We bought a bus off eBay and transformed it into our dream home... but living on the road has its downsides
Shaquita Riley, 28, from Lincolnton, North Carolina, and Scott Heltz, 55, from New Orleans, Louisiana, bonded over their shared love of travel when they met in 2019.
They quickly started dating, and six months later, they decided to purchase an old bus and convert it into a mobile home so they could set out and see the world together.
'I always loved traveling and dreamed of living in a bus. Scott knew he wanted to travel so it was a natural step,' Shaq explained during an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail.
They bought the bus off eBay in June 2020 for $2,950, and they soon got to work on fixing it up.
But turning a old rusty bus into a livable home wasn't easy, and the renovations took 'three long years' and cost them another $40,000.
They took out the entire roof and raised it by 16 inches before replacing the entire interior.
It now has a full kitchen with a stove, oven, microwave, and running water, a living room area with a big couch and flat screen TV, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a bedroom with a queen bed, and a storage space in the back.
Shaquita Riley, 28, and Scott Heltz, 55, bought a 20-year-old school bus off of eBay and paid $40,000 to transform it into their dream home so they travel the world full-time
They bought the bus off eBay in June 2020 for $2,950, and they soon got to work on fixing it up. The renovations took 'three long years' and cost them another $40,000
They also added large RV windows, solar panels, multiple 200 gallon water tanks, and a Starlink satellite.
In 2023, the couple, along with their two dogs and two cats, sold their home, quit their jobs, and 'officially hit the road.'
They have now explored eight states, usually camping in state and national parks.
'We can stay off grid indefinitely or until we run out of water,' Shaq shared.
But Shaq, who was going to school online for social psychology, confessed that living on the road and constantly moving around 'has its challenges.'
'For example, we did not have internet service in a lot of places and I had school and homework to do,' she explained.
'There are also challenges to parking a 40-foot bus in the city. Not to mention it's a magnet for thieves and law enforcement.'
She also confessed that they sometimes 'fight,' adding, 'Things are not a fairytale. I like things a certain way while Scott's a bit "oh look a squirrel" kinda guy.
It now has a sprawling full kitchen (left) with a stove, oven, microwave, and running water, and a living room area (right) with a big couch and flat screen TV
The bathroom, seen here, has a toilet and shower
There's also a bedroom with a queen bed (seen) and a storage space in the back
'Not to mention there are times we both need to use the toilet!'
But she vowed that the space doesn't feel 'cramped' and that the upsides far outweigh the downsides.
'We have built our home entirely how we want it.
'Everything has a specific place and purpose,' she added.
'We get to see the world and travel. We have met some lifelong friends and have seen some incredible sights.'
However, one of the hardest parts has been lack of income, since they both left their professions to live on the road, and they recently realized that their lifestyle is not practical for ever.
So after two years of moving around they've decided it may be time for something more stable.
In 2023, the couple, along with their two dogs and two cats, sold their home, quit their jobs, and 'officially hit the road'
But Shaq, who was going to school online for social psychology, confessed that living on the road and constantly moving around 'has its challenges'
After two years of moving around they've decided it may be time for something more stable, and the couple recently purchased 20 acres of land in southern Arizona
They recently purchased 20 acres of land in southern Arizona and plan to soon buy a giant shipping container to transform into a permanent home.
They want to get some farm animals and use solar power and a well so they can be 'self-sufficient' like they are on the bus.
Shaq now works as a care coordinator in the mental health field after finishing her bachelors and is about to start her masters in psychology, while Scott is an independent contractor and RV technician.
And Shaq vowed that they still plan on using the bus to travel in their free time.
'We intend to build our own homestead on [the land],' shared Shaq. 'We want to be self-sufficient and not rely on traditional means of living. But we still plan on traveling and enjoying life together.'
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