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ALTHOUGH IT MAY not be for everyone, living in a van has become a very popular option for some people.
Whether it’s to save on rent, travel the world or simply have your own space away from home, living in a van has become an attractive option for many people in Ireland.
More than two years ago, Niamh Kavanagh and her partner Andres Pesqueira made the leap to live in a van due to the high rental prices in Dublin.
“When I told my friends and family, many people were horrified. I think they thought I was sleeping on a mattress in the back of a truck, ”he said.
“They were surprised that it had a fridge … We were able to make it exactly how we want it.”
Inside the truck.
Source: Andres Pesqueira
A photo of the outside of the van.
Source: Andres Pesqueira
Although he’s been living in a house again at this point, Kavanagh said the only thing he misses when he’s on the road is a bathroom.
“I love taking a bubble bath.”
The couple worked as rock climbing instructors and traveled to different climbing facilities in Ireland.
“The industry couldn’t bear that we both rented in Dublin, so the easiest and cheapest option was to live in a van,” he said.
Usually they worked in Dublin for four or five days a week and then drove across the country on their days off.
“Inch Beach on the Dingle Peninsula is so beautiful. Waking up right next to the sea is just amazing, ”he said.
The couple moved in with Kavanagh’s parents during the pandemic and during this time, they have been converting an old Brennan bread van into their new abode once restrictions ease.
I love waking up and going out to a new place every day. If I want to wake up by the sea I can, if I want to wake up on the mountain I can.
“My adventure begins as soon as I wake up.”
‘We wanted to see the world’
The inside of Dean and Jenny’s truck.
Source: The Fitness Forest
Dean (34) and Jenny (32) from Dublin were in a similar situation with rent when they made the decision to live in a van.
The couple traveled around Ireland for two months before moving to Spain last month. They plan to live there in the van for two years before returning to Ireland.
“We both had full-time jobs with limited vacations, like most people do,” Dean said.
“We wanted to see as much of the world as we could and this was the best way to do it.”
They said that the climate change in Spain is “incredible” and has made their life experience “much more enjoyable”.
Before the truck was ready.
Source: The Fitness Forest
After the truck was ready.
Source: The Fitness Forest
“One of the big things we underestimated was the wind [in Ireland]”Said Dean.” Sometimes it looked like the van was going to fall over. ”
The couple said “living in a small space makes everything easier” in terms of keeping the place tidy.
“The main thing we’ve come to realize is that you really don’t need a huge house to live in,” Jenny said.
“When we get home, a small house would be perfect.”
They bought a second-hand truck and built the interior themselves over the weekends, getting a little help with gas and electricity.
“For people who think they need a great workshop, it is not like that. We did it in the front yard, ”Jenny said.
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“Before this, we didn’t even have a screwdriver between us.”
The couple were inspired by what they saw on YouTube about life in trucks and started their own YouTube channel to discuss their own route to living in a truck.
“A lot of our friends want to do the same, but I think people are afraid to quit their jobs. We are total fans, if we can do this, anyone can do it, “said Dean.
Future plans
Katie out of it.
Katie from Dublin said that she and her partner started thinking about living in a truck about five years ago and hope to make the switch by next March and move to Italy.
“We were watching YouTube one day, we were 28 and 27 at the time, and we were living at my parents’ house in Dublin in an attic,” he said.
“So just the freedom aspect … we thought it would be amazing.”
After running into some insurance issues for a few years, they bought a van that they hope to move into full-time next year for six months in Italy.
Katie’s partner in the truck.
“I think there is great frustration when it comes to renting and trying to save for a mortgage,” Katie said.
“We know that it will take us a long, long time to save for a mortgage,” he said, adding that he finally realized this was not what he really wanted.
“We both want to work for ourselves, we are both business savvy people, so it will be great to have more time to do that.”
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