Instagram vs. Reality
Will vandwelling be just like Instagram?
Short answer: No.
Longer answer: Nooooooooooooooooo.
Instagram is full of skilled photographers and photogenic people monetizing their social media. Most of us are none of these things.
There are many challenges in van life that are not pretty enough for Instagram: living in a small space, getting rid of excess stuff, fuel costs, rain, breakdowns, finding camping spots, dumping gray/black tanks, etc.
The rewards of vanlife don't photograph well: solitude, frugality, mobility, freedom.
Is vandwelling still better than Normal Life?
What's a normal day like?
annoyances and challenges
set-up and take-down of [rv] camp, especially leveling the camper
1)
being able to turn around [a 30' travel trailer] has been rough in a few spots
2)
-
Routine activities just take longer – cooking, bathroom/hygiene, dressing
4)
there's a lot of “finding” –
potable water, a place to do
laundry, to
shower, shop, get cash, to park/sleep, to disperse camp on public land, the good weather, and the best backroads route to get there
5)
downsizing (getting rid of stuff)
6)
The bloody stuff problem. Every time I need something, it's buried. Then I dig to find it.
7)
Search for place to sleep at night can be depressing
8)