Do you like the sound of ditching your 9-5 job and living life on the open road in a chic converted school bus?
Chase Green, 28, and Mariajosé Trejo, 25, have done just that and are travelling the world with their two canine companions.
The creative couple spent four months and $16,000 (£12,656) transforming the bright yellow, 84-seater vehicle, which they bought for $3,500 (£2772), into a sleek 250sqft house on wheels.
Hot wheels: Chase Green, 28, and Mariajosé Trejo, 25, converted an old school bus into a gorgeous home on wheels
The creative couple spent four months and $16,000 (£12,656) transforming the bright yellow vehicle, which they bought for $3500 (£2772), into a sleek 250sqft house on wheels
Free spirits: The duo have travelled from Wisconsin to Arizona, Puerto Rico to Tennessee, earning money by freelancing
It features a gorgeous interior and they have managed to kit it out with all the essentials – a king size bed, bathroom with toilet and shower, 100-gallon water tank, solar panels, fridge freezer and even a kitchen sink.
There are also home comforts such as a wood burning stove, hammocks and roof deck.
Despite it being an eighth of the size of their former home, Chase said they like the idea of living in a small space.
He explained: ‘We had been watching people convert buses and vans on YouTube. My father showed us the first videos because he knew we both really loved the idea of small space living.
Inspired: Before and after images showing how they transformed the old yellow 40ft school bus into a mobile home
Handy: Mariajosé, who works as a freelance make-up artist for Chanel, shows off her DIY skills
‘We lived in a 2,000sqft home and had rooms that we furnished and never even used, it was wasteful.
‘In February 2018 I sat on a conference call and was informed of a corporate restructure that affected me and many others. Mariajosé and I decided at this point to stop giving our time away and to live how we want.’
Chase, originally from Knoxville and Mariajosé from Merida in Venezuela, set off in August 2018, selling their home two months later to live on the road full time.
They have travelled from Wisconsin to Arizona, Puerto Rico to Tennessee, earning money by freelancing. Mariajosé is as a make-up artist for Chanel and Chase works as a website and graphic designer.
Work in progress: The pair put their feet up during the four-month renovation
They have managed to kit it out with all the essentials – a king size bed, bathroom with toilet and shower, 100-gallon water tank, solar panels, fridge freezer and even a kitchen sink
‘We had been watching people convert buses and vans on YouTube. My father showed us the first videos because he knew we both really loved the idea of small space living,’ said Chase
Transformation: Before and after pictures of how the bus was transformed into a trendy living space
The intrepid duo also share their adventures on their YouTube channel Tío Aventura and Instagram page, which has more than 18,000 followers.
Chase continued: ‘One of the best things about being on the road has been the opportunity to meet new people doing similar things or inspire others to get out and live their life while they have the ability and mobility.
‘An unexpected aspect of living this way has been the ability to monetise our adventure by sharing our story and adventure on YouTube and the most unexpected by working with brands and corporations that align us on a moral and ethical level to try or share their products in exchange for paid posts and collaborations.’
‘One of the best things about being on the road has been the opportunity to meet new people doing similar things or inspire others to get out and live their life while they have the ability and mobility,’ said Chase
The intrepid duo share their adventures on their YouTube channel Tío Aventura and Instagram account , which has more than 18,000 followers
Living their best life: They hope to eventually buy land and build a small home but have no plans to stop travelling
However, their idyllic sounding lifestyle isn’t completely stress-free. The couple has encountered problems sourcing safe drinking water, particularly in the desert, and with parking.
‘It takes a lot of planning, a lot of research, and sometimes we’ve found that even through the planning we just can’t make it to a spot or stay there due to local laws regarding vehicle dwelling,’ Chase added.
‘We’ve found ourselves with parking tickets over $100 and we’ve been woken up by surprisingly understanding and polite police officers asking us to leave where we are parked.
‘Despite those complications, there is no way we would trade this deliberate life for the 9-5 and living for the weekends again.’
They hope to eventually buy land and build a small home but have no plans to stop travelling.
Enviable: The decor of the mobile home is very Instagram-friendly with its gorgeous boho-chic furnishings
‘We lived in a 2,000sqft home and had rooms that we furnished and never even used, it was wasteful,’ said Chase
Mariajosé cooks up a storm in the kitchen, which with some careful planning they were able to fit with all the essentials