When I tell people that I live in a van, their first reaction is to offer assistance. There’s a funny conjecture to choosing a vehicle as a home, everyone thinks you’re struggling. I, personally, am not. I chose to live in a van to surf the best waves without the traffic and parking and, of course, the Southern California rent. The idea came on slowly then took form all at once and I’ve never been happier about such a big decision.
I didn’t commit to everything in the same swing. I first drove out to LA from Virginia in my Honda Element after being inspired by other you tubers living in Elements. I spent two months trying to make it work with the surfboards inside and the single body bed and no dog. It was cramped and not at all that glamorous, but I was surfing a lot and the waves were amazing. After a break in on the Element, I decided I needed to go all out vanlife or find an apartment. I flew back to Virginia, picked up my dog, bought a Promaster for half of what they sell for in California, and drove it back there a week later.
I didn’t build anything at first. I didn’t plan on keeping the van when I bought it. I thought I would stay for six months or so and then sell it in LA to make my money back and maybe even more. I put a sheet of plywood across the wheel wells with a piece of memory foam on top and a cooler in the middle for support. I didn’t really know how to build anything. That changed over time with random pieces of IKEA furniture and tips from Home Depot workers. I’ve gone through more builds than I can count as I’ve adjusted to fit more sports equipment and common conveniences into the 136” high top and over time it’s become mine. I’m definitely not selling it anymore.
I could never quite figure out how people were working from the road but since my primary hobby centered around the beach I didn’t really have to be out in the wilderness to enjoy myself. I kept my job from Virginia and simply transferred to a location as close to the Malibu as possible. That’s my favorite wave. Once I was comfortable with my routine and living expenses, I dropped down to part time and only work after the sun goes down so that the day is mine to surf and play and my dog is safe from overheating in the summer.
I love this arrangement as I still have people to interact with on a regular basis when living alone gets lonely. As opposed to meeting other many nomads, I know people who will always be in one place or another that I come back and visit. It’s also great financially. I still make more than I need as a part timer, so I can eat whatever I want without feeling guilty and I have health insurance, just in case, for all of my crazy activities. I wish at times that I could just take off and go for an extended period but I almost view that as a completely different genre of vanlife. Road and desert warriors are living with the views and the ride. My spirit doesn’t settle from being out in wilderness and I wish I could say I appreciated landscapes as much as others but I don’t. I might not even photograph it as I can’t imagine why anyone would want to see it on paper. I need activity and adrenaline. Surfing is fun, free and it wears you out. Beach cities centered around surfing also don’t have much of an issue with vans as it’s part of the culture. If I did go inland, it would be for motocross, which has much the same vibe on vans and motorhomes.
Now having lived in the van in the city for so long I don’t really want a house. I’m used to the convenience of getting dressed after I arrive and having everything I need as close as my parking space. I can’t tell you how many times someone has said ‘Oh if only we had...’ and I have said ‘I do! let me go run and get it’. I also have that extroverted introvert thing where I’ll go be the center of attention for a while, then get overwhelmed and need to escape. The van is great for that. I hang out in my bed for my lunch break and watch TV. If I get stuck in traffic, I go home and wait for it to clear up. I walk my dog somewhere new every day. Lots of advantages that home dwellers never realize.
Not everything about living in a van is perfect though. The lack of running water can be a pain if you don’t have a full conversion. I have a composting toilet but I don’t have a sink or real shower so brushing my teeth happens over a big cup or when I get to work. Having to drive all the way to the gym to shower is sometimes out of the way and inconvenient. Sometimes it’s embarrassing to get out because people are hanging out just outside. People often think you’re homeless if you live in a vehicle . I use to periscope and wait until no one was around before I exiting my van. I’ve gotten better with people making that assumption about me over time.
Lots of people that I know have come to hang out or see the van and get very inspired, I have to remind them that the lifestyle is not for everyone. I’m content to be mostly active and outside. If I were more of a home person, I think I would go stir crazy because it’s just not enough space to be in all the time. I realize this mostly when it gets rainy or flat and I can surf or skate or anything. It also doesn’t support large wardrobes or a lot of stuff. I had to let go of some things that I never thought I would in order to get into this van. I think the best way to attack it if you were serious would be first to rent for two weeks or so and see how you do. Then get your own van but make a contingency plan so you could always get out of it. Its pretty likely that if you get to that point you won’t back out but that back up plan is nice. Know yourself. I’m glad that I went against what everyone said but I knew what was important to me beforehand. Take some time, think it out and enjoy your outcome, even if it doesn’t end in a van.
Follow along with Natasha’s adventures.
Produced, edited and published by Jared Melrose Campbell @youandiandthesky & @vanlifediaries