Kufamba The Traveling Tribe: Malvin and Chelsea

We have had an RV for years and we were “weekend warriors”. We always dreamed that “someday” we would head on the road full time. But it really felt just like a dream. Chelsea had some changes happen in her job that led to her looking for a new one. That search for a new job meant relocating. As we prepped our house to sell, it hit us. This was our chance to sell it and head on the road as full-time RVers. The housing market was so hot that we were able to sell our house and pay off any remaining debt that we had. Now here we are living full-time in our RV, and traveling with our three small kids and puppy.

Finding The Right RV For Our Family

We have an Alliance Valor 42v13 which is a Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler. We previously had a travel trailer and then a mid-bunk fifth wheel. We knew we wanted the kids to have their own space and us to have our own space. Malvin needed a dedicated office space during the day, and we needed a dining space for eating and school. A toy hauler checked all those boxes and we were so impressed with the customer service from Alliance.

Work-Life On The Road

Chelsea was an Elementary School Reading Specialist and Malvin worked remotely as a global project manager, and that is what he does on the road. Chelsea now homeschools the kids, tutors remotely, and does some freelance writing for an app.

Taking It Slow And Steady

We are slowly making our way around Florida. We are trying to visit as many cities, state parks, and beaches as possible. Our favorite spring has been Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area, and our favorite city by far is St. Augustine!

Everyone Needs Their Space

We definitely recommend that kids have a space separate from mom and dad. We need time alone. Some rigs don’t allow any separation, and because dates nights look a little different we need the quiet time to ourselves after bed. Our mid-bunk RV had a great living area, but when the kids went to bed it was hard to use the space because they could hear everything we were doing in the living room. Getting a toy hauler allowed us to really create spaces for everyone.

Things To Remember

Internet: We use Travel Data for our internet and we love it! It works great for Zoom meetings and we use it for school as well.

Set a budget: We had to adjust from two incomes to one, and that was hard. We are figuring it out! We have to find ways to save money like cooking at home more and fun activities for free or cheap like exploring parks or trails.

Repairs: They will happen! We love Alliance when it comes to customer service. They have been so helpful with all issues that we have encountered. There will be issues so be prepared!

Not having family close: That has been one of the biggest adjustments. The kids were used to seeing their grandparents almost every day. We really miss them.

Our Dream

We don’t know how long we plan to RV. We said a year, and a few months in we knew that it would be longer. We are enjoying the slower-paced life, the time together, and the adventures. We know that we will buy a house someday, but we want land so that we can park our RV on the property. This will allow us to pack up and travel whenever we want! But Until then we will continue to share our adventures with everyone we meet. So follow us and our family The Kufamba The Traveling Tribe on their Blog and Instagram.