Vanlife, to me, is about freedom. The kind you feel when you don’t have a fixed address, and the open road is your only plan. There’s something special about waking up to a different view every morning—sometimes it’s a remote forest tucked away from everything, sometimes it’s a rugged bit of coastline. Each day is unpredictable, and I’m all in for it.
Why Vanlife?
I’ve got to be real here—vanlife wasn’t just about wanting adventure; it was about needing change. Eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with PTSD, and over time that’s shifted into borderline personality disorder with auditory hallucinations. Anxiety has been a constant shadow, one that led me to lock myself away for the better part of ten years. I wasn’t living; I was just surviving, cut off from the world and from myself.
Vanlife has been my way out of that. Being on the road forces me to face things in a way I haven’t before. It’s not always easy—some days the anxiety still hits hard—but the open road gives me space. It gives me a way to break free from the cycle I’d been stuck in. Instead of shutting myself in, I’ve found something that pushes me out into the world, even when it’s uncomfortable.
I’m not saying vanlife has cured me—it hasn’t. But it’s given me a sense of control I didn’t have before. The freedom to leave when things get too much, or to stay and soak in the quiet when I need it. And in those moments, when it’s just me, the van, and a wide-open sky, I start to feel like myself again.
Building a New Rhythm
These past few months, I’ve been figuring out what vanlife really looks like for me. It’s not just about chasing the next picturesque spot (though there’s a lot of that), it’s about making this van my home. I’ve made a few tweaks to the bed-sofa setup and figured out how to make life more practical on the road. It’s a learning curve, but each adjustment brings me closer to feeling settled in this nomadic lifestyle.
Tash has been there every step of the way too. We’ve been together for 11 years now, and vanlife has been a whole new chapter for us. Biggie, our cat, has been surprisingly chill about it all—she’s adapted better than I expected.
Why This Blog?
Social media is great for the quick snapshots, but there’s a lot more to vanlife than a few
photos can show. That’s why I’m starting this blog—to share the whole story. The wins, the challenges, the moments that make vanlife worth every sacrifice.
I’m hoping this blog will resonate with others who are either living this lifestyle or dreaming about it. Whether you’re curious about what it’s really like living off-grid, or just enjoy reading about the adventure side of things, this is where I’ll be sharing it all.
What’s Next?
Honestly, I don’t know exactly what’s next—that’s the whole point of this journey. Vanlife is unpredictable, and I’m learning to embrace that. One day might bring a new hidden gem of a spot, and the next might throw a challenge I never saw coming. What I can say is that I’ll be sharing the real side of it all, as it happens.
From practical tips—like how to stay off-grid longer and the tweaks I’ve made to make vanlife more liveable—to stories from the road, you can expect a bit of everything here. Some days will be about the freedom of waking up to new horizons, and other days will dig into the mental challenges that come with living this way. But whatever happens, I’ll be bringing you along for the ride.
So, stick around if you’re up for the unexpected. This is just the beginning, and where it’ll take us, I’m not entirely sure—but that’s what makes it worth it.
