A couple who decided to pack in their normal lives in favour of living like nomads have been forced to give up the dream, after increasing fuel prices made it near impossible for them to travel.
Marie-Laure Parsy Szikola moved back home to Edinburgh in the pandemic, but quickly found herself itching to travel - especially after becoming furloughed from her job.
So, the 35-year-old decided to pitch the idea of the nomad lifestyle, living from a van, to her fiancé, Alan, who has actually lived that way before - in a bid to see the world on a budget.
The couple had been living in a small flat at the time, and managed to save enough money to buy a Mercedes Vario 614d minibus for £50,000 in July 2021, which they called 'Blue.'
Marie said: "As experienced trekkers and overall outdoor enthusiasts, we wanted a life that gave us freedom to find a place to hike, climb or kayak and just go.
"For someone with an adventurous background, staying indoors was a real challenge and I felt it truly impacted my well-being – both mentally and physically.
"I got furloughed and the lack of mental stimulation didn’t help at all. I wanted a way of life that would be more engaging than the mainstream: job, commute, flat."
So, the couple packed up their things, gave up the flat and began travelling across Scotland, including the islands, in their new home Blue.
But they have found themselves unable to fully satisfy their wanderlust and travel across the world so far – with the rising cost of living and fuel prices a contributing factor.
Marie continued: "With fuel prices being so high at the moment, there’s more importance than having a constant adventure. Obviously the idea of being non-stop on the road is appealing, but the certainty that comes from a regular income is important."
Fortunately though, the couple are still managing to save plenty of money thanks to their unique way of life. Living in the van is saving them an estimated £1,200 a month in rent and between £180-200 in council tax and bills.
They spend £15 a week on water disposal and water but are largely self-reliant – with electricity generated from solar panels in the van.
Despite being limited to the local area for now, the couple have still managed to turn their unusual abode into a home. Although the bus was already converted, the couple added their own touch by replacing the handles for £40 and the original colour scheme for £20.
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She said: "The previous owners of the bus already did a superb job by converting it using wood and carving details all around. We love detail and our work is more an add-on with different paint schemes, hardware and soft furnishings.
"The bus is a canvas of our lives and we are trying to craft the bus so that every corner reflects a part of our personalities and tastes."
In total, they have spent £100 making the vehicle feel like home and managed to keep costs low by re-using decor from their previous flat.
For now, despite their lack of travel plans, the adventurous couple have no plans to return to rented accommodation.
Marie said: "Van life makes you feel independent and more confident in yourself as it forces you to deal with breakdowns, climate and nature. You feel more engaged with your life and in a sense, more in control. It’s helped me to re-find a path and series of goals when my life hit a standstill.
"The positives about this way of life is a sense of freedom, which is met by daily challenges. Everything can and will break in a van, but patience, a good dose of humour and the ability to learn quickly will turn hassles into fun. It doesn’t need to be full-on straight away to be enjoyable and it can be done on a wide range of budgets.
"Everybody on the road has their own story and reasons to take this way of life, but I would advise anyone to start by hiring a van first for a weekend or short holiday. Get the feel for it first and if you decide to take the step, always make sure you know where your next pay check will come from.
"A vehicle does break more often than a house and bills can rapidly pile up. Travel slowly and take time to explore the mountains – it feels great not to feel rushed to reach the next destination."
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