Life on the Road with Vet In A Van: Homeschooling, Work, and the Big Lap Dream
Release Date: 05/22/2025
No Regrets: Hapnin Empty Nesters on Heart Scares, Hybrid Vans & Full-Time Travel
Big Lap Chats
Thinking about doing the Big Lap of Australia but feeling overwhelmed or unsure if it’s the right time? In this episode of Big Lap Chats, Annette sits down with Katrina and Cain from Hapnin Empty Nesters, a couple who turned a major heart scare into the ultimate full-time travel adventure. They share how they hit the road in a 13-foot hybrid caravan, how they manage on a $500/week travel budget, and why communication is key when living in a tiny space. From medical challenges to favourite free camps, this is a must-listen for anyone planning long-term travel around Australia. - Real talk...
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From ICU to Off-Grid: Casey & Zane’s Big Lap Life
Big Lap Chats
In this episode of Big Lap Chats, we sit down with Casey and Zane from A Few Laps Around the Sun—a couple who swapped intensive care wards and plumbing jobs for full-time caravan travel around Australia. Now three years into their journey, they share how they made the leap into vanlife, the real costs of living on the road, and how working as a nurse and a tradie helps them fund their Big Lap lifestyle. From choosing the right off-grid setup to the one mistake that could break your entire lap, this chat is packed with practical advice and hard-won wisdom. Whether you're planning your first...
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How Tradies on Tour Made the Big Lap a Full-Time Reality
Big Lap Chats
Courtney and James from Tradies on Tour join Annette to share how they turned weekend getaways, and one big lap into over three years of full-time travel around Australia with their kids. From budgeting tips and schooling on the road to running a mobile tradie business, this episode is packed with honest insights, laughs, and real-life advice for anyone dreaming of their own Big Lap and travelling Australia. Download the show notes here 👉🏻
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Life on the Road with Vet In A Van: Homeschooling, Work, and the Big Lap Dream
Big Lap Chats
Maybe One Day” to Full-Time Road Life with Vet In A Van Tanya and Marcus had a dream—to explore Australia with their family. But when someone offered to buy their house, they stopped dreaming… and hit the road. 🚐 Six weeks later, they were off—right before COVID hit. Years later, they’re still travelling full-time with four kids (including one born on the road!), homeschooling, working remotely, and loving the lifestyle they built from scratch. In this episode: ✔️ What it really takes to transition from house life to road life ✔️ Working from the road as a vet & tech...
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Off the Beaten Track With The Lifestyle Pioneers: A Big Lap Adventure
Big Lap Chats
From 12 Months to Forever—Why Liz & Simon Never Stopped Their Big Lap What happens when a planned 12-month Big Lap turns into 4+ years of full-time travel? Liz & Simon from The Lifestyle Pioneers share how their dream became a lifestyle—remote adventures, School of the Air, and all. 🧭 Before the road: Liz was teaching, Simon was deep in construction. Life was busy, but something was missing. “We didn’t want to wait until retirement,” Liz says. So they packed up with their two boys—and never looked back. 🌄 Off-grid lovers: From vast deserts to empty bush camps,...
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Chris & Bec from Salt and Charcoal: Bus Breakdowns, Bold Moves & Big Lap Life
Big Lap Chats
Ever dreamt of exploring every corner of Australia in a 4WD bus? That’s exactly what Chris and Bec from Salt and Charcoal have been doing for the last five years. In this episode of Big Lap Chats, they’re sharing the wild, wonderful, and occasionally frustrating realities of full-time travel. From FIFO life and social work to launching a travel brand and shipping their beloved bus across the country, Chris and Bec prove you don’t need a perfect setup to get started—you just need to start. 🚍 In this episode: Why they ditched “normal life” to chase adventure How they turned...
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Outback Adventures, Roadschooling & Spotto Books: The Journey of Outback Jess
Big Lap Chats
In this episode of Big Lap Chats, Annette sits down with Jess Day—better known as Outback Jess—a former tour guide turned family travel expert and creator of the much-loved Spotto Books. Jess has explored some of Australia’s most remote and iconic destinations, from the Outback to the Kimberley, and now shares the road with her partner Gary and their two kids. With a background in education and a deep love for adventure, she’s redefined what “learning on the road” really looks like. Inside this episode: How Jess blended education and adventure into "road schooling" The truth...
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From Grief to Gratitude: How One Family’s Big Lap Changed Everything
Big Lap Chats
From Grief to the Big Lap: Erin and Alex From Now or Never and Camp for a Cure's Life-Changing Adventure In this heartfelt episode, Alex and Erin share how a gift from Erin’s mum sparked a complete lifestyle shift—from working long hours and battling anxiety to hitting the road full-time with their kids. They open up about what they thought they needed to travel (spoiler: not the air fryer or kids’ kayaks!), how the Big Lap changed their family dynamic, and why they created Camp for a Cure, an annual event raising thousands for cancer research. Whether you’re in the planning phase of...
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Big Lap Journey With Sarah And Keelan Travels
Big Lap Chats
From Burnout to Big Lap Bliss: Sarah & Keelan’s Journey of Letting Go and Hitting the Road What started as a one-year escape from the daily grind turned into a life-changing, multi-year adventure for Sarah and Keelan, the duo behind Sarah and Keelan Travels. In this episode of Big Lap Chats, they share how they swapped teaching and trades for life on the road—and all the highs, lows, and lessons they’ve picked up along the way. Inside this episode: Their big pivot from Europe to Australia (thanks, COVID) How they upgraded from a hybrid camper to an Urban Caravans Extreme Smart...
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Overcoming Challenges & Living the Dream: Vicki & Glenn from Happy Campers Australia
Big Lap Chats
In this episode of Big Lap Chats, Annette catches up with full-time travellers Vicki and Glenn Bryant from Happy Campers Australia, who’ve been on the road since 2018—and have no plans of stopping. What began as a one-year getaway turned into a six-year (and counting) lifestyle change after Glenn’s health scare made them rethink what really matters. From mental health and finances to van setups and travel tips, this episode is a must-listen for anyone dreaming of the Big Lap. Inside the episode: Why they left it all behind—and how they made it work Their clever mortgage-based...
info_outlineMaybe One Day” to Full-Time Road Life with Vet In A Van
Tanya and Marcus had a dream—to explore Australia with their family. But when someone offered to buy their house, they stopped dreaming… and hit the road.
🚐 Six weeks later, they were off—right before COVID hit. Years later, they’re still travelling full-time with four kids (including one born on the road!), homeschooling, working remotely, and loving the lifestyle they built from scratch.
In this episode:
✔️ What it really takes to transition from house life to road life
✔️ Working from the road as a vet & tech expert (yes, even from a tent!)
✔️ How to survive the tough first months of travel
✔️ Smart money-saving tips every Lapper should know
✔️ Why Instagram doesn’t show the real story—and why that’s okay
✔️ Vet-approved pet travel tips to keep your furry mates safe on the road
🎧 Listen now on Big Lap Chats—where real travellers share the truth about life on the road.
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