Amber C
@our.little.chinook
1. Who are you ? How old are you ? Do you travel completely alone... if not who do you travel with?
Hey! I'm Amber and I'm a 27 year old city dwelling lady who travels with her boyfriend Matt and our Mini Australian Shepherd, Luna.
2. How long have you been living full time in a Mobile-Home (camper-van, RV, etc)
We are currently restoring our 1976 Toyota Chinook so we will be able to travel the country in it, hopefully this upcoming fall. We've had the rig for almost 2 years this summer. It's a long and tedious process but I know in the end it will be so worth it. Having a vintage RV is insanely ambitious and a little bit daunting. It needs to be safe, it needs to be practical and it needs feel like home.
3. What the best thing about being female and on the road?
Easily it's the community of strong females that also do this. They're a huge inspiration to me and if they can do it, I often think, why can't I?! Everyone is very supportive and Instagram definitely helps bring people together. I think people have a lot of respect for women who travel alone in general by whatever means.
4. Conversely what is the worst thing about being female and on the road?
Sometimes you will run into people that treat you a little bit differently, see you as damsel in distress. I know a ton of girls who can change tires, rewire their car and even swap out an engine. If we're traveling by ourselves, odds are we are able to things ourselves as well.
5. How do you decide on where to stay?
I'm a HUGE planner and researcher. I don't think I'd stay somewhere on a whim to be completely honest. I wish I could be more impulsive. I guess if it was a situation where I absolutely needed to, I would wing it. Also a lot of people in the community have awesome recommendations and often create maps with pins of the places they stayed at, so that is helpful from every standpoint.
6. What is the most surreal places that you visited?
Utah is insane. Probably one of my favorite states I've visited so far. I hiked the Narrows in Zion and that was breathtaking. You're knee deep in water completely surrounded by these Canyons, it really is amazing. It made me feel so small. Bryce Canyon is definitely the most surreal. Hiking through the hoodoos and being able to touch the red rocks was always something I've wanted to experience. I live in NYC so we don't really have that type of stuff over here.
8.How do you get work everywhere?/ How do you have an income?
I plan on doing some freelance prop styling when we hit the road. I come from a film background and was doing Production Design and Prop Styling before I got a full time job in Interior Design. Hoping to get some sponsorships and collaborating with people on the road to shoot some lifestyle tabletop photography etc. Potentially directing and writing little scenes and spec commercials. I also have an Etsy shop which I can easily keep going in the Chinook. I make custom RV keychains and decals!
9.How did your friends & family feel/ react when you told them you were going to travel full time?
I have always been into the idea of traveling across the country whenever I wanted. To just be able to pick up and go was something that I knew had to happen and was going to if we were able to buy an RV. Now did I want a 1976 RV? Probably not. My family was definitely concerned with safety and thought it was kind of a silly thing to do, considering I know nothing about RV's. Then they changed their mind and they bought one too! I have a great support system for sure. I think it's cool to see everyone open their minds to this idea, whether they think I'm in over my head or not.
10. what inspired you to hit the road?
The ability to have complete and total freedom. To be in control of your life and how you live it at your own pace. You set the goals, you set the timeline. It's an aspirational lifestyle, one that I have always been trying to achieve. It is totally attainable, you just have to let your guard down and not be afraid of what lies ahead. I think it will help me grow as a person. Meeting new people, experiencing new places and just letting go of the things that tie us and hold us back. ?
