eh, I turned my Jeep into a house on wheels on the cheap (DIY), then drove it all the way around Africa over three years, living in it full time. 54,000 miles through 35 countries. [1]
The cost of the vehicle AND the entire trip (ALL expenses) was only a touch more than the barebones van in the article.
I'm in Australia, a great many people retire to a few years in some kind of camping rig - single body or vehicle plus trailer or ... (bus plus trailer with boat plus small car and motor bikes, all ingeneouly towed | stacked).
Outside of the main cities many rural people work across a big area, I grew up in the Kimberley and spent a decade or so in global geophysical exploration across all the continents and many countries - I can get by with a swag but I do like a good minimal fit out :-)
Your jeep looks pretty tidy - clearly did the job!.
and then there's always the bike option (a fellow W.Australian):
Damn - I would've dropped in had I known, I left at sparrowfart this morning and am having first tea break on the inland road up toward the Murchison quiet zone for a bit of field instrument checks.
I SMS'd my father who's heading in to town (Perth) later today, he might drop in over the weekend to look at the toys, he'll be just another 87 yr old with a critical and curious eye.
Camping by rivers (and crossing them) is serious mum.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchq6F-gKkQ
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhrJCpc9lxM