About Us!
Hi! We're Whit, Nathan and Theo, and this is our story of how we converted to vanlife just over 2 years ago. How we have home schooled along the way and our van Yvie! Yvie is still under construction, we build her on the road, we do little bits every now and then to make her feel a little more like home. Read along to learn the full story:)
The Full Story
Our Dream Begins
Back in late 2020 in between lockdown 1 and 2, we took a holiday to Scotland. We’d carved out two weeks from work and packed up our little red car with everything we could possibly need for life on the road with a two-year-old, food, water, clothes, toys, the lot. The car was bursting at the seams, but it carried us through an unforgettable trip. One night we couldn't find anywhere to stay, we had driven for hours and it was dark. We pulled into a layby where two campers were parked. We were frustrated as we looked through their window at them pottering around and making themselves tea. we thought to ourselves... "you smug bastards!" We wanted what they had, the grass seemed greener on the other side, at least from where we were sitting! The idea of being able to travel without stuffing a car to the brim, without so many restrictions, not to mention the hours of unpacking and setting up a tent to have to put it all away the next day while trying to remember how you fitted it all in the previous day. Just having the freedom to get in and go anywhere was so appealing to us! From then on, we couldn’t stop imagining what travel in a camper could look like for us.
A Dream Buried by Reality
At the time, it felt impossible. Rent was sky-high, bills seemed to arrive every five minutes, and with childcare costs piled on top, our dream was quickly buried under reality. So, we made the best of what we had. For another two years, that little Leon carried us on our holidays, camping trips, and weekend escapes. We still travelled whenever we could, though it meant cramming the car and spending hundreds on campsites. Then life took a harder turn—I lost my job after a death in the family left me unable to cope with the grief. We fell behind on rent and were eventually evicted, moving in with my mum just to stay afloat. As tough as it was, that move gave us a little breathing space. With lower rent and new job prospects starting to appear, things slowly began to look brighter. By 2021, we found ourselves dreaming again, scrolling through listings, even going to view vans in person. We knew we could never afford to buy one outright, but if the bank would approve a loan, maybe—just maybe—this dream could become reality. We said no to so many, waiting for the one that felt right. We viewed so many, saying no again and again, some of them so hard to walk away from because we wanted this so badly.
Finding Yvie
And then came Yvie — an Iveco Daily extra-long wheel base, third-hand, only 90,000 miles. She was the one. She had some problems that needed taking care of, like getting her through an MOT, replacing the windscreen and getting the bumper replaced. We were lucky that the dealership manager did those things for us and part of the purchase. We paid a £250 deposit via bank transfer to secure her, we got an in depth online check before taking out a bank loan. This wasn’t something we did lightly, but with a good credit score and steady income, we were lucky enough to be able to do it. Signing those papers felt terrifying and exhilarating all at once. A week later, we drove Yvie home.
It was one of the biggest milestones of our lives. She sat on the driveway for months because shortly after we got her, Nathan fell down the stairs and injured his back which left him practically bedridden for 3 months. The van gathered lots of condensation leaving it mouldy! We got her October 2022 and she sat there until January 2023, waiting for us to lay the first foundations of the build. Every time we looked out the window, we saw possibility sitting there, and we knew — this was the start of everything.
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The First Steps of the Build
After we decided to start building in January, we were already using the van for tip runs. Being an ex-builder’s van, she was dirty, grimy, and in desperate need of love—we had our work cut out for us from the start. Nathan and I would head out to work on it after our 9–5 jobs, but it was winter: cold, dark, and progress was painfully slow. When we pulled down the old wooden boards, the extent of the mould hit us—it was everywhere, even in the cab. That weekend became a full gut-out. We stripped the ceiling, pulled out the seats and carpet, and left nothing but an empty shell. Then we blasted it with the power washer and let it dry for days. Only after all that could the real fun begin—the build.
Learning as We Went
We downloaded 'Vanspace 3D' to map out ideas and spent hours scrolling Pinterest for inspiration, but honestly, it was overwhelming. Nathan had some building experience, but this was way out of our depth. We had no money to hire help and no contacts to lean on—it was just the two of us, figuring things out as we went by mainly utilising YouTube and TikTok to help us learn a few things. Slowly, as the months passed and the days grew longer, progress began to show: new floorboards went down, soundproofing was fitted, insulation lined the metal skin. Piece by piece, our van was starting to take shape.
Our First Spontaneous Adventures
We took her on a spontaneous drive to Norfolk, it was empty but the flooring and the soundproofing. It was 7pm and Nathan said 'Fancy taking her down to Norfolk for a night?' I asked if it was for a drive there and back as we lived three hours away! He said we could camp. We loaded the van with sleeping mats, bags and pillows, it was the middle of winter and freezing, but we loved it! We were there for 24 hours before heading back home. Then in the spring I planned a surprise trip to the Lake District as our first real holiday in her. It felt like a milestone moment—we quickly built a bed, packed up our food and water, set up Theo on his camp bed, and hit the road with smiles on our faces, it was our turn to be the smug ones now, even if we had the very basics!
Hard-Knott Pass: The Road That Tested Us
That smugness didn’t last long. Driving down The Great Langdale Road, we reached a fork in the road—left or straight ahead, with a big warning sign declaring: unsuitable for vans and HGVs. Naturally, we laughed in the face of danger and chose straight ahead, thinking that it cant be that bad. People were always saying how bad Apple Cross is and was one of the worst roads in the UK. Nathan, having driven vans for a living, 'knew' that Apple Cross would have been very doable in a van. Within minutes, we realised our mistake. The road narrowed into terrifying bends that doubled back on themselves. At one point, only two of our wheels were actually on the tarmac, the other two dangling off the edge of the mountain. Cars were coming at us head-on, others were stacked behind us, and there was nowhere to go. The drive was a mix of fear-filled screams, adventure, and wild exhilaration. Later, we found out that road was none other than Hard-Knott Pass—the most challenging road in the UK! Although saying that, we drove Hard-Knot Pass and it was beautiful, but this is far from recommendation. Quite the opposite actually. DON'T DO IT!!! It was very stupid and dangerous , but we made it through with no damage or deaths. Then later that night, just to top it off, we discovered a leak in the roof after standing on the top of a hill watching a storm move across the landscape like a curtain. It was mesmerising. As soon as it hit us it was torrential and we ducked back to safety. Back to where we thought we would be dry. Lying in bed, we felt cold water dripping onto us, soaking everything. In the middle of the night, Nathan had to climb up onto the roof in a thunder storm with severe rain, and strong winds that seemed to be channelled through the valleys and hills, threatening to knock us off the tiny ladder that we had built to get in the bed as a temporary measure. Armed with duct tape and some leftover sealant, we did our best to 'fix' the leak but, patching the leak was very tricky. It just had to get through until we made it home. This was a lesson learned. Always have some tools to hand in the van and make sure that includes duct tape, and sealant that can be applied in the wet, and a sealant gun!
When Everything Fell Apart Again
When we got back, it was back to our jobs for a while until we could make more money for resources to complete the build.....then disaster struck.
I was made redundant, and with the cost of living through the roof and rent being unaffordable now. At this point we felt we had not much choice but to hand in our notice and leave. We didn't know where to go, this was the second time this had happened. All we could think of was moving into the van. Other people were doing it, and we just needed a little time to regroup and work something out. Yvie was far from ready—just a floor, a bed and some insulation—so the old builder’s walls had to go back up to protect what little we had done. We set up a camp bed for Theo, and moved in with the bare minimum: a desk, a few modular shelves on wheels, and our camping stuff. That was it. It was tough. We didn't know it at the time, but this was the start of a new and amazing journey in our lives.
Choosing the Road Over Stability
We were going to stay in the area so Theo could keep attending school, but he was let down by the teachers time and time again after bullying had become so bad, and his behaviour was getting worse as a consequence. Our little boy, the one that everyone always said how nice, polite and kind he was, was becoming lost to us. He was not the same child. Then it turned out that the bullying was not just from other children in his class. Then after lies and more lies from the school, we decided to remove him from school and try out home-schooling! Instead of letting it break us, we hit the road. This would also allow us to support Theo's education in a very real and hands-on way. His teachers would not just be people in a classroom with disdain for a job they had to do, but us, his parents. People that don't need to be paid to teach. His other teachers were 'real'. What better person to learn from other than the people doing and living what he was to learn about. And now we could take him to wherever that education needs to happen. He was now also getting a very 1:1 education at least. We travelled, made memories, and found joy in the smallest things, even when we had so little. We fell in love with the road and vanlife. And we started to get our Theo back. Instead of 'just do it for a bit' we decided we would stay. We started to build as we went, using reclaimed wood, battery-powered tools, and a lot of determination. Piece by piece, our home began to take shape. Looking back now, I see those months as some of the hardest, but also the most defining—we proved to ourselves that no matter how heavy life feels, together we can push through anything....together.
Life in the Early Days
Life in those early days was far from glamorous, but it was real—and it was ours. Every squeaky screw, every late-night brainstorm, and every tiny improvement felt like a victory. We quickly learned that vanlife wasn’t just about having a cosy little home on wheels, it was about resilience and resourcefulness. Some days we were exhausted, other days we were buzzing with excitement, but through it all we were together—navigating the chaos side by side. Theo adapted in his own way too, finding joy in the little adventures, from waking up in new places to helping us with tools. It wasn’t perfect, but the imperfections became part of our story, shaping us into a stronger team, and reminding us that sometimes the hardest chapters lead to the most rewarding ones.
Two and a Half Years In
We’re now two and a half years in, and we’ve made some incredible memories—memories we never would have experienced if life hadn’t unfolded exactly as it did. As the saying goes, “when one door closes, another one opens.” I truly believe that, and it’s something I remind myself of often, especially during the tougher moments.
We’ve travelled abroad in Yvie, faced monumental breakdowns that cost us thousands, and spent countless days exploring the country—the Lake District, the Peak District, and everywhere in between—finding peace in nature and in the mountains. We even rang in New Year 2024 overlooking Sheffield, surrounded by other campers, that all came together to watching the sky explode with colour at midnight. Celebrating together with strangers that were also so familiar with wishes of the best for the future. All while standing in a muddy field, glass of champers in hand. What a moment. We've seen wild pigs, and ended up feeding them, they are just like puppies! We've seen wild horses, and even had one repeatedly visit us when we were parked in her regular haunt . We have spoken to many people, from many walks of life and professions. We've made friends across many countries. We've seen the sun rise and set over Stone Henge. We've spoken to witches in ancient ruins. We've camped in the middle of a loch at the foot of a castle. We've been into the depths of the earth, dressed in mining equipment. We have walked the footsteps of Sir Nelson himself, on his ship HMS Victory. We've watched the sun rise over the lake where the Dam Busters of WWII practiced using the bouncing bombs, before going on what was essentially a suicide mission. We've walked ancient streets, seen ancient monuments, and been in buildings of such rich history, it seems impossible to imagine. We've been lost in the alps with bears growling outside. We've seen so many animals in the wild: Otters, Walruses dolphins, just to mention a few, and even fed Swans by hand. We've even seen the northern lights. The list goes on, and will continue to be added to over the coming years.
Every one of these moments has shaped our journey of full-time vanlife, and the people we’ve met along the way have left unforgettable marks on our lives in the very best way.
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A Message for Anyone Dreaming of Vanlife
We really hope our journey inspires you to switch to vanlife, whether full time or part time, big van or little, life is worth more than the mundane! The highs and the lows you will experience will become stories you'll keep close to your heart, or share with others like we do, but in the end, life is what we make it, and we choose to make it beautiful in every way!
Keep up with our blog posts to see what we do on a regular basis!
Love Whit, Nathan and Theo x
Mission
We want to reach people who used to be in our situation. Tired of the mundane, same four walls and views, same job that just never seems fulfilling. We want to reach people who crave adventure and help them on their journey to success!
Vision
We want to grow our brand by giving you the very best advice, product recommendations and honesty in our journey to help others. We are as environmentally friendly as possible and beleive in a sustainable future without ruining habitats to get there. We only support brands that keep this in mind, so if your'e like us, we would love to chat, and support you!
