*Bed, kitchen, lounge… all in a few square metres. Australia, 2024*

I’ve spent a lot of time living on the road in a van: six months traveling through New Zealand, winding along the Basque Country in France and Spain, exploring Sardinia in Italy, and cruising the East Coast of Australia. I’ll be honest, van life is incredible. You have everything you need right there, so you can literally go anywhere and feel at home.

I realized how much I craved that sense of home during my one year honeymoon. We bounced from guesthouse to hotel, carrying our lives in backpacks, never really settling. I missed that feeling of belonging. Van life gives you that, even when you wake up on a cliffside in Sardinia or or to the first light spilling over the hills in the Basque Country. You have your home, your kitchen, your bed, all at your fingertips. The freedom is intoxicating, the simplicity is grounding, and it’s surprisingly cheap, you’re combining transport, shelter, and food all in one.

The Reality Behind the Instagram Feed

Many idolize van life as perfection, and yes, I love it. But it’s not all cozy mornings and wide-open views. There are quirks, difficulties, and some moments that challenge every bit of patience you have. Here’s what I’ve learned about the hard parts of van life.

Finding Your Spot (and a Toilet)

One of the first lessons? Bathrooms. Depending on your location, finding toilets can be tricky. Sometimes, if nature calls, you have to be ready to “pop a squat” outdoors. It’s not glamorous, but it’s part of the experience.

Then there’s the constant search for a safe, legal, and flat spot to park. You might pull up somewhere that looks perfect on the map, only to find it’s metered, sloped, or closed by 6 pm. Sacred sites and majestic landscapes often come with local rules enforced by councils, Forestry Commission officials, or police. You learn to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Van life demands flexibility, patience, and a thick skin.

Living in a Small Space with Someone 24/7

Sharing a van with another human is intense. You see each other in every mood, every moment of the day. Privacy is limited, especially in winter when long walks aren’t always an option. When tension rises, you deal with it in that tiny space. Sometimes, the van just doesn’t feel big enough, and that’s okay, you learn to navigate it.

*When the van feels too small, the kitchen moves outside. Basque Country, 2024*

Staying Organized and Making Resources Last

Living in a van forces you to become a master of efficiency. There’s no room for dishes to pile up or clutter to accumulate, so organization isn’t optional, it’s essential. Food, water, and supplies must be thoughtfully stocked, and you quickly learn how to make everything last. One-pot stews that feed you for days, washing up with minimal water, and careful meal planning become part of your daily rhythm. In a van, resourcefulness isn’t just a skill, it’s survival.

Health, Fitness, and Routine on the Road

Without a gym or fixed schedule, your routines evolve. Yoga becomes sunrise stretches by a quiet lake, workouts happen as long hikes, swims, or beach runs. You adapt your body and mind to movement in nature. Fitness and health become integrated into everyday life, rather than compartmentalized in an hour-long gym session.

Embracing Simplicity and Slowing Down

*Out here, mornings don’t ask much of you, just a good parking spot and time to sit still with a coffee. -Australia, 2024*

Boredom tolerance is a skill in van life. Luxuries like cinemas, restaurants, or big nights out fade into the background. I learned to find contentment in reading, nature walks, or collecting seashells along a quiet shore. Simplicity became my form of richness.

Weather

Weather is your constant co-pilot. North-westerly winds buffeting the van or unexpected storms can make you rethink where you’ll park for the night. Sometimes there’s no internet to check forecasts, so intuition and observation become critical.

Lowering Standards

Cleanliness is relative. Showers may happen once a week or at friends’ houses, lakes, or rivers. Hair-washing becomes a luxury. You learn how to accept a little grit and how to make do without the comforts you once took for granted.

Safety First: Staying Alert in a Tiny Home on Wheels

Living in a van means safety is a constant consideration. Cooking in such a confined space requires vigilance, you quickly learn to never leave the gas stove unattended and to keep windows slightly open to avoid carbon monoxide buildup. Driving, too, requires heightened awareness; navigating narrow roads, steep mountain passes, or tight parking spots becomes second nature. Over time, you develop a rhythm of careful preparation, double-checking everything from stove knobs to gas lines before hitting the road or settling in for the night. Safety isn’t stressful once it becomes habit, it’s just part of van life.

*Magical morning moments I couldn’t have planned if I tried -Basque Country, 2024*

Why It’s Still Worth It

Despite the challenges, van life is extraordinary. I’ll never forget waking up in the Basque Country to wild ponies galloping around our van, mist swirling around their hooves. Or parking on a cliff in Sardinia, opening my kitchen window to endless sea views. Every morning feels like a gift; every sunset, a reward.

Van life strips away the unnecessary, forces simplicity, and immerses you in nature and connection. It’s a lifestyle of spontaneity, freedom, and intimacy. I know it’s not for everyone, and even I didn’t love it every day, but the beauty, adventure, and sense of home on the road are unforgettable.

Is Van Life Right for You?

*Coffee tastes better when there’s no rush and a field like this behind you -Basque Country, 2024*

Van life isn’t about perfection. It’s about flexibility, patience, and learning to be content with simplicity. Here are some questions to reflect on if you’re considering the leap:

Are you comfortable constantly adapting to new environments?
Can you embrace a smaller living space with someone else 24/7?
Can you accept lower standards of cleanliness and luxury?
Are you excited by the idea of being free, but also aware of the responsibilities it entails?

If you can say yes, van life can be one of the most liberating, adventurous, and life-enhancing experiences you’ll ever have.

Van Life Confessions: Why Living on the Road Is Harder Than You Think