10 reasons why caravan life SUCKS
Summary
TLDRBrett and Mel, a family of four, share their nomadic lifestyle in an 18-foot Vancouver Family HTO, candidly discussing the challenges of van life. They address issues like finding campsites, space constraints, maintaining hygiene, and the impact of weather on their living situation. Despite the hardships, they cherish the freedom and experiences it offers, providing a balanced view of the less glamorous aspects of full-time van living.
Takeaways
- 🏞️ Finding campsites and parking can be challenging, especially during peak times and in busy areas.
- 📚 Balancing school and homeschooling with a nomadic lifestyle requires careful planning and can be stressful.
- 🚐 Limited space in a van leads to constant organization and can quickly become cluttered, affecting daily life.
- 💼 Jobs and chores like emptying the toilet cassette and managing resources are part of daily life on the road.
- 🚿 Hygiene and toileting in a van can be less than ideal, with limited water supply and space for showers.
- 👨👩👧👦 The lack of a stable community and having to frequently say goodbye to friends can be emotionally taxing.
- 🏡 Living on the road can lead to feelings of isolation and being on the fringe of society.
- ⚖️ Legal and logistical issues like mail, education, and voting can be difficult to manage without a fixed address.
- 🌤️ Weather conditions greatly impact the quality of life in a caravan, with no control over the elements.
- 💡 Power management is crucial, with solar power being the main source and the recent addition of Starlink affecting energy usage.
- 📦 Receiving mail and packages is a logistical challenge, often requiring advanced planning and flexibility.
- 🔧 Constant maintenance and repairs are part of van life, but they also foster self-reliance and practical skills.
- 🌐 Internet access is essential for work and school, and the reliance on reception or satellite connections can be limiting.
Q & A
How long have Brett and Mel been living full time in their 18-foot Vancouver Family HTO?
-Brett and Mel have been living full time in their 18-foot Vancouver Family HTO for the last two years.
What are some of the challenges faced when finding campsites during peak times like school holidays?
-During peak times like school holidays, it can be very expensive and stressful to find a place to stay. They have to plan well in advance, which can limit their ability to explore an area properly due to the need to stick to a schedule.
What is the issue with Hipcamps and national parks as described in the script?
-The issue with Hipcamps and national parks is that the photos taken by professional photographers can be misleading, making the places look better than they actually are. Additionally, when booking national parks, they often end up with sites next to toilets, which can make camping unpleasant.
How does the limited space in the van affect the family's daily life?
-The limited space in the van requires the family to be very tidy and organized. It can quickly become messy, and accessing items can be difficult due to the confined space. They also have to deal with broken sleep and a lack of privacy.
What are some of the daily chores that the family has to do while living on the road?
-Daily chores include emptying the cassette toilet, finding water, dumping waste, getting food, and disposing of rubbish. On travel days, these tasks can be particularly tiring and time-consuming.
How does the family manage toileting and hygiene in their van?
-The family uses a chemical toilet in the van, which requires them to empty it regularly. The toilet is close to their bed and dining area, which can be unpleasant. They also have a shower in the van, but due to limited water supply, they have to be efficient and not shower every day.
What are the social implications of living a nomadic lifestyle as described in the script?
-Living a nomadic lifestyle can be isolating as they don't have a consistent community. They may go months without talking to other adults and have to frequently say goodbye to new friends they make on the road.
What are some of the legal and logistical challenges faced by the family due to their nomadic lifestyle?
-The family faces challenges such as receiving mail, ensuring vehicle maintenance, providing education for their kids, and voting in elections. These tasks are complicated by their constant movement and the lack of a fixed address.
How does the weather affect their lifestyle and what measures do they take to cope with it?
-The weather greatly affects their lifestyle as they rely on the sun for solar power and can be uncomfortable if the weather turns bad. They have to be conscious of their power usage and may need to move to a caravan park if the weather doesn't allow them to generate enough solar power.
What are the financial implications of fuel costs on their travels?
-Fuel costs are a significant expense for the family, especially as they need to move north in winter and south in summer to chase the sun. The rising cost of fuel can be a burden, and they are already considering the high cost of moving north again.
How does the family handle maintenance and repairs on the road?
-The family faces constant maintenance and repair issues with their van and car. They have learned to be self-reliant and handle many repairs themselves, which has been a significant learning experience and a source of pride.
What is the impact of the internet on their lifestyle, and how do they manage it?
-The internet is crucial for their work and school, and they recently purchased Starlink for a reliable connection. However, it requires a significant amount of power and a clear line of sight to the sky, adding another layer of consideration when choosing campsites.
Outlines
🏕️ Challenges of Full-Time Van Living
Brett and Mel discuss the realities of living in an 18-foot Vancouver Family HTO van full-time with their family. They acknowledge that while they often showcase the positive aspects of their travels in their weekly vlogs, the lifestyle is not without its difficulties. Key challenges include finding suitable campsites, which can be expensive and crowded, especially during school and public holidays. They also mention the anxiety of getting the caravan into tight spots and leveling it, which can be stressful. The couple emphasizes that van life is not for everyone, but they love the way they live, despite the less glamorous sides.
🚫 Space Constraints and Daily Chores
The family of four living in a 17-foot van faces the challenge of limited space, which quickly becomes cluttered with everyday items. They must be meticulous about tidiness and storage. The video highlights the inconvenience of an East-West bed configuration, where one person has to clamber over another to use the toilet at night. Additionally, they discuss the lack of dedicated workspace and the necessity of efficient packing and organization. The daily chores are highlighted, including managing a cassette toilet, which requires regular emptying, and the tiring nature of travel days that involve finding water, dumping waste, and securing accommodation.
🚿 Hygiene, Laundry, and the Lack of Community
The script touches on the less glamorous aspects of van life, such as toileting and hygiene. The close proximity of the toilet to the living and sleeping areas can be uncomfortable, and the shower setup is basic and water-conserving, leading to less frequent showers than in a traditional home. Laundry is done manually due to the absence of a washing machine, adding to the chores. The family also experiences the lack of a stable community, as they frequently have to say goodbye to new friends, which can be emotionally challenging for both adults and children.
⚖️ Legalities, Weather Dependence, and the Cost of Living
Legal and logistical challenges are discussed, such as receiving mail and ensuring proper education for the children while on the road. The family is also entirely dependent on the weather, as they rely on solar power and are affected by adverse conditions that can damage their living situation or require them to move. The high cost of fuel and the need to travel to different seasons place a financial strain on their lifestyle. Additionally, the script mentions the recent acquisition of Starlink for internet access, which, while a game-changer, adds to their power consumption and requires a clear line of sight to operate.
📦 Mail and Shipping Hassles, Maintenance, and Internet Connectivity
Receiving mail and packages is described as a logistical nightmare, requiring advanced planning and sometimes resulting in additional costs and efforts for redirection. Maintenance and repairs are constant, with minor issues arising weekly that require attention and financial outlay. The need for internet connectivity for work and school adds another layer of complexity to finding suitable campsites, as they must now also consider the availability of a clear sky for their Starlink satellite internet connection.
🌟 Embracing the Van Life Despite the Drawbacks
Despite the numerous challenges outlined, the family expresses their love for van life and their commitment to continuing this lifestyle. They acknowledge the less glamorous aspects but emphasize the new experiences, quality time with their children, and the people they meet as rewards that outweigh the difficulties. The video concludes by encouraging those interested in this lifestyle to consider both the positive and negative aspects before making the leap.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Van life
💡Caravan parks
💡School holidays
💡Space constraints
💡Cassette toilet
💡Travel days
💡Community
💡Nomadic lifestyle
💡Weather dependency
💡Fuel costs
💡Internet connectivity
Highlights
Living in an 18-foot Vancouver Family HTO full time for two years.
Producing weekly Vlogs documenting their travels and adventures.
Acknowledging the tendency to romanticize their lifestyle by focusing on positives.
Admitting that their nomadic lifestyle is not easy and not for everyone.
Discussing the challenges of finding campsites and parking in busy areas.
The difficulty of securing spots during school and public holidays.
The issue of overcrowded caravan parks and the stress of planning ahead.
Misleading online photos of campgrounds and the reality of the campsite conditions.
The limited space in their 17-foot van and the need for constant tidiness.
The inconvenience of a small living space affecting daily routines and sleep.
The responsibilities and chores of living on the road, including dealing with a cassette toilet.
The tiring nature of travel days due to the many tasks involved.
The lack of privacy and hygiene challenges with a toilet in close proximity to living spaces.
Managing water consumption for cooking, drinking, and limited showering.
The absence of a washing machine and the manual effort required for laundry.
The feeling of isolation and lack of community while constantly moving.
The legal and logistical challenges of a nomadic lifestyle, including mail and education.
The impact of weather on their living situation and the reliance on solar power.
The high cost and inconvenience of fuel for seasonal migration.
The logistical nightmare of receiving mail and packages while on the move.
The constant need for maintenance and repairs on their vehicle and caravan.
The struggle with internet connectivity for work and school before getting Starlink.
The mixed feelings about van life, acknowledging both its challenges and rewards.
Transcripts
at home with my family we don't need
Anne do we all right perfect well let's
write that one out for your teacher okay
I'm just gonna go and get you a pencil
yeah
sorry Kaylee
g'day I'm Brett and I'm Mel and we've
been living full time in our 18-foot
Vancouver Family HTO for the last two
years we've also been putting out a
weekly Vlog of our travels and
Adventures for the last two years and we
might be just a little bit guilty of
romanticizing this lifestyle we kind of
tend to focus on the positives rather
than the negatives our lifestyle is
definitely not easy there are lots of
ups and downs and lots of challenges and
it's definitely not for everyone that
said we do really love the way that
we're living but we want to have a go at
sharing the less glamorous sides of the
way that we live number one finding
camps and parking so sometimes you need
to be near reception although that can
hardly be changed now thanks to starlink
it can be hard and expensive to find
places to stay especially if you're in a
busy area and you have no choice but to
go to a caravan Park sometimes they're
so squishy and it's really hard to park
especially for everyone watching other
times you're going to be looking for a
free camp and you do find one but guess
what all of the good sites are taken and
you are left with the smallest tightest
most unlevel site that's there and uh
getting the Caravan backed into that
spot and leveled out can cause a lot of
anxiety another problem for us is school
holidays and public holidays they're
obviously different in every state
finding somewhere to stay during these
Peak busy times can be very expensive
and very stressful we have to be well
planned in advance so that we know where
we're going and where we're going to
stay but being planned in advance can be
a real pain in the ass so you might not
get to explore an area properly because
you get bad weather so you might want to
stay longer but guess what you can't
because you've got to move to a schedule
because you need to be booked and
planned somewhere for those school and
public holidays basically we have to be
very thoughtful about where we're going
to be staying during school holidays and
one of the things that we tend to do is
try and stay a lot further away from
major cities during those times and say
you've been organized you plan in
advance you book somewhere based on an
online booking and you get there and it
sucks because you're on a hill there's
no solar it's full of people there's 10
million mozzies it is we tend to
find this is a bit of a problem with hip
camps hip camps have paid photographers
come out and take photos of these
campgrounds and they make the place look
really good but they can be a little bit
misleading as to what you're actually
getting we also have this problem a
little bit with national parks as well
you just don't know what you get when
you're booking from online photos so
national parks you usually end up next
to a toilet or something which stinks
yeah so you can make camping there quite
unpleasant so these are some of the uh
things that cause a bit of anxiety for
us when we're finding camps and places
to stay number two space
so space
yeah you don't have a lot of it in a van
we are four people living in a 17-foot
van we did make this choice so we don't
really have the right to complain but
luckily that's what this video is all
about but I still think if we had a
bigger van we would encounter these
problems in such a small space it
doesn't take long for this van to become
a pigsty all it takes is one person
working a few dishes the kids pulling
out their toys and hey Presto this place
is a pigsty so you have to become really
good at being tidy and putting things
away when you're finished with them also
if you want to get to one thing 10
things are going to be in your way it's
a pain in the ass
got it
now we have what they call an East-West
bed and I get to sleep on the far side
so what that means is anytime I need to
get up and go and pee at night I've got
a clamber over Mel and I can tell you
what after two years it is starting to
get a little bit tiresome you get used
to Broken sleep because our space is so
limited we don't have a lot of the
luxuries that you would have in a house
I don't have a dedicated workspace I
work on the bed generally because they
can't fit four of us with four laptops
at the desk we also don't have a lot of
shoes clothes or toiletries and packing
these things away can feel a little bit
like playing a game of Tetris
sometimes you lose number three
jobs
okay let's talk about some of the
jobs that we have to do living on the
road we have what they call a cassette
toilet or a chemical toilet so it's
going to last us if we are camping off
grid and cannot use another toilet and
can't do any outside bushwees to
potentially three days at the most if
we're camping somewhere and we can do
some bushwees at night it might last us
three or four days uh if we're camping
somewhere and we can do bushwees during
the day and night maybe it'll last us
four or five days so we like to camp in
places for about a year not about a year
sorry about a week about a week so
basically that means at least one time
during our camp out we've got to jump in
the car take the toilet cassette
somewhere and empty our waste it's not a
very fun job to do on top of that we
also will have to empty the toilet
cassette when we're traveling to our
next campsite as well So Glamorous this
uh bushway business travel days it's not
just a new adventure we do have a lot of
jobs to do on those days for example we
have to go find water dump the toilet
work out where we're gonna stay we have
to get food as well as find out where
we're going to dump our rubbish it's not
always just go to the next camp and
we're good it's actually quite tiring
travel day is uh completely wasted day
particularly for me because driving with
a caravan on for a couple of hours is
very taxing and quite tiring so by the
time we get somewhere I'm spent number
four toileting and hygiene
toilet in the van is not the nicest
experience you can see the toilet from
our bed and it's right near the dining
table for some reason our sun decides to
has to go number two in the middle of
dinner so we've all got to smell it it
is gross the space in our toilet is
pretty tight we are lucky that we have a
door but when you close that door it
becomes pretty claustrophobic so what
about showers yes we have a shower in
the van but we only carry 200 liters of
water and as we've already mentioned we
try to camp out in places for a week so
if we were to all shower every day our
water would probably last us about three
days so what does that mean well we
don't shower every day we will usually
shower every second to third day it's
not that disgusting if we do get dirty
we will shower if we do get sweaty we
will shower but generally speaking we
are camped out on lakes and oceans so
we're swimming as well
the other thing too is the shower is not
like one at home we get in we get wet we
turn it off shape up turn it up turn it
back on turn it off so you're basically
turning the shower on and off on and off
just to get all your jobs done it's not
relaxing you're just trying to be as
efficient as possible save as much water
as possible
and it's really it's really a chore
actually
let's talk about laundry if I had the
choice again I would definitely have a
washing machine in the Caravan but then
we would have more problems with water
so unfortunately we don't and we have a
scrubber bag so it's all done by hand
wring it out hang it up we probably have
to do it every two to three days because
the kids get really grubby so it is a
chore makes life harder and the kids wet
the bed or if it's raining like it's it
is a massive manual washing we are
living like peasants guys it's not fun
number five lack of community they say
that when you're traveling on the road
you're going to meet lots of people and
make tons of friends and look it's true
you do meet people on the road but it's
not all the time we have gone months
without talking to another adult and
then when you finally do meet someone
that you get along with and you click
and you really enjoyed each other's
company guess what you have to say
goodbye and you're the worst parent in
the world the kids hate you because
you've left someone they made friends
with and it is horrid
[Laughter]
I'll miss you again
uh we gotta say goodbye a second time
that sucks living on the road means you
can't do a lot of things you would do if
you lived in a home I used to go to the
gym all the time and I used to go to a
boxing gym I used to go movies once a
week and hang out with my friends we
can't sign the kids up to community
things or chess clubs or they're not
enrolled in the sports club also you
don't have your favorite coffee Club
where the Barista knows how you like
your coffee you don't have your favorite
hairdresser who you can trust to give
you a good haircut haircut hell you
don't even know where you are so you
can't just jump in the car and go for a
drive you've got to pull up a map so you
know where you're going I guess what
we're trying to say here is that life on
the road can be a little bit isolating
and it can leave you feeling like you're
kind of Living On The Fringe of society
number six legal stuff the world is not
really set up for people who live a
nomadic lifestyle there are a lot of
questions that you need to fight answers
to and it's not very easy to find those
answers like how do you receive your
mail how do you ensure your van and car
make sure your kids are getting a great
education how do you vote in an election
this is all boring stuff but it's hard
to work out on the road so let's move on
because it's boring let's move on number
seven the mercy of the weather
living in a caravan means you are living
at the mercy of the weather we have
camped in some places that started out
absolutely beautiful like you were in a
fairy tale and then the weather turns
and you get destroyed you've got to run
with your tail between your legs because
you're getting sandblasted with sand
getting into absolutely everything the
wind's so bad your van is shaking or
come there's rain coming in the windows
because it's blowing vertical
just not good but not only that we rely
on the Sun for solar our fridge is a it
only runs on batteries it doesn't run on
gas and if we don't have Sun for four or
five days we have to go to a caravan
Park we literally become power Natsu's
like oh you can't turn that on you can't
use that use a torch we just don't turn
anything on if you charge it we charge
up the solar lights and run those at
night yeah yeah we really have to be
conscious of our power usage
um
otherwise we find ourselves in trouble
and having to go to Caravan Parks which
we don't really like doing now adding to
our power situation we've just picked up
starlink and it is an absolute Game
Changer we can now have internet
anywhere but starlink uses a pretty
significant amount of power it runs on
240 only which means our inverter now
needs to be on all day during a work or
a school day and it's usually drawing
between four to eight amp hours so that
on top of our fridge usage means we are
now starting to not make enough power
during the day so yes we are always
being conscious of our power and that
definitely adds a level of anxiety to
your life we're always checking the
monitor as well so we can check how low
we're getting and checking on our apps
for the battery so it does mean you're
just checking 24 7. it is really
frustrating lastly Seasons don't last
long enough one of the advantages of
living in a caravan is that we get to
chase the Sun so we go north in Winter
and South in summer but fuel is getting
incredibly expensive and it just doesn't
feel like Seasons last long enough so
we're already looking to start heading
North now uh which means we're going to
be blowing another 900 to a thousand
dollars in fuel to make our way North
and it's expensive it's so expensive it
hurts every time I go to pay I'm just
like just don't tell me just tap away
yeah if they could stop Rising the price
of fuel that would be great number eight
mail and shipping receiving mail on the
road is a logistical nightmare I mean we
often don't get stuff at Shops because
we can't find it usually it's a
specialized item we need and we have to
think where we're going to be say two
weeks out before we order something the
other issue we have is schooling on the
road so we receive eight packages a year
so it's two a term two or three terms so
trying to get those items we need to
know four weeks in advance where we're
going to be sometimes things are delayed
or we're running late or early so we
have to backtrack for the items or we
have to call the post office to say
we're running late please don't send it
back because they do do that if we can't
if we've missed an item or it's been
delayed we have to then spend 40 minutes
on the phone getting it redirected which
does come at a cost to us as well so
living on the road means you don't just
get things delivered to your front
doorstep it is uh certainly a lot less
convenient than living in a house number
nine maintenance and repairs if I'm
being honest things constantly breaking
is the thing that I hate the most about
this lifestyle and it's not the big
things like you might think like yes
we've done an engine mount in the car
the canopy is just about falling apart
the Caravan swing arm just about broken
caused the wheels to fall off we did put
a hole in the Caravan but it's not the
big things it's the little things every
week there's something that has to be
fixed a door won't be locking properly
there'll be a small like
there's a screw on the floor and you
don't know where it's from I mean we
could sit here and rattle off the thing
after thing after thing there is never a
dull moment there is always something on
our to-do list there is always something
that needs to be fixed hence a lot of
money spent at Bunnings
yeah Bunnings is a very significant
money sink for us but I mean the
positive side of this is I was not
really a practical person before we got
on the road he's not a handyman living
on the road has forced me to become a
lot more
um self-reliant and I am I am proud of
myself and I'm proud of what I've
learned and how um self-reliant we have
become number 10 internet unfortunately
we need to have reception for work in
school and until recently that's meant
that we've always had to find somewhere
that we were camping that was within
signal we've recently just purchased
starlink but starlink doesn't come
without its own complications we've
already talked about it being a massive
power draw but on top of that starlink
needs a line of sight to the sky so now
when we're finding a camp we need to
keep in mind are we going to be able to
put up the starlink and get signal and
get internet because unfortunately we do
need to be connected to the world we are
data suckers so that is just another
thing that you are going to be thinking
about when you're living on the road
like we are conclusion
okay so there you have it 10 reasons why
van life sucks I wouldn't recommend it
to anyone just kidding if you've been
watching our videos you know we do a
weekly Vlog of our adventures and we do
really love this lifestyle the new
experiences we get to do quality time
with our kids the people we get to meet
not looking to quit anytime soon
but if you are considering living
full-time on the road like us we do hope
that this video has given you some
insights into some of the less glamorous
size of this lifestyle that some of the
van influencers might not share with you
so thanks so much for watching the video
don't forget to like And subscribe and
we'll see you in the next video bye
[Music]
thank you
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