A first timers campervan road experience – reality check, your first taste of being on the road, the initial hurdles for beginners but the light on the other side and finding your rhythm.
The first 30 days of van life is a bit of a whirlwind on the road. It’s an equal mix of the freedom of the open road and frustration at the unexpected challenges – both of which come with a steep learning curve. Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker or a camping newbie, the first 30 days of van life will test your adaptability, resourcefulness and your patience!
The first week is pure magic. After a sleepless night that feels like a mix between going back to school and going on holiday, you’re finally on the road. Adrenaline is pumping and you’ll feel like anything is possible.
If you’re like me then you’ll already be thinking about waking up, making a fresh cup of coffee and flinging open the doors to take in the first of many beautiful landscapes.
Let’s be real – the first week or so comes with a lot of adjustments. If you’ve not really driven your van before, things like parking and tight corners on roads can be very daunting. Then there’s all the space you don’t really have – and all the things you forgot to bring with you. The rain sounds lovely at night, except when you realise you didn’t fully seal the extractor fan and it’s now dripping into the sink!
This is when the reality of van life starts to kick in – for better and for worse.
Reality Sets In (Days 11-20)
Once you’ve had a few days to settle in to this new way of life, you’ll start to realise it’s all about balance. You can’t always prioritise beautiful morning views because you need to stop at a camping site to top up your water, hopefully charge your batteries and empty your toilet.
Then there’s the food. Even though you’ve made use of as many dry ingredients as possible, you still need a fridge – which don’t really have that much storage capacity. Perhaps you even reverted to student eating strategies, which is how I survived for the first few weeks. Eating the same meal for days on end to make use of the fresh ingredients you bought and keep costs low!
You’ve also had enough time to become intimately familiar with your van. Maybe it really struggles on hill starts (not ideal in the UK) or you keep banging your head on the really pretty shelf you installed. If you weren’t great at organising before you’ll be a lot better now – the daily game of “where did I put that?” isn’t quite driving you mad but it’s close.
My advice at this point would be to remember why you’re here. If you’ve done your research beforehand, then you’ll probably know life on the road isn’t always easy and the first 30 days of van life were going to be your biggest challenge.
Finding Your Rhythm: What Van Life is All About (Days 21-30)
You might think at this point the novelty would’ve worn off. No chance! You’re found your feet, seen parts of the world you probably never knew existed (even if you’ve not made it that far from home yet) and discovered just how resourceful and resilient you can be!
Hopefully you’ll have connected with other members of the van life community. They can be the best place for advice on where to go and usually have the knowledge and experience to help you overcome any problems you’ve experienced with your new home.
If not, make sure you check out our guides section!
There’s definitely a sense of peace that comes with being self-sufficient and living life at your own speed. I don’t really know how to explain it. It’s probably one of those things you have to experience because reading about it can’t do it justice.
The Final Takeaway: Enjoy the Ride!
My first 30 days of van life were made a lot easier because I had someone with me. The biggest learning curve we faced was probably spending almost every hour of the day together in such a confined space!
We definitely made a lot of mistakes but I wouldn’t do anything differently. That’s all part of it. One night we ran out of gas and had to set up a little camp fire just so we could eat a hot meal – it was just pasta and pesto but when I look back it’s one of the best meals of my life.
You might think van life is all about chasing sunsets and beautiful views – to which I’d say you need to spend a bit less time on Instagram. For me, it’s a challenge that rewards you with incredible memories but there are times when you have to dig deep and put in the work.
Andrew
Andrew has been doing vanlife on & off for years. In fact, one of the reasons Andrew went into writing is so he can work from anywhere with an internet connection – so a prefect fit with van life and he does exactly this during his many vanlife escapades.
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