A self-described pole dancing “addict” hopped into a luxury camper and installed a portable 8-foot pole so she could continue dancing on the go.
Keri Bailey, a pole instructor from North Yorkshire, had always dreamed of exploring Europe with her husband Ricky and bought a Citroen Relay van to do so.
Having traveled extensively in the past, Keri admitted that she often felt “desperate” to return home so she could pole dance. While she frequently found pole studios while traveling, Keri was determined to find the ultimate solution for her big trip.
He researched companies that could convert the van and found one that had installed a pull-up bar in a previous customer’s vehicle.
It was a moment of enlightenment. She told MailOnline Travel: “My brain immediately thought: if it’s possible to have a horizontal pole, there’s definitely a way to make it vertical.”
Keri Bailey bought a luxury motorhome with a portable pole so she could keep dancing while traveling. Here she appears in the photo of her showing off her skills in the south of France.
Previously, Keri had found “regular travel” difficult as she was often “desperate” to return to her pole. She is pictured above spinning on an 8ft pole in the Yorkshire Dales.
Van conversions He accepted the challenge and three months later, Keri and Ricky picked up their truck, complete with the unique renovation.
She said: “We were so shocked it brought tears to our eyes.”
Keri said she now feels “complete” as she can pursue her two passions, traveling and dancing, and even take her two dogs, Rupert and Tilly, for a walk.
Their converted van, which they named Valerie, has a stylish interior with a double bed, shower, toilet and a functional kitchen.
As for the bar, Keri said you’d find the same equipment in a normal studio. It can be easily removed from the roof of the van and only takes eight or ten minutes to install.
“It’s both rotating and static, which makes me very happy because I’m a big fan of spinning rods,” she said.
The only limitation, he said, is its proximity to the truck and its restricted height. But that hasn’t stopped Keri from spinning around.
Keri said she feels “complete” as she can pursue both of her passions; dancing and travelling, and even taking her two dogs, Rupert and Tilly (above), for a walk.
Keri is traveling with her husband, Ricky (pictured). The couple were “blown away” by the complete conversion of the van.
The couple named their luxury motorhome ‘Valerie’. It has an elegant interior with a double bed, shower, toilet and a functional kitchen.
Their travels so far have taken them from the Lake District in the UK to Saluzzo in the Italian region of Piedmont, as well as various locations in France, stopping at places such as Saint Maxime, Saint-Tropez, Nice and the capital of the wine of France, Bordeaux.
Despite visiting some sensational locations, Keri said: “Exploring the south coast near Saint-Tropez was definitely a highlight.”
When asked what he liked most about traveling by van, he replied: ‘Total freedom. We may have a rough travel plan or an idea of where we want to go, but decide before we leave if we want to change because someone has told us about a place we should see or we love where we are currently and want to extend our stay there. .
“It feels more like living abroad than a typical trip.”
Keri said she loved the “freedom” the van had given her.
Keri said: “Doing surveys near Saint-Tropez was definitely a highlight”
Keri hopes to be able to use the pole more in the coming months as the weather improves.
She said: ‘We have no limitations on where we want to go and our plan is to explore as much as possible.
“I really want to find as many remote mountainous or coastal locations as possible to get a polar and natural solution.”
The couple, who live in the UK, plan to start with some smaller trips before venturing into van living full-time.
Italy, Portugal, Norway, Greece and Turkey are just a few of the places on Keri’s bucket list.
Later this year, she hopes to travel to the Dolomites to pole dance among the beautiful mountain landscapes.
Keri has been posting her van life and pole dancing journey on Instagram. To see more, visit her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/keribpole, www.instagram.com/vanlifevalerieeither www.instagram.com/fussytravellerclub.