A Month of Television, Guests, and Garden Growth
October was another worldwind month at Chumbaria! We were thrilled to watch our five episodes of Help! We Bought a Village alongside other inspiring projects. It was incredible to revisit our journey, especially considering the challenges we’ve faced. It was also lovely to watch a lot of our friends, neighbours, volunteers and Officials from the Camara of Leiria popping up on television. Despite the setbacks, we remain determined to continue our mission.
The TV exposure has been phenomenal, with our website receiving a staggering 200,000 visits from around the globe! Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that so many people would be interested and supportive in what we are doing.
Both of our rental houses have been booked solid with wonderful guests, and the bookings keep pouring in. It’s clear that our hard work and dedication are paying off. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting guests from Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, including our first beautiful baby and well behaved rescue dog. They’ve enjoyed relaxing, exploring the local area, and savoring our homegrown produce. It’s incredibly rewarding to share our sustainable lifestyle with others and introduce them to the beauty of rural Portugal. Our continued streak of 5-star reviews is a testament to the positive experiences we strive to provide.
While the weather hasn’t been as kind as our guests, our land is thriving after the rainy season. New life is emerging, and the garden is bursting with greenery. We’re also grateful for the help of our dedicated volunteer, João, who’s been assisting with various projects around the property.
As we watched the final episode of series 3, we wanted to express our sincere gratitude to True North Productions for creating such a captivating and popular show. Their belief in our project has been instrumental in our success. We’re excited to be part of series 4 and share the next phase of our Chumbaria journey. Once again we would like to say a big thank you to True North Productions, for creating such an interesting and popular television series. It has had such a positive impact on our lives in so many ways.
In 2019 we saw a FB post looking for contributors to ‘New Life in the Sun’. I sent them a message saying that we were about to take on a huge project in Portugal, but it might not be an exact fit for the series as we had ‘Bought a Village’. We had a zoom meeting with them and the rest, as they say, is history. True North went on to produce a series of programmes, with contributors from all around Europe, showcasing ‘village saviours’ and their ‘epic projects’, restoring the ‘ghost villages’ of different countries. A series interesting enough to go on to multiple seasons.
Being filmed is quite strange and at times a bit nerve wracking, but it has been an integral part of our project since we very first started. The series has not only provided us with a documentation of our journey, it has enabled our family and friends all over the world to feel like they’ve been with us along the way. It has helped with publicity and we have been featured not only by our local press, but also national press in both the UK and Portugal.
At times, when you take on a project this big, it can feel as if you’re on your own and often floundering in uncharted territory. Watching everyone else in series 3 has been so inspirational and encouraging, knowing that there are other ‘village saviours’ out there, facing the same challenges and overcoming hurdles along the way. Whether they are doing the work themselves, relying on local builders, dealing with red tape or celebrating milestones – we have felt connected to all of them, which has left us feeling far less isolated on our rollercoaster journey.
We’re incredibly grateful for the support of our family, friends, and the global community. Your encouragement has fueled our passion and kept us going. Here’s to many more adventures and accomplishments at Chumbaria!
