Izzy Nicholls is a British travel writer, author and co-founder of The Gap Decaders, an independent travel website specialising in European road trips, motorhome travel, overlanding and long-term travel.
Together with her husband Phil, Izzy left the UK in 2018 after selling their home and possessions to spend a year travelling around Europe in a motorhome. That year became a completely different way of life, and they have since travelled extensively across Europe and beyond by motorhome, overland truck and motorcycle.
Izzy writes practical, experience-led travel guides based on the places she and Phil have travelled themselves, often returning to countries and regions multiple times. Her particular areas of expertise include European road trips, motorhome and campervan travel, overlanding, off-grid living and the practicalities of long-term travel. She also writes contemporary women’s fiction under the pen name Izzy Kelly.
Travel Writing and Expertise
Izzy has travelled extensively across Europe since 2018, including prolonged periods in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Norway and the Balkans, as well as overland journeys through Morocco, Turkey and the Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Her writing combines first-hand experience with detailed research, particularly where regulations, border requirements, driving rules and the practicalities of travelling by motorhome or overland vehicle are involved.
Her areas of expertise include:
- European road trips and itinerary planning
- Motorhome and campervan travel
- Overland travel
- Long-term travel in Europe
- European driving and touring regulations
- Motorhome touring after Brexit and the Schengen 90/180-day rule
- Wild camping and off-grid travel
- Morocco and European overland routes
- Travel planning and logistics
- Off-grid living
The Gap Decaders
Izzy co-founded The Gap Decaders in 2019 with her husband Phil after they left the UK to travel in 2018.
What began as a way of documenting their travels developed into an independent travel publication providing road trip itineraries, destination guides and practical advice for people travelling by car, motorcycle, campervan, motorhome and overland vehicle. You can read more about Izzy, Phil and the story behind The Gap Decaders on the About Us page.
As principal writer and editor, Izzy researches, writes and maintains much of The Gap Decaders’ travel content, drawing on the couple’s first-hand experience on the road alongside detailed research into regulations, logistics and travel planning.
Published Elsewhere
Alongside her work for The Gap Decaders, Izzy has written for a range of travel and media publications, covering European destinations, road trips, motorhome and camping travel, and the practicalities and challenges of modern tourism. Her work draws heavily on first-hand experience of travelling extensively across the UK, Europe and beyond.
KAYAK
Scotland Road Trip: Explore the Best of Scotland’s Coastlines
By Izzy Nicholls, 18 June 2025
KAYAK
Europe Road Trip: A Journey Through Culture & Adventure
By Izzy Nicholls, 18 June 2025
KAYAK
Journey Through Britain’s Best: A National Parks Road Trip Adventure
By Izzy Nicholls, 18 June 2025
KAYAK
Ireland Road Trip: Discover the Best of the Emerald Isle
By Izzy Nicholls, 8 April 2025
Goats On The Road
How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Living
By Izzy Nicholls, 5 September 2021
The Planet D
The Best Guide to Hiking Mount Etna
By Phil and Izzy, 19 March 2023
Adventure in You
19 Things to Do in Tarifa, Spain
By Phil and Izzy Kelly, 2 January 2024
EURONEWS
Fairytale castles and unspoiled nature: Where should you go to escape overtourism in Europe?
By Izzy Nicholls, 8 August 2024
Touring Magazine
Wild Thing! Wild Camping in Europe
By Izzy Nicholls
In The Know Traveler
Fall in Love with the Falkland Islands
By Izzy Nicholls, 14 August 2026
What the Fab
14 Best Places to Visit in Italy for a Bucket List Experience
By Izzy Nicholls
Izzy also maintains a journalist profile on Muck Rack.
Media & Features
Izzy and The Gap Decaders have been featured, interviewed and quoted by national and international media, travel publications and podcasts.
Niche Pursuits: How Izzy Nicholls’ Overland Truck Travel Blog Earns $7.5k+/Month Thanks to SEO
A detailed interview with Izzy about founding The Gap Decaders, building the website into a travel business and her approach to travel writing, content and SEO.
National Geographic Traveller: The Golden Gap Year: Why the 50-Plus Generation Are Setting Off to See the World
Izzy and Phil featured in a story about leaving conventional life behind to travel long-term and the creation of The Gap Decaders.
The i Paper: Why a ‘Silver Gap Year’ Can Be a Golden Opportunity, and How to Start Planning Your Own
Izzy and Phil featured as experienced midlife travellers who turned their planned year-long career break into a long-term travel lifestyle.
Daily Mail: From the Maldives to Venice, the 17 Tourist Destinations That Could Be Wiped Off the Map by the End of the Century
Izzy featured as a travel expert and founder of The Gap Decaders, discussing last-chance tourism and the impact of tourism on threatened destinations.
The Telegraph: How to Have a ‘Golden’ Gap Year
Izzy and Phil featured as experienced long-term travellers after leaving their previous lives in the UK to travel full-time.
Euronews: From Rolling Clothes to Shoe Hacks: The Packing Tips Travel Experts Swear By
Izzy featured as a travel expert and founder of The Gap Decaders, sharing practical packing advice gained from years of full-time overland travel.
Daily Express: I asked travel experts the worst area to sit on a plane – they agreed on 1 spot
Izzy quoted as a travel expert on the safest places to sit on an aircraft. Her advice was also published across a number of UK and international news outlets, including the Mirror US, WalesOnline, CornwallLive and the Daily Record.
Best Magazine: Meet the Midlife Backpackers
Izzy and Phil featured as midlife travellers who swapped conventional life in the UK for long-term travel.
Rest Less: What Is Micro-Retirement? 5 Reasons to Take That Dream Trip Sooner
Izzy and Phil featured as an example of taking an extended break from conventional working life to travel and build a different lifestyle.
EDP24: Campervanning in the Waveney Valley Is a Blast
Izzy and Phil featured travelling by campervan in the Waveney Valley and sharing their experience of motorhome and campervan travel.
All Around Adventure: The Gap Decaders with Izzy Nicholls and Phil Kelly
Izzy and Phil interviewed about The Gap Decaders, their decision to leave conventional life behind and their experiences travelling long-term.
Lancaster Insurance: Best YouTube Channels for Motorhome and Campervan Owners
The Gap Decaders featured among Lancaster Insurance’s favourite motorhome and campervan YouTube channels, highlighting Izzy and Phil’s travel experience, practical advice and European motorhome and overlanding content.
Books & Travel Guides
Izzy has co-authored a range of books and practical travel guides with her husband Phil, who co-founded The Gap Decaders with her, drawing on their years of experience travelling by motorhome and overland vehicle across Europe and beyond.
Selling Up to Live in a Motorhome
Izzy and Phil are co-authors of Selling Up to Live in a Motorhome, a practical guide to leaving conventional life behind and making the transition to living and travelling in a motorhome.
A Complete Guide for Motorhome Beginners
A Complete Guide for Motorhome Beginners is a practical guide for anyone new to motorhoming, covering the essentials of choosing, preparing and using a motorhome, alongside the everyday practicalities of touring and life on the road.
Planning Your Moroccan Motorhome Adventure
Planning Your Moroccan Motorhome Adventure is a comprehensive guide to planning an independent motorhome trip to Morocco, drawing on Izzy and Phil’s own travels in the country, with practical advice on preparation, routes and travelling through Morocco by motorhome.
The Ultimate Guide to Motorhoming in Europe
The Ultimate Guide to Motorhoming in Europe is a practical resource for planning and travelling through Europe by motorhome, covering the rules, logistics and everyday realities of European touring alongside advice gained from years on the road.
The Camper Cookbook
The Camper Cookbook is a collection of recipes and practical ideas for cooking in a motorhome, campervan or caravan, created around the realities of preparing meals in a small kitchen while travelling.
Fiction Writing as Izzy Kelly
Izzy also writes contemporary women’s fiction under the pen name Izzy Kelly.
Her fiction includes:
Izzy Kelly is the pen name of Izzy Nicholls. You can keep up to date with new releases in her Amazon author profile.
Professional Background
Before becoming a full-time travel writer, Izzy worked in senior operational management roles in the UK and overseas. Her career included facilities and operational management within healthcare and other complex service environments.
That background continues to influence her approach to travel writing, particularly her focus on research, practical detail, planning and finding reliable answers to the less glamorous questions that come with long-term independent travel.
Follow Izzy
You can find Izzy’s latest travel writing on The Gap Decaders and follow The Gap Decaders on its social channels.