Another day, another story of someone packing up their things and becoming part of #vanlife to make us all jealous.
Can all motorhome transformations go so smoothly? Surely not.
Would we really all be happier if we quit our jobs and travelled the world? …Yes, maybe, but does that mean we should all do it?
If, like us, you’re prone to reading these types of stories and immediately wanting to call up your boss to resign, be warned, because this particular tale is a classic envy-inducer.
Hatti Webster, 27, is a full-time traveller committed to life on the road, having quit her job, turned an old van into a stunning home on wheels, and set off around France.
The influencer used to work in marketing, but in the pandemic decided to make a major change.
She bought on old, run-down Sprinter van for £5,000, then got to work giving it a proper makeover, which cost a further £5,000.
And in September 2020, off she went to pursue the off-grid lifestyle she had always dreamed of.
Hatti now has over 50,000 Instagram followers keeping up-to-date on her travels on the @campercreative account, and she has no plan to ever return to her old life in the UK.
‘You can be really spontaneous and that’s what I love the most – you don’t have to book a hotel or think about how you’ll get anywhere,’ she said.
‘I always wanted to do a van up and travel. I loved the idea of being able to travel and have your home with you.
‘After university I bought one, did it really cheaply and went down and spent a whole summer just surfing in France, Spain and Portugal.
‘I just absolutely loved it.
‘I had then planned to move to Canada and spend my time there but because of Covid they weren’t giving out visas.
‘So, I was living at home with parents and thinking, “what’s the next thing?” so I thought of Europe.
‘I thought I can’t ever see myself being able to afford a mortgage on a house, so this was the next best thing to allow me to be able to own a home.’
Turning the van into a home took some work.
Hatti had to add in a double bed, a permanent seating area with a slide out table, sink, and kitchen unit, with a fridge and three-ring hob, plus a composting loo that slides under the bed.
She did the bulk of the work herself to keep costs low.
‘You see some peopled doing up vans and they spend 45/50 thousand,’ said Hatti.
‘I totally get that, but I didn’t have that kind of money and also I don’t think you need to spend that much.
‘I didn’t feel like I needed all the bells and whistles.
‘Mine doesn’t have lots of gadgets – you see people have a bed that moves up and down and stuff like that.’
So far, lockdown restrictions have meant Hatti has only spent time in France.
She hopes to receive French residency then travel around the rest of Europe.
‘The freedom is what I’ve always wanted, having your home wherever you want to go – it’s such a comforting feeling,’ said Hatti.
‘I think it just makes travelling that much better.’
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