How many of you have dreamed of quitting your job, selling your house and taking off on a cross-country adventure with your favorite furry pal?
That’s the dream Richard East of Hobart, Australia, is living with his beloved feline Willow.
Rich had been working a soul-sucking, corporate job for the past 10 years. Finally, in what he describes as “the most well prepared mid-life crisis in history,” he decided to quit, build a homemade campervan and travel Australia with his kitty instead.
“Over 10 years, I built up a life for myself in Hobart through my career,” Rich told UNILAD. “I had a great job and a nice house, but there was always something missing. I was so lucky to have the life I had but I was ashamed to say that I didn’t appreciate it. This made me quite unhappy as I felt I didn’t deserve it and I felt so disconnected to the world.”
When Rich first came up with his plan to travel Australia, he wasn’t sure what to do about Willow.
“I thought about who could care for her when I was gone but then I realized, she was always there for me when things were tough, so I shouldn’t abandon her.”
Instead, he decided to take her with him, and since May of 2015, they’ve traveled to every state and territory in Australia, sailing the Great Barrier Reef, crossing the Australian Savannah, and living on beaches, forests, and in plains.
Rich tells UNILAD, “She’ll stay close to me and loves to nap on the roof under the solar panels, whereas in winter, she’ll sleep under my blankets all day.”
With all their time spent together, Willow and Rich have developed an incredible bond. The two have now traveled thousands and thousands of kilometers around Australia, sometimes only moving 60 kilometers (or 37 miles) per week.
“We’ve settled so well into this new life, any need to get from A to B is now impertinent,” he tells UNILAD. “In previous years I would often wake up wondering where I should be, but lately I realize I’m already there.”
“Every day is a pleasure traveling with a cat. To see Willow’s wide eyes wonder of the world puts me at peace and reminds me to slow down.”
“Soon we’ll have made it back to our home state but it doesn’t mean our adventure is ending. We’ll cruise around Tasmania visiting many special places I’ve been to over the years before heading back to mainland Australia next year.”
“This is the life I’ve created for myself, with a little black cat who’s made my van a home and the whole of Australia her backyard!”
See a video of Rich and Willow below!
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