Life is not always rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes, we hit a rough patch and we wish we could just start over. Whether we made the wrong choices or just want a new beginning, going on a life-changing adventure is the first thing that comes to mind.
24-year-old Sydney Ferbrache can relate to that and she’s a great example that starting over is not something we can daydream about. It’s something we can achieve in reality if we truly want it.
Currently, Sydney is traveling all over the United States in the company of her dog, Ella. She started her journey after ending things with her ex and she has become an inspiration for adventurers.
Sydney goes viral
Sydney’s van life story went viral and it has inspired many people out there! She worked three jobs and multiple side jobs to finally buy her van and now that she’s on the road, she works from her laptop.
One of the things that drew people into Sydney’s story is that she’s traveling with Ella and they take amazing pictures together wherever they go. Naturally, we wanted to learn more about her life on the road and hear what she has to say to people who want to start their own adventure but are scared to take the first step.
Sydney has shared that what she enjoys most about her travels is that she gets to meet different people and experience other cultures. Additionally, she spends a lot of time in nature and truly believes it’s a blessing to just be outside.
Traveling has also been a learning experience for her because she has learned from natives about their lands and the people who live there. If you want to learn more about Sydney’s experiences, keep reading!
Sydney travels all over the US with her dog Ella
One of the biggest surprises for Sydney about traveling all over the US is that there are many interesting backgrounds to discover. However, there are also many challenges to living on the road.
For example, you don’t have your family with you when big things happen and you’re on your own. Sydney once got into a car crash and had to leave her van at the shop for a couple of weeks. That means she was homeless and had to stay in super cheap motels where dogs would be allowed.
Ella also needed surgery when she was only 4 months old and Sydney had to go through that alone. Though Sydney’s family is present in her life and they do what they can from Indiana, sometimes she just needs a hug and there’s no one around.
Sydney and Ella have been to over 20 states
When Sydney’s story went viral, she felt very lucky. Though she doesn’t make a habit of reading YouTube or Facebook comments for fear of trolls, she’s happy she hasn’t received much negativity.
Instagram is her preferred social media because her friends and family are there, and they always show support. Sydney likes to surround herself with positivity and though she knows there might be some negativity, she chooses to ignore it.
Sydney left her boyfriend and started traveling alone
Whenever Sydney does see criticism, she likes to respond and explain herself to see if some perspective helps people understand. It doesn’t always happen, but she doesn’t regret trying. Sydney explains her side of things when she can and that’s enough for her.
She worked three jobs to save up for her van
Sydney believes that people can go on adventures if they want to, no matter the circumstance. It doesn’t take a lot of money and it can be done with children. Of course, every situation is unique and it might take some people a bit longer to figure out, but it can be done!
Ella also has an Instagram account!
Having left her relationship behind, Sydney wanted to prove that women can go on the road alone. Well, she’s not entirely alone since her dog Ella is with her! Ella even has her own Instagram account and people love her photos.
It’s worth noting that Sydney’s first solo adventure was in South Africa. She decides she wanted to go there alone, so she prepared and did a lot of research. Specifically about safety, backpacking, and women traveling alone. Then, she head out to Cape Town and Johannesburg, where she spent over 3 weeks.
Sydney is an inspiration to many adventurous souls
While Sydney was in South Africa, her parents were really afraid for her. Everyone in her life was very apprehensive about it. However, she knew she would be fine and she proved to herself that she was capable of anything. That first solo trip truly changed her life.
After that trip, in September 2017, she bought a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and went on the road with her then-boyfriend. However, she soon discovered they weren’t compatible and they had different goals, so she decided to end the relationship.
That’s when she started working 3 jobs and a bunch of different side jobs to save up for a new van. She also launched her website to share her story and by September , she was ready to go.
Before she set out, she got a companion for her journey, a beautiful golden retriever she named Ella. Since then, the duo has visited over 20 states and counting! When Sydney started this adventure, she had a 3 to 5-year plan. However, she’s open to re-evaluating that.
For now, this is still what she wants to do and what makes her happy. Since she began her journey, she has never woken up feeling like she’s not exactly where she wants to be, doing exactly what she should be doing. Though she is open to the idea of stopping, being on the road continues to be a joy.
Sydney and Ella use a tripod camera to take amazing pictures during their travels and it’s truly inspiring to see where they’ve been! It’s no wonder people are so interested in them.