I QUIT Van Life

All Good Things Must Come to an End

When I first told my parents that I wanted to live in a van, I made it clear that it was not my idea — it was my wife, Ashley’s.  Still, it didn’t go down too well… and their response totally made sense!  One should question why someone would want to live in a van; it’s not a normal thing to do! 

However, once I started sending them photos of my adventures, they began to understand.  I got to spend my Tuesdays staring out at beautiful lakes and mountains as opposed to a computer screen in a cubicle.  It was a beautiful life. 

I’m not sure I can name my favorite place that we traveled to.  The entire past eleven months have been, for me at least, romantic.  Yellowstone was incredible.  Sedona was so great that we ended up there a few different times!  Key West, Florida has the most amazing clear water beach that just shimmered an aqua blue.  It’s impossible to pick a favorite.  Eleven months on the road feels like years.  

The spontaneity of going to a new place every week slowly started to lose its romantic appeal.  Each and every destination brought beautiful sights but it also meant packing everything up.  I had no sense of belonging and started to become homesick.  It’s really quite funny that I say that though because, where is home?  Ashley and I have been nomads for years.  How was I homesick if I didn’t have a place to go back to?

It became apparent over the last three months that there was something missing in our lives.  While exploring in the van, our health and productivity was dampened.  I felt like I wasn’t living up to my full potential.  Being on the go all the time makes you wonder what life would be like if you had a regular routine.  

In reality, while living in a van sounds really cool, it isn’t always great for a relationship.  We met friends on the road, but they weren't like our regular friends.  Regular friends are people you text and see on a weekly or daily basis.  My van life friends were people that I met, hung out with for a couple days, and then we both parted our separate ways.  We didn’t have a community to belong to other than the communities on our phones.  But, then again, are the communities on our phones really real?

So, Ashley and I kept asking ourselves “where to next,” over and over again until one day we pondered the idea of there not being a next place.  Even when we do settle in a home, I want to make it my effort to continue the minimalist lifestyle that van life forced us into.  It's going to be hard.  We are going to be influenced by our community and our neighbors — it’s inevitable.  However, it will be a great way to put our new minimalist mindset to the test and see how strong it is.  

I feel like I’ve discovered this higher meaning of life that is truly based on experience.  I’m so excited to figure out how this meaning fits into the next chapter.  So, with that being said, my name is Adrian and I no longer live in a van!

Until next time, peace and God bless.  

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