The beginning of our journey with Casa Mariposa

Two years ago, we started dreaming out loud: what if we traveled through Europe in a campervan? Not just a vacation, but a true adventure — the freedom to explore, live close to nature 🌲, discover new places 📍, and call a tiny house on wheels our home. That dream slowly turned into a plan... And now? We’re making it happen 🙌.

Love at first sight

After weeks of searching online, we found her: a 1993 Peugeot J5 campervan. A true classic, full of character.

We drove 2.5 hours to a small village in Friesland to see her — and instantly knew she was the one ✨. One test drive later, and we were sold. Our Casa Mariposa had found us 🦋.

First getaways and big dreams

The weekend after we bought her, we couldn’t wait. We packed a few essentials, hit the road 🛣️, and spent our first night away under the stars ✨.

Not long after, we took a longer trip — ten days in the Black Forest 🌳.
The perfect test drive. We really got to know her and started thinking seriously about what we wanted to tweak before taking on a year of full-time travel.
Turns out, she already had nearly everything we needed. It was during that trip we made the big decision: in June 2025, we’ll head off on a one-year road trip through Europe!

The technical tune-up

Back home, it was time to get serious. We brought her to the garage for a full check-up 🔧. The gearbox needed an overhaul and several parts were replaced. Now she’s mechanically sound and ready for thousands of kilometers of adventure.

The only catch? Her weight ⚖️. Fully packed, she tips the scale at 3,300 kg — and with a standard driver’s license, we’re capped at 3,500. So we had to make some tough choices. We removed the bathroom sink and cabinet 🚿, and let go of one of our two fridges 🧊. Downsizing never felt so smart.

Our camper dream is coming true

Final touches before we go

Last weekend, we checked the electrical system 🔋 and made some upgrades. We added a monitor to track our energy use 📊 and ordered a new starter battery.

Next up: fresh paint — inside and out 🎨.This weekend, we’ll be selling the last of our belongings at a flea market in Bergen op Zoom 🧺. We’re trying to waste as little as possible — and every bit we make goes toward our travels 💸.

Join us on the road

With departure day just weeks away ⏳, we’re in full prep mode — and we’d love to take you along for the ride. We’ll be sharing updates, behind-the-scenes photos 📸, and stories from the road.

Want to follow our journey from camper conversion to mountain views ⛰️, hidden lakes 🏞️, and quiet French villages 🏘️?

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and maybe we’ll meet somewhere along the way 👋