Meet the Vanabonds
Meet Eddie
I didn’t travel much at all until I was 26, when a series of unfortunate events led me to reconsider my life’s trajectory.
In 2016, I had been dumped by my girlfriend, fired from my job, and the lease on my house was running out.
Facing moving back in with my parents, mid-twenties, jobless, and alone, I decided to listen to the message the universe was trying to send me. I took off on my first solo backpacking trip with a one-way ticket to Bangkok and a well-thumbed Lonely Planet guide.
Since then, I have traveled throughout Asia, across Russia, Europe, and my home country of Australia, and traversed the Americas.
My style of travel is, at best, flexible, instinctive, and adaptable. At worst, a crapshoot that often ends in disaster.
My long history of missing flights, getting lost, medical emergencies, getting robbed, getting poisoned, getting stranded and a couple of near-death experiences have left me with a long list of pitfalls to avoid and things to watch for in exotic places all over the world and a few good stories.
Now, I travel with my wife, Kelli, and our daughter, Nora, as we try to navigate our life on the road.
Meet Kelli
Straight out of the small town of Dublin, Georgia, USA, I fell in love with travel on my first trip to Europe when I was 17. My mother took me on a two-week trip to London, Paris, and Barcelona. By the time I arrived back in my small country town, I was already scheming to get back as quickly as possible. Luckily, I convinced my grandmother to take me just four months later.
Since then, I have traveled to over 80 countries and every continent bar Antarctica. My style of travel is quite different from Eddie’s as I rely on thorough, meticulous plans which often involve weeks if not months of research for my travels.
About Us
Despite our distinct styles, our paths crossed at a hostel in Tallinn, Estonia one snowy Christmas Eve. Eighteen months later, we decided to set out to see what else we could see. We quit our day jobs and booked a one-way ticket to Santiago to become Vanabonds.
Since then, we have driven the length of the South American continent together in our first van, a tiny Suzuki AVP we named Pablo Van Go. We have toured Mexico and a little bit of the USA in a self-converted Chevy Express named Ernie. We were contained in Australia when COVID hit in 2020 and took the opportunity to tour Australia in our self-converted Toyota Land Cruiser, Gertrude.
In 2022, we purchased a tiny old sailboat in Croatia, Whisper, and have spent each summer since cruising the Mediterranean, primarily through Greece, Croatia, Albania, and Montenegro.
Each year, we spend a few months exploring a new ski destination. so far we’ve experienced ski seasons in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kygyzstan and Georgia.
On the 1st of August 2024, we began our most daunting journey yet, when our daughter Nora was born in Zagreb, Croatia.
We believe that a life of adventure doesn’t have to end with family—it’s only the beginning of a new chapter, and we are looking forward to showing Nora just how big and beautiful a life of travel can be.
About the Vanabond Tales
Through our blog and our vlog, we aim to offer insights on long-term travel, working remotely, van life, sail life, minimalist adventures, and takeaways from our latest adventures as a young family.
What started as a van life diary documenting three journeys across three continents in three different vans has become a resource for nomadic travelers and families drawn to life on the road or at sea. From balancing remote work with family life to discovering unique van and sail life adventures, we share practical tips, firsthand insights, and inspiration to help you live big by traveling small.
Our experience living life on the road gives us unique insight into the highs and challenges of digital nomad family travel. From keeping a budget to navigating border crossings to managing work-life balance on wheels or waves, we’ve been there and learned valuable lessons every step of the way. Through our blog, we share not only our stories but also practical guides, destination tips, and advice we wish we’d had when starting out.
The Vanabond Tales is for families big and small who want to explore without limits. With expertise in remote work, van and sail life, a respect for local culture and the environment, and a passion for tiny living, we aim to help others find their version of freedom.
Most of all, this space is about slow, self-directed travel regardless of the means. About venturing off the beaten path, discovering hidden destinations, and finding joy in the journey, no matter the distance or destination.
About You
At The Vanabond Tales, we understand the challenges and aspirations of adventurous souls seeking a life less ordinary. Our audience includes families dreaming of a digital nomad lifestyle, van lifers, and aspiring sailors who want to turn their travel fantasies into reality but feel held back by overwhelm, uncertainty, and the fear of costly mistakes.
We help:
- Families longing for a slower, more intentional way to explore the world while balancing remote work and raising children.
- Aspiring and experienced van lifers looking for guidance on choosing, outfitting, and maintaining their homes on wheels while navigating road life.
- Sailing enthusiasts dreaming of life on the water but unsure where to start, what it takes, or how to sustain the journey.
We provide the real-world information, inspiration, and resources they need to properly prepare, plan, and thrive in their journey, tackling:
- The overwhelm of planning, decision fatigue, and sifting through an overload of information.
- The anxiety of not knowing what to pack, how to budget, or how to transition to a nomadic lifestyle.
- The frustration of inconsistent advice and lack of relatable firsthand accounts.
- The fear of financial or career uncertainty and the impact of nomadic living on their long-term plans.
We’re here to bridge the gap between dream and reality, empowering our audience with curated, up-to-date guidance and firsthand stories that help them visualize, plan for, and embrace the nomadic lifestyle—whether it’s on the road, on the water, or wherever their journey takes them.
We’ve been there: overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure. But through trial and error, we’ve built a lifestyle that works for us, and we want to help others do the same. Whether you’re embarking on your first road trip, setting sail, or redefining your family’s life on the go, we’re here to make your adventure less daunting and more doable.
We don’t just stop at blog posts; we are here to lend a hand. Whether you have a quick question or are interested in one-on-one consultations to help you work through the challenges and obstacles preventing you from thriving in your journey, we’re only too happy to help.
Where we have Traveled
We have spent the last six years traveling throughout the world through slow, self-directed travel in whatever means we have, whether by van, boat, or backpacking. Over this time, we have been to countless destinations, many of them well off the beaten path.
Australia
We have traveled the length of Queensland in our Landcruiser Troopcarrier from Brisbane to Cape York stopping at many destinations along the way such as Rockhampton, Carnarvon Gorge, Cape Hillsborough, the Atherton Tablelands, and more.
We have explored various road trips from Brisbane, including Stanthorpe, Eumundi, Yamba, and more.
We spent over two months exploring as much as we possibly could in Tasmania from the beautiful Great Eastern Drive, including Bicheno and Freycinet National Park, the lesser traveled Northeast Tasmania, and the epic Frenchmans Cap Hike.
We have driven from Queensland to Darwin in the Northern Territory visiting national parks such as Lawn Hill, Kakadu, and Litchfield.
In Western Australia, we drove along the Gibb River Road, visited breathtaking national parks such as The Bungle Bungles and Karijini National Park, and explored coastal cities such as Kalbarri and Esperence.
Skiing Adventure Holidays
During the winter, when we are not traveling by van or by sea, we explore some of the lesser-known ski destinations throughout the world. Destinations like Shymbulak in Kazakhstan, Karakol in Kyrgyzstan, Bansko in Bulgaria and Gudauri and Bakuriani in Georgia.
Mexico
Second to Australia, Mexico is a destination that keeps pulling us back time and time again. So much so, that we even got married in San Pancho, Mexico in November 2022.
We have spent more than a year traveling throughout Mexico, mostly hugging the western coast beaches and mostly by van on numerous epic road trips in Mexico. Road trips that take you through Jalisco and the Riviera Nayarit home to some of our favorite beach destinations include San Pancho (Nayarit) and Lo de Marcos (Nayarit).
We have also spent months dancing between Mexico’s southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas on month-long road trips through the highlights of both of these diverse destinations. The city of Oaxaca was, and still is, a favorite destination of ours along with Chiapas’ San Cristobal de las Casas, two of Mexico’s best non-beach destinations.
We have spotted flamingos on the Yucatan Peninsula, visited the windswept beach town of El Cuyo, and marveled at the historical cities of Merida and Valladolid.
South America
Our first van life trip had us driving from Chile to Colombia in South America. It was a bit more than we could chew, but we managed to see a lot of destinations along the way.
From the unknown wine regions in Chile like the Choapa Valley to the arid Atacama Desert, we explored the northern half of Chile before continuing onward.
In Peru, we visited the Machu Picchu, Cusco, got lost in the Peruvian jungle for three days, visited Lima, Mancora, and more.
In Ecuador, we stuck to the coastline, exploring many of the beach towns in Ecuador, from Ayangue to Mompiche.
In Colombia, we were taken with the laidback beach lifestyle. We spent much of our days exploring the northern Caribbean coastline from Tayrona National Park to Cartagena, but we didn’t shy away from the Colombian coffee region either.
In Bolivia, Eddie hiked Huyana Potosi, we drank lots and lots of Tannat wine in Tarija, and we ate too many delicious Bolivian street foods.
The Mediterranean
Since buying a sailboat, we have spent our summers sailing throughout the Mediterranean, visiting coastal cities throughout Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece. Some of our favorite destinations include:
Croatia
- Primosten, perhaps’ Croatia’s prettiest seaside village (which is saying a lot)
- Korcula, Dubrovnik vibes but on an island and without as many people
- Mljet, a stunning island national park
Montenegro
- The Bay of Kotor, a particular favorite of ours and a place we have spent several months exploring.
Albania
- Himare, this stunning seaside town gets half the crowds of some of the beach towns further south which makes it the perfect destination for us.
Greece
- Corfu, breathtaking beauty and amazing food
- Parga, a beautiful mainland village off the beaten path
- Sivota Bay, Lefkada, stunning cove perfect for sailing holidays
Other Destinations
We have also traveled to other destinations where we may not have spent as much time but connected with the place in some way. Destinations like