This man quit his job so he could travel the world with his cat—and they’re adorable together

After a promising run in a steady corporate job, one Australian man decided to drop everything to see the world. His mid-life decision to free himself from the confines of an office and explore isn’t all that uncommon these days. Couples and whole families have proven that the nomad life is possible.

However, Richard East’s van life journey includes an unlikely companion. He brought along his cat, Willow.

Willow is a black rescue cat who is never far from his side. Lately, East and his feline friend have been exploring Australia.

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Adventure Cat

The odd travel couple have documented their destinations on Instagram and shared stories from the road on Willow’s website. Their Instagram account, @vancatmeow, now has more than 80,000 followers and each of his photos and videos garner thousands of likes.

East’s clever captions share anecdotes from their adventures on the road. He also highlights Willow’s perspective along the way.

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Together, they’ve road-tripped thousands of miles throughout Australia in a customized camper van. After East quit his job, he outfitted the gutted van himself. And for the last few years, he and Willow have made the van their home.

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Book Deal

East and Willow have attracted so many fans that he’s releasing a book all about their adventures. The book will be available Dec. 17. On his website, East gives a preview of what to expect in the book.

“It’s about realising that the things you thought would make you happy in life differed from reality,” he writes. “About realising that you need to make a change. It’s personal, it’s serendipitous, and I hope you find it heartwarming. Oh and so many cute cat photos!”

He also created a 2019 Calendar showcasing even more cute cat photos. The calendar is available now and proceeds benefit a very good cause. In fact, if you use coupon code MND, 100 percent of the profit from your purchase will be donated to Motor Neurone Disease (ALS) research.

For this dynamic duo, their trip of a lifetime turned into a fresh perspective and a new life altogether.