Couple ditches corporate grind as cost-of-living crisis leads to decade-long van travel

A couple swapped corporate careers and rent payments for a life of traveling the world — and say the move has hugely slashed their living costs. They're as surprised as anybody. 

Karen Davies, 58, and Myles Davies, 59, spend about $2,000 to $2,700 a month traveling across Europe in a motor home, they say. Their rent alone had been about $1,800, news agency SWNS reported. 

Now they're traveling constantly with almost no added expense.

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The couple, based in the U.K., left their high-stress corporate jobs in 2016 for what they initially planned as a one-year break, but never returned.

Before making the change, the pair said they were burned out from years of nonstop work.

Balancing multiple businesses and working seven days a week "nearly broke them," Karen Davies said — leaving them exhausted and unfulfilled.

"We had to make tough choices, and leaving wasn’t easy, but it was necessary," she said.

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Now, nearly a decade later, they've traveled more than 110,000 miles across 30 countries, living full-time in their motorhome, which they call "Scoobie."

Since hitting the road, the couple has traveled across much of Europe, from Norway to Portugal, as well as destinations in North Africa, including Morocco.

Myles Davies now manages their income through investments and rental property, while Karen Davies works as a writer and yoga teacher, allowing them to continue traveling while earning a living.

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Karen Davies said the lifestyle has truly shifted their priorities.

"We live a simple life in a very small space, and simplicity has given us more meaningful moments, people and experiences," she said.

While the couple said the lifestyle has been rewarding, it has not been without challenges.

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They have had to navigate changing travel rules, including restrictions tied to Brexit, which limits how long they can stay in certain European countries, SWNS reported. 

Popular destinations have become more crowded in recent years, pushing the couple to explore less-traveled areas.

Even with those challenges, the couple said their approach to travel has changed over time.

"In our early years of traveling together, we drove like maniacs," Karen Davies said.

She added that they now take a slower approach, focusing less on checking off destinations and more on experiencing places more deeply.

Nearly 10 years in, they have zero plans to return to a traditional lifestyle, they say.

"Life is too short to regret," Karen Davies said. "You have to make choices that bring you happiness."