Hello adventurers. We find ourselves today with a new category.. Those who follow me on my social networks Instagram and Facebook, already know that I have embarked on a brand new adventure! That of VANLIFE. Yes, after years of dreaming in front of the photos of a few vanlifers like Three Vanlifers, I finally started this big project with my wife. Today I am going to share with you the 5 reasons that led me to buy a van in 2021.
Arizona Sauvage
As you may have noticed, I have been an expatriate in Arizona for 3 years now. I travel this beautiful state, usually by car, sleeping in a tent among scorpions, snakes and coyotes. Despite that, I love camping, but in Arizona we have some problems, from insects to the crushing summer heat, which can reach 50 degrees… And in winter, we have negative temperatures. Indeed, it does not really make you want to camp in this overwhelming heat with our little dog Lexi. This is one of the main reasons for buying our van. Being able to be independent, summer and winter, minimizing possible dehydration or freezing your toes without being able to enjoy the moment. The van: A little girl’s dream
Life in a van has been a dream since I was little, lulled by my grandfather’s stories from the four corners of France, and my father’s dream of going around in a van. This is where my passion for adventure begins and my dream of one day being able to travel by van.
Before leaving for the USA, I had a plan drawn up in my head. I went to the USA for a year to learn and master the English language, then I bought myself a van and traveled around Australia and New Zealand… As you may have noticed, my projects quickly changed direction, I married an American and stayed to live in Arizona. But that’s not what discouraged me. The incredible possibilities as a photographer, videographer in the United States only reinforced my desire to evolve into a digital nomad.
The global pandemic of 2020
Let’s talk about it, we have all suffered the full brunt of the 2020 pandemic and which continues in other ways to complicate our lives. A wave of travel bloggers who found themselves stranded in France started this alternative life in vanlife, which I followed closely.
After 2 great years of driving around with my Subaru, I needed a change. The fact of having remained isolated in quarantine, it increased tenfold my desires for freedom and wide open spaces. I am a person who likes to be in contact with nature, to watch and enjoy the world around us… And the total closure has been a long period of doubt and questioning like many of you I am sure. That being said, my ideas got stronger and we started looking for our rare pearl.
From lost student to Digital Nomad in a van
I have a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Social, I continued with a degree in information and communication, which turned out not to be my cup of tea. In class, I have always been dreaming, my head in the clouds… (clique ici pour en savoir plus)
But how do you do a job you love?
So, my little adventurer, there is no miracle recipe unfortunately.
For me, my click was the fact of wanting to be outside at all times. I touched on communication, design, prospecting, events, the economy, even working with children. Unfortunately, none of this appealed to me deep down. Fortunately, when you search and dig, you can go further. I found myself on au pair programs, working with children and traveling! A perfect compromise to learn English while travelling.
Gradually came the end of the program, the wedding… but always with the desire to travel. During these two years I loved sharing my travels in the land of Uncle Sam and it was there that my passion for video and photography developed… where I started with just a small GoPro and a phone …
Then, over time, I trained with online classes. Since then, I live my life on a small cloud, and I see each day as a victory. Having clients come to me is very rewarding. Never hesitate, there will be pitfalls along the way. But once overcome, you will become even stronger, believe me!
– Am I able to convert a van myself?
– This is already the last question but not the least.
– Am I able to convert a van myself?
It is true that I have often asked myself this question. Is this project not going to please me like all the others that I have been able to undertake? Am I able to build something with my own hands?
The answer is YES, I think that’s where the beauty lies in converting a van yourself. Being able to build a van with your own hands is a personal satisfaction. You have to be multitasking, know how to paint, screw, make plans, clean, cut and many other things… So yes, building a van by myself is really not that easy. In Arizona, it’s over 40 degrees, so it’s way too hot for almost everything, glue, insulation. But I’m not discouraged, I get up very early and then I work for a few hours…
But all this, I will explain it to you in my next articles. Do not miss my next articles to know the stages of our beginning of vanlife!
I see you there then Thank you for reading this article. Feel free to leave me a comment if this article helped you decide on buying a van!