would you? could you? live in a van? (have you?)

[NOKUY]

was talking to an old friend today who spent the last 3 yrs living in a cargo van..

the time he wasnt he was on a fishing boat in AK, and made almost no money.

i lived in a van for months on end (w/ girl and dogs), but mine was a camper van...almost fully self contained.

just wondering what your thoughts are on living in a van?

 

[tenfeetofganja]

"don hate me cuz you aint me"

 

[Stoner4Life]

down by the river.......

 

[killa-bud]

ehhh,i guess,if by living there i was saving lots of money,i'ed want somthing to look foward too after living in a fucking van for 3 years...like maybe,a house

but,no,i wouldn't for no reason

 

[NOKUY]

tenfeetofgangja...go buy a life ..lol

s4l

 

[NOKUY]

ehhh,i guess,if by living there i was saving lots of money

thats sorta the point killa

 

[tenfeetofganja]

tenfeetofgangja...go buy a life ..lol

s4l

I hear those are pretty expensive and with todays inflation I dont think i'll ever have enough to make the purchase...

 

[HCSmyth]

tenfeetofgangja...go buy a life ..lol

s4l

Nah, he will probibly just go watch Zeitgeist for the 800th time.

 

[Kizzattack]

I think it sounds like a nice escape from 'normal' life. I'm quite a solitary person myself and value time with me, a book, some nice bud and not much else. It would be nice to just be able to say "Stuff this" and get in a van and drive around for a few days in the great outdoors by myself just relaxing.

There was a guy who lived on the corner of my road for quite a few years. He had everything he needed and was happy enough until he married a fiery Asian woman who couldn't talk a word of English. She beat him up and left him and he disappeared, but I still see his van around sometimes. I guess you really could live your whole life in a camper van. Thinking about it I would love to travel the world in a camper van, maybe by myself. I would get to see so much more of nature before our race destroys the rest of it.

So, to answer your questions; I would, I can't in my current situation, but that will all change and no I haven't, although I did cycle around France for 5 days camping in various different places and exploring the place.

 

[The Uncola]

It's hard to imagine without thinking of the SNL skit with Chris Farley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFPp5WfE-Yg

Somehow I'm thinking the van most people resort to isn't quite the gem pictured above.

I am reading John McPhee's "Coming into the Country" about Alaska in the 1970's. I would consider living in an idyllic spot for at least a Summer or maybe even longer. A high quality van would be almost like a mobile home.

 

[dfa]

I could live in that van pictured above if'; i was saving so much money it would be worth it.. and i was able to shower daily. id also install one of those Direct TV for the car satalite's

 

[Stoner4Life]

Have to be pretty desparate to live out of any kind of van.
I've lived out of my car a few days at a time here and there
in tougher times many yrs ago, but not an extended duration
of time at all....... living out of a motor coach is A OK by me
as long as it's self imposed and not a last resort or exhile.......

 

[sirgrassalot]

Sweet ride I'd make sure I'd have a Zodiac to launch. In my misspent youth I've crashed in my truck for a few days but no more than that. One could manage very well in that van. I just preferred to have beer money than my own place to live in when I was young. I let the chick get the pad.

 

[facelift]

Yes. I could live in a van. Usually I spend 3 weeks in a tent every summer. I think finding work would be difficult unless you have an address. So as long as I don;t need to work, I could live in a van. An RV would be better since you can pay for a spot at any RV Park and get an address.

The secret to living in such conditions it to know where all the free showers are. For example, I spent a few days at a campground that did not have a shower, but there was a second campground within 10 miles that had a free shower. I was able to drive to Redstone Campground, take a shower, and then go back to, well I don't remember the name of it, and stay clean. Another Colorado Campground with free showers is Matterhorn. One of the State Parks in Illinois has a free shower, and it can be used by hikers not paying for a campsite.

Yes. I could live in a van and find a job and know where to get the ever needed daily shower.

 

[NOKUY]

maybee ill just buy this then bounce:

 

[NOKUY]

Yes. I could live in a van. Usually I spend 3 weeks in a tent every summer. I think finding work would be difficult unless you have an address. So as long as I don;t need to work, I could live in a van. An RV would be better since you can pay for a spot at any RV Park and get an address.

The secret to living in such conditions it to know where all the free showers are. For example, I spent a few days at a campground that did not have a shower, but there was a second campground within 10 miles that had a free shower. I was able to drive to Redstone Campground, take a shower, and then go back to, well I don't remember the name of it, and stay clean. Another Colorado Campground with free showers is Matterhorn. One of the State Parks in Illinois has a free shower, and it can be used by hikers not paying for a campsite.

Yes. I could live in a van and find a job and know where to get the ever needed daily shower.

just about every town has a rec. center.

in alaska showers generally cost $1 at the rec center.

 

[NOKUY]

Only if it were one of those Freightliner/Mercedes sprinter vans with a camper conversion and diesel engine.

New Hippy Bus

soyl u cant really "live" out of that...im talking months on end...no toy storage.

 

[NOKUY]

sim to my old one:

 

[harris5]

I thought about it before I became a father but that was really just to escape from the life that I was leading. It was not bad but there is more to life than work and paying a mortgage and bills.

Now I am married with a son I still like the idea of living an alternative lifestyle but it is not practical. When my son is grown up and can support himself I might like to get a yacht and sail around or maybe a Winnebago and see the US/Canada. Who knows, maybe I will win the lotto and have enough money to buy a farm and try to live in a self sufficient manner but that is just not possible here in the UK as everywhere is so expensive.

 

[Smoke68]

Eventually I would like to give a van down by a river a shot.
Every morning open my trunk step outside and fish off my bumper
I was thinking about the needs of a self sufficient person, and I was wondering, who thinks they could get away with USING A BUS?
Many school buses are left over at surplus. For about 1000, you can pick up a full sized or even the ever unforgettable "short bus". These are great carcasses for a "Mobile house". They are very easy to convert, very safe and as I was saying, very cheap and plentiful.
In all honesty I can't imagine converting a bus would be all that expensive(I am captain cheap and thrifty) I mean, what is it that you need to incorporate for ease? Shower, bed, stove top, sink, white/gray/black water tanks etc....