Van life couple spent 1,989 days on road as life is ‘better’

Ever thought about ditching the traditional home and embracing life on the road?

That’s exactly what one woman and her partner did, relishing their nomadic lifestyle until disaster struck. Scarlet, of the TikTok account @scarletandseth, revealed they spent 1,989 days in their van before they were forced to bid farewell to their mobile abode due to a breakdown.

The couple were heartbroken, admitting they’d experienced their “fair share of breakdowns over the years” but this was “by far the worst one.” They were left uncertain about when or if their van would be repaired.

Scarlet shared that they had been living in hotels for three weeks, depleting their “rainy day fund” and exhausting all options. However, hope emerged when their friends offered them a place in their second van.

Despite the setback, the couple were delighted with the turn of events, even though it meant a gruelling 20-hour drive to California, US, where the spare van awaited.

Scarlet said: “Even though this isn’t our van, it’s everything we could need and more right now. It might sound cheesy, but life just makes a lot more sense when we’re living in a van, and it took us all of an hour to feel completely at home again.”

She added she and Seth felt they could “finally take a deep breath” and look towards the future.

In her latest update, she wrote: “Right now, they’re saying it’ll be another 2-3 weeks to see if the new cylinder head fixes the issue.”

“If it doesn’t, our last option is a full engine replacement, which would be the worst-case scenario because they don’t have an ETA on engines and means we could be without our house for months. But we’re doing our best to stay positive and just roll with the punches.”

She expressed gratitude towards @courtandnate for offering their home, allowing them to feel more settled during this challenging time. In the comments section, one person responded: “So glad you had friends who could help. Hope you get some good news on your van soon.”

Another sympathetically commented: “How heartbreaking I truly hope you hang in there, our family has a motto – ‘Find a way’ I truly hope you both find a way as well.”