A young woman who became fed up with the daily grind has given up her job to globe trot with her beloved rescue dog – in a converted van. Marina, 25, who was born in Italy but was living in the UK before heading off on her travels has now set off in a 16 year old Renault Kangoo, which she has transformed into a mini home by herself.
She and her Labradoodle Odie are now living in the little van, which cost £500 to renovate and now includes a bed, curtains, a little kitchenette and lights. Marina opted for the van because she did not want to leave her dog behind on her journey, so wanted to make sure that she had a form of transport in which Odie could come too.
Over the past year, the pair have splashed in lakes in France, been hiking in Italy and paddled in the sea at Brighton. Marina says she now has the travel bug and does not plan on stopping anytime soon. She said that while she had a steady office job, she was not happy in her career and felt that she was too concerned with material things.
More intune with her surroundings
She said that she was determined to life a life which was more in tune with nature. The mini van is perfect because she can get pretty much anywhere in it. Given that she admits she is not great at parking she did not want a vehicle which was too big. The intreprid explorer also said that having her own little home had taken away any pressure about finding a bed every night. Even though she no longer has a steady income, Marine is getting by on money she had saved, as well as working remotely and picking up casual work as she goes along.
