Vanlife Myths, Comforts, and Inspirations - Shared by the Vanlove Community
At the heart of Vanlove is connection - to the road, to nature, and to each other. Over the years, we’ve had the joy of meeting so many incredible people through our gatherings, events, and wider community, each bringing their own story, creativity, and spark to vanlife.
We recently caught up with some of the Vanlove family - familiar faces you may have seen hosting workshops, talks or sharing their adventures at our festivals.
We asked them a few simple but telling questions…
From what first inspired their life on the road, to the myths they’d love to bust, and the little rituals that bring them comfort on long journeys, their answers capture the essence of why so many of us choose this way of life.
We hope you enjoy and resonate with their words!
Please welcome our Vanlove friends…
(click to find out more about them)
What first sparked your love for vanlife / life on the road?
“The freedom and flexibility to be where we want, when we want!”
- Six in a Bus
“We first came across the vanlife scene through VW Festival at Harewood House in 2016. A friend put Liam's name forward to play at the event in his previous band Simpatico, and Nicole tagged along to see what it was all about. We instantly loved the festival scene and found everyone so friendly and welcoming. We started attending VW and Vanlife events camping in our £99 Halfords tent or in the back of our Vauxhall Meriva, drooling over the amazing vehicles in the show and shine sections and daydreaming about being able to afford the ones we saw for sale! It took us 7 years to be able to finally start looking for our own, and on the drive home after attending VW Festival in 2023 our Meriva broke down for the last time and we took the plunge and bought our beautiful T5, Taz! 2023 was also the year Nicole and Liam Acoustic Duo was born and Taz has taken us to every gig since!”
- Nicole and Liam
“It was the convenience and freedom of vanlife that first hooked me – the ability to do anything, anywhere, anytime. Vanlife gives me the independence and flexibility to live life entirely on my own terms.”
- Richard aka Indi-Van-A-Jones
“Freedom and travel. I didn’t want to be tied down having a house, mortgage and bills and want to explore the world before I got too old to do all the things that I love (hiking and climbing etc). There was a divine moment when I was on a winter mountaineering course in Scotland stood up to my knees in snow with a bright blue sky and a cloud inversion…that was the moment I thought this is what life should be…having these experiences and not being tied down in a high pressure sales job that was difficult to switch off from.”
- Laura Fiddes-Brown @ Brown Bird & Company
“We're not full-time vanlifers - we have a house, but we absolutely love our weekend adventures on the road. It’s such an escape for us.”
- Pen and Lee @ Off Grid Camping UK
“The freedom to adventure it’s offered me. Starting from a night wild camping in Scotland to now winters in the Arctic. It’s also made financial and logical sense. With my overseas work I would spend months of my year overseas. Seems silly to pay for a house I wasn’t ever in!”
- Alex Frood @ Mispronounced Adventures
“For me (Marianne), there was not ONE trip which did not involve a tent, boat, camper or motorhome! In fact, Trudy (the van) is the same year and model as my dads very last camper - he actually persuaded us to chose this model as it is the only van with a bed width ways that Chris could lie down in. As a young family, I introduced Chris to camping, for cheap holidays, but he had never stayed in a 'home on wheels' before he moved full time into Trudy in 2018!”
- Chris and Marianne @ Tread The Globe
“I’d been considering vanlife for many years, but the uncertainty (and the fact that I didn’t like driving, ha ha) put me off for a long time so I’d pushed the idea to the back of my mind. I had been travelling and volunteering overseas through the Workaday scheme and had planned to travel more, when of course lockdown hit in 2020.
During lockdown (yep, how many of us built our vans during lockdown!) the idea of converting a van came back to the front of my mind. I had the time, I had the design skills (I’m an ex-architect) and I had my dad - who I lived with during lockdown, to assist me with the DIY.
My parents were also both moving away from the area I had lived all my life and I realised I didn’t need to be in one place, and there was no one place I wanted to be. A life on the road suddenly seemed like the most obvious solution!”
- Jo Hodson
“I first fell in love with the idea of building a van about eight years ago, after helping a mate with his conversion. After my marriage ended and with a job that keeps me away all week, it just made sense to build my own van and call it home whenever I wasn’t on the road for work.”
- Paul Meadows aka Morticia McVan
What’s one vanlife myth you’d love to bust?
“That it’s all sunshine, sea views, and sipping coffee in fairy-lit bliss.”
- Six in a Bus
“That vanlife means giving up home comforts. We sleep better in the van than at home, and have all the things we need to be clean, comfy, well fed and happy!”
- Nicole and Liam
“I'd love to bust the myth that vanlife isn't all what it seems online, it's not all foraging for food and nice park ups but it is what ever you make it for yourself. Everyone's dream is different.”
- Richard aka Indi-Van-A-Jones
“It’s hard to pick 1! First one is that you have to have a shower otherwise how will you keep clean….good old basin washes, river swims, campsites, gyms etc are all perfect ways which don’t break your camper build budget and also keep your space more open and enjoyable.
Second one applies to UK vanlife and that’s the idea of stealth camping everywhere and ease of park ups. They definitely arent as easy as they were and there are certain places which are very difficult and you have to settle with a crap lay by or industrial park with HGV’s!”
- Laura Fiddes-Brown @ Brown Bird & Company
“That we are responsible for all of the morons who leave a trace!”
- Pen and Lee @ Off Grid Camping UK
“Circumstances for someone to get into “Vanlife” doesn’t matter, nor does one reason make someone a truer Vanlifer than someone else.”
- Alex Frood @ Mispronounced Adventures
“Life is not easier just simpler…”
- Tread The Globe
“That you need a lot of money or have to quit your job to live vanlife. My life now is incredibly frugal by choice. Part of the reason I initially took to vanlife was to take the pressure off what I needed to earn each month to cover the basics, and it has definitely helped with that.
That said, I also work from my van in exactly the same way as I did in a house. There are so many jobs that can be done from a laptop now, and of course there is also the option to bring your own business to life, which is what I love to help people do.”
- Jo Hodson
“The myth i’d like to bust is that it's actually quite easy to get your van changed to a Motor Caravan!”
- Paul Meadows aka Morticia McVan
What’s your go-to comfort ritual on the road?
“Easy - slamming the kettle on and piling into the bus with blankets, snacks, and a bit of chaos”.
- Six in a Bus
“A fridge full of beer, our hammock, a good book for Nicole and a guitar for Liam, and a podcast to fall asleep to at the end of the day (this helps with the post gig tinnitus!)”
- Nicole and Liam
“My comfort ritual is keeping the lights off and curtains open for as long as possible in the middle of nowhere listening to the birds singing at sunset and the star gazing after dark.”
- Richard aka Indi-Van-A-Jones
“Heated seats! A well stocked food cupboard so you can rustle something up quickly when travelling without having to go to the shops all the time or spend loads of money on eating out.”
- Laura Fiddes-Brown @ Brown Bird & Company
“Nothing better than meeting friends and sharing a beer around the Solo Stove. Love our slow cooker powered by EcoFlow for wintery stews.”
- Pen and Lee from Off Grid Camping UK
“Put the Diesel heater on!”
- Alex Frood
“If there is a park up on a beach with wine ..... Nachos and Netflix”
- Tread The Globe
“I spend a lot of time of my own, and being an introvert I can sometimes go weeks without hangout out with another human. So, as I’m travelling I love to find a great gym class to get a good workout, be in a room full of people all doing the same thing, and finish with a wonderful hot shower!”
- Jo Hodson
“My go too comfort ritual on the road is cooking a really good steak on the induction stove. Simple things!”
- Paul Meadows aka Morticia McVan
The Heart of the Vanlove Community
Reading through these stories, it’s clear that Vanlove isn’t just about the vans - it’s about the people and the shared sense of possibility that comes with this lifestyle.
When we asked what Vanlove meant to our community, as one of our contributors put it, “It’s the love for a vehicle, not just for what it is, but for where it can take you - physically or metaphorically.”
To others, Vanlove means community - “Being part of a group where spreading kindness, encouragement and positivity is the best part of living on the road.”
And for many, it’s simply freedom - “the vehicle that takes you along the road to your best life.”
Those words capture exactly what drives everything we do: connection, curiosity, freedom and a love for the journey itself.
To everyone who’s shared their stories and energy with us - a big thank you.
And to everyone reading, whether you’re already part of this world or still dreaming of it, consider this your open invitation to stay connected with us, keep exploring, and join us when the road leads us back together - in a field, by a fire, or wherever the Vanlove spirit gathers us next!
