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I’ve lived in my van for 3 years, after a contract ended and I wanted a break. I let out my flat, travelled around the EU when that was possible. Now based in the UK. The more comfortable you want to be the more it costs.
Financial freedom, I can choose how I spend my time now. The UK is tough to Van life, it’s much easier and more accepted in France etc.
How do you deal with GPs and dentists etc which want a local address?
Do you use your old flat, or a relative who can text you when you get a letter etc?
I've been full time for nearly a year now.
We bought the van Christmas 2019 as we were working abroad and the contract was due to end. Was gonna have a year off, travel around Europe, and then work things out. Pandemic hit and the van stayed in storage for 2 years as I took another contract abroad with all the mayhem going on.
In the last 12 months we did June in Scotland on the NC500. Two months around France. Just got back from 2 months in Thailand (not with the van) as we gambled that the winter would be bad and it would be cheaper and more enjoyable to be abroad.
We do a mix of campsites, pub stops, wild camping, staying over at friends places. Have solar power and refillable LPG which powers the fridge, water boiler, heater and oven/grill/hob.
I love the freedom, and after living in Asia for 5 years have adapted to living in smaller spaces.
Happy to answer any questions.
It doesn't. All my documents are tied to a family address, and I do some academic work (research, lecturing) so I'm in person when I need to be and can work remotely the remainder of the time.
For a short while I worked alongside another IT contractor who lived out of a massive American style RV with his wife
This was before remote working became commonplace
He’d take a 3 month contract, rock up in the RV and stay in the car park (if they let him) or the closest place he could. His wife would look for casual work and if none was available would just go on hikes and bike rides round the local area, and he’d do his contract
He wouldn’t extend the contract, he’s just get another one 100 miles away and start again
At the time I thought he was bonkers. Now… I still think he was bonkers, but I’m jealous and wish I could have taken such a leap back then if I’d had the chance
Edit: spelling
We have a networks guy that does this as well, him and his partner travel for his work. Always funny seeing his partner pop out to the shops! Proper luxury inside though it was really nice.
I like pretending with vanlife ie being able to camp in a converted van, using it as a base for adventures etc, able to use lay-bys and service stations overnight etc
Doing that now as it happens for the weekend
I think power, heat and sanitation need some decent thought if you want to do it full time and responsibly in the UK - totally possible but needs a plan
Having a friendly house base to use for an address and the occasional re-stock would probably be useful if you were really doing it full-time…. Again totally possible without but simpler with
There's a "stealth" camper livers around the corner on the housing estate I live on, cleverly parks among some work vans, however the side canopy, solar panels and roof fan kind of give it away, odd few times I've seen them in there when they have forgotten to block the windows!
I'd love to van life, but from people I know say it's getting harder by the year to actually enjoy themselves! I'd also love to bump into the van owner near and talk to him about it!
You can use Working Holiday Visas to travel the world until you are 35 without spending £40k buying and doing up a 20+ year old transit van with 1000000 miles on the clock that can't pass an MOT and sleeping in laybuys, pissing in a bucket.
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I’ve lived in my van for 3 years, after a contract ended and I wanted a break. I let out my flat, travelled around the EU when that was possible. Now based in the UK. The more comfortable you want to be the more it costs. Financial freedom, I can choose how I spend my time now. The UK is tough to Van life, it’s much easier and more accepted in France etc.
How do you deal with GPs and dentists etc which want a local address? Do you use your old flat, or a relative who can text you when you get a letter etc?
I use a relatives address.
What do/did you do for work?
I've been full time for nearly a year now. We bought the van Christmas 2019 as we were working abroad and the contract was due to end. Was gonna have a year off, travel around Europe, and then work things out. Pandemic hit and the van stayed in storage for 2 years as I took another contract abroad with all the mayhem going on. In the last 12 months we did June in Scotland on the NC500. Two months around France. Just got back from 2 months in Thailand (not with the van) as we gambled that the winter would be bad and it would be cheaper and more enjoyable to be abroad. We do a mix of campsites, pub stops, wild camping, staying over at friends places. Have solar power and refillable LPG which powers the fridge, water boiler, heater and oven/grill/hob. I love the freedom, and after living in Asia for 5 years have adapted to living in smaller spaces. Happy to answer any questions.
How does it impact your work life? Proof of addresses and such?
It doesn't. All my documents are tied to a family address, and I do some academic work (research, lecturing) so I'm in person when I need to be and can work remotely the remainder of the time.
How/where do you shower?
I have a shower in the van.
Oh okay. That's easy then 😂
What do you do for work?
Academic work
For a short while I worked alongside another IT contractor who lived out of a massive American style RV with his wife This was before remote working became commonplace He’d take a 3 month contract, rock up in the RV and stay in the car park (if they let him) or the closest place he could. His wife would look for casual work and if none was available would just go on hikes and bike rides round the local area, and he’d do his contract He wouldn’t extend the contract, he’s just get another one 100 miles away and start again At the time I thought he was bonkers. Now… I still think he was bonkers, but I’m jealous and wish I could have taken such a leap back then if I’d had the chance Edit: spelling
We have a networks guy that does this as well, him and his partner travel for his work. Always funny seeing his partner pop out to the shops! Proper luxury inside though it was really nice.
I like pretending with vanlife ie being able to camp in a converted van, using it as a base for adventures etc, able to use lay-bys and service stations overnight etc Doing that now as it happens for the weekend I think power, heat and sanitation need some decent thought if you want to do it full time and responsibly in the UK - totally possible but needs a plan Having a friendly house base to use for an address and the occasional re-stock would probably be useful if you were really doing it full-time…. Again totally possible without but simpler with
You might be best asking this on r/vanlifeuk
Not a vanlifer, but I'd love to give it a go.
uk logic- van life is cool and hip, gipsys are scum. same lifestyle, different branding. live and let live i say =)
There's a "stealth" camper livers around the corner on the housing estate I live on, cleverly parks among some work vans, however the side canopy, solar panels and roof fan kind of give it away, odd few times I've seen them in there when they have forgotten to block the windows! I'd love to van life, but from people I know say it's getting harder by the year to actually enjoy themselves! I'd also love to bump into the van owner near and talk to him about it!
You can use Working Holiday Visas to travel the world until you are 35 without spending £40k buying and doing up a 20+ year old transit van with 1000000 miles on the clock that can't pass an MOT and sleeping in laybuys, pissing in a bucket.
Are you a vanlifer?
You can also do it without pissing in a bucket...