I missed.
40:38Yes.
40:38Everything else is perfect, so it'll do well.
40:42With the flat ready to go,
40:44Summer and Ashley are hoping they can soon rent it out to paying guests,
40:48which will help fund the bigger renovation project
40:51and push it over the line.
40:56Bye!
40:57Ciao!
41:0112 days later, Summer and Ashley are back on their home turf
41:04for a very important meeting.
41:07After 18 months of waiting, it's sort of D-Day.
41:10We're here at the Visa Centre to hand all the paperwork in,
41:14in the hope that we can...
41:15They'll go, yeah, that's fine.
41:16We'll take our passports, send them off in seven days' time,
41:19and it'll all be wonderful.
41:20But after a year and a half of tangling with bureaucracy,
41:23they're not taking this meeting for granted.
41:26There's still that little element of doubt that...
41:29because it's been taking so long.
41:31The longer it takes, the more complicated it seems to become,
41:33but we'll see.
41:34So far, they've spent more than 3,000 euros each on their applications,
41:38and this isn't even the final step.
41:41They still need approval in Italy,
41:43which will mean yet another charge and could take months.
41:47You in the queue? No.
41:49But much to their surprise, the meeting turns out to be a mere formality.
41:56Bit of an anticlimax.
41:57After 18 months of making sure I had duplicates or everything,
42:00went upstairs and paid my 206 quid.
42:03Got a receipt, look.
42:05That's 18 months, ten seconds, and there you go.
42:08Ten seconds. We were literally in there for less than five minutes.
42:14Just over three weeks later, they're back in Tremezzo,
42:18and although they're still waiting on the Italian half of their visas,
42:22it's a big day.
42:25After over a year and a half of renovations,
42:28their bed and breakfast is nearly complete.
42:33And they're expecting their first trial guests.
42:38We've got four hours until they arrive,
42:39so we've been through the house,
42:42we've done all the pictures and the walls,
42:43we've bought the coffee cups,
42:46we've bought the glasses, pedal bins.
42:48It was surprising, actually,
42:50how much money went on just four times of everything.
42:54But once they're all dressed, they look really lovely.
42:57The four bedrooms have been transformed
42:58into clean and inviting spaces,
43:01all with ensuite bathrooms.
43:04The hallways and staircases look simple but stylish.
43:09The only fly in the ointment
43:11is that the downstairs kitchen dining area
43:13and the exterior are still a work in progress.
43:17But eager to get some constructive feedback
43:19and hosting experience
43:21before they're officially open to paying guests,
43:24Summer and Ashley have invited friends and acquaintances
43:27to give the place a test run.
43:31They're here just for two nights until Sunday.
43:34And then we've got someone else arriving
43:37in the apartment on Saturday.
43:39And then really probably for mid next week
43:41is when we start having a lot more friends coming
43:43and all rooms will be full.
43:45I think we'll soon find out the work involved in a B&B.
43:52There?
43:53No, a bit lower.
43:54Lower?
43:56You dream of doing something for this amount of time
43:58and then you throw every bit of money in you have,
44:01plus other people's money,
44:03and you're just reaching that end of, like,
44:05I'm running out my credit card limit,
44:06I'm running out my loan.
44:07It's a bit of mixed feelings.
44:08It's to be like, oh, right,
44:09well, I suppose there's no more dreaming now.
44:11I've actually got to do this.
44:12And will I be able to do this?
44:14They'll soon find out.
44:19Next time, it's looking like an eventful end
44:22to the summer season for our Brits.
44:25I think this would not pass at the Ritz,
44:26so we might have to do something about that.
44:29As Tom and Terry finally open their doors.
44:33These are the realities of running a B&B, I think.
44:35I don't like it.
44:37Meanwhile, Paul and Fiona are missing something.
44:40We do have a slight problem this morning.
44:42We don't have any water.
44:44Shea and Louise's plans are half-baked.
44:47Oh, the oven's gone off.
44:48I think it hasn't gone off.
44:49Why has it gone off?
44:50And it's a big day for Summer and Ashley.
44:53I think it went really, really well,
44:55and, you know, it feels really worth it.
45:14I think it is.
45:17And it's a big day for her.
45:22We should've been wanting to get home.
45:22I think it's a big day for her.
45:22I think it went all the way so that she could be able to get home to get home.
45:22And I'm sorry I have to give up.
45:23That's my business.
45:23And a big day for her.
45:26I think that's the home of the family's plans.
45:26The family's plans are going to have fun.
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