Hi everyone!
I'm an experienced nomad, but a first-time vandweller. I spent the years between 2010 and 2015 doing the digital nomad thing, living out of one large and one small backpack while I worked all around the world. The biggest mistake I made in my life was trying to settle down: as exasperating and exhausting as the nomad lifestyle can be, it beats rotting away inside of an overpriced apartment.
I just started gutting and renovating my van, affectionately known as the Big Blue Whale. The end of a bad relationship led me to go on what could be referred to as an 'involuntary extended camping ' experience in her before I had a chance to do any real work on it, but as difficult as that experience was, it was valuable in that it taught me exactly what I need to do to make a van a viable living space in the long-term.
After a lot of research, I just ordered the things I need to build a 400w solar system for my van. I'm going to gut the interior, remove all seats, and build some custom furniture for me and my cats. My #1 priority is insulation, as I have two cats and they need to be safe in extremes of hot and cold; the next is computing power and internet for work and gaming. I found that I got by very well with a cooler, and other than a computer and USB accessories, I doubt I'll be using much in the way of electrical appliances.
My biggest fear is finding places to park. I'm in the PNW right now, and it is not a good place to be in a (visible, non-stealthy) van due to the problems with homelessness and associated stigmas here. NIMBY-ism in my area is pretty awful despite the romanticization of van life here among the hipsters of WA. I'm hoping it'll be easier once I can leave the cities and head south and/or east.
Anyway, I've been lurking here for a while, but haven't posted until now. Nice to meet everyone: if you happen to be in the PNW and want to network, feel free to hit me up. I've got 8 weeks until my lease is up, so I'm planning to hit the road end of May.
