- 11 hours ago
A New Life in the Sun - Season 11 - Episode 10
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00:01Every year, a new wave of dreamers pack up their lives and head for the sun.
00:05It just reminds me of the Wild West. It's just stunning.
00:08It's definitely very much different from a top floor flat in Edinburgh.
00:11And we're joining them as their adventures begin across Europe.
00:15This is what we've been waiting for. It's beautiful.
00:18That's the Atlantic Ocean.
00:20This is where the work begins, mister.
00:22Playing the part...
00:24...of chateau owners in France...
00:27We've never done this before. We're making it up as we go along.
00:29...to launching fitness retreats in Bulgaria.
00:34But will their gamble pay off?
00:37Absolutely bonkers, but it's what we came for, yeah?
00:41Or will they fail to hit their target?
00:44Brexit has put the complications into overdrive.
00:48As they carve out their new lives in the sun.
00:52I just feel like I'm on holiday a little bit.
00:55It's not sunk in yet, but this is my actual home now.
00:58What a lovely place to live.
01:01Today...
01:02Look at that.
01:03I energise a bunny straight into action.
01:05A family from Hertfordshire are working up a sweat in Italy.
01:09He'll just push himself and keep up with these guys.
01:12Three, two, one.
01:14Will their new venture be more miss than hit?
01:17The point of us coming to Italy was to enjoy doing the things that we love.
01:23And if we make some money from it, I don't know what's better.
01:26In France, two Gite owners are looking for extra revenue.
01:31I've got one pence in my savings account.
01:34Nice.
01:34One pence.
01:35Has their new life turned into a slog?
01:38You having fun, babe?
01:41Living the dream.
01:42And in Bulgaria...
01:44I think it's a good plan.
01:46We've just got to see when it will be implemented.
01:48Big changes are coming to a holiday let, but can their budget handle it?
01:53The builders one day, they said,
01:55oh, we just need to say to you that we think the roof needs replacing.
01:59So then you think, oh, fear me, what are we going to do?
02:11Unspoiled and tranquil perfectly sums up the central Italian region of Umbria.
02:17With its distinct hilltop towns peppering the landscape,
02:20history is also here in abundance.
02:23If you eventually get fed up with all the peace and quiet...
02:27Woody, Woody!
02:29Good boy.
02:31Come on then.
02:31For Rob and Fran from Hertfordshire and their two children,
02:35Alfred and Mabel, Umbria is now home,
02:37since they gave up their hectic London lives
02:40and bought a hillside 22-hectare farm for €390,000.
02:49It's not a bad view, is it?
02:51It is amazing, though,
02:52just to be able to come out the back of the house to this.
02:55The mountains and the hills.
02:57Yeah.
02:58There's snow on them in the winter.
02:59It's amazing.
03:02With all that beauty as a backdrop,
03:05the couple have established a luxury glamping site,
03:08which opened in April this year.
03:10He's like, we didn't come to the countryside to be on a lead, did we?
03:15The farm is also home to a winemaking vineyard and olive groves,
03:20and they have a new family home under construction.
03:24No regrets is one of their many mantras about making the big move to Italy.
03:28You always have your worries, thinking that we've left friends and family and what you know,
03:36but the trade-off is being able to come into this really amazing landscape.
03:43There's no noise.
03:45Just the cicadas and that and the wind and the plants.
03:49It's perfect.
03:50And that does something in terms of, like, slowing everything down.
03:54And you just get a little bit more...
03:58Present.
03:58More present, yeah.
04:00Rob and Fran are slowly establishing themselves as a wellness destination.
04:05They have a sauna and biopool for their glamping guests.
04:09And they've also built an event space where they've been running everything from yoga classes
04:14to hosting a local farm producers' cooperative.
04:19Life's short, and if you don't seize it and make something of it,
04:23one day you'll be old and think of all the stories that you could have told.
04:27And it's that that's sort of, like, driven us to...
04:29One day you'll want to tell stories, and this is a cool story.
04:33And it's our story.
04:34And it's wicked.
04:36Give me goosebumps.
04:42It's August, and to keep living their best Umbrian life,
04:47they have to think of new ways to make this amazing location pay.
04:51Can I energise a bunny straight into action?
04:54With a high-intensity fitness competition craze sweeping the globe,
04:59they're hoping they can harness its popularity and host events themselves.
05:03Three, two, one, off we go.
05:09They've teamed up with fitness champions Chris and Hubie
05:12and videographer Eduardo, assisted by Woody the dog,
05:16to make a social media promo to advertise a boot camp for people keen to compete.
05:23We've obviously never done this.
05:24We are relying upon their following and their understanding of the markets
05:29because we are novices.
05:31Well, we're novices in all of this, but novices especially in this.
05:35And it's really, you know, Rob's passion.
05:38I'm going to go to seven.
05:39Eight.
05:42Despite performing the intense exercises purely for the camera,
05:46it's clear Rob is fully committed.
05:49Yeah.
05:53Come on.
05:5520 seconds.
05:56He'll just push himself and keep up with these guys.
05:59Next exercise Chris.
06:01More balls.
06:01Or try to keep up with these guys.
06:04Three, two, one.
06:08Tie.
06:08Nine.
06:10With the filming of the promo today,
06:13Rob and Fran are hoping to reap the rewards
06:16with a whole new clientele booking into their boot camp next season.
06:20So basically we've got these guys over here
06:22that we can appeal to get clients, appeal to get participants,
06:27with a view to having it in late May.
06:30The experience of the location, that's what you don't get at the gym.
06:34You've got the mountains, you've got the views,
06:36and you've got the community that comes with it.
06:38With hundreds of thousands signing up for this global phenomenon,
06:43demand for their boot camps could bring in guests from far and wide.
06:47The point of us coming to Italy was to enjoy doing the things that we love.
06:53And if we've got an interest in something and we can pursue it,
06:57we get to be in this environment, invite people,
07:00enjoy the same things as us and make some money from it.
07:02I don't know what's better.
07:10For some, the urge to forge a new life on foreign soil
07:14is an adventure that must be followed.
07:17For Rachel and Jay from Nottingham,
07:19it was the peaceful valleys of Western France that appealed.
07:23And after careful consideration,
07:24it was enough to pack up life back home
07:27and with twin daughters Georgie and Harriet in tow,
07:30begin a fresh chapter.
07:33So we decided at the same time that it was a thing that we could do.
07:37Yeah. And then we looked into it together as to whether we actually really wanted to do it.
07:41Unfortunately, we came to the same conclusion and said, yeah, let's.
07:46Here we are.
07:47Here we are.
07:5118 months ago, they made the leap across the channel,
07:54leaving behind their hectic lives in the UK for something simpler.
07:59I really like the idea that children are just children for longer in France.
08:03And they're happy to play with each other.
08:05But then also for extended family, I just think it would be wonderful for them
08:09to come over here regularly and share in what we're doing over here as well.
08:14So for me, it's all about the family and the lifestyle and what it will bring to us and everybody
08:20that we know, really.
08:21But a simpler life doesn't mean an easier life.
08:25And since arriving in France, the pair have hardly stopped
08:29as they set about turning a rundown farmhouse into a family home,
08:34along with two sheets that are already proving a hit with holidaymakers.
08:38They're amazing, aren't they?
08:4015.01, apparently.
08:42This is really nice.
08:43Good stuff. Thanks very much.
08:45I'll go and carry on making dinner then.
08:49It's late July, and with the jeep business thriving,
08:53the pair have invested over €4,000 in three glamping cabins
08:58to host guests in their garden.
09:00But having prepped the ground yesterday, the wood was a no-show.
09:0524 hours later, there's been an early morning delivery.
09:09They came, I think it was 7.55 this morning.
09:12So we broke the street.
09:13Yeah, but at least they're here.
09:14I know.
09:15So I was a bit worried.
09:15Yeah, so.
09:16The thousands of euros had gone.
09:19Also, they're really well packed.
09:21Packed.
09:21And look just like a big pile of wood, which is slightly anxiety inducing.
09:27So there's instructions.
09:29Giant flat pack.
09:31I will say.
09:32Let the next phase begin.
09:34In theory, the cabins should just slot together like a jigsaw,
09:39and Rachel's got previous experience.
09:42Sort of.
09:44Similar to the one we had in England.
09:47Which was great.
09:50We paid somebody to put that one up there.
09:55Without anyone else to do it, any problems are Rachel and Jay's to deal with.
10:00And they've already got one.
10:02We've got a bowed piece of wood, which we would just not use.
10:10But all pieces need using, don't they?
10:13So we've got to try it like that.
10:16We've got to work around it.
10:17It's got to be used.
10:18With no spare pieces, Jay takes matters into his own hands.
10:23Hopefully not at the expense of Rachel's.
10:25Watch my fingers, Jesus.
10:27Well, move your fingers out of the way then.
10:28I can't, I'm pulling it.
10:31I'm going to need to move the screwdriver.
10:35Yes.
10:36It fits like a glove.
10:39Problem solved.
10:41With the technique sorted, there's no stopping them.
10:45Go on, Jay, whack it!
10:47Ah, no!
10:50Despite the user-friendly design, the work's taking its toll.
10:54Are you having fun, babe?
10:57Living the dream.
11:01I mean, it's not difficult, is it?
11:03But it's really sunny and hot.
11:07And it's the first one.
11:09It's like anything, isn't it, when you do the first one.
11:12It's tricky.
11:14It's like the first child, isn't it?
11:16Make all the mistakes.
11:18Mm-hmm.
11:18That one needs banging in over there, right?
11:20Yeah.
11:21With the roof fitted, Rachel and Jay decide to call it a day.
11:25The shower is calling.
11:27Food and the pub.
11:29Yeah.
11:29Tired.
11:36One month later, and the three cabins are standing proud.
11:40External-wise, we're finished.
11:42But internal-wise, we've just got...
11:45We've started laying the platform to lay the floor on.
11:49I think they look quite cute, don't they?
11:50Yeah, they look all right, don't they?
11:51Now they're finished.
11:52Yeah.
11:53They might still be missing an interior,
11:55but that hasn't stopped Rachel from advertising them online.
11:59Yeah, we've already got bookings for the cabins for next year.
12:02We've got four, haven't we?
12:02We've also got bookings for the Jeeps for next summer,
12:05as well, haven't we, so we're doing all right.
12:07Give us six months for next Jeeps season.
12:09I feel very confident.
12:11Money permitting.
12:12Yeah.
12:12Because we have run out of money at this moment in time.
12:15Again.
12:15Again, which happens frequently.
12:17I've got one pence in my savings account.
12:20Nice.
12:20One pence.
12:22Is that just to keep it open?
12:23Just to keep it open.
12:24Yeah, in the hope that one day it'll have savings in it again.
12:27With all their money invested in the business,
12:30the sooner the cabins can make money, the better.
12:38Coming up.
12:39In Bulgaria, a couple can't wait to open for B&B guests.
12:44You know, we really want to get going,
12:46so I think doing the barn would be great.
12:48And they're bringing a touch of luxury
12:50to their own living quarters.
12:52We each have our own bathrooms now.
12:54That's living the dream, you know.
12:56It's harvest time for Rob and Fran.
12:58Oh, look.
13:01Something's been eating them.
13:02But will it be feast or famine?
13:05We could have done more,
13:07and now we think we should have.
13:19The south of Bulgaria, a stone's throw from the borders of Turkey and Greece,
13:24boasts one of the sunniest climates in the country.
13:27And for those seeking peace amongst nature's bounty,
13:31it's the perfect spot.
13:33Look at those.
13:35It's really nice.
13:36Aren't they wild?
13:37Yeah, brilliant.
13:39Like former pastor David and his wife, Lynn.
13:42Have you become a florist, David?
13:44No.
13:45That's your job.
13:46Wow.
13:47Yeah, nice.
13:48That's really cool.
13:51It was the promise of more affordable property in a warmer climate
13:55that led them to opt for this three-bedroom house
13:58with two outbuildings and 6,000 square metres of land
14:02in the Bulgarian village of Levka.
14:05The thing that I love about living in Bulgaria
14:08is the space to explore.
14:10Here there are amazing places that you just stumble across
14:14and they are still in the wild.
14:17It's absolutely beautiful.
14:19The couple have spent the last 15 months updating
14:22their living accommodation in the main farmhouse,
14:25but their eventual plan is to open for guests,
14:28offering camping pitches to mobile homes
14:31and converting their barn into a self-contained apartment.
14:35The nature of it being an old barn built in the 1940s,
14:40you know, does really mean it requires some work
14:43to bring it up to standard that's acceptable today, really.
14:46I mean, we survived the winter there.
14:48You know, we know what it's like,
14:49so to make it cosy for other people that might come through
14:52is priority number one.
14:55Yeah.
14:57It's March, and following 15 months of building work,
15:02David and Lynne's new home is finally complete.
15:05Once cold bare rooms have been transformed into cosy living spaces.
15:11Upstairs, space from the master bedroom has also been repurposed
15:16to make way for a connecting staircase and second bathroom.
15:19We each have our own bathrooms now, of course.
15:23That's living the dream, you know.
15:25And that's not the only dream realised,
15:28with a shaded terrace outdoors providing the perfect spot
15:31to enjoy evening sunsets over the surrounding countryside.
15:35But it hasn't come without a few costly surprises along the way.
15:41The builders were really getting on great with all the work,
15:45and then all of a sudden one day they said,
15:47oh, we just need to say to you that we think the roof needs replacing.
15:51So then you think, oh, dear me, that wasn't in the budget,
15:54what are we going to do?
15:55But in the end you sort of think, well, we've just got to do this.
15:58Despite the budget and timeline spiralling,
16:02David and Lynne remain undeterred with their vision,
16:05and next on their list is the property's former barn.
16:10So the plan here is that, this week's plan,
16:14is that this is going to be sealed off.
16:16This will be just storage for tools and equipment,
16:20and then through here our plan is, at the moment,
16:24is to take all that plasterboard away, get it finished off,
16:30and then turn it into a sort of split-level room with a small kitchen.
16:36So, yeah, I think it's a good plan.
16:39We've just got to see when it will be implemented.
16:43While plenty of work will be required to transform this space,
16:47David and Lynne are hopeful it will be possible to have it all completed
16:50and, within budget, ready to begin hosting guests in the coming months.
16:56You know, we really want to get going,
16:57so I think doing the barn will be great.
17:00We've got the builder coming in on Monday, actually,
17:02and we're going to go through what we would like to do in a perfect world,
17:09and he will no doubt give us some ideas of what we can and what we can't do
17:14and what sort of prices, and if we feel that that's reachable
17:20within the budget that we've got, then we will proceed with it.
17:34Already seasoned hands at hosting guests at their site,
17:38there's an important first for Rob and Fran today on their farm in Umbria.
17:43We're just about to do our first vendemia,
17:47which is, like, the harvest of olives, yeah, which is a huge one.
17:511,400 vines.
17:53The longer they're on there, all nice and sweet and juicy,
17:57animals will start to come.
17:58Our nerves can't handle it anymore.
17:59We just need to get them off the vine.
18:02We're like, I don't care if they're ready, they're coming off.
18:04With Fran and Rob's glamping guests helping out,
18:07the couple's children, Alfred and Mabel, complete the harvest workforce.
18:11But as they set off hoping to fill their containers...
18:15Oh, look, something's been eating them.
18:20The birds have got some!
18:23Oh, man!
18:25That's why we need to pick them now.
18:28Go, go, go!
18:31Well, the idea was, with this harvest,
18:35to make a light red wine, basically to sell on site to guests.
18:40Walking up and down the rows,
18:41it looks like someone has beaten us to it.
18:45I'm gutted.
18:45It's hours and hours and hours and weeks and weeks and weeks of work,
18:49but what's important now is we get whatever's remaining
18:51and don't leave them any longer, cos they're being eaten.
18:54When fully matured, the vineyard will produce about 1,500 bottles.
18:59But today's harvest is nowhere near.
19:02I mean, look.
19:04Two rows of the vineyard.
19:06We've got that.
19:07Oh, woody.
19:09While the couple have invested in electrical fencing
19:12to protect the vines from land-based attacks,
19:15air defences are somewhat lacking.
19:19There are things that you can place that are kind of distracting for birds.
19:23So they think there's, you know, scarecrow or other bigger birds,
19:27or you can literally have a pretend bird flying around.
19:31Bird of prey.
19:31OK, so we could have done more, and now we think we should have.
19:36It's not like this has been the only thing we've had to do,
19:39and it's slipped.
19:40You can hear the background, the house is going on,
19:42we've launched the business.
19:44But because it's four years in the making,
19:46and you come to the day when you think you're going to pick
19:48and have our first harvest, and you're like...
19:51And it just shows how hard farming is and gutting.
20:01How much is in there, Fred?
20:04Not bad.
20:05Let's see what we've got.
20:06Shall we put it all in together?
20:08Yep.
20:10Wow, we're going to have, like, two...
20:12Two glasses.
20:13Oh, man.
20:16One from the whole vineyard.
20:17That represents four years' work.
20:21Never mind.
20:22Let's see what's down in the other vineyard, eh?
20:24The second vineyard,
20:26although not as badly ravaged by birds,
20:29is less mature,
20:30so will naturally produce a smaller yield.
20:35They don't come in huge grapes.
20:37They're very small.
20:39And we should try it,
20:41because that's why the birds like it.
20:44Because now it's nice and sweet.
20:48Despite the setback with the harvest,
20:50Rob sees the vineyard as being integral to their customer experience.
20:55When people come and they go for a walk,
20:57they see where the wine comes from.
20:59Next year, the guests that come will drink this.
21:02And that's going to be amazing.
21:04That's, like, for me, what it's all about.
21:08Definitely.
21:09Harvesting the second vineyard,
21:11the couple now have a grand total of two boxes of grapes for the day.
21:16So, we have an estimated 50 kilos.
21:19We needed a minimum of 100 kilos,
21:22which is called one quintali,
21:24in order to produce wine.
21:26So, the solution is to mix our grapes,
21:30which are Pinot Noir,
21:30with our oenologists' grapes,
21:33our winemaker,
21:34to make another light red,
21:36so that we have up to 100 bottles.
21:39Available for sale when you arrive.
21:44Yai yai yai, shame.
21:46It'll only be 100 euros a bottle, so...
21:49It'd be totally worth it.
21:50Totally worth it.
21:52No red wine this year,
21:54but at least Rob and Fran have some sparkling white to toast their guests.
21:59Salute!
22:00Cheers.
22:01Thank you for your help.
22:07Coming up, bad news for Lin and David threatens to derail their dream.
22:13We have to agree to certain things,
22:15otherwise we start getting investigated and we could lose our residency.
22:20But is the best plan no plan at all?
22:22So, going with the flow here,
22:24that's the ambience of living in South East Bulgaria.
22:28And there's no rest for Rachel and Jay.
22:30It's like a boxer-sized class.
22:32But there's a three-letter word that makes it all worthwhile.
22:36I love it when people walk in and go,
22:38Wow!
22:39It just makes you...
22:52In Bulgaria, it's late May.
23:00There we go.
23:01Getting better.
23:03Yeah, yeah.
23:04And with work to their farmhouse complete...
23:07Yes!
23:08That was a good one.
23:09David and Lin have been enjoying beautiful spring weather in their garden.
23:14I was in one of the big sports shops in Plovdiv and I saw a bow and arrow and I
23:20thought,
23:21Do you know what?
23:22I just fancied having a go, to be honest.
23:24I don't ever expect to be, you know, that good.
23:27I keep practising.
23:29I come out and do two or three sets of arrows.
23:33I've not really reached the point yet where Lin feels confident to let me put an apple on her head.
23:38But I have got to make sure she's got life insurance.
23:45With over an acre of space to play with, David isn't the only one picking up new hobbies.
23:50I haven't got a clue what I'm doing in the garden, but we've got this amazing land with this amazing
23:56soil.
23:57It just started me, OK, I'm going to start gardening.
24:01I'm just happy pottering with these two raised beds and the trees and all the wonderful flowers.
24:06And while David and Lin are celebrating their achievements outside...
24:12Wall time!
24:13..they've cobbled together the funds to start work on the barn they've earmarked for guest accommodation.
24:19They've done a load today.
24:20Oh, yeah, they have.
24:20They've done the ceiling.
24:21Yeah, yeah, it's excellent.
24:22And this back hall.
24:23Yeah, they've done a good job.
24:25And they've put the insulation...
24:27Yeah, the insulation up there.
24:29And look, we could have a pantomime up there.
24:31It looks like having a stage.
24:32Yeah, it's like a little theatre.
24:33OK.
24:35After their builders discovered an array of electrical and structural issues,
24:41David and Lin decided to strip the building back to its shell.
24:45Once complete, it will boast a family room, one bathroom
24:49and a double-height open-plan living and dining area,
24:53complete with doors out to its own private patio.
24:56You can come out from your bedroom and you're out into the garden,
25:00which is great, out into a little terrace.
25:02Yeah.
25:03Open the doors into...
25:05Yeah.
25:06Yeah, yeah.
25:06Pretty cool.
25:07Work on the barn has led the couple to discover some of the original features,
25:12including a knife-sharpening stone, which their builders have reconditioned.
25:16This is just one of the original features around the barn and around the house,
25:23on the property.
25:23There's a few things like this.
25:25And I thought I'd give it a try, but these guys obviously know how to do it properly.
25:30Although work to the barn has escalated into a much bigger and more expensive job,
25:36David and Lin are pleased it's the final stretch of their renovations.
25:41It's the sort of last big project, really, that needs to happen here.
25:46There's always something to do, but this is the last big project.
25:49I'm glad that the guys have taken it back to basics because the electrics were terrible, weren't they?
25:56But it's not all been good news.
25:59They've been informed that their visa stipulations prevent them from running a business in Bulgaria
26:04and making an income from it.
26:07And that includes renting the barn as guest accommodation.
26:12So, in order to get my residency here, we have to agree to certain things.
26:19And in order to do that, running a business is just really out of the question.
26:25Otherwise, we start getting investigated and we could lose our residency.
26:32It's a disappointing discovery for Lin and David,
26:36who had hoped to supplement their pension with rental income.
26:39But being in Bulgaria was always about more than their bank balance.
26:44Our criteria was to create community and to be involved in the community here,
26:49which I think is beginning to take off.
26:51The barn side of the equation of us coming has sort of taken second place.
26:56So, going with the flow here is just great
26:59because that's the ambiance of living in South East Bulgaria.
27:04Until David and Lin can find a solution,
27:06their barn won't be able to host paying customers.
27:10But with the renovations well underway,
27:12they're hopeful it will soon become a comfortable countryside retreat
27:16for visiting family and friends.
27:25In France, Rachel and Jay have had a successful first summer,
27:29with plenty of guests enjoying their hospitality.
27:33How do you turn this bridge up?
27:35What do you think is up?
27:36A bigger number is colder?
27:37Or a smaller number is colder?
27:39To celebrate their achievements,
27:42they're throwing a party for friends and neighbours,
27:44and Jay has a VIP on the guest list.
27:49I've got my best friend coming across.
27:51A friend that I've known since I was 12 years old.
27:54Yeah.
27:55So it would be great for him to see what we've achieved.
27:57He's only seen photos, hasn't he?
27:59Actually, yeah, he's only seen stuff on social media.
28:02I'm not sure he knows exactly what he's coming to see.
28:05No.
28:07One thing they don't want him to see is a messy jeet.
28:10So before their friends arrive,
28:12there's a lot to be done to get the place spick and span,
28:15and it's certainly a strenuous workout.
28:18It's like a boxer-sized case.
28:21It's horrendous!
28:23After working up a sweat in the 30-degree heat,
28:26there's just time for a quick change before their guests arrive.
28:38Here they are, look.
28:42Come here, Marie.
28:43Come in, Jay.
28:45It's quite good to see you.
28:50It's warm enough for you.
28:51It's nice, isn't it?
28:52Yeah.
28:54So let me show you into your place, then.
28:59Oh, you decorated it really nicely.
29:02Great.
29:03So we've knocked this wall out as well just to create an open...
29:07And you put all this in?
29:08Yeah.
29:09Right.
29:09That looks nice.
29:10Yeah, it does.
29:13First impressions are good,
29:15and after a quick tour, it's time for a toast.
29:18Well, guys, thanks for having us.
29:20Welcome.
29:21Cheers.
29:22Cheers.
29:24What a cracking job.
29:25It's been hard work, hasn't it?
29:27I know.
29:28Fruitful.
29:28Worthwhile.
29:29Absolutely.
29:30So what do Alan and Marie make of their old friend's new home?
29:34It's an amazing place, the vineyard, this lovely stone building,
29:38the work that they've actually done to make it the way it is now.
29:42It's an amazing transformation and a really good investment for them for the future.
29:47It's just really nice to come over and see it.
29:49Yeah, it's just stunning.
29:52To get the seal of approval means the world to Rachel and Jay.
29:57We've got the usual wows and things, which is nice.
30:00I love it when people walk in and go,
30:01wow, it just makes you...
30:04To mark the end of a successful season, the partygoers have gathered.
30:10Everyone's here, so there's about 17 of us, I think, all together.
30:15A few friends and people have helped us doing up the house
30:18and been on our little journey with us, I suppose.
30:22So, yeah, just going to have some food and have some drinks
30:25and have a proper catch-up.
30:26Yeah, it's each day.
30:28What, the tan?
30:29The tan, yeah.
30:30You're looking good.
30:30It's like a bronze god, all the sun that he's getting.
30:33It makes you feel sick, doesn't it?
30:35I used to be a god, not anymore.
30:36Not since this started growing out.
30:38That's it.
30:39It's all good.
30:42Some of the guests have seen first-hand the effort
30:45that's gone into the project, like their mate Dean.
30:48Rachel and Jay, they've done so much work here.
30:50I mean, when I first came to do the electrics,
30:55I was like, this is quite a big job.
30:58They've done so well.
30:59And when you look at what they've achieved now
31:01with the house and the sheet and all the other bits,
31:04yeah, it's amazing, really.
31:06Their commitment has impressed everyone who's witnessed it.
31:09They're a great couple and they're doing fantastic things here.
31:14And then the new cabin's going to be amazing.
31:19Surrounded by friends, they can finally take in their achievements
31:23and it's an emotional moment.
31:25Now, I just want to obviously thank everybody for coming
31:28and supporting us on this journey.
31:31It's been a busy year, hasn't it?
31:32Very good.
31:33Cheers, everybody. Thank you very much.
31:35Cheers!
31:36Cheers!
31:36Thanks for having me.
31:37You're welcome.
31:39When everybody pats you on the back,
31:41of course it makes you feel good.
31:42It's...
31:44There's been a lot of hard work, hasn't there?
31:46You know, to see their faces, the payoff has been great.
31:50Yeah.
31:51The biggest risk we've ever taken in our lives
31:54is actually paying off.
31:55We're, like, running a successful vineyard
31:58that will yield wine.
32:00Two successful geats,
32:01two cabins that already have bookings.
32:03It's massive.
32:05Geat number one.
32:06Geat number two.
32:07And what's to come next?
32:09And one to you.
32:10And one to me.
32:12Love you.
32:12Love you too.
32:14We're good at this, aren't we?
32:15We try, don't we?
32:24Coming up...
32:24Hi, guys!
32:26Lin and David can finally show off the fruits of their labours.
32:30So, come and see what it's like since you saw it last.
32:35Wow.
32:36Has it been worth all the hard work?
32:38For me, it was a thrill.
32:40They were able to come.
32:42And Rob and Fran are up against it.
32:45We've got to get this seed in
32:46because it's going to rain for about a week now.
32:49With improvised equipment...
32:51Looking forward to this.
32:52Will they reap what they sow?
32:54That's it, hun.
32:56That's it.
32:57Top vineyard done!
33:09Back in Bulgaria, summer is drawing to a close
33:12and after a huge push over the past few months,
33:15work on Lin and David's barn is finally finished.
33:19And while they haven't had paying guests,
33:22they have hosted family.
33:24For me, it was a thrill.
33:26It was a thrill that they were able to come
33:29and be the first people to stay in it once it had been finished.
33:33So, at the beginning of the summer,
33:34my eldest daughter and her family came
33:36and at the end of the summer, my second daughter came.
33:39And for me, that was a thrill that it was finished for them.
33:44They've taken the barn from basic concrete shell
33:47to compact and comfortable open-plan living space
33:51and are delighted with the results.
33:55It has a really, really nice feel to it.
33:58We're very, very happy with it.
34:01And it's not the only thing that's fallen in their favour.
34:04Having received the disappointing news
34:06that their visa wouldn't allow them to run a business,
34:09they have since had a more promising verdict
34:12on the complex regulations.
34:14I mean, spoken to our lawyer, we could rent it out occasionally.
34:19There are people who've contacted us and sort of said,
34:22you know, if we've got friends coming,
34:23could they stay for two or three nights and that sort of thing.
34:26We stayed one night in it just...
34:29To see what it was like.
34:30To see what it was like.
34:31Yeah.
34:34With the possibility of paying guests in the future,
34:37they're keen for any feedback they can get.
34:40Oh, they're here. Hi.
34:42They've asked friends and neighbours, Tony and Jules,
34:45to come and view the transformation.
34:47Hi, guys. Come on up.
34:51Although family have tested out the accommodation
34:53from a functional aspect,
34:56Lynn and David are hoping the aesthetics get a warm reception.
34:59So come and see what it's like since you saw it last, is it?
35:04Wow. That's a good translation.
35:06Yeah. Oh, wow.
35:08Where once the space was more of a storage area,
35:11a smart new kitchen has now been installed
35:15and they haven't skimped on the finish.
35:18Real marble or is it...?
35:19Yeah, it's granite.
35:21Granite?
35:22Yeah, yeah.
35:23Granite?
35:23Yeah.
35:24I think for, you know, as a sort of guest place
35:27where you're going to be making teas and coffees
35:29and then basically the kitchen is perfectly adequate
35:32for what's needed in here.
35:34I would love to come and stay here for a weekend.
35:38They've managed to retain some of the original wooden beams
35:41and have brought light to the space with some imaginative remodelling.
35:46We've created an open-plan space.
35:49Oh, wow.
35:50You know, how it used to be really dark.
35:52It's an amazing transformation.
35:54Well done.
35:54And then a bit on the bathroom.
35:55The bathroom down here.
35:57Having had to entirely rewire the building
36:00and make costly repairs to the roof, the budget has been tight,
36:04but they've stopped at nothing to achieve their vision,
36:08even in the smallest room.
36:09Put a new sink in.
36:11We retiled it.
36:15Nice.
36:16It looks so bright and clean and fresh.
36:18It's wonderful.
36:20Tore over, it's time for the verdict from Tony and Jules.
36:26Loved it.
36:27Loved it.
36:28Yeah, very impressed.
36:29Yeah.
36:30Amazing.
36:30I think they've done a fantastic job.
36:32Lynn is a crafty person and I think she's got a neck
36:34of sort of making things look pretty and nice and homely.
36:37And she's done that.
36:39Lynn and David can be duly proud of what they've achieved.
36:43Not only with bricks and mortar,
36:46but by embracing their lives here in Bulgaria
36:48and all it has to offer.
36:50Hello, my friends.
36:51Hi there.
36:53This day.
36:53Okay, have a read and get back to you.
36:56Okay.
36:56Having completed the barn, but also renovated their own house,
37:01retirement has looked like a lot of hard work so far.
37:04One of the problems with these sort of properties
37:08is you buy them quite reasonably, very, very reasonably priced.
37:12But because you've not paid too much for the property,
37:16you are tempted to start pouring money into them.
37:20And so we've sort of tried to keep ourselves disciplined.
37:26And it's not just the interior of their property that they have transformed.
37:31The outdoor space has been a steep learning curve that's paid dividends.
37:36Getting to know gardening has been a bit of a rollercoaster adventure.
37:41And it's absolutely churned out loads and loads of food.
37:47I've had beginner's luck.
37:48It's just you put things in and it grows,
37:50and it's really exciting to see growth that you eat.
37:53Yeah, beetroot, broccoli, cabbages, potatoes,
37:56and plenty for us, you know, so that's all been great.
38:01While they might have had to rethink their business model,
38:05the barn and their land remain central to their plans for the future.
38:09And they've already been able to welcome friends and neighbours
38:13and embrace the community they hope to become a part of.
38:17Well, last year...
38:18There were many ideas.
38:20Yeah, we did a sort of family day, which was really nice
38:25and just invited a whole pile of folks and their little ones.
38:29It just made a really nice sort of atmosphere.
38:33It was like school sports day.
38:34Yeah, yeah.
38:35It was fun.
38:36So, yeah, those sort of things we want to do in the barn
38:39and out in the backfield.
38:41We want that to gain momentum.
38:44Having battled visa bureaucracy and building work,
38:47Lin and David can look forward to an exciting future in Bulgaria.
38:52We love living here.
38:53And whilst we're healthy and able, we will live here.
38:58The adventure could continue.
38:59We've just got to see, really.
39:02Cheers.
39:03It's been a great summer.
39:04It is indeed, yeah.
39:12For many couples, living a sustainable life from their own produce
39:16is of prime importance for their new lives.
39:19None more so than Rob and Fran.
39:22And as the glamping season draws to a close at their Umbrian farm,
39:26the couple can plant seeds for the following year, quite literally.
39:30The idea is, because we don't have the right equipment, with the buggy, there's a pallet on the back,
39:36which in theory is going to run across the top and sow the seeds and get them in the ground.
39:42We've got to get this seed in because it's going to rain for about a week now.
39:45Planting these seeds in between the rows of grapevines is a method of organic farming the couple are keen to
39:52experiment with.
39:55We can harvest some of the veg for ourselves for the winter, but the rest of it we actually plough
40:01back in to the earth to give the soil more nutrition.
40:04It's all about the wine. It's all about the quality of the wine.
40:10With Rob at the wheel, Fran will be manning the makeshift plough.
40:14Looking forward to this.
40:18Watch it Woody.
40:25Okay.
40:30Good.
40:31Let's see what happens.
40:33Pronti.
40:34Pronti.
40:35Vediamo.
40:37Vai.
40:43So it's covering the middle section. I mean it is doing something.
40:52That's working.
40:55It's not...
40:56Precise science?
40:57It's definitely not an exact science.
41:01I don't know what you mean. This is extremely accurate what I'm up to here.
41:05The downside of a hill farm is that you also have to go back up again.
41:11We're going up this one.
41:13That's it.
41:15Or whichever way the buggy feels like.
41:18Let's try that.
41:21Oh, forward.
41:24I think that crate is absolute genius.
41:27It's worked out.
41:28Yeah.
41:29I'm going to be sowing seeds in my sleep.
41:33That's it, hun. That's it. Top vineyard done.
41:37With autumn soon to become winter, Fran and Rob can reflect on a year of accomplishments in Umbria.
41:44I'll translate it first.
41:46See if you can get it.
41:47Not only have they established a luxury glamping site with biopool, sauna and high-end open-air kitchen, welcoming an
41:56array of guests...
41:57I'm going to eat a scachatina.
42:00She is a scachatina.
42:03They've constructed an event space hosting all manner of groups and activities.
42:08And with olive groves and grape vines to manage, they're gradually learning how to become farmers.
42:14Moving here was big.
42:16Yeah.
42:16But this year has gone on another level.
42:19I think we feel totally fulfilled by, you know, a very busy first season.
42:25We've met so many people, all of whom, you know, have really fallen in love with the space, the place.
42:32We've had 23 different nationalities, something like that.
42:36A lot of people just thought we're mad.
42:38We're trying to do something with our lives that we feel passionate about.
42:42We think we can do something really special.
42:45And it's been, whilst exhausting and challenging, completely rewarding.
42:52And Rob and Fran aren't quite done yet.
42:54The construction of their family home is ongoing, with much still to do.
43:00And they have yet more plans for their site.
43:03The upgrades that we know that have got to happen are...
43:06Vegetable patch.
43:07Vegetable patch.
43:08Which I'm very excited about.
43:09It's a kitchen garden.
43:09It's a kitchen garden.
43:10So when you're here in your communal kitchen, you just look down there.
43:13Oh, look.
43:14The tomatoes are ready.
43:15Go and get your tomatoes and get your vegetables.
43:17And then we're going to put outdoor showers in around a couple of the backs of the tents.
43:21I'm not letting go of the idea that just right there, there should be like a jacuzzi.
43:25Hot tub.
43:26Why not?
43:26This is how they start.
43:27This whole thing started with just spitballing and all of a sudden we're sat here a year in, talking about
43:36it.
43:37Crazy.
43:38From the retreat they've created on their hillside, their future looks certain to be in Italy.
43:45I really just want to live in my house and on this glamping site.
43:49I'm really just happy to be here.
43:51I know.
43:52Every sunset I'm happy to be here, which is mercifully like, you know, five days in seven or something.
43:57I mean, it's really been stunning here recently.
44:00Yeah.
44:00It's October.
44:02We're in t-shirts.
44:04It's, yeah.
44:05It's lovely.
44:07No, I love it.
44:08There's definitely not a regret on mine.
44:11I don't have any regrets.
44:17Next time, a family in France are fighting a battle with a crumbling hotel.
44:22All new ceilings, all new plaster, all new windows, all new doors, new floors, completely rewired, completely replanned.
44:29In Spain, it's make or break for one couple launching a new yoga retreat.
44:33We do need to start making money.
44:35We've given up our life, our home, our belongings, our family.
44:41Whilst another couple's Spanish dream comes to fruition.
44:44Hippie!
44:45Las fruta!
44:45Mwah!
44:46But reality soon brings them back down to earth with a bump.
44:50We stood on the balcony and we thought, what have we done?
44:53Well done.
45:22We did it,abel.
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