Our Big Announcement
We’re Moving! No, but really… we are on the verge of starting an adventure of a lifetime while ON THE MOVE. Curious? Read on 😉
Well family and friends… After our travel-filled honeymoon came to an end last year, we sat down together and asked one question – what’s next for us as an adventurous and newly-wedded couple? And we’ve settled on a little something called VanLife.
VanLife: A lifestyle that celebrates a continuous and everlasting voyage fueled by travel and experiences, all from the comfort of your own home-on-wheels.
Our journey to this decision
When we got back from our honeymoon, we were on the ultimate high of travel but also on a bit of a low that such an extraordinary experience had come to an end. Traveling full time had always been a large topic of conversation for us throughout the years ever since that first road trip we took at the beginning of our relationship (cue our matching vows), but it came to the forefront once we settled back into our ‘real life’ after our honeymoon.
We had gone through scenarios and creative ideas of traveling full time months prior (honestly thinking it would always be a pipe dream), but really fell in love with the idea of creating a large Sprinter Van as a home. While we do understand the space is small in a Sprinter, the ease of maneuvering a new home-on-wheels was just too high on our list. Now that we ‘settled’ on a van, it was time to see what was on the market.
We looked high and low for a Sprinter along the West Coast that was affordable and even partially built out. With no luck coming our way, our search expanded towards the East Coast, where we found a partially built out Sprinter in Florida within our budget. So, ready to take a leap of faith, we flew to Florida, picked up the van, and started our drive back west.
On our way, we ate some of the best BBQ, made a pit stop in New Orleans, listened to Garth Brooks, ‘Baton Rouge’, while crossing the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge (side note: I’m convinced the length of the song was made for the length of the bridge because the song lasted from on ramp to off ramp!), hit up Magnolia Market (they were closed but I was still happy to see it in person!) and then Andrew dropped me off in Austin, TX, where I flew home to go back to work and he continued on.
Once Andrew got home, the real fun began – beginning the build out. We wanted to make sure it felt like us while also serving the purpose of being a storage filled, fun filled, and homey home-on-wheels. So we’ve painted, added lighting, and built out storage. Our Sprinter is on its way to becoming our ultimate travel vehicle, ready to take on any adventure!!
Time to answer some of your questions you probably have!
Timeline: We take off in June! Though we aren’t putting a time limit on this experience as a whole, we plan on taking it roughly 6 months at a time, possibly changing course after Christmas!
Work: After a lot of weighing back and forth, we have decided to put our careers on hold and really immerse ourselves into the experience of this trip. We will be freelancing and contracting work along the way, me (Michelle) in design, advertising and photography and Andrew in real estate sales and real estate investments.
Route: We don’t necessarily have a set plan or route! We thrive off of loose plans and grand ideas, so we are willing to let the waves take us as they may. What we do know is that we enjoy the summers with lake and mountains nearby, so we have Tahoe, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Canada on the list. Southwestern states maybe in the late Fall and traveling to the East Coast next year?!
Our Possessions and Home: Ready to take this adventure on fully, we don’t want the extra ‘stuff’ holding us back. That’s why we are renting out our home and selling our furniture. All our other personal items will be either with us or held by our loving parents. Thanks mom and dad!
The Puppy: We would never leave Ziggy behind!! Though we may be a little worried about him, we know he is going to love this adventure as much as us and we can’t wait to experience it with him!
Bathroom and Shower Situation: We know you’re all wondering about these ‘logistics’… We technically have both onboard, but not in the traditional sense. With a 40-gallon water tank, a pump, and a shower faucet, we have the ability to take an outdoor shower off the back of the van. We also have a ‘middle of the night’ toilet set up so that I won’t have to leave the Sprinter in the dark (safety first!). But on a day-to-day basis, we will most likely hit up pubic restrooms wherever we are at for those needed bathroom breaks and we will also be joining a gym that is widely spread over the country so that we can shower and workout when we are near.
Our Home-On-Wheels: We are proud owners of a 2006 Mercedes Sprinter Diesel, equipped with a new engine and turbo. Complete with a 160-watt solar panel, a 40-gallon water tank, a 3000-watt inverter charger and 230-amp hour battery capacity, we are ready to hit the road. We can relax with ease with a retractable awning, a queen/king stationary bed, and built-in benches. We are looking to maximize every inch of space and will have more details about our build soon!
