Everyone always talks about freedom, adventure and posts great pictures of their vanlife surrounded by great nature. Instagram is full of perfect pictures depicting life on four wheels as an endless vacation. But between campfires and amazing sunsets, there are also some aspects that people rarely talk about. Things that no one tells you when you think about starting a nomadic adventure.
1 The weather dictates your life
No one prepares you for how much the weather dictates your daily life. On hot days, your van quickly turns into an oven, and when it’s cold or raining, you’re not really drawn to go out. The weather therefore demands a lot of spontaneity from you, more than you can imagine in a normal apartment and you might find yourself adapting your travel plans to the weather conditions.
And what happens if you do get sick due to a change in the weather? On the road, things can be a bit more complicated and a van normally doesn’t offer the same level of comfort to recover as a house does – limited space, no hot running water, and sometimes insufficient heating. Sometimes, Vanlife means slowing down, finding a safe spot, and giving yourself time to recover.
2 “Free” parking spaces are a myth
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you can just set up camp anywhere. In many countries, especially in Europe, wild camping is not allowed or at least not welcomed. You will have to learn to find the best spots, but also accept that sometimes you have to spend the night in cities or busy parking lots – far away from the idyllic Instagram backdrop.
Patience when looking for a parking space is certainly an important skill.
3 Toilets and showers are a luxury
One of the biggest challenges in Vanlife? The sanitary facilities. If your van doesn’t have an integrated shower or toilet, you’ll soon have to get creative. Public toilets, campsites, gyms or even a refreshing dip in the nearest river – all of these will quickly become routine. Nevertheless, you will have moments when you miss a hot, unlimited shower or a clean toilet.
4 Internet
If you work remotely like me, stable internet is essential. You’ll spend a lot of time here and there looking for places with good reception, setting up hotspots and planning your work around the best internet access in a quiet environment. The idea of living in harmony with nature is often far from reality.
5 Routine and structure are difficult to establish
Life on the road is unpredictable. There are no fixed working hours, no clear daily routine, no consistency. For some this is a dream, for others a challenge. It takes time to develop your own structure – be it for work, cooking or personal hygiene. Without a certain amount of discipline, life in the van can quickly become chaotic.
6 Minimalism is not always romantic
Many people imagine minimalist van life to be easy. But there are days when you feel the lack of space. You can’t just take everything you want with you. Every purchase becomes a conscious decision.
And sometimes you just long for space to spread out. One of my biggest false assumptions was: If you don’t own many things, chaos cannot arise! It takes some planning and discipline to use the space wisely. Especially if you have your friends over!
7 Loneliness – The other side of the coin
Vanlife can be a lonely lifestyle. While the freedom is tempting, sometimes the companionship is missing. You spend a lot of time alone, and although you can be out in nature a lot, you can crave company. This means you need to make a conscious effort to socialize – be it in vanlife communities or by meeting up with friends and family. Or you get yourself a different kind of travel buddy 😉
8 Van maintenance
Your van isn’t just your home, it’s also your means of transportation. This means that sooner or later you will have to deal with repairs and problems. Unfortunately, these things often cannot be planned for and can interfere with your travel plans or put a strain on your travel budget.
9 Laundry becomes a mission
An aspect that is often overlooked: Washing and drying clothes in Vanlife. You don’t have permanent access to a washing machine, and when you’re on the road you’ll have to rely on public laundromats, campsites or good old hand washing. You will learn to use your wardrobe sparingly and always have a supply of coins with you for the launderette.
Even there, not everything will always go according to plan. Some things may not be able to go in the dryer and even after the drying process, the laundry will often still be damp. And yes, there will be days when you long for the fresh smell of clean laundry!
Conclusion
Vanlife offers a lot of freedom, but it’s not always as romantic as it’s often portrayed. There are always challenges to overcome on the road. There will be days when you wonder why you chose this lifestyle, and others when you can’t imagine anything else.
If you’re curious about how you can overcome everyday challenges in the van while working remotely efficiently, read my article: Office Job Meets Vanlife Adventure. Here I share useful hacks and strategies for successfully mastering the nomadic lifestyle and taking the first steps towards it.
And if you’re just starting out in vanlife and don’t have your own van yet, you can easily rent a camper from Roadsurfer and see for yourself. Why Roadsurfer? They have flexible rental options, especially when it comes to longer-term rentals, and you can also offset the rental price if you want to buy the van afterwards. So you can start your own test run without any risks.
Ultimately, the beauty of vanlife, as always in life, lies in accepting the ups and downs – and the ability to make the most of every moment. Stay curious, open and ready for the unexpected – and above all: enjoy the journey, no matter where it takes you!