Friends turn van into 'apartment on wheels'

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Tired of paying ever-increasing hotel rates and travel costs, four friends in Chongqing decided to get into top gear by fitting out their own camper van.

The two-bedroom, 24-square-meter "apartment on wheels" is basically a five-seat cargo van with foldable containers that can be extended out for seating and tables.

The exterior resembles an ordinary Foton van, and it takes about an hour for two people to set everything up for an overnight stop.

When fully laid out, the campers have access to a kitchen, bathroom, living room and two small bedrooms.

"It can accommodate up to 12 people in a pinch," said Qiu Yong, 35, the main designer. "Road trips have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially as prices for popular destinations get ridiculously high and there are swarms of people," Qiu said.

A trip to Sanya, Hainan province, from Chongqing last October, during the weeklong National Day holiday, made him determined to provide his own transport and accommodation.

"Hotel rates in Sanya were triple the normal rates, and sometimes even more. A room that normally cost a few hundred yuan for a night suddenly cost thousands of yuan. I even spent 4,500 yuan ($740) one night for a room," Qiu said.

Helped by three friends, he took matters into his own hands and raised 270,000 yuan. Of that, 190,000 yuan was used to buy the van and containers, and the remaining 80,000 yuan was spent remodeling it.

A big-screen TV hangs from the vehicle's roof.

"We are karaoke fans," said Yang Chenghong, 40, one of the co-owners, adding that they can also play mahjong in their "apartment".

Qiu works in real estate and knows what makes for a successful interior.

Qiu said it took two weeks to finish the design and more than two months to finish the refit on Feb 10, though the van is yet to make its maiden voyage.

The recreational vehicle has been registered with the vehicle administration in the Jiangbei district of Chongqing.

Qiu was confident the van would have no problem getting registered as its exterior has been largely untouched.

An officer from the Chongqing freeway law enforcement administration said that although this particular vehicle received a license, most refitted vehicles have difficulty passing the exam.

"Refitted cars like this are typically banned," he said.

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.