VAN LIFE: 4 Things I Consider When Building My Camper Van

One of my dreams is to constantly hit the road with my camper van. Visiting secluded places and living off a few essentials that I could fit into one such tiny vehicle is certainly one for the books. There is freedom and spontaneity in it. An absolute must for me and every traveler who has an insatiable thirst for adventure and loves to be always on the go. It is for this reason that I started saving up so I can one day savor the bliss of living the ultimate van life.

Of course, this dream doesn’t come easy. I, for instance, have a lot of other things I’m saving up for on top of all the responsibilities that sprung from being an independent adult. And with the recent global economy backlash, things don’t look too promising. But, a dream is a dream! So what exactly must be considered with building a camper van? Here are a few of mine.

—Budget

Prioritizing what I can afford is a no-brainer. Whether I’m looking to purchase a completely new van or a pre-owned one. Knowing full well what I can and am willing to spend on this project is fundamental in order for it to make even the slightest progress. My budget would also cover customizations and features I wish to have in my camper van.

If I would go for an entirely new van, one of my dilemmas would be paying monthly amortizations. That’s on top of maintenance jobs I have to pay for which seems rather not practical for something that would inevitably lose value after a few years. I say this because being constantly on the road in the future doesn’t guarantee a steady income for me. Unless I’ve figured out how to be a 6-digit income earner while looking less at my computer daily, I prefer not to be bothered by monthly payments.

At this time, I’m leaning more into acquiring a pre-owned van. Aside from it being less expensive, I would also have fewer expectations of its performance which lessens the cause for disappointment later on.

—My Travel Plans

This includes the places I wish to explore with my camper van. While it seems easy and less of a hassle to drive from Apari to Jolo, it’s probably tougher to do it outside of the country. The Philippines, being an archipelago and bordered by two of the largest bodies of water in the world, proved challenging enough to go second-guessing about this.

Honestly, at this time, I don’t have any idea how am I gonna be able to do that. Leaving my van and renting a vehicle in another country is definitely not an option I want to take. Plus, there certainly are countries with stricter rules that would require more than my local driver’s license and ID.

—What I Want To Put Inside My Van

Living a van life is not just driving around with it and making stops to see beautiful places. No. It’s not as easy as that. There’s a lot of work that must be put into it. My van is my home and much like a real home, it has to be cozy and must have everything that I need.

This is where insulation, electricity, water, cooking, and other necessities come in. Now, this is where it also gets a bit tricky. I prefer a small van and a light one. But how am I going to fit all that I need in such a cramp space? This, my friends, is a question that requires more Google research and hours on Youtube, watching how successful van lifers did it.

—Pets or No Pets

My cats are my world. I’ve lost several of my cats in the past due to bad life decisions and breakups. If you’re just like me, you know that this decision is never easy. Of course, I want my furry kids to stay with me and experience this life with me but I can’t just force it onto them. Also, if ever I decide to take them with me, my van will also have to be equipped with essentials that they need to be comfy and less stressed.

My male cat 🐈, Apoy, gets stressed over traveling on the road. When he was a few months old, I tried to walk him outside every morning so he could get used to seeing people, vehicles, and different environments. I was hoping that I could one day take him hiking in the mountains. A year passed and he still has “road phobia”.

When you have someone or something that you care so much about, decisions are so much of a task. I can’t just choose or make things according to my terms. It’s always all or nothing. I still have a couple of years to figure out what to do but one thing is for sure, my cats’ safety and well-being are of my utmost priority.

There you have it, lovelies. These are just my main considerations. I probably will have more when this dream nears actualization. For now, this is all there is to it. Stay with me on this journey. Until next time. Ciao!