Have you ever thought of running away from the congested city you reside in, moving into a caravan and leaving behind the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Statistics show that interest in boxes on wheels, or caravans, has skyrocketed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has confined millions of people to their homes across the world.
Serdar Bilal (39) and Nihan Bilal (34) were devastated after a burglar ransacked their newly purchased and meticulously designed home in a central district located on Istanbul's Asian side just three days after they moved in.
Following the traumatic experience, the couple, who has three kids, decided to abandon the big city for a more bucolic and idyllic life in a small town in Turkey's Aegean province of Izmir in May 2020.
Even though the duo own a holiday home which had been renovated recently in the region, they preferred to live in their van called "Efsane," a word that means "legend" in Turkish.
Serdar, who is a caravan service technician, said that their friends repeatedly warned the couple about their impulsive decision, saying, "Your life will be turned upside down."
"How do you know that down is not better than the upside?” the 39-year-old replied, referring to the wise words of the wandering dervish Shams Tabrizi.
Now, eight months later, the couple state that they have no regrets regarding their decision, and aim to travel the world with their kids.
