Special Announcement - Some Bad news & we're on the BBC

Well Chris and I have decided to do a quick update Everything's gone a little bit crazy in the last couple of weeks and we've got good news and bad news and exciting news and just loads of different things It's a bit of a mixture really Yeah And we've posted a few things on Facebook and a few things on YouTube YouTube usually posts a couple of days later because Chris is obviously putting all the videos together And doing all the clever stuff So we announced it on Facebook but we didn't announce it on YouTube This is the first time we've talked about it on YouTube Unfortunately we lost Reggie Yeah If you had seen the previous those of you who have been following us would have seen that we got or had a dog named Reggie Unfortunately just after we got his pet passport they found a small tumor on him and when they investigated it they realized that it was inoperable cancer So unfortunately we had to let him go so he won't be joining us on our travels So we're obviously very sad about that But were very lucky because our vet was super nice and called us during Reggie's procedure to remove the small tumor Yeah And it was very obvious to them that it was something quite sinister And as we discussed it before the surgery it was a unanimous decision to let him go on the table If it was right for him While he was asleep So he wouldn't know anything about it Yeah So yeah that's it So Reggie you're gone but you're not forgotten So the good news we've had is that we've been on the BBC So we're here with John who is the social media editor apparently from the BBC who's come to film a short clip of us and our crazy travels And originally he was filming it for what I think was like Twitter Instagram and Facebook And then he told us the news that had been broadcast on the BBC Midlands programme which is our local programme Because we're from sunny Shropshire And the amazing thing was they posted it on their Facebook page and it started going viral And we've had just under 600 000 views on Facebook in the last couple of days Yeah We can't believe it We are overwhelmed by how lovely everyone has been And we just wanted to say thank you for making us feel really special Seriously we're overwhelmed by the response Honestly we are truly grateful for all the support We are a little nervous about our trip and we've gone all in just going for it And we've got a plan we're self-funded and we've worked really hard to make this happen And we've got our plan to travel as far as we can with Trudy picking up our rucksacks We're very fortunate to have many friends and family members scattered around the world who have kindly offered us their support And there are plenty of you We've received hundreds of messages from you offering us a place to park a place to sleep and a place to connect We've had people in India offer to take us around so we can try local foods Yeah stone circles in Donegal Thatched cottages The guys in Donegal we're going to see you very soon because Ireland is our first stop as you know There's a family wedding And really really we can't thank you enough I think we've got 600 followers on YouTube now and Facebook went up a couple of thousand in a day or so It's just amazing It's been really really honestly we can't thank you enough We've got friends all over the world now who have just been so generous with their offers We are really looking forward to connecting and networking with you all hearing your stories and aspirations and being shown around your local area So thank you so much We are so grateful and excited I think our plan is that Europe and definitely the surrounding countries are going to be in Trudy And she's an older van so we wouldn't stop bouncing her around across deserts You know we've had questions Are you going to get to North Korea and how are you possibly going to get there You're right We can't drive there I don't think we can physically drive Trudy to every country in the world I think that would be almost impossible But the plan is to step foot in every country in the world Every country in the world And we would love to Over the next 20 or so years I'd love to drive a van all the way around the world Yeah we would love to But we're still investigating insurances and things outside Europe So trickier than you would think It is And if any of you know how to actually do that or have any contacts or anything else or have done it yourself Yeah We would love to hear from you So please put your comments below or send me a private message or whatever Absolutely That would be really really cool Because that's when you start googling it We're in aren't we We are We're game for it Yeah We'll drive to Australia We'll give it a go We 'll work out how we're going to do it So yeah So if you do know please let us know That would be fab So for those of you that haven't seen the BBC News clip they were kind enough to send us the file So we're going to play it right now And we'd love to hear your comments Please share it and whatever And we 'll see you on the road really soon And those of you who have already seen it Sorry if we're boring you We are just so excited Absolutely My goodness Here it is Well we've probably all dreamed about it at some point of leaving the routine behind and heading out to travel the world But one Shropshire couple are actually going to do it Inspired by becoming a kidney donor Marianne Fisher and her husband Chris decided life was just too short So they've quit their jobs packed up the house and are planning to try and visit every country in the world We have made the crazy decision to sell everything in our house Quit our jobs and we are going to attempt to step foot in every country in the world Why Who knows No I think we just decided that we lost a couple of friends last year Marianne kindly donated a kidney to her best friend Kate And I think we just decided that life was quite short And it needed to be lived It's been quite tricky some of it to empty your house to get organized to get the insurance to find the van It has been quite a challenge I think society in general doesn't want you to quit your job and quit the rat race and just go on a never ending holiday But we're determined to try and do it and show other people that it's possible And we have a theory as well Don't ever ever ever lose your sense of humor We're not millionaires We haven't won the lottery There's no windfall We've worked hard all our lives We've got a nice house It's full of stuff Most of it you don't actually use And we just thought you know what Let's get rid of the stuff And if we rented the house out it gives us some money every month So we have to live off that rental of that house There is no other source of income It is literally that And if we overspend then we're on beans for a month I think we both want to go to the Galapagos Islands and go dive Because we're scuba divers I would love to dive with a school of hammerhead sharks Yeah that's way up there That's way up there on the list After the post kidney donor I wanted to be an advocate and show people that even with one kidney I'm completely crazy Nothing's changed Everything's exactly the same And because I'm healthy and fabulous and being a donor a living donor It's just the most rewarding thing ever If the vehicle breaks down I'm going to set the awning out put my chairs out put the kettle on make a cup of coffee And we are going to Google where the local mechanic is But no we're not mechanics at all But we have a sense of humor I think they're going to need that sense of humor It's been a fascinating hour and a half Fascinating as ever Marianne once met never forgotten It's one of those interviews where you ask a question and then four minutes later you ask the next one Not that we talk too much that means That's because I'm an introvert and I 'm really struggling with OK maybe not I've got a 16-minute interview to get through but seriously it was a fascinating interview and I wish the guys all the luck in the world And I'm sure they'll have a brilliant time and I'm going to follow them about three months later Marvelous If not come out and find us I've just quit the job He's quit he's coming with us He's wearing a t-shirt