Escaping Routine: Rob & Hannah’s Vanlife Journey Across Two Continents

The Itch to Explore

We’re Rob and Hannah! We’ve been together for 12 years, met at uni and travelled for two years across Australia and South-East Asia. For the last seven years we’ve been settled in Leeds, working the 9-to-5 and following the usual routine with a few short holidays each year to tick off new places on our ever-growing bucket list.

A year ago, we started feeling restless, questioning the daily routine of work, home, repeat. Rob had been talking about the idea of vanlife for a while, but I wasn’t completely sold. And then, one day, something just clicked. I was like, “You know what? Let’s take the risk. Let’s do it.”

Discovering Vanlife in Australia

We loved traveling, but the idea of just one or two holidays a year wasn’t enough for us. Our first real taste of vanlife came when we were in Australia, where we bought a tiny Mitsubishi van. It was basic—just a bed in the back and a camping stove—but it gave us the freedom to travel up the East Coast up to Cairns, into the Outback, before looping back to Sydney. That van broke down multiple times, and looking back, we were really roughing it, but we loved the experience.

Australia, in general, was perfect for vanlife—loads of free park-ups, beautiful remote spots, and a laid-back vibe. It was nothing like vanlife in Europe or the UK, where finding good places to park can be more of a challenge. Still, that trip planted the seed, and we always knew we wanted to do a proper van build someday.

After experiencing the simplicity of vanlife in Australia, we realized how important comfort and practicality would be if we ever did it again. That’s why, when the time came to build our own van, we knew we had to plan for a space that was functional, comfortable, and suited for long-term travel.

Comparing Vanlife: Australia vs. the UK & Europe

Australia felt like it was made for vanlife. There were free park-ups everywhere, often in stunning locations, with accessible facilities. It was easy to pull up to a beach, stay for a while, and just live in the van without restrictions. The vast open spaces and favorable weather meant we spent most of our time outside, which made the small van more manageable.

Europe, on the other hand, has been a completely different experience. While some countries are great for vanlife, the UK is much trickier. There are fewer free park-ups, and the weather makes a huge difference. In Australia, we were rarely inside the van, but in Europe, especially on rainy days, we find ourselves spending much more time in our van, which is why we’re glad we chose a bigger build. The trade-off is that Europe offers incredible history, culture, and accessibility between countries, which keeps things exciting.

Another huge reason we chose vanlife was our dog. We couldn’t imagine leaving him behind, and this lifestyle meant he could be with us for every adventure. That decision shaped our entire van build—making sure we had enough space for all three of us to live comfortably on the road. It also meant we had to consider practicalities like parking near open spaces, ensuring he had room to stretch his legs, and planning around his needs as much as our own.

Converting a 2020 VW Crafter Into Our Home on Wheels

We bought a 2020 VW Crafter long wheelbase with 100,000 miles on it—so it had been around, but it was in great condition. We had no real plan when it came to the build. It was mostly months of scrolling Instagram, saving van layouts we liked, and then just… going for it.

Rob did the whole conversion himself. I was mostly moral support, passing tools and occasionally questioning his decisions. But seriously, it was a huge learning curve.

There are things we’d do differently next time, not necessarily with the layout but with the process itself. Like, if we ever do another build, we’d definitely try to find a warehouse or lockup to work in. Doing it outside our terraced house in Leeds was a nightmare—setting up and packing everything away every time, only for it to rain 30 minutes later.

Some key things we prioritized in the build:

• A proper shower and composting toilet – We couldn’t do without them. Non-negotiable.
• A solid electrical setup – We went for a full Victron setup with an Easy Plus 1600, 300Ah battery, and 260W of solar (which we now know we need to double). We’re fully off-grid but still use gas for cooking.

• The biggest water tank we could fit – We underestimated how much water we’d use. Even with a big tank, we refill it every couple of days.

We took inspiration from the instagram account @city2_vanlife for our layout and pestered them with so many questions. It turned out exactly how we wanted—like a little home on wheels.

Life on the Road: Our First Trip

This trip has been a test run—six weeks of seeing if we can handle being in such close quarters 24/7. Turns out, we love it! Our dog is living his best life, running around beaches and never being left alone. We’ve parked up in some incredible remote spots in Portugal and Spain, though we tend to stick near towns (because we love a good post-hike beer or coffee).

Working Remotely on the Road

One of my biggest concerns was how working remotely would fit into vanlife. Surprisingly, it’s been easier than expected. I spend most of my workday at our dining table, which doubles as my desk. I brought a separate keyboard, mouse, and the essentials to stay comfortable, though I do miss having a proper office chair.

WiFi was another concern, but so far, it’s been reliable. I’m on client calls regularly, and no one has even noticed I’m in a van. The biggest challenge is balancing work with travel. We have to plan our movements around strong internet connections, which sometimes limits how spontaneous we can be.

One thing we’ve realized? We moved way too fast. We tried to cram too many places into six weeks, which has been exhausting. Rob has done 99% of the driving (I think I’ve done about three hours total), and we’ve spent so much time planning our next stop instead of just enjoying where we are. Next time, we’ll slow down—spend a few weeks in one place instead of constantly moving.

Challenges & Lessons Learned

• Traveling while working remotely – It’s been easier than expected! My “desk” is just our dining table, and WiFi has worked really well the majority of the time. 
• The loneliness of vanlife – We didn’t expect this, but constantly moving has made it hard to meet other vanlifers. We met a great couple in Sagres, but beyond that, most people we park next to are retirees in motorhomes. Online, the vanlife community is amazing, but we need to work on making more connections in real life.
• The build process was tough – If we could do it again, we’d rent a workspace. Building in the UK winter, outside our house, was brutal.
• Invest in the right van and setup – We knew we wanted a shower, full sized bed and enough lounging space, and we’re so glad we prioritized those things.

Advice for Future Vanlifers

• If you’re on the fence, just go for it. Worst case? You don’t love it, and you sell the van. But you’ll probably love it.
• Think hard about your van’s layout and essentials. If you know you’ll hate not having a shower, make sure to build one in. If you need to work remotely, get a solid electrical and WiFi setup.
• Test out different vans before committing. My parents are currently hiring different vans to see what works for them before buying one. Smart move.
• Move slower. We learned this the hard way—moving every couple of days is exhausting. Pick a spot and enjoy it for longer.

What’s Next?

For now, vanlife is going to be a mix of long trips and time at home. We love the UK in the summer, so we’ll probably explore Scotland next. But winters in the UK? No thanks. We’ll be heading off to warmer places, maybe the Balkans next.

We’re not full-time yet, but who knows? Rob’s still trying to convince me to rent out the house and commit to vanlife full-time. We’ll see…

Follow Our Journey

If you want to see what we’re up to, check out our Instagram: @robandhannah - we’re best at posting stories in the moment, but we’re getting better at planning and creating more valuable content.

Vanlife has already given us so many incredible experiences, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us next!