Van life – The rediscovery of travel without a destination, as a metaphor for freedom
We are losing the taste for the journey in every aspect of life. But our nature misses it and rebels. Van life thus becomes the embodiment of a paradigm shift.
Van life, dream or reality: To begin the adventure, you need a suitable vehicle, a few essentials and some form of livelihood. First of all, you have to get hold of a means of transport that can hold all your belongings and offer a minimum of comfort.
For many it is just a dream, but for some it has already become reality. Living in a very few square metres, with a ‘minimal’ approach, can be not only possible but even fantastic. Are you ready to find out whether life in a van is truly your dream or simply a utopia? Let’s look at the pros and cons of living on the road, the places to visit and the experiences to have.
Definition of van life
Van life, in Italian ‘vivere in un furgone’ (living in a van), means living full time or temporarily in a converted van, camper van or RV. Those who have adopted this lifestyle say that the benefits of van life are numerous: total freedom, reduced costs, direct contact with nature and with one’s own body (thanks to the physical activity needed for the daily set-up), and the continual discovery of new places. On the other hand, living in small spaces, you tend to own fewer things but of better quality, and it is precisely this simplicity that makes van life so appealing to many people.
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How to start and what you need
To begin the adventure, you need a suitable vehicle, a few essentials and some form of livelihood. First of all, you have to get hold of a means of transport that can hold all your belongings and offer a minimum of comfort. The simplest solution is to buy a vehicle that is already fitted out. A new vehicle has many advantages, but the drawback of often being too expensive for most pockets. A budget mini van costs between 10,000 and 20,000 euros, but is only enough for a few short trips of a few days or weeks. If we intend to live in it, even with minimal needs, the costs rise considerably. It will probably take between 40,000 and 60,000 euros.
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It goes without saying that, just as with ‘fixed’ homes, there is no upper limit to the price of mobile ones. Some companies have fitted out double-decker coaches. There is also the option, as with conventional cars, of turning to the second-hand market: even then, although you save thanks to the vehicle’s age, prices remain fairly high. Another solution might be to convert a suitable vehicle into a camper. There are several types of vehicle you can turn into a home on wheels: vans, off-road vehicles, minibuses, decommissioned military vehicles, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences. But remember, you will have to think about how you will get essential services, such as water, electricity and internet.
Converting a vehicle yourself can be a cheaper solution, but only if you have the technical skills to carry out at least part of the fitting-out work on your own. Otherwise, be careful, because it could cost more than a new vehicle.
Electric vans
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Using photovoltaic panels on conventional vans to generate the energy needed to run the fridge and other equipment inside is nothing new. In recent years, vans with electric motors have also appeared on the market. These are medium-sized vehicles able to cover a significant number of kilometres on battery power. A well-known German company has even proposed an electric reinterpretation of its famous ‘flower power’ minibus. Here too we are at the beginning and costs are still significant. What is expected, as with cars, is a fall in costs in this area as well, above all thanks to the falling price of storage.
Ready to set off?
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Our home on four wheels (sometimes there are even more wheels) is ready. We can finally set off for a short time, or to change our lives radically. First, though, a few more small tips. If you are going to travel a lot, you will need to plan your route, costs and any maintenance, but above all you will need to decide where to set up your van life, whether in a public car park, a campsite or other places. In Italy, not all municipalities look kindly on vans stopping in public car parks, so sometimes it will be crucial to establish which areas are designated for parking your vehicle. In more or less touristy areas there are equipped areas with electricity and water.
But costs go up. And if you travel abroad, it is wise to find out about local regulations: remember that in some areas you risk heavy fines and having your vehicle removed.
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How do you support yourself living in a van?
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We have bought a second-hand van and converted it into a home on wheels. We are good at odd jobs, so it may have been fairly cheap, but you also have to think about how to keep it in good condition, and more. Travelling often involves costs, such as fuel, insurance and vehicle maintenance. As in a ‘permanent’ home, you will have to buy food and other essentials for everyday life. So, unless you are lucky enough to be able to live without working, how do you support yourself? There are two typical approaches.
Work
One is to stay put in one place for a certain period of time to do some odd jobs, and then move on as soon as possible. The second is to do a job that does not require you to stay in one place. Some of these jobs might be software developers, web designers and all those roles in the chain that are based on a delivered result. For example, building a website or writing the source code for a programme.
The term ‘digital nomads’ is by now well known. Some of them live exactly like this, telling the story of their journey through social channels. They generally have large followings, and for this reason they manage to earn an income from their activity online.
Let freedom begin
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Well, we have told you a little about this trend, which is growing at a very fast pace around the world. You only have to spend time on social media to be ‘bombarded’ with the most varied videos or reels linked to this dream of freedom. People increasingly need to live in connection with nature and to break away from daily commitments that have become ever more burdensome.
On the other hand, we are by now well trained to be tied to goals, and the path to reach them is only the sum of other small intermediate goals. Van life is a reality for few and a dream for many, but it is also the metaphor of a new life in which the rediscovery of the path without a destination is allowed.
Sometimes we really feel we need it, because, as we know, the journey matters more than the destination. So happy rediscovery of travel, and a happy van life to everyone.
What you can find online about van life:
Online you can find several channels that talk about van life. We point out a few that we have found, but there are plenty of others that you can look for by simply typing the words van life or living in a camper, etc.
