From Rent to Freedom: Life Begins at 72, Full-Time Van Life in a 1994 Class B Van!

[@fern8003]

What a sweet, positive lady. She makes such a young impression. I thought she was in her fifties. Love her little dog too. Wishing you 2 all the best!

[@MsNZgal]

I like her van and her little doggie. So cute. We have a housing crisis in Australia as well. My story is exactly like hers. I could afford the rent but that was all. I took the plunge and now living in my van part time and house and pet minding part time as well. I am enjoying this style of life.

[@annettefournier9655]

Big housing crisis in the US too.

[@cbx500cbx]

That is so many peoples problem if you pay the rent nothing left for other things.

[@debbiefortune2180]

How do you stay cool in your van in Australia?

[@donnamcardle8928]

I admire her! Fabulous lady!

[@lucyxstitch2304]

Good on you for doing that. And being so brave!

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Living the dream living in a van sticking it to the man 👍🤓👍

[@gratefulgram]

What a gentle kind soul. Wishing her the best and safe travels, thanks for the tour. Much love and many blessings

[@julierawlins5984]

Bless you Bob Wells. Some of these women have nothing other than their van and dog and finding security thanks to you.

[@KayBee659]

Wow, she’s how old?!? Hard to believe it, she looks so young!

[@sherryjobe8941]

So impressed with this Lady! Beautiful van. I’m a 65 yr old female living on SS. We could all find our self’s here. Baby Boomers are here. Inflation has dramatically impacted our retirement. I Love nice things! But our mental and physical health is everything. We could all live will so much less. And off grid. Love and Prayers to all that read this. ❤😘

[@ladybug5845]

I DID IT. Bought a Ford box van yesterday. Now, the journey begins. I have been dreaming of this for years. I plan to do a no build first, then build it out. So many plans and ideas are swimming in my brain. I'm looking forward to the adventures. Love this channel.

[@deborahk7667]

All the best and luck to you. I want to do this someday too

[@JNante]

Sounds wonderful, I'd love to know the gas mileage on the box truck.

[@shellyhambleton]

Exciting..it gives me courage that you and others are jumping into freedom. Thank God for Bob and other's like him that help out. Be blessed 😇

[@soaringhigher777]

Start a KZbin channel so we can follow along!

[@elizabethpopov-ll1no]

Congratulations I hope it's going well oxox

[@SimplySheilaB]

I’m preparing myself to start caravan living once my divorce goes through, excited and scared but I need to simplify and find peace ❤❤❤

[@Mhel2023]

What am exciting prospect! I gave myself a year to acclimate to retirement in the Philippines. If this doesn't work for me I'm definitely coming back to the US for van life

[@incywincyspider8748]

Good luck and hope you find happiness and peace 🤗

[@BigV96220]

Good for you sending many Blessings 🙌 ✨️ 🙏 and hope you have a happy new beginning 😊 🥰

[@themainstreetremedy6146]

To me as someone that did this all the way back to 1985, make sure you have a comfortable bed, and ventillation....

[@anns1921]

I am planning to do this end of next year. I will be 65 then and after too many years of working hard and way too much stress it has taken its toll on my mental and physical health. My plan is to just wander around in the quiet of nature and explore all of God's beautiful creation to find my joy again and heal my heart and soul. I wish you all the best in your new adventures. Maybe we will cross paths somewhere out there in the world. Stay safe and God bless you!!!

[@susiepittman601]

What an adorable baby dog ❤.

[@asktheanimals]

🤍🐶🤎

[@franzschubertv2874]

Have to be careful with a dog like that out there. It’s food for every hawk, eagle or coyote.

[@heatherwhatever7714]

I dreamed of this starting 16 years ago-not full time but the flexibility to do whatever with a stealth van. I got discouraged the last few years but that darned hope keeps sneaking up on me.

[@GabValentine-21]

her van is totally awesome 💅🤍🥂

[@KiKiQuiQuiKiKi]

Agreed!

[@catalinafirefly4685]

Great van! I hope its a nice long-time home for you and Charlie.

[@pcthayer]

What an amazing and courageous woman starting her adventures in her 70's in a 30 year old van. She had the option of staying safe and stationary in her affordable apartment or throwing caution to the wind and really "living life" and touring all around Canada and the USA. (I'm sorry her travel insurance is so expensive so she couldn't stay in the US for the entire winter before returning home to Canada.)

[@michelleglidingswan4334]

I'm so inspired by this woman's bravery. Her van is almost exactly what I want, including that little fireplace. What a warm touch.

[@roberthadley5957]

Great job Bob what a sweet lady living the dream 👍

[@vanillaconover3484]

She looks absolutely stunning for 72😊🇵🇦

[@brighton_dude]

I loved listening to Zia. Thank you for your excellent story.

[@heidigib01]

Beautiful van and beautiful soul

[@tracym2164]

It is nice to see a fellow Canadian senior woman on the road. I have been moving toward the same thing and am preparing to travel full time hopefully in the very near future. I, too, am a renter and as Zia stated, while my rent is still quite reasonable, the majority of my income is spent on rent and utilities leaving little to have any semblance of a life. I am merely surviving, not thriving! I can't wait to join you all as part of the nomad community!!

[@tomcaldwell5750]

What a wonderful lady. May God richly bless her and her efforts to create vanlife community in Canada. I love that little fireplace 🔥

[@BrokerBarbara119]

Bob, you meet the most interesting people! What a delightful lady!

[@FidoHouse]

Hooray! Fellow Canadian fulltimer! ❤🇨🇦❤

[@FrankBullitt390]

You dont need "travel insurance" my goodness. Those lobbyists literally made her drive back into BC in the dead of winter for no reason. Even health insurance is optional as OHIP covers most. You are allowed 6 months in the US, USE IT. I am Canadian and have been down here since November.

[@kimbasciano_]

What a lovely lady. Love her van!

[@jessiehead6525]

I love the way Canadians just casually toss out, “Well, all my medical care is taken care of…” and here in the USA we either don’t get medical care at all, or it bankrupts us. What a mess. Although they have the same problem we have: can’t afford housing. Good for her for calling out both our governments to make more land available (like the LTVA in Quartzsite, Arizona). If the countries won’t do something (and quickly!) about affordable housing, they can at least give us a place to park with bathrooms, water, and garbage cans. So we can, you know, live like human beings.

[@lindaknight-archer414]

Canadians pay higher taxes for health care with no deductibles. The Provinces vary with regards to what chemotherapy drugs are covered etc.

[@LAppleDumpling]

The wait for my Aunt to go to Dr and No choices! Yea "great" free coverage.😮

[@Songbirdstress]

It's not better. Where I live we have no doctors, even ones you can pay. Brits are pulling their own teeth. In Canada they seem to think "health care" is self delete. One thing I would say, they seem to make you think you need much more crap than you do in the US. get a healthier life style and you will also be healthier. I pay 2 sets of health care, both government mandated. I hope it will work if I ever get something bad, but for every day use, I don't bother. Expensive co pays. Not cost effective. Doesn't cover what you need, does cover expensive drugs that will just be washed down the toilet.

[@ashleybosvik3031]

Medical Care is paid with a person's taxes in Canada

[@kateberger613]

We in the US don’t have to pay the government a CARBON TAX to save the planet. We just can’t afford rent or buying a house.

[@janetwalker3541]

Thanks so much for this video! Talking about unaffordable housing, it is a crisis across Canada, and in Ontario all they want to do is build high rises , on the the land that is available and no one can afford the rent! Homelessness is an epidemic in our country. Sad affairs when you have politicians who won't listen to us and run the country only to their advantage to make big money!

[@littlekandinsky9529]

What a beautiful, inspiring lady. Such a gentle spirit. Love her little dog too! 🐶 I followed her on KZbin…. just joyful listening to her. 💗🙏 Thanks Bob!

[@judivowell5748]

I live full time in a small Class C. I think she has almost as much storage in her van. Very nice setup. I would love to get to Canada one day. My father was born in Saskatchewan and the homesteads are still there. Safe travels, Zia. ❤

[@smileystevie9662]

Thanks, Zia, for sharing your stories to inspire and encourage us.

[@Luv-evedear]

tell her about Sisters On The Fly….. a bunch of older women in vans and trailers that travel and hang together all over the US

[@jgpainting8815]

Where do u find them? Facebook?

[@jaccsun1]

I have never heard of a Hot Logic heated lunchbox. What a marvelous idea!

[@spaceprepper3657]

I feel your pain. My rent has doubled in the last 6 years 😢. May the good Lord watch over you and your family and friends. Peace and Love 😊😊.

[@101perspective]

Yeah, you don't see that many people these days advocating for why it is better, or at least as good, to rent than buy. When I sold my 3rd house there was a moment where I considered living out of my van. Thank goodness I decided to buy another house. Had I lived out of the van I would be stuck in it right now I think. Doubt I could afford to buy a house in the current market and renting at these prices would make me feel like I'm being robbed constantly. And the really nice thing is that I can STILL go on long road trips and live out of the van whenever I want. Always nice to have a home base to come back to though:)

[@LeannCottonPhotography]

Fantastic! Future goal for this fellow 🇨🇦 Happier on the road as well.

[@DottieStanley]

One of the best interviews I have seen on the reality of van life. So many of us are in that exact same position in life. She explained it very well! Thank you Bob for all that you do! Loving learning so much from all of your team and the guests on your channel.

[@janetkoball44]

Thanks Bob for featuring Zeah and her lovely van and her cute doggie. She has a lot of excitement about getting "Community" for Nomads in Canada and everywhere else. Very interesting lady. Hope to meet her someday. See ya.

[@JimMillsCSLC]

Cutest little puppy ever!

[@maryk790]

GREAT LITTLE VAN SO COZY She HAS ALOT OF THINGS BUT IT ISNT CROWEDED REALLY LIKE IT

[@lindsaylivinlife6282]

Love your wanderlust Zia, and Charlie, your fur-baby, oh my ...he's such a cutie!! 🐕Luna's setup seems to work well for the travels and is very organized ...I like the cozy ambiance of the mini fireplace too (nice touch!). 🔥 Btw, it's awesome you want to organize nomadic type events to help get more awareness to build up the nomad community within Canada. 🍁 Good health & Safe travels (and lots of hugs to Charlie)! 🛣🚐 🤎🐶

[@monkeyshinemmie]

She gives us hope!

[@HalifaxComputersRepair]

yes she is telling the truth lots of people are living in tenants all because our government dont care any more and people who cant afford the expensive rent end up on the streets , its really bad and really sad ....its good see a Canadian visit you :)

[@lillypatience]

5:32 I use my Hot Logic every day because I don’t have a microwave at home. I love mine! I also bought one for the car.

[@JeanIsaac-jk5fp]

I think this way of life is excellent for people's mental health. Even if on a part time basis. Humans are more suited to this imo. For many, many thousands of years we were hunter gatherers which was a traveling lifestyle, at least within a specific area and at times more spread out. We have always wanted to see what was beyond that next hill. Gaining back our connection with nature is what I believe will heal so many people. For those problems it can't heal, it at least leaves us in a position of strength and peace to deal with them. Bringing more nature into our cities would be good too.

[@RussellNollenMusic]

I appreciate her thoughts and advice. Thank you for sharing this! ❤

[@HillyRoads]

She/s a natural in front of a camera.

[@jackieyarbrough4985]

Charlie is a doll❤️🐾❤️

[@ItzAllOrNothin]

I would have never guessed Zia to be over 55!!😳 She is so positive and has a beautiful van! Safe travels!!

[@moroccocerrito2456]

I bought a 2007 ford E350 Super Duty retired plumping utilities cut away van with 12 foot box with tons locking storage compartment...Im coverting it to living quarters with full bathroom with shower..

[@nightskylights4501]

She's very pretty, like her hair too. Lovely lady.

[@JP-tq7ni]

Cool lady. Good philosophy of life. 👏🌻❤️

[@cotter9751]

Definitely inspired. Found her page for her upcoming summer event, and looking forward to following Zia on YT. Thanks for this lovely interview and tour!

[@joanndavis4843]

Finally, I see a van tour where a copper metal backsplash is being used to protect heat and flame from the wall behind the butane stove. I don't know what others are thinking hanging curtains back there instead.

[@HowIsVietnam]

Nice van. I like to travel like this.

[@melissadunlap5067]

Wonderful! I have a ‘99 ram conversion van and I am using it for trips in the summer months for now to visit family. Not as nice as hers but making it work.

[@kimprocarione5473]

Awesomeness!!! I love a few Canadian channels. Emily "The Cat VAN Lady" is one of my favorite channels!

[@Manitou36]

Nice video Bob, what a sweet lady and a neat cause that she is doing up in the Canada area 😎👍

[@williamhanna5224]

Excellent !

[@vanessaboman9840]

I love this lady's outlook, and I love the van. the housing crisis is worldwide, here in the UK it gets worse every year. The UK doesn't have weather conducive to vanlife either sadly, it's very very wet here most years, but vanlife is growing. I am heading towards a static touring caravan on a small holding, with a friend and caring for them in return for the ground space. Rent is diabolical.

[@melcarter6422]

Your dog looks like an adorable gremlin. Super cute. Love the fabric pattern that you selected and putting the Luci lights in plant holders was aesthetically functional! Continue inspiring!

[@susie9893]

I was thinking EXACTLY the same! Total gremlin. It was uncanny

[@pamelalambe1356]

Great video. Love you Bob. Thanks for showing Canadians side. Go Zia!

[@scubaval08]

I love you Zia! Have been following for a while now. I’d travel to Canada to support your meetup!

[@lindabrown8421]

In the U.S. there are lots of mobile homes (situated on their own land) for sale at very affordable prices. Unfortunately, if the home is older the sale cannot be financed. This needs to be changed so that people can take out a loan for them. This would provide another avenue of affordable housing.

[@patriciaredick9849]

❤ What a wonderful inspiring woman. Lovely van too. Thank you.❤

[@Truckhergirl]

I’m about to go back out on the road. My rent increased from $1372 to $2250

[@supersonicdevin3212]

That dog is freaking adorable! So cute! Thanks for sharing!

[@lynnmicucci7086]

I can not afford renting anymore and may need to do that

[@deep3499]

Wow I wish I looked that good now let alone in my 70s.

[@6Sisu9]

Holy crap this might just be a sign for me. I'm looking at a 1994 b150 right now. 190k miles for $2500.

[@patsikora5169]

I love this life style !!! It’s freedom, an so healthy.Bob you look really good! Keep up the good work !!!!

[@sonjah1913]

Thank you!❤❤❤

[@cenedraleaheldra5275]

Great size van. Great build. Safe travels

[@craigo2142]

Not only is housing an issue (we need more micro housing units), but as she said, so is health care. I travel frequently and now that I am about to hit 70, finding travel insurance is very hard. US citizen so have medicare here, but, I like to see the world.

[@stanbyme7874]

72?! Beautiful Zia, proof that we only get better with age. I’m 62 & like you, had never seen the Milky Way, etc. Once our eyes are opened, it’s hard to go back to a couch/tv. I wish you well in your journey. I will be heading to the Yukon October-March to avoid the Political scene here in US.

[@themainstreetremedy6146]

Despite all the information, the one thing I admire about this woman and many of the people on your show is their tremendous courage and ability to try to help themselves. Living in a vehicle is not easy, its very lonely and its uncomfortable. However, I think if you are able to get a good night sleep, carry a weapon, and have ventilation in the roof, then I believe you can make this into a good situation..."After an initial 3 month period, you get use to the lifestyle and it become easier.

[@musicalmarion]

So nice to see Zia there with you Bob, and she has a great channel too. She is such a very positive and cheerful lady who's a real inspiration, and little Charlie works hard too to entertain everyone! Thanks for spotlighting her journey as a traveller on your super channel 😃

[@deedeeotero4475]

Zia in Italian means "auntie", is Zia Italian? What a lovely woman & her beautiful little Pomeranian "Charlie", what a little cutie. XOXO

[@user-sl4ke3de1n]

That was another thing-someone in Quartzsite needed RV repair but the owner was Canadian and the person would need to call and see if insurance covered in the US.

[@susannordstrom5065]

Cute doggie, cute van too

[@LittleMo777.]

Hi Zia! Welcome to the USA!😊

[@elaineg4921]

Wonderful, hope her heater gets fixed. Blessings always

[@susannbasta2972]

Maybe this will be the inspiration I needed. Great video.

[@RaymondWard-c1y]

Now I feel lucky to have a wonderful, warm backdrop to live in. I’m a native Southern Californian. This is my home. My Braer patch and I’m Braer Rabbit

[@1anita1m]

Her setup is so cute and cozy. I love the way she has everything organized the way she needs it. Blessings and safe travels. Enjoy your journey. 😊

[@soaringhigher777]

Love her and her van! SO INSPIRING! May I ask how much you paid for your van?🤗🙌🏼

[@myBIGtinyhouselife]

Great video and amazing woman!!

[@nathanmadonna9472]

What a sweet lady. I think it's awesome that people can connect like this. Salt of the earth.

[@nanparker1]

Good room cozy van! ❤❤❤

[@carolynadams1249]

I will definitely be following you, I am from Newfoundland and would love to meet up with you, l drove to Alberta last summer, my first long trip and loved every minute.

[@robynshore7942]

Well that is one cute dog! I hear you about starting van life! 👍

[@leannaestep3066]

What a wonderful woman with a very important message.

[@305Alligator]

Wonderful, what kind of dog is that? So cute

[@LyneMiller]

You could spend winter on Vancouver Island ❤❤❤

[@фредерикмиз]

She looks alot younger than 70. she must be eating special food or something?? Love your setup, Be safe, All the Best to you and your little buddy ❤👍

[@therookeryvanlife5612]

She seems like a super nice lady! Best wishes for more Canadian ladies meeting up!

[@allinoneto8659]

Lovely lady! Nice to have a supportive family!

[@anniewisecarver744]

The female Canadian Bob Wells 🥰 🎉

[@dianebyrne8920]

We have a couple of large camping groups for Ladies in Australia “ Rolling Solo” and “ Ladies Camping” there are members all across Australia that have meet ups. Love the van 😊

[@DavidGodley-n6j]

I have one of those little hot plates and it comes in handy.

[@shess1640]

she has made a lovely place for herself...I love the colors and its so functional and pleasing!

[@marynearhood4946]

Looking forward to watching your videos