van

Kath Cross and Stuart Hall have been living full-time in their campervan and have travelled over 25,000 miles on their epic adventures

A couple sold all their possessions to buy a campervan and travel the world – for just £30 a day. Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48, have travelled over 25,000 miles on epic adventures through the Sahara desert, Europe and Scotland in their make-shift home.

The pair have been living in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter ever since Kath sold all her possessions and stopped paying rent four years ago. To date they have toured over 15 countries – and will have exceeded 20 by the time they get back from their current trip to Montenegro.

The couple work on the road full-time under the name Vanavigation – where they create, write and share travel content. Though their spending plan varies slightly depending on which country they are residing in, the pair say on average they spend around £900 to £1,200 a month – cheaper than Kath’s old house rental in Cardiff.

This means they budget around £30 to £40 a day for their lifestyle – with half spent on fuel. Kath, from Cardiff, said: “It was a choice we made between one life and another – and we don’t regret a second of it.

“When I sold my possessions, it made me realise that you are supposed to own things – not them own you. When you have a mortgage, a car payment, you are owned by society, fixed because you have to stay where you are and pay your bills.

“The more of my stuff I sold the more free I felt – the more I am realising those possessions owned me and pinned me in one place. Life owns you and you are supposed to own it.”

Kath and Stuart bonded over their shared love of nature and the outdoors after meeting in a South Wales walking group back in 2021. They hiked over 105 peaks in the UK during their first year of dating and Kath decided that Stuart was the person she wanted to travel the world with.

She soon after decided to pack up her four-bed rental house and sell all of her possessions back in 2022 when her daughters left home. Stuart and Kath have since travelled over 25,000 miles – including their first trip all the way to the Sahara desert, which Kath described as her “lifelong dream”.

Kath said: “I had an idea that when my kids left home I wanted to drive to the Sahara – it was a dream I’d had for years. Stu already owned the van, and we had been together a few months when we visited Scotland for a month in the campervan. We didn’t kill each other and got on very well.

“So that winter I decided that I was going to downsize my life, my kids had left home, the four-bed rental was too much for me and I just didn’t want it anymore. It was taking every penny that I earned just to keep the rental going – but we knew we could live cheaper on the road.

“A lot of people are scared of the big adventure, but Stu was up for the idea and so we drove to the edge of the Sahara desert and haven’t looked back.”

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The mother-of-two is able to ensure a steady monthly income for the pair after she set up her own business online back in 2012. As a single parent, Kath wanted to ensure she could earn a living while being at home with her children – and her copywriting and freelance work saw her amass 1.6million followers on Facebook in 2014.

Stuart, who works for an agency as a truck driver, works when they visit the UK after trips to help top up their money before their next adventure. Her and Stuart are both work together to produce content for Vanavigation – releasing weekly Youtube episodes, travel guides and insightful blogs across social media on how to travel the world.

Kath said: “Life really is a lot cheaper in the van – you don’t need two wages. We were away for 101 days and our average spend was £1000 a month – this is less than my rent used to be in Cardiff and we lived like kings and queens.”

Despite more than half their budget being on fuel, the pair say they don’t live like they are on holiday – and mostly cook in the van and only pay for a few activities a month. Kath said: “As fuel prices have gone up we have just slowed down!

“We just drive a bit slower and make a few less stops – which means we extend the trip really. When you’re in North Macedonia and paying 130 a litre for diesel, there is no point rushing back to pay whatever horrifying price it is in the UK at the moment.”

The pair are able to live in their fully-equipped campervan which boasts a full working set up including: a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen with an oven, gas burner. Stuart, who converted the inside of the van shortly after purchasing it, said: “We can even do a roast dinner.”

So far, the pair have driven 3,000 miles to Denmark and back, 7,000 miles around Spain and Portugal, 2,000 miles to Scotland and 8,000 miles to the Sahara. They are currently in Montenegro, and are just shy of 5,000 miles on their trip which has seen them drive through France, Italy, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

Their next stops are Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and France. Kath and Stu said their Sahara trip has been one of their many highlights – which also include their visit to the Atlas mountains, Kosovo and Denmark.

Stuart, from Southampton, said: “We drove to the edge of the sand dunes and were drinking coffee out of own mugs from home. Then we opened up the curtains and there were 40 camels outside – it was totally surreal. I had only ever been on package holidays before.”

Kath said they also loved their visit to the Atlas mountains because of the scenery and people they met during their trip and volunteering. She said: “There are communities there that have nothing, and they just want to help you.

“We helped a guy stuck in the snow and he wanted to take us to his village, which had 66 houses and a mosque. His family made us food and drinks and the kids in the village came to meet us and it was only a few months after the earthquake. It was so special connecting with the local communities.”

The pair are strong advocates for following your dreams and travelling the world in a mindful and sustainable way. Stuart said: “We choose to step lighter on this earth.

“My big diesel van has much less of a carbon footprint than a three-bed house where people leave the lights on. We don’t buy new stuff, we wear clothes until we can’t wear them anymore and we live light on plastics. We love this life and we learn so much about people.”

Kath said: “You can’t dream yourself into this life, you have to make intentional decisions to get here. You have to let go of other things to get here. We left the rat race – and we’re really glad about it.”

You can follow their adventures here: “https://www.facebook.com/vanavigationuk/

DENISE van Outen has opened up about her heartbreak over losing a Towie “family member” as she revealed plans to pay tribute to Jake Hall.

The TV star shared an emotional message, reflecting on the devastating loss.

The Only Way is Essex star Jake Hall was found dead at a Spanish holiday villa with head injuries after a night out partying on Thursday.

He was a regular on the reality TV series from series 14 to series 17. 

Denise has been voicing the show since it started in 2010 and has opened up about his tragic death.

She told the Daily Mail: “I’ve worked on the show since it started and with any loss within our TOWIE family it is heartbreaking.

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“But he was so lovely whenever I saw him out and he was so friendly and so talented.

“I really feel for his family, my thoughts go out to them, and it is just really sad and he was way too young to go.

“I do wonder what TOWIE will do, I think they’ll do a tribute as they’ve lost a few people recently. I was just really really shocked when I saw it.”

Cops found the 35-year-old former reality show hunk in a pool of blood with fatal head wounds apparently caused by shards of glass.

Officers say inquiries focused on the theory of a tragic accident in which the 6ft 4ins star smashed his head through a glass door.

A source said: “Witnesses told investigators he had been out partying all night and decided to carry on the party back at the place he was renting.

“It appears from what police have been told that he became agitated, possibly from alcohol and other substances he may have consumed.”

The source also said at one point things “turned aggressive” and he may have “tried to harm himself by banging his head against things.”

Officers were called to the rented house in Santa Margalida in the north of the holiday island at around 7.30am on Wednesday morning.

A police source said: “We are focusing on the theory the victim died in a tragic accident after hitting his head against the glass door but it is still too early to say definitely what happened.”

No arrests were believed to have been made as inquiries continued and an autopsy is due to take place in the Majorcan capital, Palma.

An ongoing investigation is being led by the Spanish Civil Guard.

He often spent time in Majorca where he had a second home used as a base for work and leisure.

Jake had a daughter, River, with model and Real Housewives of Cheshire star Misse Beqiri.

A statement shared by her talent agent said: “At this time, Misse’s focus is on supporting and protecting their child as they come to terms with this devastating loss.

“The family are asking for privacy, compassion and respect while they grieve privately.”

Jake joined TOWIE in 2015, and dated co-star Chloe Lewis before leaving the programme in 2024.

He also ran a menswear brand called By Jake Hall.

Kath Cross, 49, and her partner Stu Hall, 47, sold most of their possessions and set off on a van life adventure across Europe and beyond after Kath’s daughters moved out of the family home

A couple who flogged all their belongings to explore the globe in a van have disclosed their top destination from their remarkable journey.

Kath Cross, 49, and her partner Stu Hall, 47, chose to embark on worldwide travels after Kath’s daughters from an earlier relationship, Stephanie, 30, and Jessica, 22, had flown the nest. Following their departure, Kath came to the realisation that she could work from wherever she fancied and opted to sell much of what she owned.

Using the proceeds from flogging items on Facebook Marketplace, she and Stu purchased a van, a 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter, and set off to see the world after vacating their rented property in Cardiff, Wales.

Since departing, they’ve weathered the highs and lows of perpetual life on the move, while also lending a hand to others during their travels.

Chatting to WalesOnline, Kath and Stu, who crossed paths through a walking club, revealed which country had impressed them most during their adventure, reports the Express.

The duo have journeyed through destinations including Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, amongst other European nations.

They selected Morocco as their standout location, saying: “In Morocco we went to the edge of the Sahara. We were sitting looking over the edge on the sand dunes drinking coffee from a mug from home – it was huge.

“Then we had snow in the Atlas mountains in January 2024 when we rescued Mohammed, ‘MouMou’, who was stuck 3,000m up in the snow in his car. We took him out with our snow chains and lent our snow chains to him. MouMou is in his late 20s and a really nice guy.

“We were just heading over the Atlas mountains when we saw him. People were just driving past him worrying he was a bandit when he just couldn’t drive on.”

However, Kath and Stu aren’t the only ones to have embraced van life, with the likes of Suzy Greenwood ditching her London job to live on the road after falling head over heels for the lifestyle.

Suzy, 39, had spent 15 years forging a career in PR before deciding to make the leap once the Covid-19 lockdowns had lifted. Confronted with her flat in Shepherd’s Bush, London, she told the Independent she realised she was “no longer doing the things I loved” in London.

After offloading her two-bedroom flat, she purchased a converted Volkswagen Caddy van and embarked on a fresh chapter. She revealed that despite the van’s compact size, it carries several distinct advantages, not least the financial savings.

She explained: “The van itself is tiny, which is great because I can park up anywhere. It looks like a workman’s van, so I can sleep in a lay-by, or at beautiful spots overlooking the sea.

“Where I once spent maybe £200 on a fancy dinner, I can now spend £10 on a whole weekend and be having the time of my life. The life I live now really doesn’t cost very much at all.”

Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United): When you look at the back end of the season compared to the start of the season it has been night and day. It just shows what a bit of love and care can do to somebody. I’m not willing to say Mainoo is the man yet – I think we have to see more of a body of work – but I would say the win against Liverpool was the best performance I’ve seen him have in a United shirt. Dominated the game, made some big tackles, passing forward, breaking up the play but also coming with the goal. The most complete performance from him, I thought he was excellent.

Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool): Goal and assist for him at Old Trafford. Liverpool have been terrible all season but he comes out with his head high as one of the best around. His stock has grown in a poor season for them. He keeps coming up with big performances.

Conor Gallagher (Tottenham): I was going to put James Garner in there, but Gallagher gets it for me because the game was even more important for Spurs. Big goal. He has had a tough time there but with Roberto de Zerbi and the philosophy of pressing and running hard, I think that makes Gallagher an unbelievable buy for Spurs. He will not only be good this year but for the coming years.

Mathys Tel (Tottenham): I thought Tel was arguably the most overrated player that Spurs bought, but since the turn of the year he has had a light switch in head that says ‘hold on, I was at Bayern Munich and now I could be playing in the Championship’. He stepped up. He has played big minutes in terms of carrying the ball forward, being an outlet and now is adding assists to it. That cross for Richarlison was a striker’s dream.

Jeremy Doku (Manchester City): He wasn’t going to be in it until the last kick of the game. Two unbelievable strikes in the same match and one with either foot. He’s the most frustrating player to watch because you think ‘you are faster than everyone else – kick and run’, but he likes his tricks. When he puts his two goals in the corner, he has kept Manchester City’s season alive because it was dead. I still think Arsenal will win it, but he has made it interesting.

Captain Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool‘s season has been “unacceptable” after Arne Slot’s side fell to an 18th defeat in all competitions when they were beaten by Manchester United.

The Dutch defender has also stressed the need for “a lot of work to be done behind the scenes” to avoid a repeat of their disappointing Premier League title defence.

“I’m not here to make excuses,” Van Dijk said.

“It’s been a very disappointing season, an unacceptable season, and it’s tough. We shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves whatsoever.

“We have to work and turn this around and make sure that next season these things don’t happen. It’s not Liverpool.”

Liverpool may still require four points from their remaining three games to confirm Champions League qualification.

The 3-2 defeat against Michael Carrick’s side at Old Trafford came after a three-game winning run in the Premier League, but it was the 11th loss of Liverpool‘s title defence.

The last reigning champions to lose more league games were Leicester (18) in 2016-17.

“I think it’s unacceptable that we have lost too many times as defending champions of the Premier League and we shouldn’t accept it,” said Van Dijk.

“There will be a lot of work that has to be done going into next season. When I am back from the World Cup I will go into it, but there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes.”

The 34-year-old added: “I care so much about this club. I know that it has been a tough season, but I will always be there in good and lesser good days.

“But we have three games left and the realisation has to come from ourselves, as a group and as players, to make sure that we are in the Champions League because of the impact of it for the financial side for the club. But also because we want to be playing against the best teams in Europe.

“It’s not easy. But we keep going.”

DENISE Van Outen has celebrated rarely-seen daughter Betsy’s 16th birthday and fans can’t believe how grown up she is.

Denise, 51, took to Instagram on Friday to share snaps of her daughter, who she shares with her ex-husband Lee Mead.

In the first picture, Betsy looked as stylish as her famous mum in a white summery top, with her long, dark hair draped over her shoulder and sunglasses covering her eyes.

Other pictures saw Denise and Betsy enjoying a game of mini golf, spending time on the beach and walking their dog.

Denise also shared throwback snaps of Betsy when she was a little girl at various ages.

She captioned the pictures: “16 TODAY [star and love heart emojis] Happy birthday to our beautiful Betsy.

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“So proud of our young lady. Weekend celebrations incoming! Love you Betsy Boo.”

Fans were quick to comment on how grown up she is, with one writing: “Beautiful Betsy! Gosh – So like her Daddy! Grown up so quickly. Have a fantastic day celebrating!”

Another added: “Beautiful Betsy … so grown up … time flies.”

Musical theatre star Lee, 44, also shared snaps of Betsy to mark her milestone birthday.

Father and daughter shared a sweet hug in one snap, while Betsy beamed at a fairground in another.

Lee wrote in the caption: “Happy 16th birthday to our beautiful Betsy. We all love you so much. I still can’t believe how fast the years have gone.

“No words could ever fully say how proud I am of you and how much I love you. You are the best daughter a Daddy could ever wish for. So kind, funny and always putting others before yourself.

“It’s a privilege seeing you grown into the beautiful young lady you are becoming with so many amazing experiences ahead of you. Happy 16th my beautiful girl.”

Denise and Lee got together in 2007 and married in 2009 before welcoming Betsy a year later.

They separated in 2013 and finalised their divorce in 2015.

“That man had clearly had too much to drink and it felt to me like his anger came out of nowhere,” Van Gerwen, 37, told Dutch sport news website Sportnieuws.nl, external.

“Just as he seemed to be heading for the exit, he suddenly lashed out.

“That man clearly knows he was in the wrong because he apologised via Instagram.”

Van Gerwen, who has decided not to press charges against the person responsible, said of his reaction to the incident: “Of course, it’s not right for me to go after him but that was an automatic reaction of shock.”

The incident occurred before Van Gerwen was back in Premier League action in Aberdeen on Thursday.

Luke Humphries beat the Dutchman 6-3 in the pair’s quarter-final clash in Scotland.

One of the greatest players in darts history, Van Gerwen was ranked world number one between 2014 and 2021, during which period he won the Masters five times in a row.

With 48 majors singles to his name, Van Gerwen is ranked second in the PDC’s all-time list behind England’s Phil Taylor.

Enzo Fernandez is wanted by Manchester City, Aston Villa have identified James Trafford as a potential replacement for Emiliano Martinez, Manchester United are keen on Micky van de Ven and Carlos Baleba.

Manchester City are considering a move for 25-year-old Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez this summer. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Aston Villa are interested in Manchester City and England goalkeeper James Trafford, 23, as a potential replacement for Emiliano Martinez if the 33-year-old Argentina goalkeeper decides to leave. (Times – subscription required), external

Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid are keeping tabs on AC Milan and Portugal winger Rafael Leao, 26, who is valued at about £60m. (Mail), external

Manchester United are monitoring Tottenham and Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven, 25, along with Brighton‘s 22-year-old Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Manchester City are in pole position to sign Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, despite interest from clubs including Manchester United and Arsenal. (Sky Sports, external)

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, currently on loan at Aston Villa, has given his approval for a return to Borussia Dortmund in the summer, with both parties holding concrete talks over a deal. (Sky Sport – in German, external)

Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande’s agents have already held discussions with Liverpool and Paris St-Germain, but RB Leipzig are keen on keeping the 19-year-old at the club for at least one more season. (Bild – in German, external)

Brighton centre-back Igor Julio could be set for a return to Brazil with Cruzeiro exploring the situation of the 28-year-old, who spent the first half of the season on loan at West Ham. (ESPN – in Portuguese, external)

Athletic Club are set to appoint former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as their manager to replace Ernesto Valverde. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish, external), external

Wolves, Bournemouth and Sunderland are among the clubs interested in signing 25-year-old Queens Park Rangers and Jamaica striker Rumarn Burrell. (Football Insider, external)

Brentford have taken a strong interest in Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine striker Matviy Ponomarenko, 20, as a potential replacement for 24-year-old Brazilian Igor Thiago, who could be a summer target for Chelsea and Tottenham. (Teamtalk, external)

Nottingham Forest will attempt to sign Celtic midfielder Arne Engels in the summer after having a bid of £25m for the 22-year-old Belgian rejected by the Scottish club in February. (Teamtalk, external)

Tottenham are in talks with Sebastian Kehl over becoming their new co-sporting director after the 46-year-old German left Borussia Dortmund last month. (Sun), external

Xavi Simons (Tottenham): I didn’t like the celebration when he scored against Brighton – I thought it was a bit too much, a bit Instagrammy. But Spurs have been poor of late and his quality and the X-Factor he showed with the assist and goal could be how they stay up.

I don’t think they will stay up – I’m really worried for them, but they need him to have five more games like that and that will give them the best chance. Maybe if the defenders started to defend they would have won the game instead of drawing it.

Bernardo Silva (Man City): In the biggest game of the season, with a Ballon d’Or winner in Rodri next to him, and facing Declan Rice – who people have talked about winning the Ballon d’Or – Bernardo Silva was the best player on the pitch as Manchester City beat Arsenal.

In key moments, he understood what the game required, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and said ‘we win today’. The biggest moment that pops into my head is a cross in the 83rd minute – Bernardo Silva against Viktor Gyokeres to win a header. Bernardo Silva wins it, and blasts Gyokeres in the meantime.

I think he is one of the biggest pieces for Manchester City to replace. Not just with his quality on the ball but also that leadership – it’s going to be hard to replace.

Rayan Cherki (Man City): My favourite player, as you know. The best player to watch in world football for me.

Look at that goal against Arsenal – he goes past Gabriel and Rice as if they are not there. The weight of body to transfer from right foot to left foot. When he shoots, you don’t know which foot is his strongest, he goes with his left foot past people, and scores with his right. He is just an unbelievable footballer.

Pep Guardiola has found another talent. And at 22, he is only going to get better. It’s quite scary when you think about how young this Manchester City team is.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingam Forest): Very simple, you score a hat-trick – even if it is against Burnley – you’re in the team of the week. Captain’s performance. That’s all that matters.