Adventures of Six
Welcome to Our Journey
We’re the Burkinshaws — a family of six who traded routine for adventure.
What started as a dream to travel and learn from life itself became a worldschooling journey that’s taken us from the open fields of South Africa to the sun-baked coasts of Spain, and now to the UK.
We’ve faced challenges, learned lessons, and gathered stories we’ll treasure forever.
Our South African Season
Before 2018, our adventures were rooted in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa — a land of wide skies and wilder weekends.
Clive grew up in Zimbabwe and moved to South Africa at age nine, while Jolene (that’s me) was born and raised there.
Every weekend we sought out new trails, rivers, and mountain views. Clive worked full-time in an office during the week, but we made sure our weekends were full of outdoor memories.
Our children have always been home-educated — learning through real-life experiences long before the word worldschooling entered our vocabulary.
Then one glorious day, we decided it was time to follow our dream — to travel, explore, and live life more intentionally.
In 2018, we sold or gave away nearly everything we owned, packed one big bag (and a backpack) each, and boarded a plane to Spain — with very little money but a huge amount of hope.
Spain: Dream Come True
If you’d like to read the full backstory of how our big move to Spain unfolded, you can visit our posts here on My Tip Offs:
After landing in Spain, we quickly discovered that living abroad is far more complex than a holiday brochure lets on!
The cultural and lifestyle differences between South Africa and Spain were enormous — both fascinating and very challenging.
We first stayed in Torremendo, near San Miguel de Salinas in southern Spain. The lake opposite our home was breathtaking (see the photo on the left)— the kind of place that quiets your mind.
Later that year, we moved north to O Barco de Valdeorras, Galicia to escape the busy tourist season. Clive worked there as an English teacher at a local academy.
You can read more in Clive’s posts:
When winter loosened its grip, we moved south again in 2019 to Alcossebre, on the Costa del Azahar — a warm, seaside gem filled with charm. 
Clive transitioned to teaching English online through Palfish, and we enjoyed nearly a full year there, including the first year of COVID-19 lockdowns.
He wrote about this stunning town in Alcossebre: A Timescape of Empires Past.
From Alcossebre, we later travelled to Montefrío, Granada — a peaceful olive-growing region where we house-sat a farm for over a year.
That season was one of healing, reflection, and gratitude after the turmoil of COVID. (A full post about this special time is coming soon.)
Big Changes and New Directions
Like many families, COVID-19 hit us hard and turned our lives upside down.
By the end of 2021, we faced one of our hardest decisions — to part ways temporarily so that we could rebuild from opposite sides of the world.
The kids and I flew back to South Africa to be with family, while Clive headed to the UK to work and build up our resources again.
After two long years apart, we were finally reunited in February 2024, when the children and I joined Clive in the UK.
This is where we are for now — settling into a new rhythm of life, continuing to home-educate, explore, and plan our next chapter, wherever the road may lead.
Our Online Projects
Back in 2016, while still in South Africa, we launched My Tip Offs, our review and lifestyle website, created to share honest, experience-based advice on products, services, and family life.
Since then, My Tip Offs has become the home for all our projects and stories — including Adventures of Six, which now lives here as part of our family archive.
We continue to write, document, and share our lessons in sustainable living, home-education, travel, and everyday family adventures — all from this one space.
What’s Next
We’ve got many adventures still to come — new destinations, fresh lessons, and a few surprises we can’t wait to share.
Thank you for taking the time to follow our story and get to know us.
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