Contact Van Bandits Crew
Whether you’re a seasoned campervan traveller or a van newbie seeking guidance, get in contact with our crew at Van Bandits.
We love hearing from our vanners, if it’s a question about van conversion or road life, reach out to us.
Also, if you have a van conversion or van road trip story that you would like to share with others in the van community, let us know.
Happy van life!
Our Campervan Crew
Ollie
Ollie’s all about off-grid living and loves exploring the natural world in his tent while tackling challenging, long-distance mountain bike routes far off the beaten path across the UK, Europe, the Caucasus, and North America. With a degree in Oceanography, Ollie spent three years working in London’s music industry after university
“But it didn’t take long for him to realise that the 9-to-5 grind and crippling rent just weren’t for him. ”
After a year of living on a canal boat in the city and getting a taste of financial freedom outside the typical “bricks and mortar” lifestyle, he decided to take a leap of faith. Ollie handed in his notice to pursue a life shaped by adventure, practical skills, and sustainable living.
“Eventually settling in Cornwall, he converted a VW Crafter, ‘Tage’ (Tar-Geh), into a campervan in 2020, using skills from a carpentry apprenticeship and hours of meticulous research. ”
He has called it home ever since. Living nomadically has given Ollie the flexible lifestyle he craved. These days, he splits his time between working as a seasonal tree planter in Scotland, building adventure-focussed vans, and advises others on their conversions – drawing from his unique experience living in his van throughout harsh winters deep in the Scottish Highlands
“The shift to van life has opened doors to study and work on the road, advancing his career in forestry and gaining in-depth knowledge of off-grid technology. ”
With his unique lifestyle and skill set, Ollie aims to inspire and help others take the leap into van life, whether by building their own off-grid setups or refining their campers to suit their needs.
Simon
I’m an experienced ‘van-lifer’ having lived and worked on the road and converted vans from VW type 2 and up. I’m looking to start a new project in 2025, sharing the highs and lows of setting up a stealth camper to explore the UK and beyond!
I have discovered wild park-ups from Cornwall to the Midlands, Norfolk to the North Downs, so I know the rigours and rewards that travel delivers in the UK. I’m up for adventures in Europe, but I want to do it in style, in comfort, and on budget, so I can make it a sensible and sustainable lifestyle choice.
The attraction of being off-grid and under the radar, chasing freedoms, breathing clean air and seeing sights reserved for early birds, or open dark skies for night owls, drives us all on. It doesn’t come without difficulties and technical challenges, but with patience, and clear steps we will get to the good stuff!
Adventure Level: 9
Van Living Level: 4 Van Builds
Self-Build Level: 80% DIY
Countries Visited: 17 (Wales counts)
Bandit Level Unlocked: Almost…
Dani
Dani lives with her partner and their converted campervan in Bristol, UK. When at home in Bristol, they love spending weekends in the Brecon Beacons in Wales and on beach trips to Devon. To add to the collection of van trips, they have also completed a fabulous 5-month van life sabbatical tripping around Europe. Outside of van life adventures and trip planning she works as a developer for a renewable energy company.
Victoria
Victoria assists with website management, content creation, analytics and website performance. She has been trained and has experience in areas of website design & development, digital marketing, SEO optimisation, SEO guest posting, SEO auditing but most of all, she believes that you have to connect with your audience and provide authentic and useful information.
She loves the outdoors and likes climbing to the top of things, mostly because she loves the challenge of doing so. She has been on a few campervan trips and loves the idea of being your own captain, deciding where you want to take your home and exploring the less trodden path. She also loves the idea of not having to pay for accommodation (or that much) and being able to save money by preparing your own food.
“Life on the road in your camper not only has a sense of freedom but you are dictating the terms and being able to do more with what you have. ”
