A couple sold their house in Fugu to travel around Europe in a van

Charlene Formosa and Chris Borg live in a studio apartment on wheels. Their beautiful home is her 2009 McLouis Tandy 650 on a Fiat Ducato chassis.

What makes them different is that they are constantly moving around continental Europe rather than Malta.

The Maltese couple are part of a growing group of young people who are ditching the 9-to-5 confines and embracing the ‘van life’, converting a van into a home and traveling wherever the mood strikes.

Charlene Formosa and Chris Borg (Snowdonia, Wales)

Until the summer of 2021, we were both working in Malta. Chris, 34, works in a bank and has a growing side job in photography and videography, while Charlene, 32, works in human resources at a law firm in Valletta.

Chris worked at a bank during the week, but on weekends, holidays, and vacations he traveled to Europe for photo shoots, mainly in hotels.

In addition to flying, we often drove to the various hotels and resorts for which Chris had commissioned marketing visuals. “We loved driving in the mountains and forests and spending time in nature,” he says.

The catalyst for their new lifestyle was a trip to Slovenia in 2018. We rented a small campervan and loved the experience. According to Charlene’s recollections, it was “November, very cold, and there was nothing in this little van.” heating”.

It whetted their desire for a nomadic lifestyle and they decided to adopt it full-time.

Drive through the Croatian wilderness

The decision to make a big change in their lifestyle wasn’t difficult. “We loved our lives, but we wanted to spend more time in nature and see more of the world,” says Chris. She added: “Life in Malta felt overcrowded, especially in the hot and humid summers with heavy traffic.”

Holly, a fox terrier now 9 years old, was also a factor. She was left alone in the apartment during her work and was looked after by her family during her travels.

“I felt bad leaving her behind, so our trip was changed at the last minute,” Charlene says. “Instead of Holly being confined to her apartment, she can now enjoy her travels with us.”

take a leap

They started looking for a camper in 2019, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 delayed the process.

Austria covered in snow

After a year of research, I finally found the product I wanted online in France. Not only is buying a campervan expensive in Malta, but insurance and customs duties are also expensive.

The couple used a French intermediary to inspect the vehicle and were soon on their way to Paris to pick up Tandy, their new tiny home on wheels. They had already sold their apartment in Fugura, quit their jobs and were preparing for full-time van life.

At this point, Chris and Charlene were fully committed to the lifestyle they were about to adopt, although their friends and family were “a bit confused and unsure of what we were getting into.” “I didn’t have it,” says Chris. “Now, after three years, everyone has gotten used to our life and some of our family members have started staying in the van.”

The first few months of van life took us to Central Europe, where most of Chris’ customers are. “At first we thought we would just go around Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia,” explains Chris. “Then we discovered her YouTube and started filming our adventures.”

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. “We put our travel plans on hold and headed across Slovakia to the border. [with Ukraine] We will help you in any way we can. ”

“We bought food, water, baby food, diapers and some toys,” Charlene added. All these were distributed to refugees at various border crossing points.

film their travels

Since then, they have divided their time between traveling to new places for their YouTube channel “Travel Tales” and taking photos and videos for hotel and tourism clients, which is their main source of income. It is working.

“When I first started photography, I was a little scared that it would become my only source of income,” Chris confesses. “But now I’m making more money than I was in my previous job.”

Chris currently has the luxury of “only working four or five months a year,” but the hours are long, there are no days off, and there’s “a lot of planning and responsibility…taking risks and believing in yourself is key.” He admits that.

Dmitry Hyland in Montenegro

His YouTube channel, which has 6,410 subscribers, is another source of income. Every Sunday night, the couple posts a video of their recent trip. In 2022, for example, they were in Turkey, and last year they headed to France, crossed the Channel to England and raced around the north of Scotland on the legendary NC500. In early fall, they drove to the Balkans and explored Montenegro and Albania.

“There are many variables to consider when planning where to go,” Chris explains. “Where you need to be at a certain time for your job, travel time, weather, and cost to your job location.”

Breakdowns do happen, but fortunately they are rare, and Chris admits he also had to learn to be a mechanic. “I used to drive a Honda, but this is completely different. I learned a lot because of the high mileage. I’ve driven about 65,000 kilometers since I bought the Tandy.”

Lake Sarda, Türkiye

Not enough pastizzi

Living on the streets has its ups and downs. The most unpleasant experience for them was having to make unexpected repairs in Germany. “It cost a lot of money and I had to live for a week in a van parked in a Fiat garage.”

One of their best experiences was watching the sunrise in Cappadocia as the sky filled with balloons. “It was amazing,” Charlene says.

Couples usually avoid cities and big cities and prefer rural areas. They feel this is a place where they meet “real people” and enjoy hospitality, including spending a night with a local family in a Montenegrin hut.

The worst ones don’t have families, “and pastizzi,” Charlene added. Both have not returned to Malta since July 2021, although they keep in touch via video calls.

“My brother had a baby he hadn’t met yet,” Chris says. “Another time, there was a surprise party for his father’s birthday, and I just watched it.”

“Sometimes it’s very difficult and there are days when I really want to see my family,” Charlene added.

But instead of dwelling on what they lack, they dwell on the future.

Croatian vanlifers

For now, the couple has no plans to have children. This allows him to make a “rough plan for the next five to seven years,” Chris says. “We don’t want to travel to the US or Asia with Holly as it can be difficult both with travel and regulations. She’s nine years old so our current plans are to continue touring around Europe. .

“There are so many other things to see. We also hope to revisit some countries and then see what’s next with our van, the new van, or something else.”

“Life is short, so you need to make the most of it,” says Chris. “Traveling and spending time in many places allows you to understand how different people live.

“We know that every place has its good and bad points, but we love being able to divide the year accordingly. I miss perfection. And when I go back to Western Europe, I miss the freedom and madness of Albania and Turkey. This way we can live our lives to the fullest.”