It started with a builder’s van that we dubbed “Vandercamp”. With no previous van building experience, we set about transforming this tired van into a beautiful, rolling home.
Then, we quit our jobs, sold our possessions, and said goodbye to those we love. Now, we’re leaping into the great unknown to live our biggest adventure.
Vandercamp Adventures is here to help you build a campervan, regardless of your DIY experience or knowledge. Whether you’ve already got a shed full of tools or you feel like a total DIY dunce, Jolly and Nemi are here to help!
Step 1:
Convert a camper on a small budget
Step 2:
Quit jobs and get rid of possessions
Step 3:
Hit the road… adventure awaits
How Jolly will help you:
Having extensive experience with tools and with general DIY, Jolly is a knowledgeable and practised guide. His history of making stuff, solving problems and thinking up creative solutions allows him to provide in-depth knowledge, detailed build guides, and give you handy hints and tips to support you in your DIY van conversion.
How Nemi will help you:
Before building Vandercamp, Nemi had barely even held a screwdriver. She was a complete DIY novice who needed help, support, and guidance every step of the way. This inexperience with DIY means that she makes sure Jolly’s build guides include simplified, understandable, and accessible sections for every DIY beginner.
Together, Nemi and Jolly converted a builder’s van into a perfect home.
They created the entire conversion themselves while working full-time jobs while hunting for ways to keep costs down and simultaneously reduce their impact on the environment.
Ways to make your build more sustainable:
Reclaim, repurpose, recycle
Ways to keep costs down:
Do it yourself
More About Nemi
Nemi is a total carebear and does everything she can to help protect the planet, look after animals, or nurture and support the people around her.
Her work life has included being a primary school teacher in the UK and being a music teacher and private instrumental tutor in Abu Dhabi.
Since childhood, Nemi has enjoyed travelling and exploring. Although she loves lazing on a beach, she’s also trekked through rainforests, climbed mountains (slowly!), and ridden through the desert.
Having committed to living in Vandercamp full time, Nemi is bursting with excitement about travelling, spending every day with Jolly and building their blog.
She will fill her time with adventures of the body and mind, exploring, learning to juggle, figuring out the ukulele, and creating new vegan vanlife recipes.
More About Jolly
Jolly is a ginger who isn’t afraid of time in the sun, especially if food, music and people are also involved! Smiling, laughing and admiring Nemi is the main focus of his days.
He enjoys strengthening his body and mind with callisthenics, exploring new places, learning new things, and perfecting his Tarzan skills by rock climbing.
As an electrical engineer, Jolly has worked for both himself and “The Man”. His 18 years’ experience now fuels his new obsession… to become a campervan electrics guru.
When he met Nemi, Jolly discovered his passion for travel. His favourite memories include climbing volcanoes in Bali, the night trains of India and dining with locals in Sri Lanka.
Jolly wants to help everyone, regardless of their background or DIY knowledge, create their own rolling home and experience the freedom of vanlife.
Jolly and Nemi both hope they will be travelling for a long time to come, sharing their experiences on the Vandercamp Adventures blog.
