We sold our flat in London and moved into a Van!
Let’s face it. 2020 has been a massive stinker. With the global pandemic sweeping across the world. Our big travel plans this year were shelved. And, after finding ourselves cooped up in our flat in London, but with our jobs going 100% digital. We started thinking about what made us happy…
So in September we sold our flat, gave away or sold our possessions, and now we live in roughly 3 by 7 metres of Mercedes sprinter van, puppy and all. Oh yeah, did we mention we’ve now got a little mate, Frank? Check him out here.
So, you’re here to find out what we’ve learnt from van life so far. While we spent a month locked down on a parent’s driveway. We’ve loved our experience so far. Although it’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows like they make you believe on YouTube..
Here’s five things we’ve learnt so far!
1. Like privacy? Don’t forget to turn the lights off
If, like us, you’re a tad forgetful at times, try to remember just one thing. During the day, the tinted windows work like magic, and you can hardly see inside; but, at night, when the lights are on inside and you’re getting ready for bed, you’ll be giving the neighbours a right view without meaning to.
2. Look after your water supply, and it’ll look after you
Gone are the days of an endless water supply. It sounds romantic, doesn’t it, using less water and looking after the environment in the process. Of course, it’s true, you do use less water, and if you are careful with it, your water supply can last ages. But, it just takes that one day; one day when it’s freezing outside, and that ‘one more won’t hurt’ glass of wine you had last night has tipped your dry mouth over the edge. You’ve got to brave the walk to the water taps and lug back a full water container, all whilst pretending that you’re fine and this is the vanlife you always wanted. The lesson here is: check your water, and make sure you’ve always got enough for the next day!
3. A steady internet connection can make or break your day
We wish we’d really appreciated how lucky we were for a fast and stable internet connection when we lived in our flat. Don’t get us wrong, our internet in the van is great, but nothing can beat a steady, wired connection. Because when the mobile signal freaks out, and you find yourself in the seemingly only internet black spot in the entire country, you might want to throw the router out the window.
But when it does work, what an amazing feeling it is to be remote working and binge watching your favourite shows, knowing you’re outside in the wilderness. Just check out the latest office view here:
After a bit of test and learn (and lots of swearing) we landed on a Sim card from EE (the most connected network in the UK), a Huawei MiFi box and aerial and, for those times we can’t get a mobile signal for love nor money, a stick on Poynting 4G aerial.
4. Ventilation is key. And in the winter – moisture is the enemy!
This is a common issue for van lifers who chose to stay in the UK over winter. Our cold, wet, drizzly climate is the perfect recipe for moisture retention. And moisture retention can easily lead to mould and damp! They definitely don’t show you this on the van life videos!
But this was a lesson we learnt quickly. And, because of the way the van is designed, we’ve gotten very good at maintaining airflow through the van, and moisture is sucked through our two ceiling fans. But we’ve also had to make a few tweaks. Bathroom mould resistant paint has been a life-saver under the mattress. And so too has this cheap mattress air flow mat!
5. Home is where you park it – and damn it’s cosy
We’ve not lived in a van during the summer months yet, but we’re certainly enjoying the cosiness the winter is bringing. There’s something so cosy about small, well insulated, blanket laden spaces. And the best bit? You can pop the kettle on anywhere. After a long wintery walk, you’re home. Straight away. Within five minutes, feet up, tea in hand (and hopefully cake too), and you’re warm, dry and happy, with (sometimes) a lovely view to kick back to.
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These Wild Journeys 