A Life on the Road
Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48, have taken a bold step away from traditional living by choosing to travel the world in a small van. The couple, who were once struggling with rent and bills, gave up their home and possessions to embark on a journey that has seen them cover over 25,000 miles across the Sahara desert, Europe, and Scotland.
Since Kath stopped paying rent four years ago, the pair have been traveling in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter van. Alongside their beloved dog Nala, they’ve visited more than 15 countries and are set to exceed 20 by the time they return from their current trip to Montenegro.
Their lifestyle now costs around £900 to £1,200 a month, which equates to about £30 to £40 a day. This is significantly cheaper than the monthly rent of Kath’s four-bedroom home in Cardiff. Their fully-equipped campervan allows them to live comfortably, featuring a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen with an oven and gas burner.
Reflecting on her decision to embrace this unconventional lifestyle, 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.” She added, “When I sold my possessions, it made me realize that you are supposed to own things—not them own you.”
She continued, “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. The more of my stuff I sold, the more free I felt. The more I am realizing those possessions owned me and pinned me in one place. Life owns you, and you are supposed to own it!”
A Love for Adventure
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 realize she had a burning desire to travel the world with Stuart.
In 2022, after her daughters had left home, Kath decided to pack up her four-bedroom rental property and sell her possessions to pursue a lifelong dream of traveling 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,” she said. “Stu already owned the van, and we had been together a few months when we visited Scotland for a month in the campervan.”
“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!”
A Sustainable and Mindful Lifestyle
Stuart, who converted the inside of the van shortly after purchasing it, said, “We can even do a roast dinner!” While the pair are traveling, Kath is able to generate a steady monthly income through her successful online business, which she started in 2012. Stuart works for an agency as a truck driver and helps top up their money when they visit the UK after trips.
Together, they produce content for Vanagination, releasing weekly YouTube episodes, travel guides, and insightful blogs across social media. They share top tips and tricks for traveling the world, emphasizing mindful and sustainable practices.
Despite spending more than half of their budget on fuel, the pair say they don’t live like they are on holiday. They mostly cook in the van and only pay for a few activities a month. Kath explained, “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.”
Exploring the World
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 revealed that the couple 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 traveling 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!”
They don’t buy new stuff, wear clothes until they can’t anymore, and live light on plastics. Kath added, “You can’t dream yourself into this life—you have to make intentional decisions to get here. You have to let go of other things to get here. We left the rat race—and we’re really glad about it.”
