Nurse Quits Hospital Job to Live Full-Time in Converted Van

In 2022, Ella Dungey, a 31-year-old nurse from Colchester, made a radical career change. Feeling burned out from her job in an intensive care unit, Dungey quit her hospital role and spent £13,000 to purchase and convert an Iveco van into a cozy mobile home.

The van now features a double bed, kitchen, and shower, and has taken Dungey as far as Pisa, Italy and back - a three-month journey. Dungey, who is accompanied by her pet bernedoodle, Bonnie, funds her nomadic lifestyle through part-time work at pubs and warehouses, as well as income from her YouTube channel, "Roaming Stardust," where she documents her travels.

Dungey's decision to embrace van life was inspired by her experiences working in a London hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. "There was an element of burnout in there and I just got to the point where I thought 'something's got to change'," she explained. Now, Dungey revels in the freedom of her new lifestyle, where her biggest concerns are finding a place to sleep and get water.

Dungey's van-dwelling journey has taken her across Europe, including stops in Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. She has also driven to the Scottish Highlands and toured the south coast of England. Despite the challenges that come with van life, Dungey says she loves the peace and freedom it provides.