Vandwelling remains a fantasy for many daydreaming travelers. Roaming the country in your car with a friend or by yourself is an exciting but seemingly far-off dream. However, for those with the wherewithal to follow through on their desires, these are things to consider when living a nomadic van life.
Carefully Choose Your Vehicle
Your vehicle will be your home base where you spend most of your time. Ensuring that you can comfortably live in it reliably enough to last through your ventures is an essential aspect to keep in mind. The romantic image you had of driving a Volkswagen Type 2 may have to be adjusted for reliability if you can’t manage to maintain it independently with limited tools and parts. The upkeep of maintaining your van must also be considered before traveling thousands of miles in it. Fuel efficiency, electricity, gas, and other factors go into ensuring your ventures don’t run your wallet dry faster than you expect.
Make Sure You Can Sleep Well
There’s a reason that people don’t willingly live in their sedans. Living comfortably and sleeping well is important for your vandwelling lifestyle and your health. Lack of sleep leads to several potentially long-term side effects, including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and even heart failure in the worst-case scenarios. It is a good idea to take your travels in spacious living conditions that allow you to stand and stretch when needed. Comfortable lounging accommodations go a long way when making the journey fun and enjoyable.
Your Experience Is Yours Alone
There are plenty of posts about van life, and they sometimes get to be a bit glamourous and dream-like. Understand that what you see online won’t often reflect the reality of things. Not everyone can have a giant trailer to live in or be witnessing amazing natural sights every day. Van life is a gritty but gratifying experience, and understanding this earlier on sets you up with the right expectations when going into this lifestyle long-term.
Maintain Healthy Habits
Many things you take for granted won’t always hit you right away. Thinking of how to shower or maintain your vehicle is essential when thinking of things to consider when living a nomadic van life. Understand the tricks to make your battery last longer to help safeguard yourself from possible mishaps. Keep your vehicle clean and organized; getting sloppy in your living space invites less efficient habits that only serve to inhibit your overall experience on the road. Many paid campgrounds, truck stops, and gyms offer showers for an affordable fee and are worth the consideration as well.
Van life is far from a paradise on the road, but by keeping these things in mind and going forth with realistic expectations, you’ll find yourself happily accustomed to a new lifestyle before you know it.
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