In August 2024, my husband Illya and I, along with our then 8-year-old twin daughters, set off from Bristol, UK, heading to Dover and the cross-channel ferry.
We weren’t just going on holiday, though. We were about to start a yearlong adventure, traveling around Europe in our self-built camper van, Phileas.
The plan was that I would continue to run my business — a marketing agency — while Illya, as a stay-at-home dad, would handle homeschooling and the practical side of van life. It seemed foolproof.
After a smooth crossing, we arrived in Dunkirk and parked in one of the convenient and cheap camper car parks that make France such a great place…
