My solo drive from Ireland to my new home in Italy
In July 2022, after 2 years of searching Ireland for an affordable home to purchase, I gave up.
I had pictured buying a derelict old stone cottage and loving it back to life. My dream wasn't location specific, my needs and wants are simple. One big room has the entire living space. No fitted kitchens, instead I wanted a wood burning stove that would heat the room and be my hob. I wanted a sink that uses filtered rainwater. A cosy wingback armchair by a window to read or knit in the daylight.
I don't sleep in a bed and don't really understand the need for a bedroom so a nice cosy rug to sleep on at night and do yoga on in the daytime.
I planned an outdoor compost toilet surrounded by lavender bushes. There's something special about slipping on your wellies and overcoat in the middle of the night to trek to the loo, the way lit by the moon and stars.
I was willing to go off grid to make it fit my budget. All I needed was phone/mobile data reception so I could run my business. At a big stretch, my budget was €45k and for that, I needed to be able to make the property weatherproof so I could live in it as I loved it back to life slowly.
But my budget couldn't even get me windowless, roofless, 3 walled piece of history in Ireland.
The reality was clear. I was never going to be able to own a home in Ireland and given the price of property and cost of living I began to realise that I was o.k with that. It wasn't the first time in my life id have to accept that Ireland can't offer me the qualities I want in my lifestyle.
For years I'd kept an eye on the European property market so I knew you could get some beautiful bargains, but could I handle the buying process in another country where I don't speak the language? There are so many cultural unknowns and so many horror stories.
I did what I always do to empower myself, I researched.
Europe's big so I narrowed my search to France, Italy and Portugal. I learnt French in school, I'd spent a month in Portugal the year prior and loved it. and knew a little about the perks of being an ageing resident there. And Italy because it wasn't, And Spain where a lot of Irish ex-pats choose. It felt too diluted for me.
I knew I didn't want to buy a holiday home. I wanted more traditional. I wrote a list of things I needed to consider when choosing a property. Things that would support my life as a spoonie, and the realities of chronic physical & mental ill health.
Did you know that France has the top rated medical care in Europe and Italy is 2nd. There's a lot you learn when you research.
Finding places within my budget in Europe was easy. Plenty were even move in condition.
Not having a big budget is very freeing. You don't get to be too picky on minor details. You usually don't have too many options, which leads one to stand out.
That's what this Italy home was. A STAND OUT.
It had a loft bedroom which only really feels spacious if you don't need a bed to sleep in, hello I don't even need a mattress to sleep on. The living space was one big room.
The kitchen lined one wall. There was a sofa with a pull out bed tucked under the loft bedroom. oh did I mention it came fully furnished, but I asked for most of the furniture to be taken out as I didn't want a bed or kitchen table & chairs. I want the central floor space to be free of furniture so that it feels spacious and I can spontaneously bust out some dance or yoga moves.
The apartment has more mod cons than I wanted but you don't say no to your dream home because it has more than you wish for. It has a dishwasher and washing machine, two things I never planned to own. It has a full size fridge freezer which is more than I ever hoped for.
My home is surrounded by National Park. The view from my balcony is of lush green tree filled mountains. You can't even imagine it , so i’ve added a video so you can enjoy it too
There is a river close by that I can hear flowing when I open my windows.
The best part about this perfect home for me is that it cost only €20k.
YES that's the total amount to own it. Can you believe it!! And it's not the only property in Europe that is so low. It's not a one off but this home is rare because the layout and size feel purpose built for me.
The journey to move to my home was not as hassle & stress free as the buying process.
I was always planning to drive from Ireland to Italy, as you know I often sleep in my car and love it. My car is a home for me and the thought of taking it to Europe and down to Italy felt exciting, it made sense. Sunny days parked at swim spots along the way. A Chilled out pace of driving with lots of good local food and snacks.
When I planned this trip I expected to have 2k in my bank account but since life always brings challenges I ended up leaving with only €400 in my bank account.
I have always considered myself a lucky person, but 2 days before I was due to depart my car started acting up and one of the doors stopped locking. Not ideal when you plan to sleep in your car in unknown places, alone!
The ferry was booked and non-changeable so I went with a feeling of doom and fear that it was a sign of a turbulent trip ahead.
I was so thankful to past me for splashing out on a cabin. I knew a good sleep was my best chance of a good start, especially since it was my first time driving on the other side of the road.
I got the rest I needed and was all set to start the adventure ahead.
I'd planned my first stop in France. A supermarket 12 mins drive up the road. I'd get a taste of driving on the wrong side of the road and could park up, freak out and soothe myself with pastries. But in the end, no freak out was needed so it was celebration pastries.
My brain seemed to be adjusting to driving on the other side of the road a lot easier than I expected.
I drove more each day than I had originally planned as I was convinced the car would break down or id crash and I didn't want to deal with such a thing in France. I felt at least if it happened in Italy I was in my “home” country. I'm sure it would have made little difference in reality.
The trip was nothing like what I had imagined in my mind, the shortage of money make things feel restricted and my mindset was the worst I have ever had. I was afraid so much of the time. I didn't feel I could handle anything going wrong. was exhausting and so unlike me to be so pessimistic.
The fact that France was having a petrol shortage didn't help. It wasn't possible to fill your tank. There was a €30 limit and the q’s at petrol stations were about an hour long.
I ran low one day and 3 petrol stations I went to had no fuel left. It was a situation I have never expected to encounter. Things like these reconfirmed that my feeling of impending doom and unsafety were warranted.
I was grumpy with myself for driving so much and exploring less. I charged my way down to France planning to come back and do it leisurely but kicking myself for not being able to get control of my thoughts and feelings enough to embrace them more this time.
And then worse than I had even expected, the bad news came. Mum sent me a picture of a letter that came in the post. It was from the government saying I owed them thousands in taxes.
I cried. How could this be? I had done everything right, or so I thought. (turns out it was sent in error but I didn't know that until weeks later)
There is a point where you go from fearing everything to no longer caring. This tipped me into the “F it” phase. There was nothing I could do at this moment but sit and stress and slowly rot inside as I drove. Or I could accept what is not currently in my control, slow my pace and live in the now and the way things were going I was going to self combust and die if I didn't.
Soon I was winding my way around the French mountains stunned by the scenery surrounding me. The next thing I know I've reached Italy. I was taken aback by how unceremonious it happened. One minute you're on a French road and the next there is a sign letting you know you're in Italy. No fanfare, or streamers, not even a border guard. Amazing and disappointing. I was left to cheer alone.
It felt so good to hit Italy, for about a minute until the road quality changed. I was driving on pothole-laden tarmac, I'm not even sure it was tarmac. Then reach an Italian city and all that I had heard about the crazy Italian driving felt like a massive understatement.
I'm a rule follower. I never go above the speed limit. I'm a courteous but not overly courteous driver. Italian drivers do not follow rules, or speed limits, they even create their own lanes. Roundabouts are like a merry-go-round with real horses. It's madness and daunting and all I wanted to do is pull in and freak out but you can't, you are stuck in this wave of mayhem and have only one option, go with the flow.
Oh, how my driving has changed since living here.
I decided to celebrate getting this far by making my way to the coast and chilling on a beach. I wanted to immerse myself in the ocean and wash away all the madness that had been swirling inside me.
I found a wonderful parking spot where I could back the car right up to the beach. I spent a wonderful day lazing between the car, the sand and the ocean. The sunset was spectacular. I was starting to get my sanity back.
Once my mindset had changed I started to feel lucky. Lucky for the gorgeous parking spots I was finding. Lucky for being able to go on this drive. Grateful that I am someone who considers such adventures an option, something I'm capable of.
Very grateful for my health has improved enough to allow me to trust I had the energy to make it there.
I arrived at my new home after 10 days on the road. Everything was as I'd left it. I had read that after 3 months of it sitting empty, it might have fallen apart or bring something I only dreamed up but it wasn't it was all here and all mine. once again I had a home. I play to grow, heal and play.
When I went to view it originally I spent all of 30 seconds in it as I KNEW it was for me and bought it on the spot. I didn't even walk around the town.
I had lots to explore and get to know, including the Italian language.
Nearly 4 months here and I still believe that this home, this town was meant for me, like in that way; where you don't know how you found it but you were always meant to find it. It feels like destiny like this is exactly where I am meant to be at this point in my life. I’m grateful for what led me here and I know a big part of that is me. I am always grateful for me.
Whatever your dream my biggest tip is…..
give your mind time to digest it. Give time for the fear and doubt to calm. Let your mind make peace with it as gently and slowly as it needs. Then research a little, and a little more until the information forms a picture of what might be the path to making this a reality.
