A couple in their late 40s who were struggling with rent and bills gave up their home and possessions to travel the world in a campervan for just £30 a day.
Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48, have travelled over 25,000 miles through the Sahara desert, Europe and Scotland in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter ever since Kath stopped paying rent four years ago.
The couple, from Cardiff, have toured over 15 countries with their beloved dog Nala and are set to have exceeded 20 by the time they return from their current trip to Montenegro.
On average, the pair spend around £900 to £1,200 a month, equating to around £30 to £40 a day – meaning that their outgoings are now far cheaper than the monthly rent of Kath’s four-bedroom home in Cardiff.
Their fully-equipped campervan which allows them to ‘live like King’s and Queens’ boasts a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen featuring an oven and gas burner.
Reflecting on her decision to choose an unconventional van life, Kath, a mother-of-two, said: ‘It was a choice we made between one life and another – and we don’t regret a second of it.
‘When I sold my possessions, it made me realise that you are supposed to own things – not them own you.
‘When you have a mortgage, a car payment, you are owned by society, fixed because you have to stay where you are and pay your bills,’ she added.
‘The more of my stuff I sold the more free I felt – the more I am realising those possessions owned me and pinned me in one place. Life owns you and you are supposed to own it!’
Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48 (both pictured), have travelled over 25,000 miles through the Sahara desert, Europe and Scotland in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter ever since Kath stopped paying rent four years ago
On average, the pair spend around £900 to £1,200 a month, equating to around £30 to £40 a day – meaning that their outgoings are now far cheaper than the monthly rent of Kath’s four-bedroom home in Cardiff
Their fully-equipped campervan which allows them to ‘live like King’s and Queens’ boasts a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen featuring an oven and gas burner
Kath and Stuart first met in 2021 at a walking group and bonded over their shared love of nature and the outdoors.
During their first year of dating, they hiked over 105 UK peaks and it didn’t take long for Kath to realise she had a burning desire to travel the world with Stuart.
In 2022, after her daughters had left home, she packed up her four-bedroom rental property and sold her possessions to embark on a ‘lifelong dream’ of travelling the world.
‘I had an idea that when my kids left home I wanted to drive to the Sahara – it was a dream I’d had for years. Stu already owned the van, and we had been together a few months when we visited Scotland for a month in the campervan,’ she said.
‘So that winter I decided that I was going to downsize my life, my kids had left home, the four-bed rental was too much for me and I just didn’t want it anymore.
‘It was taking every penny that I earned just to keep the rental going – but we knew we could live cheaper on the road.
‘A lot of people are scared of the big adventure, but Stu was up for the idea and so we drove to the edge of the Sahara desert and haven’t looked back!’
Stuart, who converted the inside of the van shortly after purchasing it, said: ‘We can even do a roast dinner!’
While the pair are travelling, Kath is able to generate a steady monthly income for the pair having set up her own successful business online back in 2012.
Stuart, who works for an agency as a truck driver, works when they visit the UK after trips to help top up their money before their next adventure.
Her and Stuart are both work together to produce content for Vanavigation – releasing weekly Youtube episodes, travel guides and insightful blogs across social media where they share the top tips and tricks for travelling the world.
In 2022, after her daughters had left home, Kath packed up her four-bedroom rental property and sold her possessions to embark on a ‘lifelong dream’ of travelling the world
Kath and Stuart first met in 2021 at a walking group and bonded over their shared love of nature and the outdoors
So far, the pair have driven 3,000 miles to Denmark and back, 7,000 miles around Spain and Portugal, 2,000 miles to Scotland and 8,000 miles to the Sahara in their van (pictured)
Despite spending more than half of their budget on fuel, the pair say they don’t live like they are on holiday – and mostly cook in the van and only pay for a few activities a month.
Kath said: ‘As fuel prices have gone up we have just slowed down!
‘We just drive a bit slower and make a few less stops – which means we extend the trip really.
‘Life really is a lot cheaper in the van – you don’t need two wages. We were away for 101 days and our average spend was £1000 a month – this is less than my rent used to be in Cardiff and we lived like Kings and Queens!’
So far, the pair have driven 3,000 miles to Denmark and back, 7,000 miles around Spain and Portugal, 2,000 miles to Scotland and 8,000 miles to the Sahara.
They are currently in Montenegro, and are just shy of 5,000 miles on their trip which has seen them drive through France, Italy, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia and Kosovo.
Their next stops are Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and France.
Describing their Sahara trip as ‘totally surreal’, Stuart, from Southampton, revealed that the couple had enjoyed drinking coffee out of their own mugs and waking up to the sight of 40 camels.
The pair are strong advocates for following your dreams and travelling the world in a mindful and sustainable way.
Stuart said: ‘We choose to step lighter on this earth. My big diesel van has much less of a carbon footprint than a three-bed house where people leave the lights on!
‘We don’t buy new stuff, we wear clothes until we can’t wear them anymore and we live light on plastics.
‘We love this life and we learn so much about people!’
‘You can’t dream yourself into this life, you have to make intentional decisions to get here,’ added Kath.
‘You have to let go of other things to get here. We left the rat race – and we’re really glad about it.’
