Living in a Van in Brighton

vagrantia

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd be living in a campervan by now if I'd been able to find one I could afford, but they were too pricey for me (needed a decent/reliable one as I'm not handy and I'd be travelling alone), but I intended to live on proper camp sites... not on the road, where anybody and his drunken mates could decide "wouldn't it be funny if...." when they staggered past at 2am.

My advice is to look for a well-built conversion: an old mercedes would be best as they are reliable and will go on for years. The plastic purpose-built things cost a lot of money and often aren't even made well. We met a man recently who spent £35,000 on one and he said the door handles fall off all the time. We spend less than £4000 on ours and it's made from solid wood inside.

You do have to be careful when buying a conversion that it has been done well: well insulated and things, so make sure you see it before you buy (don't bid on ebay).

Lastly, VWs keep their price so if you are tempted by a cheap one, there must be a reason for it. even if you spend £10,000 on one, it could still hav serious problems. We avoid them as we know we can't afford a decent one.

poet123

I haven't yet read the blog, but I agree with Ceridwen, who hasn't longed for the simpler life? and yet few of us have the drive or guts to go for it. It is something you need to do when you are young, and unshackled by the demands of a lifestyle and children. Roughing it is not for me, but I certainly see the appea lof less paperwork, fewer bills, and increased mobility.

I wish you well, and will read the blog with interest.

Ken68

Good for you Vagrantia. I did a similar thing in the 70's. Converted a Commer Personnel van. Looked a bit like a Commer Highwayman when finished.
Then toured Europe for six months. Norway, Sweden,Denmark, West and East Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia down to Pula, then started to return to England from their. Remember money out of the country was limited those days. An adventure every day.
Talked to people 'doing' Europe, would settle on Morocco beach for the winter, then come back to GB doing casual jobs on the way. Yes some of them did whiff a bit but so laid back.
Fortuneatly had a job to come back to but wonderlust had set in.
Do you intend to go overland to India. What a trip that would be!!!.

vagrantia

Thanks Ken. that trip sounds fantastic! We would love to do something similar. We drove our old Toyota through Portugal, Spain and France...what atrip. I'd love to get a time machine and take the van overland to India in the 60s. We won't be taking her to India now though. These days it would cost a fortune getting through borders. It's a shame but it's much cheaper to fly.

Wanderlust...oh yes, I know it well. These itchy feet may never rest...

RebekahR

Being a nosey person as I am ... ! How much money have you saved since moving out? Can even go on a monthly total? I would love to live a life like this. Unfortunately I work from home and need a high speed internet and a ethernet connection and landline for my job. Wouldn't be able to have that on a campsite :-(

vagrantia

Hi Rebekah,

I guess it depends how much money you earn but we have saved a good couple of thousand in the last two months. I am a writer so I spend lots of time in cafes and the library with my dongle. It's not ideal but as it won't be forever I don't mind. And after spending the winter shut away indoors it's nice to have the excuse to get out and about!

RebekahR

That's a fantastic saving!My dad wants to a gypsey. Always has. We lived in a house on a hill with a big steep grass bank. We had a fence and gate at the top of that bank. And my dad started building from scratch a copy of a old romany caravan. My mum marched up the garden and made him take it down. She said how the hell was he going to get it out the garden gate lol! He has loads of books on romany gypseys and the simple life. I would love to do it but I would like to be permanant like on a campsite. To have the access to running water and electric hook up and even internet on some. The caravan sites where mobile homes are are too much like real houses to enjoy the real outdoor life. Are there sites around where you can have a real caravan or static and actually live there for real?

Ken68

There are Retirement Home Parks....one near me...though not very green, sterile almost.
The best site I ever did see was near Sherringham..lost my way back to the shop...followed a hedge and came across an enclosed area with an old caravan. Must have been residential, all the usual outside stuff plus lots of bird tables and birds...sea views and on a wooded cliff.

RebekahR

Whilst I am no where near retirement age what you stumbled over sounds quite nice! Infact I am only 2 years younger than the op!

vagrantia

RebekahR wrote: »

Whilst I am no where near retirement age what you stumbled over sounds quite nice! Infact I am only 2 years younger than the op!

Rebekah your dad sounds brilliant. I hope he lives in the countryside. I recently saw an old 1930s caravan for sale on ebay but it's gone now. Your dad would have loved it...it was a bit on the pricey side though at £18,000!

We found a static caravan site in Newhaven which is pretty nice. The caravans are all close together as they always are, but they each have a small garden and it's a peaceful location. I'll bet there are some really beautiful sites out there and it would be loads easier than buying a house.