VAN LIFE
I live in a Ford Transit after buying van for £1k – I turned it into a tiny home and now I can go anywhere at age of 74
And why he's called the time 'truly wonderful'
A GRANDFATHER converted a £1,000 Ford Transit van into a home on wheels to travel the world.
Anthony George, 74, has been living on the road for ten years but says it was a bleak cancer diagnosis that inspired him to live a nomadic lifestyle.
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The dad-of-three was given just three months to live after he was struck down with lung cancer.
But he now says that he doesn't regret the diagnosis and that it actually improved his life.
In between treatments he's shipped his van all over the world for trips to Canada, America and Australia, as well as drive from the UK to the Arctic Circle and back.
Foodie Anthony, from Bristol, did a 20 country trip through Europe to taste as much cheese as he could - and has also completed road trips through England and Scotland.
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And despite three operations to remove tumours from his brain over the years, he is determined to keep travelling.
Grandad-of-six Anthony, who has also worked as a mechanical engineer and a truck driver, has so far spend tens of thousands and racked up 111,000 miles in his van.
He said: "Honestly I don't regret the diagnosis at all - it forced me to stop working which freed me up to do better things with my life, like all this travelling.
"Actually I think I've been very lucky, otherwise I think I'd just have kept on working.
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"I didn't want to stop working - I didn't have a choice - but I'm glad I did.
"Not that it hasn't been a huge struggle sometimes - it really has.
I ditched my house to live full time in a van - I’m now rent free, but there’s still lots of hidden costs
"I'd be lying if I said chemo wasn't horrible, but you just get on with it.
"And I've been able to learn so much about the world.
"The time since 2012 has been truly wonderful!"
Tony, who is separated, was first bitten by the travel bug when he and some friends spent six weeks driving to Mongolia in 2012, before he got ill.
He was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer soon after, and given three months to live.
He had six months of chemo and 20 sessions of radiotherapy at Southmead Hospital.
But the cancer had spread to his brain, and he had an operation to remove his first brain tumour in 2013.
He quit his job as a sign maker and decided to do some more travelling so bought his T-reg Ford Transit.
I wouldn't have done all this if I hadn't been given three months to live
Anthony George
Friends joined Tony along the way on his trips - for portions of the journey - with Tony at the wheel throughout.
They drove from the UK to the Arctic Circle, in 2014.
After the five-week drive they took a mini cruise from Thrumso at the top of Norway.
Tony had the van shipped to the US and spent three months driving it along route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, in 2015.
He then drove to Canada via Yellowstone national park and the Rockies.
After a second operation to remove a brain tumour in 2016, he embarked on an 18 months drive to Australia.
This took him through Croatia, Greece, Turkey and Georgia, in to Russia and Kazakhstan, then in to China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, before shipping the van the final leg to Australia.
He stayed five weeks, flew home and had the van shipped back.
SUFFERING SEIZURES
Tony was headed for Japan in early 2022 but switched direction when Russia invaded Ukraine and drove to Morocco instead.
Later he drove from Land's End, Cornwall, to John O'Groats, Scotland, and back down the east coast, over five weeks.
Tony had his third brain tumour removed in September 2023.
The medics also removed scar tissue from previous operations which were causing Tony to have seizures.
Tony is still recovering from a stroke he had in February, where he lost the use of his right-hand side, meaning he is unable to drive his van.
He is hoping to convert the van to a left foot drive and is determined to keep travelling and said he will complete his trip to Japan.
He said: "I'm really coping well.
I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to do all my travelling - it's given me a real sense of purpose
Anthony George
"I have the use of my arm back now and my leg is coming back - I can wiggle my toes now.
"It's a struggle to walk but I'm doing it."
East Asia contained some of the best scenery and food for Tony, he said.
But he couldn't pick a favourite part of the world.
He added: "I have met amazing people, seen fantastic scenery and eaten great food all over the world.
"I wouldn't have done all this if I hadn't been given three months to live.
"I do it all because I can - because I survived it and I'm okay.
"I just didn't believe them at first - I just didn't feel unwell - not until after the chemo and radiotherapy.
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"I'm lucky to be 74 and never really had coughs or colds or headaches or anything.
"I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to do all my travelling - it's given me a real sense of purpose."
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