FunForLouis

[November_again]

Their design plans look awful. The bus will just rust and fall apart. It's a tropical climate but they don't seem to build taking that into account. High humidity all year long and possible floodings during the rainy season. I really feel like they didn't make proper research before buying the plot. Life in Costa Rica is expensive - food, car, electricity are on par with Western countries in term of costs. But they don't even have the savings to build their house, which would be less expensive than average costs in Western countries but still consequent especially as it needs to be earthquake resistant and compatible to the climate in Costa Rica to not fall apart a few years later. Their plans seem quite hazardous as they didn't arrive with good savings to enable them to install themselves properly + they still have costs to pay in the UK.

As for the theft incident, Costa Rica is safer than Mexico or many central american countries but poverty and inequality are still a real issue -that has been exacerbated with the pandemic and then the global inflation. They will always have to take petty crime risks into account while living/owning a house in Costa Rica. But they seem to be in their little bubble, disengaged with the locals (do they really speak spanish??) and I wouldn't be surprised they won't make it in the long term. Not suprising though, they won't be the first to believe that moving to a dreamy tropical country will be just sunsets and sparkles, as it is as a vacation spot without understanding the challenges they will face to make it happen.

If they're pretending to be short on money to squeeze every penny out of their gullible followers, then why are they still renting a 3 story house at Brighton beach instead of a sensible flat which is more than enough for two adults and a baby who are constantly traveling and want to spend half the year in Costa Rica? Why not sell the double-decker bus with the hot tub that they're parking in some field? Or all the other vehicles that Louis is hoarding. Raya can't even drive.

I don't see them learning Spanish ever. They specifically bought a plot at Alegria because it's a white colonizer community where locals are just servers that they won't acknowledge beyond "Hola" and "gracias". They also already said they're leaving during rainy season every year, so they'll never be more than tourists and once the child starts school, it'll be a vacation home because Raya will want him to go to fancy private schools in the UK like she did.

 

[Lionsden]

Ugh. I'm sure they love Neo truly and take good care of him, but he also seems to be a kind of prop for them. Everything is just for their entertainment. They want to stick Neo in a pumpkin, make him wear a stupid hat, everything is just a photo op for them, it's kind of sickening. They remind me of people who think it's funny to force their pets into tiny outfits.

 

[Lionsden]

Apparently Neo dragged all the dog beds from the shelves at the store onto the floor and then rolled around on them. Louis encouraged his behavior. I think this is so rude and obnoxious. They should not be allowing (let alone encouraging!) Neo to treat other people's property this way. People buying the dog beds may not want them soiled and trampled. Raya and Louis are doing Neo a disservice by not teaching him common decency and respect towards others right from the start. But maybe they lack those qualities themselves. When Louis spoke about the spilled protein powder, you could see in the background that he hadn't swept it up, he was just going about his day with the mess still on the floor. I don't know anyone who would do this, especially with a small child running around everywhere, and in a place that isn't even your own.

I agree that Louis could have shown his architect some respect by putting on a shirt during the video call. He is generally looking like a wasted old man right now, which is unpleasant to see. A shirt, some moisturizer and sunscreen, and a proper haircut would go a long way. His hair is hideous, I don't know how he stands it. They must not have mirrors at their house.

They seem totally clueless and irresponsible. Louis didn't even have protective clothing for working on the overgrown meadow.
The model of the house looks nice enough though.

 

[Lionsden]

Of course their last video was mainly an ad. They furnish their entire home with second hand trash, but get several gifted beds as part of a sponsorship. They are just like other influencers who will do anything for money and freebies. And another long haul flight to have a little break before the baby comes. So sustainable.

 

[Observ@h]

Also how old is Louis’s dad? He must be minimum 65 if Louis is 40. His dad did loads of it, it’s not even as if Louis and he do stuff together. And his dad was hoarse from the dust or mould. They really want to be careful, his dad could get ill or collapse. And this is straight after Raya’s dad has been out and doing all sorts! I noticed it was up to Raya’s dad and Siya to communicate with the workmen. Then L&R slope off for a night in a spa hotel (presumably an undisclosed ad) because they are sooooo tired from their busy lives!

Poor little Neo, they upset him with that gender reveal. Barking at him to say a colour when he clearly either didn’t understand the question or didn’t know the words.

 

[Super_Berry]

Watching him try and cook in the latest video is hilarious. He hasn't a clue and he's literally just making pasta and sauce.

 

[November_again]

I'm guessing she considers doing some of the editing and hitting up brands for sponsorships her work and does so with a straight face. That's probably 2-3 hours a week, so consistent with the 2 hours of catering a week she did before meeting Louis.
Her own channel was never a success but even small channels are making a few thousands a months, plus all the free trips they got offered during a time where they didn't pay rent.
I'm sure Louis has income options beyond YouTube, he can do some filming and editing as a freelancer, then there's the income from the bus at the camping site. Will be hard for him to maintain the high living standard that Raya has been accustomed to her whole life longterm, once the YouTube bubble bursts.

 

[November_again]

I assumed she didn’t drive on the left - can she not drive at all?? That’s incredibly unusual for an American, they are usually straight out there at 16.

She said in one video she loves Brighton because she can go straight out for a walk whereas on CR it’s too hilly and bumpy for the pram so they have to drive somewhere. I hope the content does what they need it to do because CR isn’t really that great for them.

Unless she's learned it during their time in Brighton, she can not drive at all. She was at a boarding school till graduation, so she didn't really have that typical American childhood and then she went to university in London where she lived central in a huge flat with very good public transportation before moving back to central Manhatten and then met Louis at 22. So she was never in a position where she needed to drive before.

But surely moving somewhere as remote as Allegria, it's an absolute priority to learn it.

 

[Lionsden]

I’m excited about how he deals with effect of a baby on his lifestyle. Those who do adventure a lot with babies have to really plan it, and slow the pace right down, stay at places equipped for sanitising bottles etc. The ‘problem solving’ anxiety inducing adventure that he loves isn’t really possible; you can’t have a stranded baby on a motorway in freezing weather for example. When he mentions dreams like build a solar powered van there doesn’t seem to be any hesitance, or mention of how that may work.

I guess the vintage VW Beetle he is planning to convert in the UK is going to be his baby-compatible project for the time they stay in Brighton. Although I don't know if you could have a modern car seat for the baby in the back, it's a very small car. But I agree, it will be interesting to see how Louis actually deals with his new life circumstances. I wonder how he'll cope. It will be the first time he lives a normal life for ages.

 

[PaidPartnership]

Wish they would stop encouraging Neo to sit on and/or walk on the tables when they visit food establishments.

 

[Observ@h]

Did anyone see that Raya is pregnant?!

Louis did some very strange facial expressions during that video!

 

[lunary]

Does anyone know if he made it? The snow storms in NY look really scary!

We're in a new year and we still don't know *eye roll*

 

[queenamber]

Yeah, the lack of explanation is weird. Even if the van broke down, he could still make a good video admitting he'd bitten off more than he could chew. It was clearly harder than he was expecting so I'd be intrigued to hear what he would do differently next time. I've lost any interest now.

 

[xits_jjx]

He needs to get rid of those dreads. He’s a good looking guy behind that manky hair

 

[Observ@h]

They were only ever going to spend part of the year there as they don't like the rainy season. And now, Raya has decided that having a baby will be more comfortable in Brighton, so they are moving there indefinitely.

More financially comfortable, sure. I can’t imagine Raya going through NHS prenatal and childbirth! It’s excellent care mostly but some of the places you go to are scruffy and rough. I can’t watch their couple vlogs, and if she starts criticising the NHS I’ll get really annoyed. And he’ll be off, call me cynical, he’s even said in a few vlogs that he’s prepared to leave her while he goes off vlogging. Of course nobody knows how much a baby changes your life until it happens so perhaps they will work it out. Good luck to them but I have no interest in watching.

 

[Observ@h]

I'm guessing Raya is already on "maternity leave", so he's doing this to not miss out on the high December earnings.

Or he’s decided there’s no way he’s going to sit at home as that’s her job…..

Did you see when he asked for suggestions for a present for Raya because “gifts aren’t my love language so I can’t buy them” completely having missed the point that you do things in the Other Person’s love language. Poor Raya.

The electric van trip is clearly sponsored by someone but he’s making it look very stressful, it‘s bad enough when your phone runs down but to be driving in clear view of your car battery when it’s on red….can’t imagine anything worse.

I laughed at the last one when he said “I won’t be too technical as none of you understand” then later he buys the most basic supermarket spanner and calls it “…er….tools”. Proper vanlifers have full toolkits of all sorts! Louis has always had that posh habit of getting other people to do stuff for him and claiming it has his own, “self-converted van” my arse. You met the guy who either you or your sponsor paid to convert it Louis, you didn’t convert it.

I come across like I hate him, I don‘t, I enjoy a lot of his content, but we’ve watched him for so long I have lots to say

 

[Tiktokers_omg]

I can't understand, why are they using that bus as part of their house? Also Raya looks miserable with his parents being there.

 

[November_again]

 

[November_again]

Have they talked about their plans now that they're expecting? Surely, they're not raising a baby in a mouldy bus and they haven't bothered even starting to build their house in Costa Rica.

 

[Lola123]

Louis must own a house in the UK? Even if it started as an investment thing, doubt his parents let him do this without a nest egg at home, I think if he didn’t they’d be more worried