A self-confessed workaholic from Merseyside has ditched his UK life to travel around Europe, funding the journey by working just 10 hours a week. Lee Bodell, 47, who previously worked 50-hour weeks as an HGV driver and had not taken a sick day in eight years, said the Covid-19 pandemic changed his mindset after he was placed on furlough.
Lee, his partner Aimee Bedford, 39, and two of their daughters, Matilda-May, 10, and Mila, nine, flew to Paris in September after selling their house and belongings. The family have since visited seven countries in three weeks, using £1,800 60-day continuous first-class train tickets that allow travel across the continent.
From furlough to full-time travel
Lee said: "What first triggered it off was during Covid I was placed on furlough and was off work for 10 weeks. I was always a workaholic and never missed a day off work in eight years being sick and I was constantly doing overtime. Spending 10 weeks at home with the family completely changed my mind set on life and I thought 'I want to do this full-time'."
He built an online business buying and selling on eBay and Amazon, plus his own Shopify store, selling solar panels for mobile homes. The business earns between £500 and £1,000 a week with just 10 hours of work, funding the family's travels.
House sale and future plans
In May 2025, the couple tested running Lee's business abroad by hiring a villa in Cyprus for 10 days. On their return, they sold their four-bed home in July 2026 for £330,000, leaving £140,000 equity. Aimee, formerly a family support worker at a primary school, said they set aside money from the house sale and invested the rest.
The family estimate they have spent around £6,000 so far, including the interrail tickets. Once they fly to southeast Asia, they plan to budget around £1,500 per month. By November, when their train tickets expire, they hope to visit as many European countries as possible before heading to Thailand for Christmas and New Year.
Life on the move
The family have visited the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy since leaving Paris. Aimee said: "We'd reached the point where we really felt like we just existing rather than living. We had jobs and the kids were attending school all day long and we were lucky if we had two hours with them at the end of the day. We wanted more time to experience life together. We came away with three suitcases."
The couple's eldest children, Billy, 18, and Lyla, 17, stayed at home with family but flew out with Aimee's sister Katie, 37, to celebrate Aimee's 39th birthday in Italy. The younger daughters have been taken out of school and are learning through travel, with Aimee saying they are "led by them" and open to online education if needed.
To keep costs low, the family stay outside tourist hotspots and shop at supermarkets like Lidl. Aimee said: "We're very clear about it not being a holiday as well. We do have to make decisions about money like not eating out every night. It's about being mindful and the things we want to splurge on are experiences." The family share their journey on TikTok via @the.bodells and Instagram @the_bodells, hoping to inspire other families to make the leap.
