Neil and Sarah appeared on Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun in November 2023 and bought a property in Rojales, Spain, but said it disrupted their world travel dreams
The couple learned a lot about what they really wanted from their time on the show(Image: ( Image: YOUTUBE/2GOROAMTRAVELS))
A couple have claimed their appearance on A Place in the Sun “screwed everything up” after they ended up buying a property in Spain unexpectedly.
Expats Neil and his wife Sarah allege that their stint on the Channel 4 show in November 2023 completely derailed their long-standing dream of globetrotting, forcing them to sell the Spanish property and reassess their plans.
On their YouTube channel, 2GoRoam Travels, Neil shared, “We didn’t plan to buy a house in Spain. Sarah and I sold everything we owned five years ago to retire early and travel the world full-time.” For half a decade, the duo had been living a nomadic life, traversing continents and countries.
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Neil in Spain(Image: ( Image: YOUTUBE/2GOROAMTRAVELS))
“In those first five years, we went to multiple countries on all kinds of continents across this wonderful globe of ours,” Neil said, “We had a fantastic time,” reports the Liverpool Echo.
Their stint on A Place in the Sun came about almost accidentally when Neil spotted the programme’s production team doing screen tests at an event. “I said to Sarah, ‘Hey, do you want to go on A Place in the Sun?'” he recalled. Her reply was instant: “‘No, because we don’t want to buy a house.'”.
Neil persuaded her, despite her misgivings, that it would be an intriguing experience. “I said, ‘We don’t want to buy a house, but it’d be quite cool to do some TV stuff and see how TV’s made,'” he explained.
Before cameras started rolling, Neil had been crystal clear about their strategy. “I said to Sarah, ‘Do not under any circumstances look too interested in any of the properties.'” Part of this strategy included appearing deliberately disinterested whilst viewing potential homes.
Everything shifted when the third property in Rojales came into view. “When you see that opening moment on TV, I am having kittens,” Neil admitted. “I’m thinking, ‘If this is on budget, how can you say you don’t like it? It’s perfect.'”.
It might have been in contradiction with their initial intentions, but the pair ended up putting in an offer and secured the property. However, the practicalities of overseas homeownership quickly collided with their treasured way of life.
“Buying a house in Spain kind of ruined our dreams,” Neil admitted. “It ruined everything for us, because Sarah and I love travel.” With a UK passport, Neil encountered Schengen travel limitations, and the duo still possessed a motorhome earmarked for lengthy European adventures alongside trips to Asia and the Americas.
The instant they handed over the reservation deposit, reality hit home. “We ordered a bottle of cava and I said to Sarah, ‘We’ve got a problem.’ We owned a house we could only spend six months in and a motorhome we bought to travel Europe.”
They chose to focus on their Spanish residence, offloading the motorhome, whilst Neil secured an Irish passport via his grandmother’s lineage, that permitted for extended European visits. Still, the fundamental challenge of staying in one place for an extended period simmered under the surface.
Neil admitted he just wanted the experience of going on TV(Image: Image: YOUTUBE/2GOROAMTRAVELS))
Months later, while engrossed in travel videos online, the reality dawned on them. “Sarah said, ‘I wish we were in Vietnam,'” Neil remembered. “You can’t do all three.”
The financial impracticality of owning a property, a motorhome, and globetrotting simultaneously became apparent. “It’s not economically wise,” Neil said.
“When we venture further abroad, they’re just sitting there collecting dust.” In the end, the couple decided to sell their Spanish property. “We’ve sold our house in Spain,” Neil confirmed.
They have now returned to full-time travelling, which they revealed included plans for a five-month tour across Asia, visiting Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and potentially China.
Despite everything, Neil is grateful for the journey. “We are so thankful for A Place in the Sun, because actually we’ve realised it saved us from ourselves.”
Looking forward, their dedication is evident. “We’ve reset the clock,” he said. “We’re travelling the world for the next 10 years. We won’t buy another property for at least a decade.” In the end, Neil learned an important lesson: “You can have a lot of things in life, but you can’t have everything.”
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