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00:01From the glistening waters of the Med to the mountainous Alps,
00:05all across Europe, brave Brits are chasing new beginnings.
00:09Let's get this show on the road, huh?
00:11I mean, just look at this backdrop here.
00:13Essex was nothing like this.
00:15The stakes are high.
00:17This is definitely a gamble. I put everything in. All my life savings.
00:21We've got a lot riding on this.
00:22Our futures, our children's futures.
00:24We need to make some money.
00:25As they launch B&Bs...
00:27Service.
00:28..and pubs in France...
00:30We're very new at this.
00:31Wow.
00:32Good job the wines, Chi.
00:34..to wellness retreats and holiday parks in Bulgaria.
00:38It's not big enough.
00:39We measured it. I don't understand.
00:41It's a journey into the unknown.
00:44Whoa.
00:45That's cool.
00:46Boo!
00:47But we're joining them for the ride.
00:50As they tee off...
00:52Oh!
00:53..their new lives in the sun.
00:55I just walk around with a smile on my face all the time.
00:58This life's work!
01:00Today, as the season comes to an end for our intrepid Brits,
01:05have Plymouth B&Bers done enough to secure their future in France?
01:09We had to have visas.
01:11We have certain criteria we have to fulfil.
01:13It is difficult and it is a worry.
01:14You know, we could not have our renewal next year.
01:18It's getting smaller.
01:19OK.
01:20Boot camp hosts in Bulgaria are in a tight spot.
01:24I'd say we're in the realms of breaking fence posts at the moment.
01:29And in France...
01:31Lots to do today.
01:32..a Norwich family's race to be ready for guests that defies belief.
01:37We've not got any furniture.
01:39We need to put the worktop on.
01:42Clean the floor.
01:43Make beds.
01:45Two hours.
01:46We have to do this.
01:55For some couples, a new life in the sun is less about escape and more about time.
02:02Time together after years of living busy separate lives.
02:07Isn't it gorgeous? Yeah, it is, yeah.
02:09This is what drew personal trainer Frankie
02:12and her husband Mark from Kettering to Bulgaria.
02:15Oh, it's a swan! Oh, it's a swan! It is massive!
02:20Have they always had black feet, joking apart?
02:23In England, we were both busy with our own jobs.
02:26He'd be coming in, I'd be leaving the house.
02:30Very rarely we'd eat together.
02:32After 25 years together,
02:35they've recently made the Rila Mountains their home.
02:38They now run fitness boot camps and hiking holidays
02:42from their six-bed home in Reliovo.
02:47It's been really nice just to actually,
02:50simple things that we don't do in England,
02:52have a coffee together, even go out for dinner.
02:56I think our quality of life is so much better here.
03:01After a summer in business together full-time...
03:04It's actually nice to sit down for a little bit.
03:07..they've been finding a rhythm on the job.
03:10Hello, Boris.
03:11..and with each other.
03:13In England, we had roles, but I think here it changes.
03:17I think here we probably share roles more alike.
03:20Yeah, I think we work more as a team.
03:23We're more united here.
03:24It is nice that we can do more things, I guess, together.
03:30It's September, and Frankie and Mark are seizing the chance
03:34to improve their house in between retreats.
03:38Right, I think I'm just going to move all of those to there.
03:42Create a little bit of a wall.
03:44With only a week to go until their next group checks in,
03:47they're midway through building an en-suite for their bedroom.
03:52This morning, we are preparing for the arrival of the digger,
03:57which should be at about 12 o'clock,
04:00which I think is about 20 minutes.
04:03The digger is needed to make a trench for the soil pipe
04:07from their new facilities.
04:09We've got water now, so we just need to sort out waste, really.
04:12And then we essentially have a functioning toilet.
04:14It's just a case of putting the toilet in then,
04:16which is the easy bit.
04:21The hardest thing is going to be locating the water pipes
04:24and not damaging the water pipes.
04:26I know roughly where it is,
04:28so I'm going to just...
04:30We're going to take it slow, take it real slow.
04:33Before the digger arrives, Mark and builder Lubo
04:36must figure out exactly where the trench should go.
04:39And with Mark's Bulgarian stopping short
04:41of the intricacies of underground plumbing...
04:44Here.
04:48The pair decide to communicate through the medium of mime.
04:52This.
04:54Look.
04:56Mm, no.
05:01Door.
05:03Okay.
05:03Here.
05:07This.
05:08Okay.
05:09Ah, okay, okay, okay.
05:11This new, yeah?
05:13Fifty centimetres.
05:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:15New.
05:15New, okay.
05:17One metre, one centimetre.
05:19So we need one centimetre full for every metre.
05:23And rather impressively, they get there in the end.
05:28Lubo's finished for the morning.
05:30It's probably a bit warm now,
05:32so he's going to go for a break for a couple of hours.
05:35And we've just positioned the pipes where he wants them to go.
05:40Because if the digger comes and digs the hole and he's not here,
05:43it's down to me to run the pipes.
05:44So I'm happy now we've had a conversation about where he wants them.
05:48And just as well,
05:49because after Lubo has left, the digger arrives.
05:53Once again, Mark's communication skills are put to the test.
05:58Hold, hold, hold.
06:00What is this for?
06:02No, no, no, no.
06:04This is fine.
06:05You can leave this.
06:07There was a little bit of miscommunication about digging
06:11because he started digging in the wrong place.
06:13But we're sorted now.
06:14He knows what he needs to do.
06:16He's just filling the small hole that he dug.
06:19And he's going to crack on.
06:20The trench must reach a precise depth
06:23or the pipe won't have enough of an incline.
06:27I've got an advanced measuring system.
06:31I've got an old stick with a bit of tape around it
06:33just to give me a depth.
06:35So we're all good.
06:38But there's one spot they didn't measure.
06:42God, it's going to be tight through there.
06:45It's getting smaller.
06:47OK.
06:48You have to.
06:52I don't know what we're going to do
06:53if you can't fit through the end.
06:54I would have started the other end
06:56and dug back this way.
06:57But what do I know?
07:03Two inches either side.
07:05Either way, it seems Mark may have a few more jobs
07:08to add to the list before the guests arrive next week.
07:12I'd say we're in the realms of breaking fence posts
07:15at the moment.
07:17And maybe a few repairs to the terrace.
07:26For many families, the appeal of rural France
07:30is the promise of freedom
07:31and time together that can so easily be missed.
07:34Right, right, Coby.
07:36You're enjoying it, aren't you?
07:38Yeah.
07:40For Sam and James Milsen,
07:42it was the motivation to op-sticks from Norfolk
07:45for the gentle charms of Marseillette.
07:50We kind of read about how maybe there was more
07:53of a community feel in France
07:55and how people were more focused on their family lives,
07:58which is something maybe that we felt
08:00that we'd lost a little bit at home.
08:04But it's rarely that simple.
08:06Alongside family life,
08:08Sam and James have taken on a five-bed house,
08:11two working holiday sheets,
08:13with a third under construction.
08:17Balancing renovations, bookings and everyday life
08:20makes freedom a carefully managed affair.
08:24We're going to be busy for at least, like,
08:26just doing DIY for at least a couple of years.
08:29So I think the real relapsing will happen at some point,
08:34but not for a while.
08:42It's August,
08:43and work on the third sheet is now well behind schedule.
08:47But James is hoping making a start on the interior walls
08:51will finally make it feel like it's taking shape.
08:55As you can see at the moment,
08:57we've put the windows in,
08:58and we're now going to start to do the walls.
09:00This side here will be the kitchen area.
09:04We're then going to be in the living room area,
09:07which is here.
09:08And then through this little doorway here
09:10will be through to the bathroom.
09:14It's been a tough month for the couple.
09:17As well as juggling guests with renovations...
09:20Rolled in the cement.
09:23..a cancelled two-week booking at the height of the season
09:26has dealt them a financial blow they're still trying to plug.
09:31So we've managed to fill nine of the 14 days.
09:36It's better than none,
09:37but it was at about two-thirds of the price as well, so...
09:41Quite a hit, really.
09:42It is quite a hit, yeah.
09:43..of the money.
09:46I mean, I was thinking about it this morning,
09:49actually thinking, well, if we haven't got guests in one jeep,
09:51I can really crack on with the jeep,
09:54and I've still got some noisy stuff to do in there.
09:56But not today.
09:58Sam's taking daughter Imogen and son Toby back to the UK for a few days,
10:03and there's lots to do before they head off.
10:06We've got a check-in and check-out to do this morning
10:09and a jeep to clean before our new guests arrive.
10:12But the check-in today will be down to James.
10:16So you'll just have to remember everything today, won't you?
10:19Yeah.
10:20Where the towels are and stuff like that.
10:22That's right.
10:23James doesn't necessarily get involved in the linen cupboard side of things.
10:27No.
10:28But you know where they are.
10:29It's ten o'clock now.
10:31We've got to leave here by about two-ish.
10:34I know for sure that we'll be probably screaming and shouting
10:39and trying to get out the door,
10:41and we'll be late, because we always are.
10:46Let's go.
10:47With just four hours to complete the changeover,
10:50it's all hands on deck.
10:53So far this season, with James focusing on renovations,
10:58the jeep's largely been Sam's domain.
11:00So before she leaves, it's time for a crash course in housekeeping.
11:05Oh, what's this room?
11:07Oh, it's where we keep the sheets.
11:10Clean cloths for the sheets.
11:12Clean tea towels.
11:13That's all sheets.
11:14It's not ours.
11:15Hand towels.
11:16They're buff sheets.
11:17Normal sheets.
11:19They will need to be ironed stuff ready.
11:21You will need to do some ironing.
11:24This is all ironed, James.
11:26Right.
11:27You will need to do some ironing as well, please.
11:30Don't leave it all for me when I get back.
11:32Yeah.
11:32Right, good.
11:33We're late.
11:34Let's go.
11:35I know I'm that late.
11:36We are.
11:38After his introduction to the linen cupboard,
11:41it's time to drop the family at the airport
11:43and get back in time for check-in.
11:50Three hours later, guests Helen and Stuart have arrived with daughter Olivia.
11:56Yeah, welcome.
11:57Thank you very much.
11:58It's a beautiful place.
11:59Yeah, thank you.
12:00It's absolutely gorgeous.
12:01Yeah, not too bad, eh?
12:02Brilliant.
12:02Okay.
12:04We'll go round and show you the sheet.
12:07Yep.
12:08So, upstairs, two bedrooms, little bedroom two with the two singles in there.
12:14And then the main bedroom.
12:17Ah, wonderful.
12:18That's brilliant.
12:19And James's hosting skills have gone down well.
12:22He's very knowledgeable, very informative.
12:26And really welcoming, really friendly.
12:28So, yeah, wouldn't ask for anything more.
12:30So, yeah, we're really excited about the week ahead.
12:32So, it'll be brilliant.
12:34It's been a busy day, but James has proved he can multitask on the fly.
12:40The question now is whether he can keep the renovations on track on his own.
12:45Hopefully, without Toby and less of us around,
12:49I should be able to crack on with the third sheet.
12:53The clock's ticking and we've got to really, really push on now to get it done.
13:02Coming up, Plymouth B&B hosts get ready to receive VIPs.
13:07The couple are super hosts on a certain booking website.
13:11So, yeah, it's going to be very, very valuable, hopefully,
13:13to hear about their experience as well.
13:15Oh, yeah.
13:16And Frankie and Mark make some sacrifices for their guests.
13:20I was hoping it could be done, but there's a hole in the window.
13:23I feel like we're sleeping in a bit of a building site.
13:35France is dotted with little towns dating back centuries,
13:39each with their own particular charm.
13:42But it was the quiet market town of Chaloux, in the heart of the Haute-Vienne,
13:48which persuaded Pete and Anna to give up their beloved Plymouth.
13:52It's not a bad place to come and have a wander around, is it?
13:54It's not, is it?
13:55Lovely.
13:56It was a big wrench.
13:58Huge wrench.
13:59But it was a joint decision.
14:00It was.
14:01And we knew that we could make a better life over here
14:05because the opportunities are better.
14:08They've poured their savings into converting this house into a B&B,
14:13with plans to expand into cycling and motorbike tours.
14:17But this summer, they'll need to make it pay
14:20as their income and their visas depend on it.
14:23We came post-Brexit, so we had to have visas.
14:26It is difficult and it is a worry.
14:28You know, we could not have our renewal next year.
14:31We have certain criteria we have to fulfil.
14:33Yes.
14:34Which we hope we will with the business.
14:36Fingers crossed.
14:36It's all an adventure anyway, isn't it?
14:38That's what life should be, is an adventure.
14:43It's June and Pete and Anna are falling into a routine
14:46for keeping the garden, bedrooms and bathrooms guests ready.
14:51Do you know, we thought, let's have black stuff,
14:53like a black tap and that.
14:55Yes, it does look nice.
14:57It does feel the watermarks.
15:01After more than two months of hosting,
15:03they've learned a thing or two.
15:05When the guests have left, we strip the beds off first thing.
15:08Whether we've got guests or not, the beds will be made back up.
15:11Because we've had one once where we were having lunch with my mum
15:15when phones go,
15:16Bing, you've got to book in for this afternoon.
15:20So make sure we're always sort of ready, more than anything.
15:24They've never had a problem dividing and conquering.
15:28Pete's not worried about doing girl jobs, as it were.
15:32I'll do boy jobs, as it were.
15:34So, yeah, we just get it done.
15:36We're lucky.
15:37We worked together in the UK.
15:39We met at work in the UK.
15:42Sounds ridiculous, but I was Pete's boss.
15:45But we've always been able to work together.
15:49Today, they're preparing for some very special guests.
15:53Friends from home have booked in,
15:54but Pete and Anna are hoping to get more than just familiar faces from the visit.
16:00The couple that we know are also super hosts on a certain booking website.
16:06So I'm hoping to pick their brains a bit
16:08and see what they think about what we're doing and how we're doing it.
16:10And also, because they're keen motorcyclists, they go so many different places.
16:15We want to pick their brains for this.
16:16We want to pick their brains about the motorcycle tours as well.
16:19So, yeah, it's going to be very, very valuable, hopefully, to, you know, hear about their experience as well.
16:24Oh, yeah.
16:24We're still charging, of mine.
16:27So, no, it'll be very good.
16:28It'll be very good.
16:30Just before four o'clock, their VIP guests arrive.
16:39And Pete and Anna waste no time...
16:42Yeah, come this way.
16:43..in showing off their new home.
16:45And that one there is your room.
16:48That's very nice.
16:51I tell you what, this is a lot bigger than the pictures.
16:55The pictures don't do it, do they?
16:56No, it's nice, mate.
16:57That's not bad, is it?
16:58I like that.
16:59Watch now, you've got...
17:00I don't have a mic in there, innit, eh?
17:03After a quick tour...
17:04That's Torridge.
17:05It's Torridge.
17:06Very good, mate.
17:07..their friends are clearly wowed by the Chambra Dote.
17:11I'm very impressed.
17:12But it's their professional opinion that counts.
17:15And as experienced super hosts,
17:18Colin and Lisa know exactly what to look for beneath the surface.
17:24I just had a brief look through their visitor book
17:27of people who've obviously been in the short space of time
17:30that they've been up and running.
17:32And just reading some of the comments from other people,
17:36it's very clear to see that people are very impressed
17:40with how Pete and Anna are.
17:41They're very happy to help with any sort of things.
17:46They give us good local recommendations.
17:48So, yeah, no, I'm very happy with how they come across,
17:52not on a friendship basis, but on a business perspective.
17:55They come across very, very well.
17:58But Pete and Anna know they can't ease up.
18:01They now plan to put their energy
18:03into setting up the cycling and motorbike tours
18:06they hope will help secure their future here.
18:09We've just got to sort out things like the insurance
18:11and work out a plan of how we're going to make it work.
18:15In the back of our minds, it's always about the visas, isn't it?
18:18We have to have certain income and tick certain boxes.
18:21We've got a business.
18:22Yeah.
18:22We've got other parts of the business
18:25that will be, you know, branching out
18:27and growing from that business.
18:29We're giving it the best shot.
18:30Yeah.
18:36While Pete and Anna motor ahead
18:38with business plans in France,
18:401,200 miles east in Bulgaria,
18:43Mark and Frankie's bathroom renovation is stalling.
18:47It's got no more than four inches of clearance.
18:51Work on the en suite's new sewage pipe
18:54has ground to a halt
18:55with their digger wedged in the tightest of gaps.
19:00It's got to be done.
19:02But this isn't the driver's first rodeo
19:05and with a little wiggling, he's through.
19:10Just not without a little collateral damage.
19:14Easy, easy.
19:16With guests arriving in a few days,
19:18Mark's keen to keep repair jobs to a minimum
19:21so he calls time on the digger.
19:23I just don't want to risk the brickwork
19:25or what it's sat on top of,
19:28so he's got close enough.
19:29We can dig the last bit by hand.
19:31Still, it's a major step towards
19:33getting the en suite finished.
19:35Really happy.
19:36Yeah, we've got it done
19:38despite a few minor communication issues.
19:44It's been a challenging day
19:46but Mark is slowly getting to grips
19:49with a few Balkan nuances.
19:51When they shake their head,
19:52that means yes
19:54and when they nod their head,
19:55that means no
19:56which is almost impossible
19:58to wrap your head around
20:00being an English person.
20:02And then sometimes
20:03if they know you're English,
20:04they'll give you an English yes.
20:07Then you have to ask them,
20:07is that an English yes or a Bulgarian no?
20:10So it's just confusing.
20:12It's really difficult
20:13to get your brain around it.
20:17One week later,
20:18the house is nearly back to normal.
20:21The trench is filled in
20:23and the exterior of the en suite is finished.
20:26But inside, it's still very much a shell.
20:31And today, they're hosting
20:33their final boot camp of the season.
20:37I was hoping it would be done
20:38when the guests arrived, but...
20:40I mean, the structure's done.
20:42I mean, there's a hole in the window.
20:44So I feel like we're sleeping
20:45in a bit of a building site.
20:46There's a lot of tools.
20:47It feels a bit dusty in there,
20:48but it is what it is.
20:50We, you know,
20:51we have to stay.
20:52We can't put guests in there.
20:54So it's fine.
20:55Once this boot camp is over,
20:57they'll have all the time in the world
20:59to get it done.
21:00And they're more than ready
21:01for the season to end.
21:02I don't know if we could have done
21:04another boot camp
21:05if we'd done another one.
21:06I think the quality of them
21:08would be compromised
21:09because I think we would just be fatigued.
21:13But there's no time for rest just yet.
21:15It's not how we accumulate
21:17so many cobwebs.
21:18The rest of the house
21:19has to be sparkling clean
21:21for the guests' arrival.
21:23I cleaned the windows
21:24earlier on in the season,
21:25but because we haven't had any guests
21:27for a month,
21:27they were overdue, really.
21:29So, yeah, I just thought
21:30I'd give them a quick blitz,
21:32but there's so many windows
21:33in this house,
21:33you can't do it quickly.
21:35Meanwhile,
21:36Frankie's taking
21:37a more forensic approach.
21:39The floor you could eat off.
21:42I'm just a bit extra.
21:44It's because I always
21:44look at people's floors.
21:46I assume everyone else
21:47is doing the same.
21:48But it is first impressions
21:49as well, isn't it?
21:51But for some of today's guests,
21:53it won't be their first impression.
21:55A real sign of the business working,
21:57two are returning
21:58for a second stay.
22:00It's nice to have
22:01repeat guests
22:02because at times
22:03when I think,
22:03what are we doing?
22:04Are we actually doing this right?
22:06Then I feel,
22:06if people are coming back,
22:08then I feel like
22:09we must be doing something right.
22:1130 minutes later,
22:12the boot camp guests
22:13have arrived.
22:14Hello!
22:16Welcome!
22:17You brought the door!
22:19How are you?
22:19I'm good!
22:21And back by popular demand,
22:23Frankie's right-hand man,
22:24Keith,
22:25the personal trainer
22:26tasked with putting everyone
22:28through their paces.
22:30Great to be back.
22:31I do enjoy coming out of here.
22:33By now,
22:34the check-ins are down
22:35to a well-honed patter.
22:37This is part of your workout, girls.
22:40It's like carrying your luggage around.
22:43And with five days of yoga,
22:45boot camps and hikes ahead of them,
22:47the group is ready for the challenge.
22:50I'm looking forward to the hikes.
22:52I think the hikes are amazing.
22:53And, like, going up in the mountains
22:54and stuff like that
22:55because it's something
22:56you'd never see at home.
22:57And they're stunning as well.
22:59So I'm looking forward to them.
23:01For Frankie and Mark,
23:03the season has been a marathon.
23:05But the finish line is in sight.
23:08Now people are actually in,
23:10I relax a bit
23:11because I like to make sure
23:12the bedrooms are ready.
23:13You can't hoover
23:14once the guests have arrived.
23:16No, I do still hoover
23:18when the guests have arrived.
23:22Coming up,
23:24heartfelt words mark
23:25a special day for Pete and Anna.
23:27I think you both really need
23:29to sort of look in the mirror
23:30and pat yourself on the back.
23:32And mission impossible
23:33for Sam and James
23:35on the day of their first
23:36new Jeep guests.
23:38We had hoped
23:39it wouldn't be looking like this
23:41on the morning of the night
23:42that they're going to stay.
23:51It's September
23:52in southern France
23:53and Sam and James
23:55are coming to the end
23:56of their first summer season
23:58running their two Jeets.
24:00OK, thank you very much.
24:02It's a tight turnaround today
24:04with guests checking in
24:06and out of both holiday lets.
24:08I hope you've all been OK.
24:10It's been absolutely lovely.
24:11We don't really want to go home.
24:15Oh, well, that's good.
24:18While bookings
24:19have brought in
24:20much-needed cash,
24:21it's also slowed down
24:22renovations
24:23on the third sheet.
24:25But there has been
24:26some progress.
24:30We've now got
24:30the walls up.
24:31We're now all basically set
24:33with all of the power.
24:34Lights, cables
24:35are all in place.
24:37The walls have been built
24:39to create two bedrooms.
24:41And with a small window
24:43before his next guests arrive,
24:45James is cutting timber
24:46for a new ceiling.
24:48These are going to be
24:49joists across
24:51and then we will
24:52put those under brackets
24:54between the beams
24:55and then we'll fix
24:57through the boards
24:58up into here.
24:59It's good.
25:00One done.
25:02Their plan to open
25:03the third sheet
25:04for summer
25:05never quite panned out.
25:07But now there's
25:08a new immovable deadline.
25:10Guests will arrive
25:11in a matter of weeks.
25:16We've got to get a move on
25:18because we're really aiming
25:19for autumn
25:20and end of October,
25:22November
25:22to have the third sheet.
25:25Judging by the pace
25:26of how things have gone
25:27in the last six months,
25:32I don't know
25:33what we're going to get done
25:34in the next two.
25:35All we can do
25:36is our best,
25:37isn't it?
25:39Two weeks later
25:40and the project
25:41is gathering momentum.
25:43The ceilings are up
25:44and today's job
25:45is to plasterboard
25:46the walls.
25:47But with a month
25:49to make it habitable,
25:50speed is of the essence.
25:53It's properly pressured now
25:57but it's going to be
25:59some late nights,
26:00basically.
26:01But as has been
26:02their theme this year,
26:04juggling family life
26:05has a way of adding
26:06another layer of challenges.
26:08I've got to take
26:09Imogen to Toulouse
26:11for a tennis tournament.
26:13Three o'clock.
26:13So you've got five hours
26:16to crack on.
26:18With no money for labour,
26:20James is flying solo.
26:22These are lovely and light.
26:27And has his work cut out.
26:33All right, that's two sheets.
26:34That's enough for now.
26:36The next job
26:37is for the novice plasterer
26:38to get them onto the walls.
26:40But he's under the spotlight.
26:42Got an audience.
26:45Yeah, there's no pressure at all.
26:48Doing this I've not done before.
26:50Definitely more like whipped cream now.
27:05Yeah, it's in face, it's up, it's vertical.
27:08How many more to go?
27:10Er, 20, 23.
27:1323.
27:15Try.
27:18But as October turns to November,
27:22it's amazing what a bit of determination can do.
27:26Most of the walls are now plasterboarded,
27:28the floors are tiled,
27:30and today Sam is busy assembling the kitchen
27:33while James tackles the painting.
27:35Lots to do today.
27:37So, yeah, I'm just going round at the moment
27:38doing the edges whilst the other wall dries,
27:41and then I'll put the last coat on that wall,
27:43and then we'll be away.
27:45It's all going rather swimmingly,
27:47until you realise what else is happening today.
27:51So, today is the day that our friends,
27:55who are acting as our test guests,
27:58are coming to stay in the sheet.
28:02You heard it right.
28:04This sheet will host its very first guests
28:07in a matter of hours.
28:08We had hoped that it wouldn't be looking like this
28:12on the morning of the night that they're going to stay,
28:15that there might be a little bit more done,
28:17but we've got five and a half hours until they turn up.
28:22We know what we've got to do.
28:23We've just got very little time to do it in.
28:28It's slightly more than a snagging list,
28:30with a kitchen to finish, walls to paint, doors to hang,
28:34and the whole sheet needing furnishing.
28:37What Sam and James need is a miracle.
28:41James is going to sleep well tonight.
28:49Back in Chaloo, Pete and Anna's guests
28:52are getting ready to head home after an invaluable trip.
28:56Over the last three days,
28:58Colin and Lisa have been sharing their knowledge
29:00of the local area,
29:02helping their friends shape routes for their future tours.
29:07The guys, they've been riding,
29:08well, they've done many more miles than I've ever done,
29:11long bikes.
29:12They ride regularly to Italy,
29:13to one of the bike factories there.
29:16So, yeah, it was just tips on how they felt routes could be
29:20and what to look for.
29:21What kind of things to suggest.
29:23That's it.
29:23And we're going to go back and explore some more ourselves,
29:25aren't we, further down in the Dordogne?
29:27Yeah, that was really nice, wasn't it?
29:29Yeah, it was really nice.
29:30It was nice to see somewhere different
29:31because we haven't had a chance to go exploring, really.
29:34So stuff like that has been invaluable.
29:36Definitely.
29:37For now, Colin and Lisa are about to hit the road.
29:41But as seasoned holiday hosts,
29:43they're keen to offer some words of encouragement to their friends.
29:47I know you can both recognise what you've done,
29:50but from someone from the outside looking in,
29:54Yeah, yeah.
29:55within actually a relatively short space of time,
29:58in a foreign land,
30:00foreign language,
30:02foreign bureaucracy,
30:04look where you'll be a year today.
30:07I think you both really need to sort of look in the mirror
30:10and pat yourself on the back.
30:11After a year of hard graft,
30:14it's exactly the validation Pete and Anna needed.
30:17My pleasure.
30:17It's been really nice to see you.
30:19No, it's been really nice.
30:20Take care.
30:21Look out for him as well,
30:22because, you know, he's knocking on a bit now.
30:24And it couldn't have come on a more meaningful date.
30:29Really?
30:32The year yesterday, we had the offer accepted on the house.
30:36Yes.
30:37And, yeah, where did that year go?
30:38It's quite...
30:39It's quite random,
30:41because you think,
30:42a year ago?
30:43It feels like a lifetime ago.
30:45Very proud of what we've done.
30:46Sometimes, you look around and you go,
30:48oh, my God, there's that to do and there's that to do.
30:50We haven't done that and we've got this problem.
30:52And you can get kind of weighed down.
30:54But then other times, you look around and go,
30:57we did that.
30:58You know, people say,
30:59well, you know, it could go wrong.
31:00It doesn't matter.
31:01It could go wrong.
31:02We could end up going back to Britain.
31:04But we got off our backsides in the first place
31:07and went and did it.
31:08That's the main thing.
31:09And we can be proud of that, just alone, can't we?
31:11Yes, we can.
31:12It's been a whirlwind summer for Pete and Anna.
31:15In six months, they've totally transformed their new home...
31:22..three guest bedrooms...
31:27..two bathrooms...
31:34..and a breakfast room.
31:36And after opening their door to guests in April,
31:40embrace their new life as B&B hosts.
31:45One of the highlights for me has just been it working.
31:49Seeing the guests come in, seeing them happy,
31:52giving them a good service,
31:53them the next morning saying they slept really well
31:55and it's magnifique and all the rest of it.
31:58And then you get, on one of the booking sites,
32:00you get, like, a ten review and you're like,
32:01well, it's all been worth it.
32:03Let's get out on the books.
32:06With the busy season behind them,
32:09autumn will be spent planning routes
32:11for their motorbike and e-bike tours,
32:14ready to launch next year.
32:15Yeah, it's chilly under the trees.
32:18And building the niche they hope will be the ticket to ride
32:22when it comes to securing their visa renewal.
32:25We renew our visas in December.
32:28We have to start that process in October.
32:31Generally, we're hearing good things
32:32with other people going through the process.
32:34We're in a pretty good position.
32:36We've got a business that's viable.
32:37We're going to be branching out...
32:39Yeah, we've got plans for the future.
32:40..next season again for other parts of the business to pick up.
32:43The future's bright, the future's French.
32:47The adventure will continue for Pete and Anna,
32:50though they do have one regret.
32:53I just wish that I had one of those cars that go back in time.
32:56Would have done it sooner.
32:57And I would have done it a lot earlier.
32:58Yeah.
32:58We're our own bosses.
33:00We charge our own destiny, which is terrifying,
33:01but very liberating.
33:03Terrifying, but liberating.
33:04Ooh.
33:10Coming up...
33:12After a gruelling summer pushed to their limits,
33:15have Frankie and Mark emerged stronger?
33:17We're just learning to work together better as a team.
33:20I think so.
33:21We are still busy, but we're busy together.
33:24And can the Milsons pull off a marathon makeover in the nick of time?
33:28At least he just turned up.
33:30OK, so they're here.
33:40It's September in Bulgaria and Frankie and Mark are hosting their final boot camp of the season.
33:47How are we doing for time?
33:48And they plan to finish on a high.
33:52Looking forward to it.
33:54Excited.
33:55They're heading to the Rila National Park to take on the challenge of the Maljavitsa,
34:01a peak rising more than 2,500 metres high.
34:06Look out for big rocks to trip over, loose shingle and lots of tree roots as well.
34:13So just keep your eyes open and be careful.
34:21While the entire group is made up of fitness fanatics, it's tough going.
34:27Take on some liquids.
34:28Even Keith is feeling the pain.
34:31Have you changed from a light blue T-shirt to a dark blue T-shirt?
34:35Halfway up without me noticing.
34:40It's quite challenging.
34:42It's quite different terrain, so it's not easy.
34:45The altitude, obviously, is quite hard.
34:47But everyone's toughed up and done it, so it's really good.
34:50Four hours in, the group reach one of the Olenski lakes.
34:58Well done, guys.
35:00Well done.
35:01Everyone did really well.
35:02Massive, mega.
35:04I think some people weren't expecting to get up here, so...
35:06Yeah.
35:07Real achievement.
35:09That was really hard.
35:10That was really hard, yeah.
35:12You know, you sort of think you've got a reasonable level of fitness,
35:15but it's just completely different with being so high up.
35:19Mark was brilliant.
35:20He's the type of guy you want in this sort of situation.
35:24Helped us and really coached us along, and, yeah, he's fantastic.
35:29And the guests' trust in Mark's mountain leadership skills
35:33is just one of the reasons the couple have been earning top reviews all season.
35:39And two days later, as the final boot camp comes to an end,
35:43there may be a few more glowing ones to add.
35:46We've had a really good few days, and I think everyone's had a really good time.
35:50The group has really jailed well, and now it's departure day,
35:53and even though I'm glad for a break, I feel a bit sad.
35:56And the guests are just as sad to be leaving.
36:00Absolutely loved this week.
36:02It's been amazing.
36:04Frankie and Mark have been the best hosts.
36:07It's like going to a five-star hotel.
36:08I'd definitely give the accommodation,
36:11and the whole experience is five out of five for me.
36:14We're already talking about coming back next September.
36:17The week's been really good, hasn't it?
36:18We've had lots of adventures, too, haven't we?
36:20Stuff we wouldn't do normally.
36:22Bye, guys!
36:24And after waving off the guests...
36:26Bye!
36:29Frankie and Mark's first summer season
36:32as full-time residents of Bulgaria has come to an end.
36:37I'm pleased it's the last boot camp of the year
36:40because we can get on with some jobs, some life admin,
36:46and settling in for the winter as well
36:48because that will be quite different for us this year.
36:50But it might be their last winter to themselves.
36:54We're thinking of probably next year offering shorter breaks,
36:59like weekends for people, especially during the off-season.
37:02It's a good way for us to continue earning an income,
37:06but also the flights can be very, very affordable
37:09for a Friday-to-Monday break out of season.
37:14But first, recovery time.
37:17After a summer that's tested their stamina,
37:20Frankie and Mark have headed to the coast for a well-earned break.
37:26Leaving behind secure salaries and familiar routine
37:30in Kettering to chase a dream was a brave leap.
37:34And at times, the relentless pace of retreat life
37:37pushed them to the edge.
37:39But no pain, no gain.
37:41And after all the sweat,
37:43Frankie and Mark have built something real.
37:46Very pleased with how the summer went with regards to boot camp.
37:49We had really good feedback from everybody.
37:52It's been hard, but it has been rewarding.
37:56Yet perhaps the biggest challenge for this couple
37:58was learning how to train as partners in business as well as life.
38:04Turns out they're quite the team.
38:07We complement each other very well.
38:10I think we're just learning to work together better as a team.
38:13I think so.
38:14And especially when we've gone from being like parsonships in the night,
38:18the balance here for us as a couple is so much better out here.
38:23We are still busy, but we're busy together.
38:27And together, they're clear on where they belong.
38:31Bulgaria feels like home for me now and really happy.
38:36I was happy in the UK, but here I feel aligned.
38:41I should be here.
38:46I know this might sound a bit cliche,
38:48but I do wake up and go to bed very grateful.
38:53I'm glad that we both were in alignment with the decisions we made
38:57because I can't see my life ever going back to how it was back in the UK.
39:08While Frankie and Mark relax into their new life,
39:12Sam and James are too busy pulling off a miracle,
39:16turning round their half-finished jeet into a home for guests arriving later today.
39:22We're on the final construction bit.
39:25At the moment, the bedrooms are lacking beds and furniture, not to mention doors.
39:30These doors were from the old building that was in here,
39:34so we've managed to sort of salvage the frames and the doors, which is quite nice.
39:38We're just going to knock these together and hopefully they'll go back together.
39:45This is a rushed job now.
39:48Rushed is a bit of an understatement.
39:50Their guests are now just hours away,
39:52and while they may be friends, their opinion really matters,
39:56because this third jeet is the key to Sam and James' future in France.
40:02They're kind of our new friends since we've been in France,
40:05so we've been getting to know them, which has been really nice.
40:10It'll be really good to see their reaction.
40:11It'll also be really good to get their feedback
40:13because they do run their own accommodation,
40:16and it's really beautiful.
40:17So it'll be nice to see if they've got any constructive feedback for us.
40:24Right now, it's a little way off a five-star review,
40:27but the family are pulling out all the stops to make it happen.
40:31We've not got any furniture.
40:33We need to put the worktop on, clean the floors, make beds.
40:38Two hours.
40:40But when it comes to achieving the impossible, the Milsons push on.
40:45So we've got a door friiting and a door.
40:48After a summer of juggling young children, guests and a growing business...
40:53Just carefully hold it up, like that, like that.
40:55..it's teamwork that's carrying them through.
40:58Come on, I rest the chair.
41:02And with guests now due any minute,
41:06this family isn't giving up without a fight.
41:08The heaviest bit.
41:12But as the last essential bit of furniture is assembled, time's up.
41:18They've literally just turned up.
41:20OK, so they're here.
41:22Right, yes.
41:22Right, OK, you can go then.
41:24Go and welcome them.
41:26While Sam distracts guests Kate and Tom...
41:29Hi!
41:29You've entered chaos.
41:33We're just making the last beds and then we'll do the grand unveiling.
41:38We've just got to get the mattress down, just.
41:41James makes a final frantic dash to the finish line.
41:48Right.
41:51And 40 minutes later, against the odds, they've done it.
41:57Here we are.
41:59Wow!
42:02It looks good.
42:03Oh, thanks, Kate.
42:05You did a great job.
42:06Surprise!
42:09A dilapidated garage, once little more than storage space,
42:14has been transformed into a stylish two-bedroom holiday let.
42:28It looks amazing and they're going to be able to earn all this extra income
42:31from another apartment, which is what you need out here.
42:34It's very easy income for them.
42:36It's great.
42:37Yeah.
42:37They've done a really good job.
42:38Yeah.
42:39Something which they should be really proud of.
42:41It's really good.
42:42After months of long days and late nights,
42:45it's the reassurance they deserved.
42:48I look at it now and I think,
42:50do you know what?
42:51I looked really good.
42:53On what it looked like this morning to how it is now,
42:56it looks OK, doesn't it?
42:58LAUGHTER
43:00And now we can, just for tonight,
43:03relax and have a drink and go to bed in, like, an hour.
43:11MUSIC PLAYS
43:13Yeah!
43:15Yay!
43:15Eight months ago, Sam and James arrived with three young children,
43:20two sheets to run and an overwhelming renovation project.
43:24I think this season we've done everything that we've set out to achieve.
43:30We've run the current jeep and created a new one.
43:34After a hectic first season as hosts,
43:37they're confident the hard part is behind them.
43:40We know that the business worked.
43:42We know that it's a good-going concern
43:45and hopefully the third sheet will be the same.
43:47Next summer, we should really be seeing the rewards from it.
43:52Ice creams in the sun.
43:53We wouldn't be doing this in the UK, would we?
43:56But more than anything, it was a better family life
44:00that was the motivation driving them to success.
44:04Yay!
44:04Mmm.
44:06The kids are massively impressed with how they've coped.
44:10They've left behind all of their friends, everything they know,
44:13and they've shown how resilient they are.
44:16They can understand so much French, way more than we can.
44:21Yeah.
44:22And they're already interpreting for us, aren't they?
44:25Yeah.
44:26But one phrase they have learnt is je ne regrette rien.
44:30We're here to stay.
44:32We are here to stay, yeah.
44:33We are here to stay.
44:33We can't afford to go back anyway.
44:36Yeah, that's what happens.
44:41If you're planning your own new life in the sun
44:44and would like to be featured on our next series,
44:46please get in touch with us at channel4.com
44:49forward slash four viewers forward slash take part.
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