Leaving His Old Life Behind
Rich East is an adventurous young man born in Australia. In 2013, his go-getter attitude led him to change the course of his life. And just like that, his adventure began.
He changed his typical suburban life in Hobart, Tasmania, for small off-roading and hiking trips with his small stuffed lion and his best friend: a furry kitty named Willow.
Travel Buddies
It's pretty clear that most cats wouldn't enjoy traveling in any type of vehicle from one place to another, but Willow was no ordinary cat, let me tell you!
In fact, Willow was delighted to explore the world with her human friend.
Finding Her Place
Like every cat, she has her special places to rest after her cat-tivities.
> "Willow is very curious and loves to explore. She spends most of her days snoozing on top of the roof rack, under the van, or sleeping in her cat carrier. On cold days, you will find her snuggled up in my blankets", Rich said.
It's All About Agreement
Rich explained that they have an unspoken agreement: "She will always come back to the van, and I will always wait for her."
"She rarely wanders more than 100 meters from the van, but when she does, I can find her with her tracking collar", he added.
Two Birds With One Stone
Once they were all set up, Rich and Willow began traveling a bit more, especially during Rich's days off work.
It was during one of those trips that he discovered a new passion: photography. Now, not only does he enjoy traveling, but also taking beautiful photos of Tasmania.
Freedom
"For the first time, I felt free," he said. "Free to design a new life for myself... and Willow!".
In 2014, Rich quit his job, sold his house, and bought a van. > "I threw away everything that didn't bring me joy. The premise was simple: build a new home in which I could travel", he explained.
Preparations
It was Rich's main task to renovate the van. He installed a ready-to-go bed in the back, a small kitchen in the middle, and a front seat that could turn around.
Last but not least, he added a surfboard in the roof to make the most of his living space. They were all good to go!
The Journey
Once everything was in order in the van, Rich bought a map of Australia so as to draw the route he wanted to take. "First, I had to take a ferry from Tasmania to the mainland and then follow the coast all around the country," he said.
"It was hard to think about all the things that I was leaving behind, so instead, I thought about all I was taking with me and all that I would gain. I left my town and everything I knew for a new life and the unknown", Rich shared.
Taking It All In
The journey continued, but Rich decided to take things slower and began to stay in places for longer periods to appreciate everything around him.
As he and Willow bonded on the road, he came up with some new ideas. Can you guess?
Investment
Rich was enjoying their adventures but thought that it would also be fun and exciting to put his creativity in motion.
So, he invested in new equipment: cameras, tripods, and drones, in order to record their adventures and welcome the world into their lifestyle.
New Passion
Thanks to the cameras he bought, Rich got better and better at his new hobby, photography.
Soon, he became an expert in capturing all the breathtaking scenes he and Willow stumbled upon day by day.
A Growing Success
Rich started to post his photos and videos on social media under the name VanCatMeow. Soon after, the pair gained thousands of followers.
In fact, people loved the photos so much that they wanted to buy prints for themselves; and that's how VanCatMeow began to sustain itself financially.
Favorite Model
It was no surprise that Rich's favorite model was Willow. Every time he got the chance, he would snap a picture of her.
Sometimes it was easy, but some other times, Willow wouldn't be so cooperative, so he had to be extra patient.
Woodwork
Rich has many hobbies, apart from photography and traveling. Surfing, reading, and woodworking are some of them.
In fact, thanks to woodworking, he was able to make a little extra cash for gas and MeowMix.
A Beautiful Adventure
By the end of 2018, Rich and Willow had toured Australia's whole coast and were going off the grid for a month in the Outback.
It is unclear what the future holds for them, but we can all be sure of one thing: their friendship and love for each other (and for adventures!) will be forever intact.