The couple, who had been living in a four‑bedroom house before selling it in 2021, shifted to a van and then to a school bus after realizing they needed more space.
Nestoruk, an environmental educator, and Touserkani, a photographer, found the bus on Facebook Marketplace. The seller, a school bus contractor, provided maintenance records that assured the vehicle had been well cared for, a detail that convinced the pair to proceed with a $7,200 purchase.
Work began in late 2021, with the duo spending roughly a year and $30,000 on the conversion. They installed a full‑size kitchen with a three‑burner hob, an RV washer and dryer, and a bathroom equipped with an on‑demand water heater. Solar panels were mounted on the roof, and skylights were cut to raise interior headroom, creating a daylight‑filled living area that could accommodate a king‑size bed and a pull‑out sofa.
Nestoruk said the project allowed her to give new life to an old vehicle while keeping her environmental footprint low. Touserkani explained that the bus’s larger interior offered the flexibility of a van without the cramped feel, making it ideal for the long‑term travel lifestyle they envisioned. The pair also built external stairs to the roof and a hitch deck to carry their motorcycles, further extending the bus’s utility.
Having completed the renovation in 2022, the couple plans to leave Canada for Mexico next month, taking their newly crafted off‑road home along with them. The journey will test the bus’s durability and the couple’s preparedness for extended travel.