Do you dream of converting your van into a mobile home and setting off on an adventure? Find out how this young woman did it

Have you ever wanted to give up everything and lead a nomadic life, going wherever you want? For many, this remains a dream, which may not even resurface often - but there are some who have taken this utopian dream and made it a reality. This is the case of a young English girl, just 21 years old: her name is Amélise Burr and after a dramatic family tragedy, she has decided to make a van her wandering, mobile home.

Amélise embarked on an epic DIY project giving life to Gloria, the mini-mobile home with which she has been travelling around Europe for several months now with her dog, Gigi. Read on to find out more:

Like many, Amélise (or even just Ame for short) was fascinated by the stories of those who make this radical choice in life. In fact, she tells her story on multiple social media channels (she has a blog, an Instagram account, a TikTok and even a YouTube channel): in 2019 the death of her grandmother devastated her life. "I found myself wondering if it was worth living at all, with all the pain and loss that comes with it."

In trying to make sense of her life in the face of the void left by a loved one, Ame realized that up to that point, she had "never really lived, only survived, only existed and plodded on from day to day without purpose" .

She was therefore fascinated by the rising trend in micro homes - the so-called "tiny living" that has been popular online for a few years. From there, she went on  to discover the "Van Life" channel on YouTube - about the lives of those who transform a van or off-road vehicle into a kind of super-compact camper and live in it full time.

"I felt this INSTANT connection and the insatiable desire to live such a beautifully simple life and, after three years of dreaming, planning, building and saving, I am finally living in a van that I transformed by myself and which I call Gloria, together with my little dog Gigi ".

Ame has documented her full conversion process, complete with a list of materials, on various social media channels. You can see the video of the completed project here. In all, it cost her less than £10 thousand pounds (which is less than €12 thousand euros / $12,400 dollars).

The van is thermally insulated, equipped with wooden structures to hold a foldable bed at the bottom (accessible from the tailgate) and also equipped with a heating system.

There is no shortage of lights, compartments for storing necessary items, a sink and kitchenette, a charging station and a small refrigerator. In one corner, there is a made-to-measure seat which hides a shower!

Also, there are solar panels on the roof and water tanks under the floor.

Amélise's new life takes her around Europe, with Gloria providing the transport and Gigi providing the entertainment. There is no shortage of sacrifices to be made and privations to endure, but it is certainly a source of great inspiration, perhaps to emulate this adventurous spirit and create a tailor-made mini-camper: we may not have the opportunity to live in one all year round, but it would be amazing to go on a vacation bringing our own "home" with us.