Cairo woman converts bus into tiny house - in pictures

  • Egyptian engineer Yara Shalabi, 39, converted a bus into a home after rent and living expenses in her flat in Cairo, Egypt, became too high.
    Egyptian engineer Yara Shalabi, 39, converted a bus into a home after rent and living expenses in her flat in Cairo, Egypt, became too high.
  • Yara Shalabi wanted to save on rent and start her retirement project early.
    Yara Shalabi wanted to save on rent and start her retirement project early.
  • So she bought a bus and started renovating.
    So she bought a bus and started renovating.
  • Yara Shalabi works on converting the coach into a home.
    Yara Shalabi works on converting the coach into a home.
  • The decommissioned bus that Yara Shalabi converted into a home.
    The decommissioned bus that Yara Shalabi converted into a home.
  • Yara Shalabi looks out from her new home.
    Yara Shalabi looks out from her new home.
  • Yara Shalabi in the kitchen of her bus home.
    Yara Shalabi in the kitchen of her bus home.
  • Yara Shalabi's son in their home on wheels.
    Yara Shalabi's son in their home on wheels.
  • A view of the bus interior after Yara Shalabi's conversion.
    A view of the bus interior after Yara Shalabi's conversion.
  • 'I love driving and exploring natural spaces around us, and for financial reasons, I realised that I didn't have to wait until I was 60 or 70 to fulfil this dream,' Yara Shalabi says.
    'I love driving and exploring natural spaces around us, and for financial reasons, I realised that I didn't have to wait until I was 60 or 70 to fulfil this dream,' Yara Shalabi says.
  • 'I could start now, I could stop paying the rent that has been draining me for years and finally live in the place I'd always dreamt of living in when I grew up.'
    'I could start now, I could stop paying the rent that has been draining me for years and finally live in the place I'd always dreamt of living in when I grew up.'
  • Yara Shalabi says: 'I can now use the money that I was paying in rent as instalments on a house for the next three to four years, and then buy my own place, and solve this rent problem.'
    Yara Shalabi says: 'I can now use the money that I was paying in rent as instalments on a house for the next three to four years, and then buy my own place, and solve this rent problem.'
  • Yara Shalabi plans to use the bus as a permanent home and as transport and lodgings combined for trips into Egypt's deserts.
    Yara Shalabi plans to use the bus as a permanent home and as transport and lodgings combined for trips into Egypt's deserts.