Today we’re going to find out more about the AC_Slowlife family. These two parents from Girona, Spain, decided to embark on the adventure of travelling by motorhome in 2020. On their social networks, they share their travel itineraries and photos of the incredible places they visit with their community!
Presentation of the AC_Slowlife family
Hello AC_Slowlife family, could you introduce yourselves to the CaraMaps community?
AC_SLOWLIFE: We’re a family from Girona. We travel with our two daughters and our dog, a bobtail, who is part of the family. We travel in Glamys, an MC Louis Glamys 322 motorhome.
In 2020, you decided to embark on the adventure of travelling by motorhome. Is this your first trip in a motorhome? If so, why did you choose this travel mode?
AC_SLOWLIFE: In fact, it was in 2020 that we entered the wonderful world of motorhoming for the first time. It’s a funny story because we’d never set foot in a motorhome before, not in a campsite or anything like that. And we took the plunge and bought our Glamys, and we’re very happy.
We chose this way of travelling as a family, to be able to go everywhere with our dog, to enjoy nature, for the comfort when you’re travelling with small children, for the independence and freedom it provides. And also for the chance to improvise when travelling.
Was there a reason why the family decided to adopt this incredible motorhome lifestyle?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Yes, although we have travelled to various European capitals, a few Central American countries and several trips to the USA after finishing university. When we had the girls, we didn’t travel as much as we used to, and then there were the pushchairs, the planes, the suitcases, the family reconciliations, the crèches and suddenly the covid arrived. One day, we were chatting to a friend of ours who was a camper van driver and something just clicked.
We wondered why this had never occurred to us before. After that, we started actively researching motorhomes, models and started looking for the one we thought would suit our family and preferences.
We looked at motorhomes for hire in the area and they were all booked for the summer. So we settled on the one we liked, our Glamys.
What travel values would you like to share with the CaraMaps community?
AC_SLOWLIFE: The values we’d like to share are freedom, well-being, encouraging the family, enjoying nature, the comfort it offers, not having to think about bookings, no entry or exit times, enjoying the moment, not rushing and travelling ‘slowly’.
Why did you choose the name “AC_Slowlife family”? Does it have any particular symbolism?
AC_SLOWLIFE: We live in a fast-paced society, with a fast-paced lifestyle where immediacy reigns supreme. We thought it was necessary to enjoy the here and now, to slow down the pace, to appreciate the little things that are really important, to connect with the world, with nature and with people. Hence slowlife, which has in fact become a whole movement, a philosophy of life. Also, the abbreviation AC stands for autocaravana (camper van in Spanish).
Finally, the important thing for us, as we’ve said, is to enjoy the little moments, the beautiful villages (the ones that sometimes don’t appear in the guidebooks and welcome you with open arms), the stories of the people who live there, the little grocery shops and the local produce, another way of life that we believe is very necessary.
It’s there that you really discover the history and essence of the place and, above all, that you come into contact with the people and the culture.
WHAT ARE THE TRAVEL HABITS OF THE AC_SLOWLIFE FAMILY?
Can you tell us more about travelling with your two children and your pet? Do you encounter any particular difficulties when travelling as a family? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
AC_SLOWLIFE: In general, we like to improvise a lot.
However, we do keep a list of all the things and places we think would be interesting to visit, as well as a rough itinerary.
From there, depending on the length of the trip, we calculate what we need to fill the fridge and freezer, bearing in mind that we buy what we need during the trip, always opting for local produce from the regions we’re visiting.
It’s also important for long journeys with children to manage the logistics by taking books, puzzles, board games, colours, modelling clay, cards, a USB stick with children’s films and anything else that can brighten up the miles and the journey.
From there, we let ourselves be carried along by the impressions given to us by the places, towns, villages, the weather, the advice of the locals or other motorhome owners we meet on our way and with whom we exchange ideas.
The advantages are that you can adapt your trip to your own pace, change your itinerary or destination at the last minute, and enjoy the comfort of taking everything you need with you, and the motorhome is your home.
The downside is that it’s not always possible to park or spend the night with the motorhome where we’d like, because it’s over 7 metres high and, in many places, we’re still not wanted or welcome.
Finally, as far as difficulties are concerned, we don’t see any particular difficulties in travelling with a motorhome.
Obviously, we don’t think everyone will like or feel comfortable travelling with a motorhome. And that’s the beauty of life – we’re not all the same.
We’ve also seen on your social networks that you’ve travelled to many European countries, can you tell us how many countries you’ve visited in total? Which is the AC_Slowlife family’s favourite country?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Over the last 3 years, we’ve visited Switzerland twice, Andorra twice, the Netherlands, Lieintcheestein, Belgium and a few places in France (Mont-Louis, Lac de Matemale, Carcassonne, Paris, the whole of Alsace at Christmas… ), Disneyland 3 times. And in Spain, a few places: Zaragoza, Bardenas Reales, Pais Basco) and Catalonia, especially the Costa Brava.
The family’s favourite country would have to be Switzerland, where we went for the first time in the summer of 2021. The blue tones of the lakes, the immense mountains, the green of the meadows, the pure air, not forgetting the chocolate, seduced us. In fact, last December we went back there because it’s magical and we went to see Santa Claus.
What countries would you like to discover now?
AC_SLOWLIFE: That’s a difficult question, because we have a lot of countries to visit.
At the moment, we’re thinking of Austria, Slovenia, Italy and Germany. But we’re also looking forward to visiting England, Denmark and Norway. Little by little.
Do you have one or more rituals before or after arriving in a new place?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Yes, when we get there, the first thing we do is walk the dog around the area and surroundings where we’ve decided to spend the night or in the park to check that it’s a good place, both in terms of information signs and safety, in short, to check out the area…
Are you more of a planner or an improviser?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Improvisers, without a doubt. From home, as we said, we only take one possible route with the most important places. From there, we let ourselves be carried away by the magic of the country we’re in and by improvisation.
Sometimes we arrive at places with high expectations, but they don’t turn out to be what we expected and we spend less time there. And on the contrary, we find places that fascinate us and we stop to spend more time there.
That’s where the quote “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” comes in. And that’s where the magic of improvisation in a motorhome comes in.
Getting up in the morning and not knowing what you’re going to visit the next day.
Have you ever thought of making a tour of Europe in a motorhome with your daughters?
AC_SLOWLIFE: We’ve thought about it several times, but so far, for various reasons, it hasn’t been possible. We hope that in the future we’ll be able to make it happen and enjoy a few months travelling around Europe, filling ourselves with experiences and memories.
SHARING OF EXPERIENCE AND ADVICE
Do you have any advice for parents who want to experience the adventure of motorhome travelling with their children?
AC_SLOWLIFE: They should try renting first, but not go too far the first time. And let them organise the trip, but not in detail, let them let themselves be carried along by the adventure. Above all, they should download the Caramaps app to find places to spend the night or park. With children, it’s important to bring a few things to draw, colour, play and have fun with.
In any case, as we’ve already mentioned, we don’t think that travelling by camper van suits some people’s lifestyles.
Do you have anecdotes to share with the CaraMaps community about your best memories of travelling in a motorhome?
AC_SLOWLIFE: A few…
First trip in a motorhome, in Andorra, we parked in a paying car park, when we left, in a bit of a hurry, we hit the rear mudguard while manoeuvring, we called the insurance company, we went to a garage, we had to take the time to get it repaired.
It’s also an anecdote of encounters in remote places that we’d never have imagined.
How do you interact with other motorhomers on each of your trips? Do you tend to stick together as a family, or are you open to meeting new travellers to share tips?
AC_SLOWLIFE: We enjoy meeting travellers and helping each other out with tips on destinations and routes. The motorhome community in general is very friendly and we help each other in any way we can.
Do you use the CaraMaps application to plan or find your own places to sleep in your motorhome? How often and which function do you use the most?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Yes, we discovered it a year ago, in the summer of 2022, and since then it’s been helping us to plan our itinerary and especially to find places to spend the night or to park when we’re on the road.
Have you already added a location to the CaraMaps travel app? If so, which place would you recommend most to the community?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Yes, we have.
It’s very difficult to recommend one, it depends on a lot of factors.
Do you have a last message for the CaraMaps travel community?
AC_SLOWLIFE: Plan and organise at your own pace, giving up a little control and routine. Enjoy nature, family and friends, slow down, enjoy the moment. And fill your rucksack with memories, moments and experiences.
Thanks to the AC_Slowlife family for your time. We wish them all the best in their travels with the CaraMaps app and look forward to following their next adventures!
Did you enjoy the AC_Slowlife interview? We invite you to support them in their travel plans and follow their adventures now directly on their Instagram account! 😊
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Also check out our other interviews such as «Let’s meet Ernesto the Italian caravan and its incredible crew» and many more!