*This post was originally written February 25, 2018
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Van life….
VAN LIFE!
I still can’t believe it.
A few months ago, a crazy idea was presented to me. I was already planning on doing an extensive roadtrip in 2018, I even had a general road map figured out. But before I could do anything else I needed to get myself a vehicle. Having just moved out of the city (Toronto), where I used public transit, I did not have a car. I rented now and again, but now I would need something to take on the road. Ideally something I could sleep in if I had to, but camping was going to be a big part of the trip.
Enter: camper vans.
This is a trip I am embarking on alone, and as a single twenty-something female, safety is a priority. I’m not one to shy away from doing something just because I don’t have a partner in crime, but there’s a difference between being brave or independent and tempting fate.
A friend mentioned the camper van trend and my plans immediately began to morph. I perused Instagram accounts and blogs and the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the best thing to do.
Then, in a miraculously fateful moment, I stumbled upon a blogger named Anna (Spin the Globe Project). She had just uploaded a YouTube video telling her story and experiences of solo van life! She even addressed the safety concerns, stating that it was not nearly as bad as she was expecting. Typically she has not been disturbed or run into any trouble. BOY was that a relief to hear! And probably the turning point for me that transformed this idea into a plan.
Queue Bryan Adams: Open Road
While it might sound like the decision to get a van was an easy or spontaneous one, I put a lot of thought into it. This is a commitment. It’s a big decision. It’s crazy… right? It seemed so surreal to me, so out of the realm of possibility. But at the same time it felt right.
Growing up, one of my idols was Christopher McCandless. The young man who gave his $24,000 in savings to charity and hit the road after graduating university. His goal was to live off the land. It’s a tragic story, as he eventually did just that, but it also led to his death in Alaska. It teaches about the perils of nature and how fleeting life is. But it also teaches about the strength, and bravery, and independence, and getting back to the land and our connection to it, which has been so lost in our age of technology and concrete jungles.
I suppose you could say that Chris is one of the people to thank for my decision to embark on such a trip.
But it’s not that simple either.
My Dad also had an impact on this path. He died suddenly a few years ago. He was the epitome of a man you could look up to. He set the bar high. He went straight through school to get a PhD in physics, worked with NASA, was a talented runner and pianist… and he always had his family’s best interests at heart. But one of the heartbreaking aspects of his story is that he spent his whole life working toward retirement. He had his money saved so he could start living his dream. And just a couple of years shy of this goal, it was all taken away from him. He never got to live out his dream.
I learned from that. Life is short. I could die tomorrow. What if I never get this chance again? Why wait? If not now, when? And won’t I enjoy the travel more while I’m still young? While I am still open to new things and not yet set in my ways?
Beyond that, there is a fire within me that has something to prove. I want to prove to myself that I can do anything on my own.
I thought to myself, as I teetered on the fence between van life or no van life, that this decision may very well impact how I live the rest of my life. This is a crucial juncture. It’s going to set the tone. And how do I want to live my life? Doing crazy things I’ll always remember? Or chickening out and regretting the things I never did? I do not want to get to my death bed and be able to think about the things I didn’t do.
And with that, the decision was made.
I even have a theme song…
Back story: Josh Homme technically died. He was having knee surgery and his heart stopped. It affected him deeply and you can see the darker side of the experience in the album …Like Clockwork. But their latest release, Villains, to me at least, speaks to all the things in life you want to take advantage of while you can. Doing what YOU want and not giving a damn what anyone thinks of it. All the little moments to appreciate. And above all, to go out and GET THEM. The great things in life are not going to fall into our laps. And we can’t let fear keep us from our dreams, or at least trying to reach them. …Like Clockwork came at a time in my life when I was also facing death. Villains came when I was feeling ready to start living again. Talk about synchronicity.
Next up: getting the van.
This was a gruelling process. While I used to share a family car with my sister, this is my very first vehicle that I can call my own (I know I know – never in a million years would I have thought that my first car would be a cargo van that I used to envision creepy old men looking to abduct children in… no offence to the business and construction guys who drive these beasts). I had never purchased a vehicle, never gotten my own auto insurance, never cared for a vehicle, and didn’t know the first thing about telling whether a used vehicle was in good shape or what features I wanted (like engine type, rear wheel drive, etc.). So I spent hours looking into everything I might need to know. I also called on a couple of family and friends for advice.
I chose the Chevy Express because it has a long history of reliability and they are literally everywhere – so it has a level of stealth built in for when I don’t want to draw attention to myself.
On a sidenote – while it takes some getting used to to drive, it really isn’t any bigger than those Ram trucks that are everywhere – length and width is the same, only difference would be that I have a covered cargo bay. Also, the seats are high up and I feel like a kid on a carnival ride…
There were a few frustrating hurdles to the process, especially getting insurance when I plan to do modifications, travel, and use a commercial vehicle for personal use. But in the end it all worked out and I now have myself a cargo van, soon to be camper van.
Honestly, it still hasn’t fully sunk in that I own this van and I am going to remodel the interior cargo bay and take it out on an international road trip. There is still a lot of work to be done. For now I am getting to know my new vehicle, waiting for inspiration to strike so I can give her a name, and continuing to research about vehicles, camper vans, van life, and travels.
I estimate that when April hits and the temperatures have risen it will be the perfect time for the reno to begin.
And for now the trip is set to begin this summer…
Lots to come…
I’ll leave you with another song that speaks to me. TPR is definitely a favourite band and Who You Selling For? is a great question to ask. What part of yourself have you sacrificed? Are you doing what you want? Are you being true to yourself? These are all questions that were directly relevant to my decision to embark on van life. If you’re not living your life, who’s life are you living? Who are you selling for? Bands aren’t the only ones who can be sell outs. And I am going to make sure I don’t sell out my life.
“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”
– Carl Sandburg
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Chronic X-Roads 