In 2022 we sold our possessions and our home in South Wales to fulfill our longtime desire to live full time vanlife.
Our back story
We first met during secondary school as friends and after a period apart when Jess moved away we later ended up together as a couple whilst at different colleges in 2006. We purchased our first home together at 19 and the rest, as they say is history. After getting married in the Dominican Republic in 2014 we’ve been spending the last few years doing long haul holidays to places such as Indonesia, Mexico and the United States. We’ve experienced so many incredible locations and met many amazing people, some which we now call friends.
From house to van
Throughout 2022 we made some big alterations to our lives to enable us to travel fulltime sustainably. We reinvested the money from our previous home into a smaller rental property in South Wales and now have tenants living there. We both also changed our jobs. Jess has become self-employed working as a VA (virtual assistant) and is currently building a small client base. Marcus has found a new contract position for a company which is remote only and also allows for a reduction in hours so we have more time to travel and enjoy our lives together.
Join us on our adventures
Having owned several smaller vans we decided to take the plunge and build out a much larger conversion that would be suitable for eventual full-time travel and living. We love being part of the vanlife community and meeting all the fascinating and supportive people we have been following and engaging with for years.
We hope you’ll follow us on our next adventure and hope to see you on the road!
Travelling with dogs
We adopted Rory and Jeannie from Many Tears Rescue in South Wales (at different times). Having Rory and Jeannie as part of the family is a great way to push ourselves to get outside and discover new places – they require a lot of exercise!
Meet the Spoons
Jess
Despite not partaking in some of the more high-adrenaline activities that Marcus does, I often find myself happiest when out in nature. I love experiencing new places and cultures, especially with food. Being on a vegan diet I am always looking for interesting new recipes and things to bake. I’m looking forward to the challenge of cooking up a feast in our new tiny home.
Marcus
I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors and travel. Whether it be photography, hiking with the girls, kitesurfing, paragliding or cruising on the SUPs. I find so much enjoyment being out in nature. Not one for cities or offices I’d take a beach, mountains or the woods any day of the week. I’m looking forward to utilizing the van as an opportunity to find new creative outlets, visit new places and surf some new waves.
Rory
Rory was around 10 months old when we got her, we don’t have much information on her past but she was/is extremely nervous meeting new people and other dogs until she builds up some trust. We are hoping that the added stimulation from vanlife and travelling will help calm her down in new surroundings.
Jeannie
Jeannie was a bit older when we adopted her and came into the rescue center with a litter of pups. Sadly the puppies were adopted straight away leaving Jeannie all alone. Minutes after arriving home with her she was doing laps of the garden and jumping between the sofas – she is totally bonkers.