Recently, we had the opportunity to catch up with Angelique and Pascal from Wild Roads Ahead, who bought a VW LT 46 minibus and are currently in the process of converting it and documenting this process on the Youtube Channel and Instagram page.
We asked these a few questions relating to their “Van Life Journey” so far and how the conversion is progressing so far… which makes for great reading! Subscribe to their Youtube and Instagram Channel for ongoing updates and we hope to keep in contact with Angelique and Pascal on a regular basis to keep up to date on the progress of their conversion. Enjoy!
We are currently building out a 7 meter long VW LT 46 named Jalapeño! We are not fully living in it yet, but we plan to move in at the beginning of 2021.
How did you find your van and where did you buy it?
We have been dreaming of buying a van for a very long time. For Angelique, it has been a dream for over 7 years! At the beginning of 2020 we decided to start looking for vans online and found Jalapeño, and after a first visit to it… we totally fell in love and could no longer resist and took the spontaneous decision to buy it RIGHT THERE!
Approximately how much did it cost to purchase?
Jalapeño is 15 years old and used to be a transport method in France with 23 seats. Surprisingly, he only had 200.000 km (which is not much for a 15 year old VW). We were very lucky to purchase him for just 8.500 €!
Approximately how much did you spend building it out?
We have already got a very specific plan of what we will spend on him. Actually, he is almost done! So far, we have spent 10.000 €, and plan on a maximum of ?? € when he is completely ready. We have to say, though, that we have invested a lot of money because it will be our future fulltime home for a couple of years. He has a lot of day-to-day luxuries like a huge sink, a stove and oven, a solar system with 550 wp… and even a bathtub
Did you complete all the Van Build yourself?
Pascal and I have done everything ourselves except for the gas installation. Of course, we had a lot of help from electricians, woodworkers and water experts who gave us a lot of tips on how to do things right. We always tell people to seek for help when you are unsure about something, there is nothing wrong with that!
What was the most difficult part of the campervan conversion?
We could mention a lot of difficulties while building the van itself, but to be honest, the greatest challenge for us was to learn not to fight about every detail! We are very similar in many things, and so different in so many others. It was hard to find a middle way, but now we are more than happy with our choices.
What do you work at when on the road during Vanlife?
At the beginning of 2020 Pascal and I brought our very own vegan product onto the market, Der Vegane Flammkuche. Its a traditional french food classically topped with bacon and onions. Our version has 7 different vegetables and has already achieved 3 out of 3 stars on the International Taste Award in Brussels! We are extremely proud to have achieved so much during the pandemic, our product is now available in over 250 organic retail stores in the whole of Germany. When we move into Jalapeño, we will continue working on our product!
What is one place you want to take your van that is still on the bucket list?
I know people build a van to go and explore the faraway lands. So do we. But to be honest, our very first place on the bucket list is our region! We live in a beautiful small city in southern Germany which is surrounded by many cute villages with their own culture and history, vast vineyards, and dense forests. We can’t wait to get back to our roots!
