The truth of van life: I left UK for better life abroad – it’s been beautiful but I never realised how hard it would get
THIS brave traveller ditched her 9-to-5 life for an epic three-year journey across Europe and has travelled 80,000 miles so far.
While for many this sounds like the dream, but Alice Sutton shares tough realities of leaving a settled life in the UK.
Alice Sutton, 25, was born in Italy, but is from Woking and spent seven months converting her £12,000 ex-British gas VW Caddy Maxi – which she called Remi for a travel adventure.
So far she’s travelled through France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Gibraltar, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Wales, England, Scotland.
Despite loving her van life, Alice shared how tough it can be on the road – especially travelling solo.
Alice revealed: “I have had a breakdown and a break-in in the space of a week.”
Despite the setbacks, Alice insists she’s never lonely. She said: “I can’t help but be amazed and excited by the incredible natural world and places I travel.
“I sometimes wish I could share the moments with particular people, or course, but being solo doesn’t detract from the moment.”
While Alice is happy with her lifestyle choices, she confessed that along the way, she does get some strange questions.
Mostly, people ask where she showers and where she goes to the toilet – to which Alice is always happy to tell them about a nature-wee.
Alice showers using a water tank and has to get clean water from public water points which she has to spot while driving through towns.
As for electricity, her lights and fridge run off EcoFlow RiverMax which charges through her engine when driving, or is plugged in when she stops at a cafe or restaurant.
The worst part about van life for Alice is the lack of warm showers in the winter as well as the unfriendliness of town councils all over the UK and Europe to people travelling in a van.
Alice added that there are ‘no overnight camping’ signs in lots of the destinations she goes to, which makes it difficult for her to park up and rest.
Before taking on the van life Alice lived in student rental houses with friends at university and then with her parents while the van conversion was underway.
All lifestyles have pros and cons, but Alice has found the one that works for her.
She originally bought her van six months after graduating and knew that she always knew she wanted to commit to ‘van life’.
Luckily Alice’s job as a digital marketer allows her to work remotely for six months of the year.
After travelling for years, Alice says other people wanting to do the same should just commit because that’s the most difficult part of making it happen.
And she added that for anyone wanting to travel in a van, you should spend money to get all the best bits – or risk setting yourself up to fail.
Alice isn’t the only one quitting the UK – Natalie moved to the world’s best value holiday destination and spends £200 on rent.