Frequently Asked Questions About Our Van Life

---

'Kats Be Kats' is a phrase we borrowed from some Kiwis (New Zealanders) we met in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was a quiet Tuesday night when Joey and I were in a bar listening to live music. All of a sudden, these three people came in the door like a hurricane of fun and stirred up the entire joint. They were the definition of the FUN TRAIN. During our many drinks with them, they kept saying, "cats be cats", mate. They noted that Joey & I were, in fact, cats. This meant that, like them, we were chill, had a distinctive vibe, and were happy to go-with-the-flow.  

When Joey and I travel, we are always looking for 'kats' who are open to chatting, sharing experiences, and having a great time. Often, we have found this community to be comprised of expats and people who attend festivals. As my husband would say, "If you're not having a great time, try harder!" And, if you're a kat, you don't need to be convinced to have a great time. .

"FULL SEND" is modern slang that means to go all-in on something with maximum effort, confidence, or enthusiasm. Yep, that basically explains this crazy dream of ours! We are shooting our shot, we are SENDING IT!

We are using a company called Sea Bridge Shipping. They have several shipping locations in the US. We will drive our van to Baltimore and then ship it to Antwerp, Belgium. The shipping will take 18 days. We will need our driver's license and title to pick it up. It will cost approximately $5k (one way) after everything is said and done. 

I have added this to the FAQ because it has been a stumbling block for us. After much reseach we came across a European company called Tour Insure that offers comprehension, collision, theft, and bodily harm.  

We realize that traveling in Europe in a van is not going to be an easy task. Undoubtedly, there will be times when we will be uncomfortable, and actually we kinda like that. (Not all peak experiences are good ones). So, we decided that we wanted to explore Europe while we are still young (?) and healthy. Our "bucket list" of places to go and things to do is pretty ambitious. I have a feeling that we are going to love van life so much that we will probably choose to get a sailboat or another van for future ventures, which could include the US.

Alas, when we initially had this dream in 2019, the world was a different place. The EU visa situation was much more lenient, and the Schengen Zone was smaller. (For those who are unaware, the Schengen Zone is a group of European countries that have abolished internal border controls, allowing people to travel freely between them, much like moving between states in the US. There are now 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, with more being added each year). We plan to stay in the Schengen Zone for 90 days and then drive (or ferry) the van to the UK (which is outside of the SZ). I am particularly excited about this because the UK has some of the best geology in the world! It will be easy for us to stay there for 90 days before returning to Europe. Once our next 90-day visa expires, we will head to Eastern Europe or park the van in Cyprus, where we have a friend. If we park the van in Cyprus for a while, we can take our backpacks to Egypt. We have also considered following the Silk Road, albeit a bit dangerous.

Our strength as a couple lies in our ability to problem-solve. Neither one of us gets too rattled when problems arise, so we are confident that we will simply figure it out as we go along. 

 We installed a second alternator in our van, which will serve as our "house" battery bank. This will power our lights, refrigerator, fan, water pump, and other appliances. Additionally, the expensive battery we purchased from China should have sufficient capacity to keep us off-grid for two weeks without requiring the engine to be cranked. We also have a shore power inlet that can let us "plug-in" should we be at a campsite.  Electricity should not be an issue. In fact, I will even have enough power to use my Dyson hair dryer. Priorities. 

In terms of finding potable water, we will likely ask gas stations or people if we can fill up. We have never had a problem accessing water in the US, although we are aware that Europeans tend to approach water with a scarcity mindset. Finding water will either be part of the fun or part of the headache. Our van can hold 35 gallons, which is used for the showers and cooking. We plan to book an Airbnb once a week, which may alleviate our burden. 

Wherever we want to? Well, not exactly, but we will park wherever there is no signage indicating that overnight parking is not allowed. Most of the time, we will "boondock," which means parking on city streets or in remote locations for free. The van is the length of a full-sized truck or 22 ft 12", so we know going into this that it is going to be impossible to park in cities (think Rome, Paris, London). We are likely to buy a scooter or e-bike to take along with us. Alternatively, we can park outside the city and take a taxi or hitchhike. Again, Joey and I are solution-based thinkers. We will figure it out.

If you have followed other van lifers, you will quickly realize that Joey and I don't exactly fit the typical van lifer mold. First, we are not 20 years old. We are a successful, career-oriented couple who are choosing to step away from careers to chase this dream. That being said, Joey and I can work remotely and will have significant incomes that most people in this lifestyle do not have. Thus, we do not have to stay in a hostel unless we want to, and we do not need "followers" to pay our bills. Next, we are bringing glam to van life. Our homebase is Atlanta, Georgia and we have designed our van to be a sexy lounge on wheels. We prefer cocktails over coffee, and we are seeking many unique experiences that will include museums, fine dining, festivals, opera, EDM music, yoga, hiking, water activities, and whatever else catches our interest. We are YES people, with no limitations.

The challenges will be different for Joey and me.  I am concerned about getting my daily workout in. I will have my weighted vest, weight set, Fitbit, and scale with me. At home, I follow Sydney Cummings' workouts, and I will have to be motivated to complete them daily- especially outdoors. As I am on vacation, I will be conscious of my daily habits. Next, I LOVE to sleep. I slept very well in Vanny White because it was so dark. I anticipate this too with FULL SEND, but my husband hates to sleep, and there isn't much space for him to escape and be quiet without waking me up. 

A challenge for Joey is that he LOVES a long shower. Although we will have hot water in the new van, the supply will be limited. This will be another motivating factor to get an Airbnb once a week. 

We are both concerned about laundry, but again, with a weekly Airbnb, we should be fine. 

Although we will come back to Atlanta for a while, I suspect that after touring Europe by van that we will want to tour by sailboat. To be continued....