Treehouses And Kids Of All Ages-England

I love this quote. "Someone told me I was immature. Guess who's not allowed in my treehouse now??"

You may recall, I spent a month on an English estate with a work exchange program. Part of my 25 hours a week work was caring for the AIR BNB TREEHOUSE, changing it over between guests, walking the dogs, and daily chores. It was a marvelous experience staying with other "Workawayers" from France, Ireland, Argentina, Brazil, and more in a delightful cottage on the estate.

Given the opportunity to stay the night in the treehouse was a "YES" moment; like a teenager offered the car keys. It was built as an AirBnB, sporting a full-size bed, morning coffee nook, panoramic views of adjoining wheat fields, and clever upcycling of doors and reclaimed wood. Persian rugs warm the floor, giving this a patchwork, Gypsy-wagon-in-the-sky feel. Located at the rear of the estate, it was private...almost tribal. Considered "glamping," there's a compost toilet and small sink with bottled water on the bottom level. I still believe a 2-story slide would make an excellent addition. 

TRAVEL TIP: When staying in tree houses, make sure you go pee before bed. Your leg-crossing journey down Hodge-Podge steps during the night could be more adventurous than you bargain for.🙄 

When guests stay, we would bring warm, fresh baked bread in the morning with local jams, butter, and juice in a quaint basket. Charm overload. Guests were encouraged to grill, explore a plethora of trails (footpaths to you English), and soak up the countryside.

Glamping In A Treehouse!

The evening started off grilling over an open fire with new friends from Argentina; yes, the same Gnocchi chef from Instagram. 😉 We fired up burgers, tossed salad, dug into warm scalloped potatoes (my famous recipe), all with the ever present bottle of Sriracha...and 3 hopeful dogs. Being fresh out of beer and wine, lemon water had to suffice. As we were concluding our feast, the occasional sprinkle bloomed into a more dedicated rain. So much for sitting under the stars roasting fat English marshmallows. With happy tummies, leftovers were packed up, friends retreated to their cottage and I scaled the steep stairs to my nest. It's been a long time since I've experienced such tranquility. 

TRAVEL TIP: When traveling long-term, pack a nice piece of clothing; a proper shirt, your favorite sweater, a cocktail dress, or...like me, silky PJ's. You will appreciate "dressing" in something besides a dingy T-shirt. After all, a lady needs to have some sense of style and elegance while slogging around Europe with a backpack.

With all this serenity, my evening of reading quickly faded and I drifted off to sleep, only to be startled at 5:30 a.m. with clapping thunder and lightning. Have I mentioned it rains in England?😕 These little storms pass through (often), water the crops, then hopefully the sun comes out before the next downpour. Still, this storm meant business with thunder rattling the treehouse and beams of lighting illuminating this petite hideaway in the sky. It was as if God was playing "on-off" with a light switch; amused at my expense.

Enjoy The Adventure VIDEO Here

English Countryside Wheat Fields

To survey the rain from the comforts of a  warm bed; literally a nest with a down comforter and over-sized pillows snuggled around me...was perfection. Cradling a warm cup of tea, I felt so fortunate to be living this life. Is it perfect; no. A few times, I felt the tinge of loneliness. Am I where I'm supposed to be? Hell yes.

If you ever have the opportunity to spend the night in a treehouse; DO IT! Life is about creating memories. Say "Yes" to risk, get plucky, and go take a chance.

So, where's the craziest place you've ever stayed? I'd love to hear your story.

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