Most weeks you’ll find me sitting behind a desk.

Running European Removal Services means my days are normally filled with quotations, transport planning, customs paperwork, customer calls and solving the many challenges that come with moving families across Europe. I genuinely enjoy it, but every now and then I miss the reason I started the business in the first place – getting out on the road and seeing Europe for myself.

When the opportunity came up to personally complete one of our Removals to Menorca, I didn’t hesitate.

On 14th June I swapped the office for the driver’s seat and began a journey that would take me from Liverpool, through England, across the Channel, the full length of France, into Spain, onto an overnight ferry in Barcelona and finally across the Mediterranean to Menorca.

I also decided to take my wife with me. Once the job was complete, we planned to spend four nights enjoying one of our favourite Mediterranean islands before beginning the journey back to the UK. It sounded like the perfect combination of work and a short break. As it turned out, the journey itself would provide plenty of stories before we even reached the island.

If you’re considering Removals to Menorca, this is what the journey really looks like—not from a brochure or a travel guide, but from someone who swapped the office for the driver’s seat and experienced every mile of the journey.

14th June – Leaving Liverpool Behind

The day began exactly where it should – at our customer’s property in Liverpool.

Although I now spend most of my time managing the business from the office, there is still something satisfying about loading a removal vehicle yourself. Every successful international move starts here, long before the ferry or customs paperwork comes into the picture.

The customer had booked one of our dedicated removal services, meaning their belongings would remain on the same vehicle from collection in Liverpool until delivery in Menorca. There would be no unloading into warehouses, no swapping between vehicles and no unnecessary handling along the way.

Every piece of furniture was carefully wrapped, every fragile item protected and every box positioned to make sure it arrived in exactly the same condition it left. When you’re about to drive well over a thousand miles through several countries, loading a van isn’t simply about making everything fit. Weight distribution, protection and security become just as important as packing.

With the final straps tightened and the paperwork checked one last time, we climbed into the cab and pointed the van south.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The office was behind me. For the next week, my workplace would be the roads of Europe.

Sevington – Where the Journey Really Begins

Many people assume that once a removal van leaves the customer’s house, it’s simply a case of driving to the destination. In reality, international removals are far more involved.

Our first important stop was the Sevington Inland Border Facility near Ashford in Kent. This is where the Transit document, often referred to as a T1 or T form, was officially raised for the customer’s household effects.

The Transit document allows goods to travel through Europe under customs control until they reach their nominated customs office in the destination country. It’s one of those parts of the process that customers rarely see, but it is absolutely vital. Without the correct customs procedures, delays can quickly become expensive.

It’s another reason why many customers choose a specialist company for Removals to Spain rather than trying to organise everything themselves. If you’re permanently relocating to Spain, the Spanish Tax Agency also provides guidance on Transfer of Residence relief, which may allow eligible household belongings to be imported without paying duty and tax.

With the Transit document opened, we continued towards Folkestone.

The Text Message Every Driver Waits For

Even after years of travelling between the UK and Europe, there is still one moment that makes me pause.

After checking in for the Channel Tunnel, every commercial driver waits for a text message from Border Force. That message determines what happens next.

If you receive a green route, you continue straight onto the train. If you receive an orange route, your vehicle has been selected for a customs inspection.

That inspection can involve checking paperwork, verifying customs declarations and sometimes carrying out a physical inspection of the load itself. Depending on what Border Force need to examine, delays can easily stretch into several hours. When you’re working to fixed ferry bookings and customer delivery times, that’s something every international removal company hopes to avoid.

I glanced down at my phone.

A few moments later the message arrived.

Green Route.

No customs inspection, no lengthy delays and no disruption to our carefully planned schedule. Within a short time we were boarding the train, knowing that around 35 minutes later we’d emerge in Calais and the real European adventure could begin.

Across France… Into a Heatwave

Leaving Calais always feels like the official start of a European removal. The roads become quieter, the scenery changes and hundreds of miles of French autoroutes stretch out ahead. This was the point where the adventure really began.

Unfortunately, it also came with one challenge I hadn’t really thought about.

The van I had chosen for the trip very rarely leaves the UK. Most of the time it works around Britain, where air conditioning isn’t something you desperately miss. The only problem was that this particular van didn’t have any.

Normally that wouldn’t have mattered too much, but France had other ideas. As we travelled south, the country was experiencing one of its hottest spells of the year, with temperatures climbing to almost 40°C.

 

With the windows fully open, the cab often felt more like a fan oven than a removal vehicle. Every fuel stop became an excuse to buy another bottle of cold water, find a patch of shade for a few minutes and prepare for the next few hundred kilometres.

The irony certainly wasn’t lost on me. I’d swapped an air-conditioned office for a van with no air conditioning during a French heatwave.

Looking back now, though, I wouldn’t change a thing. Adventures are rarely memorable because everything goes perfectly. They’re memorable because of the stories you bring home afterwards, and this was certainly becoming one of them.

16th June – La Jonquera and Closing the Transit Document

After driving the length of France, we finally reached La Jonquera, just inside the Spanish border.

This was another key stage of the journey.

The Transit document that had been opened at the Sevington Inland Border Facility now had to be officially discharged, or closed, by Spanish customs. Until that happened, the customer’s household belongings were still travelling under customs control.

It’s one of those parts of an international removal that most customers never see, but getting it right is essential. Missing this step or completing it incorrectly can lead to unnecessary delays, additional checks and potentially expensive problems further down the line.

Once Spanish customs had discharged the Transit document, we were free to continue our Removals to Spain journey towards Barcelona.

If you’re permanently relocating to Spain, you may also qualify for relief from import duties and taxes on eligible used household belongings. The Spanish Tax Agency explains the Transfer of Residence relief process, although every move is different and the documentation required depends on your circumstances.

With the paperwork completed successfully, Barcelona was finally within reach.

Barcelona at Last

Seeing the Barcelona skyline appear on the horizon brought a real sense of achievement.

Only two days earlier we’d been loading furniture in Liverpool. Since then we’d crossed England, travelled through the Channel Tunnel, driven the length of France during a heatwave and completed customs procedures in both the UK and Spain.

Now there was just one final stage before reaching Menorca.

Check-in at the ferry terminal went smoothly, and before long we were waiting in line to drive the loaded van onto the overnight ferry.

 

There’s something quite surreal about boarding a ship with somebody’s entire home safely packed in the back of your vehicle. After days of motorway driving, the roads suddenly came to an end and the Mediterranean took over.

An Adventure… Apparently!

I had convinced my wife that coming along would be a great experience.

Driving through Europe, spending a few days in Menorca and enjoying some Mediterranean sunshine sounded like an easy sell.

She was a little less enthusiastic when she discovered the drivers’ accommodation on the overnight ferry.

Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a luxury cruise.

The cabins were perfectly functional, but comfort clearly wasn’t the designer’s top priority. I reminded her that I’d promised an adventure—I’d just forgotten to mention that the overnight accommodation was designed more for tired lorry drivers than holidaymakers.

Thankfully, once the ferry left Barcelona behind and the city lights faded into the distance, the Mediterranean more than made up for the basic facilities.

For the first time since leaving Liverpool, there was nothing left to organise. The van was safely secured several decks below, the customs paperwork was complete and, after a few hours’ sleep, we’d wake up in Menorca ready to complete the final part of the journey.

17th June – Arriving in Menorca

As the first light of the morning appeared, so did Menorca.

Standing on deck watching the island slowly come into view was a fantastic feeling. Only three days earlier we’d been loading the customer’s belongings in Liverpool. Since then we’d travelled the length of England, crossed the Channel, driven through France in a 40°C heatwave, completed customs procedures in both the UK and Spain and crossed the Mediterranean overnight.

There was now just one final job to complete.

Driving off the ferry in Mahón always feels different from arriving anywhere on the mainland. The pace immediately slows, the roads become quieter and you instantly realise you’ve reached somewhere special. Although the island was calling, there was no time to relax just yet. Our customer was expecting us, and after everything that had gone into planning the move, I was determined to arrive exactly when we had promised.

9:00am – Exactly as Promised

From the ferry port we headed straight to the customer’s storage facility.

When we first planned the move, we’d agreed to deliver at 9:00am on 17th June. That time had been arranged weeks in advance, and despite travelling through four countries, dealing with customs procedures and taking an overnight ferry, there was only one time I wanted to arrive.

At exactly 9:00am, just as we had promised our customer, we pulled into the storage facility in Mahón.

 

That moment probably gave me more satisfaction than any motorway mile during the journey. International removals involve countless moving parts. Ferry schedules can change, traffic can build unexpectedly, customs inspections can delay a vehicle for hours and even the weather can have an impact.

To arrive precisely when we’d promised felt like the reward for all the planning that had gone into the trip.

We immediately began unloading, carefully checking every item against the inventory before placing it safely into the customer’s storage unit. Watching the van gradually empty after travelling all the way from Liverpool was incredibly satisfying.

Standing back and looking at an empty vehicle, I couldn’t help but smile.

The job was complete.

Why I Still Enjoy Being on the Road

Although I now spend most of my working life running European Removal Services from the office, trips like this remind me why I started the business in the first place.

It’s easy to organise routes on a computer screen. It’s something completely different sitting behind the wheel, feeling the heat in southern France, waiting for customs clearance, boarding the overnight ferry in Barcelona and finally handing over a customer’s belongings exactly where and when you promised.

Being back out on the road gave me an even greater appreciation of the work our drivers complete every week. International removals aren’t just about driving from A to B. They’re about planning, communication, professionalism and making sure every customer receives exactly the service they’ve been promised.

Four Days to Slow Down

With the removal completed, it was finally time to swap work boots for shorts.

We’d planned to stay in Menorca for four nights before beginning the journey home, and after the previous three days it felt thoroughly deserved.

The first thing that struck me was just how relaxed the island feels. There are no motorway queues, no customs offices and no pressure to keep moving. Instead, there are beautiful harbours, quiet beaches, crystal-clear water and small towns where life seems to move at its own pace.

We spent time wandering around Mahón Harbour, watching the yachts come and go while enjoying long lunches overlooking the water. Fresh seafood, traditional tapas and a cold drink somehow tasted even better knowing the hard work had already been completed.

Over the next few days we explored the island, discovering hidden coves, coastal roads and restaurants with incredible sea views. Ironically, the same sunshine that had made driving through France so uncomfortable now became one of the highlights of the trip.

Sometimes you don’t realise how much you need to switch off until you finally do.

Why So Many People Choose Menorca

It didn’t take long to understand why so many of our customers choose to relocate to Menorca.

Unlike some of the busier Mediterranean destinations, Menorca has managed to retain its own character. It’s peaceful, welcoming and wonderfully relaxed, making it an ideal destination whether you’re retiring, relocating permanently or buying a holiday home.

Every year we help customers move to the Balearic Islands, whether that’s Removals to Menorca, Removals to Mallorca or Removals to Ibiza. Each island has its own personality, but they all have one thing in common – moving there requires careful planning, ferry logistics and experienced handling of customs procedures.

Having completed the journey myself, I appreciated that more than ever.

Looking Back

When I left Liverpool on 14th June, I thought I was simply completing another removal.

Instead, I ended up reminding myself why I fell in love with European transport all those years ago.

The journey had everything: customs paperwork at Sevington, the nervous wait for the green route text before boarding the Channel Tunnel, driving through a French heatwave in a van with no air conditioning, closing the Transit document at La Jonquera, boarding the overnight ferry in Barcelona and finally arriving in Menorca exactly on schedule.

It wasn’t always comfortable, but every mile added to the experience. Most importantly, our customer received exactly what we’d promised.

Sometimes stepping away from the office reminds you why your business exists in the first place.

This journey certainly did that for me.

Planning Your Own Move to Menorca?

If you’re planning a move to Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza or anywhere else in Spain, we’d be delighted to help. Having completed this journey ourselves, we understand every stage of the process—from UK export paperwork and customs formalities to ferry bookings, careful transport planning and safe delivery to your new home. Whether you’re relocating permanently, moving to a holiday home or sending a smaller part load, our removal services can help make your move as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

In Part Two I’ll share the journey back to the UK, including collecting a backload during one of our Removals to and from Belgium services and why every return trip has a story of its own.