TRAVEL IQ
LIVING YOUR BEST #VANLIFE
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ON THE ROAD Exploring flying spots in northern Norway by day, and trading tales around the campfire at night Photos: Jorge Atramiz
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anlife? It’s easy. You’ll need a VW van, a well-conditioned beard, and a girlfriend/boyfriend who’s perpetually in a sarong. Shoot a few videos at sunset for your YouTube channel pondering the freedom of the simple life, and then beg viewers for a donation in your Patreon account. Ker-ching. #Vanlife awaits. Oh, and get a dog too, ideally a shaggy mongrel with a neckerchief. There are actually a few people who do make a living out of living in their vans, but the reality of following your passion on four
CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2020 VAN LIFE
wheels is some distance from the manicured online fantasy they present. As someone who has spent years at a time living out of a van while touring paragliding flying sites in Europe, Asia and the US, there are a few hard-won lessons I’ve learned that make the difference between making the #Vanlife fantasy a reality, and being wedged into a campsite next to a noisy family of six. A VW Transporter is fine for a long weekend, or even a week at a push, but they are small. If you’re going to be living out of a van for any length of time you’ll soon tire
