Solo Vanlife: Safety, Loneliness and Boredom
I often get asked about what it’s like to be on the road on my own. Probably the three questions I hear the most are:
Is it safe?
Don’t you get lonely?
Don’t you get bored?
Since the topic came up again during a radio interview I did recently with Radio NZ to talk about my lifestyle and tips for summer day-trips (listen to it here), I thought it's about time I do a blog post about it. So here we go.
Safety
Is it safe to live in a van on your own? The short answer is YES! Or at least I don't think it's any less safe than living in a house on your own. At least in a van, or another mobile home, you can just drive off if something is dodgy. If you live in a house and someone is trying to break-in, you're kind of stuck in your house J
Jokes aside, I've been living in my van for over two years now, and I've never felt unsafe. Of course, it helps that I live in a country like New Zealand that is generally safe in that regards. There are other parts of the world where that is not the case and living alone in a van (or anywhere for that matter) comes with certain safety risks that should be considered.
Whether you live and travel in a reasonably safe area or not, I think there are a few simple things we can do to give ourselves the best chances of staying safe.
Here are my top safety tips:
Have a way to get from your bed into the driver's seat without having to leave your van/motorhome.
This is something that was really important to me when I chose my van. I like knowing that if I ever feel unsafe at night, I can just get into the driver's seat and take off (I've never needed to, but it's good to know that I could)
Keep your keys in the same place
I always keep my keys in the same spot when I’m parked up. I don’t ever want to find myself wanting to escape an unsafe situation but not being able to find my keys. Always putting them in the same spot, not just at night or in potentially dodgy places, makes it a habit and less likely that I forget when it matters.
Be fearless. But don’t be stupid.
I first wrote “trust your instincts”, but I don't think that always works. For most people, living and travelling on your own, means pushing the boundaries and stepping out of your comfort zone. It means going against your instincts at times. My general life-mantra is “Be fearless. But don’t be stupid” and I think that very much applies when it comes to safety. Don’t give up and run away at the first sign of feeling uncomfortable but also don’t ignore clear warning signs that a situation is unsafe.
Get a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
A PLB is a way to get help in genuinely life-threatening situations when using your mobile phone is not an option, for example, because you don't have coverage, can’t take it with you or because you're unable to use it. Having a PLB with me has made me feel safer – in my van, but also when I go hiking, surfing, kitesurfing or on other adventures on my own. It’s good to know that I don’t rely on cell phone coverage to get help if I’m really in danger.
Tell someone where you’re going
I have to admit, I'm often guilty of breaking this rule. Most of the time, someone would have a rough idea of where I am, but I'm not very good at actually keeping people informed of my plans beforehand – often because my plans change a lot. But that doesn't mean it's not a good safety rule to follow, especially if you're travelling in less safe and populated areas.
One thing I know some solo vanlifers do for safety that I feel very uncomfortable about is carrying a weapon with them. The first few times I saw people in various vanlife Facebook groups talk about having guns, I thought they were joking (I guess I’m kind of naïve in that regard). Sadly, there are parts of the world where guns are widely accepted (maybe even necessary from a safety perspective), and it's not unusual for people to carry them for personal safety. I'm REALLY, glad that I live in a country where that's not the case. However, for some of you, a weapon might be a good idea – but maybe go for a taser or teargas instead of a gun.
Those are my top safety tips. What else do you do to keep safe? Share your tips in the comments at the bottom.
Loneliness
The other question I hear a lot when people find out that I live and travel on my own is about whether I get lonely.
In that regards, I’m your typical introvert. I’m more likely to feel lonely when I surrounded by people than when I’m on my own. Being alone has never been a problem for me.
When I first started this lifestyle, I assumed that most people who live and travel on their own in vans, motorhomes, busses or caravans would be introverted as well, and chose the lifestyle partly to get more time for themselves. I was quite surprised when I met many extroverted solo vanlifers – and they love it just as much as I do.
Turns out, vanlife does not need to be solitary, even if you're on your own. There are lots of ways to connect with people, from Facebook groups to events and different clubs and associations. I know many solo travellers here in New Zealand who regularly get together for meetups and even go on lengthy trips together.
I enjoy spending time on my own, but even I need some social contact, and I've found it quite easy to get that. I've been to a couple of events, but I generally enjoy meeting people one-on-one more than in groups. Luckily, this blog and my Facebook and Instagram pages regularly connect me to like-minded people, and I've met up with a few of them – some have become good friends
Overall, my experience has been that whenever I want company, it's usually easy enough to find someone to meet up with – you just might need to be willing to drive a bit. But for me, the solitude and time to myself are among the best things about vanlife. So loneliness really isn’t a problem for me.
Tips for beating loneliness:
If you’re struggling with loneliness, here are some tips on how to connect with people:
Join some of the various Facebook groups and other online forums. Introduce yourself and say you're looking to connect with likeminded people. You could even see if people in the same area would be keen to meet up.
Look out for the various vanlife/RV-life gatherings and events that are now happening all over the world.
Start a blog, podcast or YouTube channel for which you interview other people in the community. It's a great way to meet people and get to know them a bit. And it gives you an excuse to get in touch (which is great for those who might feel a bit shy about approaching random people)
Join a gym chain and go to group classes in the different places you visit
Look for volunteer opportunities in the areas you visit
Boredom
Another thing people often ask about if how I keep myself busy all day and if I don't get bored. I only work 15-20 hours per week, so that leaves a lot of time for other things. I think some people, especially those with very busy lives, have a hard time imagining what I do with the rest of my time – especially given I’m on my own.
I used to think that I never get bored, but I've recently realised that I do actually get bored sometimes, I just don't consider it a bad thing or a problem.
I think boredom creates the opportunity for new things to find us.
If every minute of your day is packed and planned out, how will you ever have time to discover new things you might enjoy?
Boredom makes me try new creative projects, explore new areas, read books I usually wouldn't read, talk to people I might not have all that much in common with at first sight or just daydream and think about things I would otherwise not have the time to contemplate.
So I do get bored sometimes, but it usually doesn't take me long to find something to fill time with – even if it’s just daydreaming while drinking coffee J
When I think about the other solo RV-traveler I've met, boredom generally doesn't seem to be a big issue for them either. Most have both indoor and outdoor hobbies and interests that keep them busy, and many also enjoy trying new things. One of the best things about living in a van, motorhome or another mobile home, is how mobile you are. If there's nothing that interests you in one place, you can just pack up and head to the next one.
My tip for overcoming boredom
If you struggle with boredom, start a list of things you will do next time you are bored. Do some research online to come up with ideas, ask other people what they fill their time with or just pick random activities that come to mind. Write it all down and then get that list out next time you feel bored. You can either work your way down the list top to bottom or get a dice or random number generator app and let fate decided what to do next time you feel bored. You never know, you might discover you're next big passion in life.
There you go, those are my thoughts on the big three solo vanlife questions. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions or would like to hear my thoughts on different topics around solo vanlife (or solo bus-, motorhome-, caravan-life).
If you’re a fellow solo vanlifer, I would love to hear any other tips and insights you have – be it around safety, loneliness and boredom or any other topics. Share them in the comments below.