When Amanda Lemay heard the story about a baker and her husband who were traveling around the United States in a van (厢式货车), learning from expert bakers, she wanted to do something similar. So she got rid of most of her possessions and made an old ambulance with her dad into a lovely home on wheels.
Lemay's ambulance is actually a former emergency response vehicle for the US Navy, built on a 2006 Ford E350 Cutaway. Renovations (改装) were done by her and her dad. Now the dark blue vehicle has a lot of built-in cabinets on all sides, offering a lot of storage space, while the rooftop has 400-watts of solar power panels and a small roof deck where Lemay practices Yoga. The inside is tastefully done to suit Lemay's work and hobbies.
As Lemay mentions, not only did her father help, but also the rest of her family. Lemay's mother helped sew the decorations on the removable cushions, and her sister crafted the leather pulls. It was truly a family affair.
Her current nomadic (流浪式的) lifestyle fits well with her work doing audiobooks, voiceovers ,and publishing work. In the end, this unexpected path has Lemay rethinking what it means to be truly sustainable, now that van life has gotten her to become minutely aware of the water, electricity, and other daily resources that she uses. But all these day-to-day concerns are balanced with a greater sense of freedom.
"It's almost mind-blowing, it feels like a completely different life because I'm doing the work online, and I can do things on my own schedule. Most of my days are mine— so by living in the van, I can be where I want to be, and do the things I want to do, and spend time outside.
