I converted a double-decker bus into a mobile hostel with my twin and best friend. Four years later, our business is thriving.

23.03.2024 - 12:31 / insider.com

Over four years ago, I bought a double-decker bus with three friends. We dreamed of converting it into a mobile hostel where we could travel and take people with us on our adventures. We thought it was the perfect combination of our passions for entrepreneurship, adventure, and traveling.

All three of us didn't have any experience with DIY or construction; in fact, we had never built anything before — let alone converted a double-decker bus into a mobile tiny house.

But now, four years later, the bus is finished, our hostel business is thriving, and we're about to embark on our trip to Iceland this summer.

When Lisa, Jolisa, Eileen and I started this project, which we call La Karavana, no one knew what to expect exactly. Before we started to renovate the bus, Eileen was a total stranger to me and Lisa was my best friend.

And then there was Jolisa, my twin sister. Even though we obviously knew each other very well, we had never worked together. I knew I could count on her, but I also had mixed feelings; we were always compared as twin sisters. As kids, we tried to live separate lives; we went to different schools and universities, lived in different cities, and played different sports. Now, we would run the same company, live in the same house, and share an office.

So, starting this mega project during the pandemic with my twin sister, my best friend, and a stranger was a leap in the dark. None of us had experience renovating or starting a business, but we knew we could get it done if we had each other.

It took us over a year to convert the bus, so of course, there were difficult moments. Whenever the bank account was empty again, we had to chip in from our personal accounts to afford necessities like the fridge, mattresses, and new wood to build the interior. And for some of us, our money was running out. The financial situation was becoming a source of real frustration for us.

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We struggled with many building issues, including a leak and broken windows. We also had to build in the middle of the winter when temperatures were below zero.

Luckily, there were many more good moments. We all managed to get our truck driver's license, and I still remember the first time we drove on our bus together without anyone else. It was just a short distance around the neighborhood, but it was true magic. We were all super excited and proud.

It was then that we realized we were pulling all this off together; we didn't need anyone else.

Lisa decided to leave the group to start another project, but the three of us then had to start our hostel business aboard our newly renovated bus.

The first step was convincing people to join us on the road. We had to build a website, find the right pricing, and have