Meet Maisie and Nik, an adventurous duo from Shrewsbury, UK 🇬🇧 who swapped their backpacks for a Ford Transit and hit the road full-time. After years of exploring as backpackers, they designed their own cosy home on wheels, embracing the freedom and challenges of van life across Europe. From DIY van conversions to epic alpine adventures, this is Maisie and Nik’s Vanlife Voice.
Meet Maisie and Nik
Hey, we're Maisie and Nik from Shrewsbury, a little town in Shropshire, UK. For the last few years, we’ve been backpacking, but transitioning into van life felt natural—a continuation of the adventure. Funny enough, Maisie had this van life dream long before I (Nik) warmed up to it. Four years ago, she already had plans and ideas for the van, and she slowly convinced me. Now, I’m so glad she did!
Our Van: Why a Ford Transit?
We chose a Ford Transit with an extra-long wheelbase for a bit of extra space. Since we planned to live in it full-time and knew we’d be doing winter van life in the Alps, having an indoor shower was a priority. In winter, finding a hot shower at campsites can be tough since many places close. We’re both of average height, so we designed it to sleep width instead of length, and the Ford Transit layout worked perfectly for that.
The Conversion Process: Building It Ourselves
"SURPRISE! We're building everything from scratch!"
Nik didn't know he was building their van from scratch 😄
The entire van build was a DIY project. Maisie was the mastermind behind the planning—she knew exactly what she wanted, from windows to the diesel heater and electrical system. I’m an electrician, so I was comfortable with tools, but carpentry? That was new! We relied on YouTube videos for a lot of it and tackled each part of the conversion ourselves. Despite the learning curve, we did well, and we’re really proud of what we’ve built together.
Living Full-Time on the Road
Although we’ve had a couple of hiccups with the van, we're committed to full-time van life. Right now, we're back home for repairs and some upgrades. We’re adding winter tires, fixing dents, and setting up a ski locker in preparation for the Alps this January. We’re also doing some external modifications, like painting the van and adding extra lights to make it winter-ready.
Our First Trips and Favourite Destinations
Our first big trip was to Switzerland, which was just incredible! The scenery, the quietness at the end of summer—it was perfect. Switzerland has lots of van-friendly park-ups, but they’re often paid. Spain also became a favorite because it’s van-friendly, has amazing roads, and fewer tolls. And then there’s Lake Annecy in France—a must-visit for anyone. We’ve spent winters in the Alps before, but it was wonderful to experience France in the summer for a change.
Prepping for Our First Winter Van Life
This winter will be our first fully van-based ski season. We usually work in chalets, where we can stay and ski when we’re off, but it’s hectic, with only about three days off per week. With the van, we’ll be working just two days, giving us more time to ski—hopefully five or six days a week. We’re ready for a bit of dampness in the van, but we think the freedom will make it worthwhile.
A Day in the Van: Staying Connected and Essentials
We spend most of our time in Europe, so we’ve got European SIM cards with big data plans, which lets us stay connected without needing extra Wi-Fi. For cooking, we have a gas hob and a Ninja oven, which is great as an oven, microwave, and air fryer all in one. While we initially planned on a fully electric setup, we realized that in snowy conditions with limited sun, a gas hob made more sense. Plus, we can use it inside or outside the van!
Day-to-day, we start with coffee, giving each other space to get ready. With a foldable bed, making it each day frees up a lot of space, though we’ll probably skip that in the winter when it’s harder to air things out.
Electrical Setup and Tips for Energy Efficiency
We’ve got a solid electrical system with two solar panels giving about 350 watts, a Victron 3000 inverter, and a heavy-duty Fogstar drift battery with Bluetooth monitoring and heating capabilities. We also have a DC to DC charger and an offshore hookup, and most of our components are Victron. Monitoring our battery consumption has been helpful, especially to see which appliances are draining the most power.
As for efficiency, we’ve learned that even small things matter, like choosing 12V LED lights. Many 12V lights are limited in design, so we use regular light fixtures and swap out the bulbs for 12V versions. We also monitor the energy draw of each appliance, particularly bigger ones like the oven, to prevent surprises.
Vanlife Voices is sponsored by Vunked—Campervan Electrics - Made Simple
Build your ultimate campervan electrical system in minutes using Vunked's easy-to-use tool.
Learn MorePractical Tips for Vanlifers: Apps, Budgeting, and Free Campsites
We highly recommend apps like Park4Night, which help find free campsites and nearby facilities. It’s been invaluable, especially when we needed a shower before setting up our own! When it comes to budgeting, we do things like hand-washing clothes or saving up laundry for an Airbnb stay to freshen up.
We also work seasonal jobs—summers at campsites and winters in the Alps—so finding income on the road has been sustainable for us. And one big cost-saving tip? Avoid toll roads, especially in France, where they can be expensive and long stretches often don’t have exits. Taking the scenic route not only saves money but also adds to the adventure!
For Aspiring Vanlifers: Research, Budgeting, and Patience
We recommend researching thoroughly! It’s one thing to imagine life in a van, but once you start building, you’ll quickly find things you may have overlooked. Establish what you need, plan your budget carefully, and make sure your goals align with it. If something doesn’t fit your budget, maybe save up a little more before diving in.
Future Plans: Europe, Thailand, and Beyond
Our immediate plans are to work the ski season in the Alps, then explore Eastern Europe next summer—places like Italy, Albania, Turkey, and Croatia are high on the list. Eventually, though, we dream of heading back to Thailand, where we lived for nearly nine months a few years ago. Maybe we’ll even sell the van and settle there for a while; it’s always been a special place for us.
Follow Our Journey
We share our van life adventures on Instagram, TikTok, and recently on YouTube. While we’re mostly doing short-form videos now, we hope to create longer YouTube content in the future, sharing more about our travels, tips, and the realities of van life.
Member discussion