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With inflation still soaring, rents skyrocketing, interest rates rising and wages stagnating, for many, the prospect of packing up that job they might hate and driving off in a van has probably never been more appealing. For Bristol native Craig Saunders, trading his high-flying career for a life of travel was something he had long craved. However, financial obligations caused him to limit his adventures to 28 vacation days a year.

But in 2019, he and his wife, Kerry Whitelegg, whom he met on the side of a mountain, decided to take the first steps towards making that dream come true when they bought an ex-Army DAF T244 truck and decided to convert it into somewhere they They could travel and live. Learning carpentry, mechanics and plumbing skills as they go, they documented the transformation of ‘Penelope the Truck’ on YouTube, but six months ago they decided to go further, quitting their jobs, selling their house and leaving with no fixed plan of return. to the UK

Before the pandemic, Kerry was freelancing events and teaching yoga, but switched to a remote position during the Covid lockdowns, while Craig rose through the ranks working at a brewery. Kerry said: “We were very unhappy with the way our lives were headed: racing, the house needed work, I needed a new car. It was a matter of investing in our lives as they were and moving on, or committing to ourselves and turning it around for a chance at happiness.”

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Craig said, “We had good salaries, but we felt like we weren’t going anywhere.” Things couldn’t be more different for the couple now; They are currently in Turkey, having traveled through France, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Italy, Greece and Cyprus, with the hope of reaching as far east as Kazakhstan and Morocco.

Surprisingly, the couple describe living together in the former military vehicle, chosen in part because it suits Craig’s 6-foot-4-inch height, as anything but cramped. Kerry said: “We’ve had discussions lately that we probably have too much space. We have a permanent king-size bed.

“We have a big shower, a composting toilet, a big kitchen.” Craig added that on a recent visit by her mother to Cyprus, the couple stayed with her in an AirBnB and found it too big, saying: “We didn’t sleep very well.” We lost the van.”

Despite cutting their financial ties, the duo are still entrenched in the reality of what it costs them to continue their chosen lifestyle, stick to a strict monthly budget, and have a number beyond which they know they cannot leave. drop your savings sooner. need to return to the UK. Kerry also works a few hours a day as a virtual PA for various women-owned businesses in the UK, earning an income while also giving her the freedom to enjoy the journey.

Both acknowledge that they were in a prime position to be able to pay off their debts and set aside money for a financial cushion, but say that keeping an open mind and flexibility has been vital in embarking on their lifestyle change. Kerry said: “We knew that if I didn’t get a job, we would have enough for a year, and then we would have to turn around, go back and get a job. Turns out I have a job. So we’ve just eaten into our savings a bit.”

In addition to working, exploring, creating YouTube videos and writing a book, after witnessing the amount of debris accumulating on Italy’s shores, the couple began regularly collecting plastic waste on beaches and estimate they have removed 750kg so far. now from Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.

“You don’t have to sell your house, quit your job and give up everything”

For anyone who dreams of following in their footsteps, the couple has a lot of wisdom to offer. Kerry said: “You don’t have to sell your house, quit your job and give it all up. Start with weekend trips, rent an RV or borrow someone else’s RV and go with them for the weekend.

“I have friends now who thought what we were doing was ridiculous to begin with, and one of them bought a truck this weekend.”

The idea of ​​doing more with less resonates with Craig and Kerry. Although their dream of incorporating travel into their lives began before the current cost of living crisis, they say it has been an eye opener to watch the UK’s economic woes play out from afar.

Craig said: “We set off and sold our house just before it started to collapse. We were very, very lucky to do that.

“Knowing that we don’t owe anyone money is a nice feeling. Living in the UK, you don’t realize how stressful your life is. So you walk away and you see it from the other side and you say, ‘how did I survive?’

“They tell you, ‘You have to earn money, you have to pay these bills, you have to have a pension, you have to have a house, you have to have a car.’ But you don’t need to do those things.”

“I’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow”

Part of what encouraged the couple to take the plunge was that they were constantly burdened with recurring illnesses, which they attributed to the stress of the job. For Kerry, it was hair loss, cold sores and eye problems, while Craig experienced daily migraines and heart problems. But both agree that after half a year on tour, his health has taken “a complete 180 degree turn.”

Asked if they’re worried they’re not preparing for their future, Kerry said: “I want to do this now while I’m physically able. And when I’m 60, I’m totally willing to sit down all day and do a job.

Craig added: “I’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. The world right now is so chaotic that you don’t know what it will be tomorrow. I worked at the Bristol docks. And there were a lot of hardworking men who spent 40 plus years working there. And then they reach retirement, and after a year or two, they pass away.

“I don’t want to be in that situation where I’ve worked hard for 30 or 40 years to make a company or a person rich, then come into retirement and not be able to do anything.

“If you look at a global economy right now and try to look to the future, what will it be like? Who knows? So why wait? Why not do it once in a while and then worry about it later?

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