Manchester Airport: Eamonn Holmes on problems with travel

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Van conversions are becoming an increasingly popular way to travel. Express.co.uk spoke to Emily Arnold, co-founder of Vanlife Conversions Ltd, for her top tips.

Emily and Oli started their business after Oli converted a Citroen Relay L3H2 for an incredible van holiday.

Emily told Express.co.uk: “We posted about our van and our trip on social media and by the time we returned, someone had contacted Oli regarding him building a van for them.

“I left my career as a junior doctor to help with business while also gaining some experience in PR and marketing and then joined full time a year later.”

The pair now have a team of six and have converted over 17 vans to help people find their dream vehicle.

As van holidays grow in popularity, designs are becoming more exciting with a huge range of facilities for owners.

Emily said: “It is very popular to have an off-grid van, meaning that the electrical aspects are self sufficient and powered mainly by solar panels.

“The toilets are more eco-friendly too. This means that you do not have to find campsites with lots of facilities, you can be more flexible.

“Vans are also getting more and more high spec with hot water showers, projector screens and full kitchens with ovens, grills, hobs and pantries.”

Although Emily and Oli have helped many different people create their dream vehicle, they do have a favourite conversion.

Emily said: “One of my favourite conversions was named Grizzly and was based on our Kunu layout.

“The clients had a clear vision of how they wanted it to look which we can accommodate as our vans are personalised to each client.

“They opted for pink units, gold handles and beautiful pastel coloured tiles creating a really homely and contemporary feel.

“It is completely unique and looks quite different to your conventional motorhome! We also created a bar on the roof to hold a hammock chair so that they could relax and enjoy the view in style!”

When it comes to converting a van, it can be difficult for holidaymakers to know where to start.

Emily told Express.co.uk that planning is the most important thing. She said: “Think about how you will use the van.

“Will it be mainly on campsites or do you want it to be able to go off-grid? What sort of things will you be wanting to take with you?

“These things will all impact on the size of van that is best suited as well as the functionality and appliances.

“It is also a good idea to have a layout in mind at this stage as some layouts are better suited to wider vans for example.”

Emily also shared a few of her favourite van road trips including Cornwall, the Lake District and Scotland.

She added: “I will never forget waking up one particular morning on our first trip on the edge of Lake Garda in Italy.

“The sun was rising and we opened the back doors of the van to reveal the most stunning view whilst having breakfast in bed!”

Visit vanlifeconversion.co.uk to see more of Emily and Oli’s creations.

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