#VanLife travel: Essential tips to know before hitting the road

The latest buzzword, or rather hashtag, doing the rounds is #vanlife. Pop that hashtag in Instagram and you’ll be able to browse more than 5 million posts. And it’s not hard to see why.

Road trippin’ has always had that certain wanderer appeal. Now the idea of ‘van life’ is taking it one step further. Think of it as an extended road trip in a van, minibus, recreational vehicle (RV), except the van is also your home.

Tiny Houses made headlines a few years ago and one could say the ‘van life’ movement is an extension of that. If it doesn’t seem related, wait till you see some of the photos below. Van life is just a Tiny House on wheels.

Choose the right vehicle for your adventures

There are many different factors you need to look at, and the final decision will come down to your personal situation. That is, your budget, your preferences and your travel style.

Do you want comfort, or do you plan to drag family or friends with you on the trip of a lifetime? Then opt for a bigger 6-berth campervan or even a converted bus.

One of those would be perfect if you need extra sleeping space, bigger counters or work surfaces, a comfy relaxation area, etc.

Are you a minimalist, one-bag type traveller? Then something smaller like a minibus or a nice big ‘bakkie’, a Westfalia like the red one below, or RV might just be what you are looking for.

It’s important to go with something that suits your personality. If you’re not the most organised person, cramming everything in the smallest space possible could make you lose it.

Make a budget and stick to it

This is the tricky part. There are so many options available to you, it might get overwhelming. Are you going to rent, or buy? Will you be doing the renovations to a standard vehicle yourself; or hire someone to do it for you?

Are you going to just hit the road with 3 outfits and a sleeping bag in the back of your van, or do you want to go full out with a raised level sleeping deck, hidden storage, bathroom, kitchen, the works?

It is okay if you don’t know yet what you want. Really it is. It took me the better part of a year to figure out exactly what it was I wanted. The process will take time, and that is okay.

Two bits of advice: Subscribe to the ‘van life’ hashtag on Instagram for inspiration and motivation; follow other vanlifers to see exactly how they do it and what their living arrangement consists of.

And secondly, if money is a problem and you can’t just go out and buy a new campervan tomorrow cash, then you need to start saving as soon as possible. Even when you don’t know what you want just yet.

Open a separate savings account and starting putting something away every month or whenever you can. Thank me later.

Plan everything

This is optional. There are people out there who can pack an overnight bag in five minutes and leave on an adventure at the drop of the hat. I much as I want to be that impulsive, I’m not one of those people.

I am a minimalist traveller, but it took a lot of planning and trail and error to figure it all out.

For starters, I can’t afford to just go amazing travels whenever I want. I budget and I plan. For basics, at the very least. Leave some room for spontaneity, but plan for the basics: Food, safety, finances.

Some things to consider when drawing up your master plan:

• How long will you be travelling?
• Can you work while travelling or do you need to take leave?
• If you can work while travelling, are your wi-fi, GPS and tech needs in order?
• Do you have a specific route to follow, or will you just be winging it?
• If you have a route, do you need to book anything in advance?
• Will you be cooking on the road, or do you want to prepare everything beforehand?

• How will you be exercising? Living healthy while on the road can be tricky.
• Is your van safe? Do you have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, extra cash for emergencies? Are all the locks and alarms working?
• What creature comforts can you simply not go without? Electricity? Flushing toilet? Netflix? Gaming console? It’s possible to have all that, but plan!

• Can you change a tyre? Do an oil change? Prepare for any possible mechanical issue.
• If you’re travelling with a friend/partner/spouse, what will you do for some alone time?

And then there a million more things to consider. But if this is the type of adventure that speaks to your soul, then you’ll find a way. The more you research, the more sense it will start to make.