Disappointing TikToks show the difficult, messy truth behind #vanlife

things we wish we knew before starting van life screenshots from TikTok
The reality of #vanlife is not often shown on social media.
  • #vanlife is one of the most popular hashtags on TikTok with nearly 12 billion views.
  • More and more people are choosing #vanlife in the face of rising rents.
  • But the reality of #vanlife is not quite as glamorous as many videos would have you believe.
#vanlife videos espousing the freedom and glamor of life on the road have garnered 9.9 billion views on TikTok, but the reality doesn't always match up.
vanlife hashtag on TikTok with several videos
Videos about #vanlife can receive millions of views.

The #vanlife movement chronicles the lives of people living in vans and traveling across the US, posting photos and videos of their glamorous experiences on Instagram and TikTok. 

On Instagram, #vanlife has over 11 billion posts, while on TikTok the hashtag has nearly 10 billion views.

Many of the photos and videos see these travelers and digital nomads waking up to beautiful views by a beach or a lake, redecorating their vans to make them the perfect living spaces, or spending relaxed quality time with their partners or pets in a variety of gorgeous locations.

But, the reality of living the #vanlife doesn't always match up with the expectations set by social media.

A new wave of #vanlifers is showing the difficult reality behind the lifestyle.

 

Though many videos appear to show people living #vanlife while parked on a beach or on a nature reserve with stunning views, sometimes it is not actually possible to park in these pristine locations for a long period of time.

TikTok user @georgiacbroderick posted a video in 2021 to highlight things she wished she knew before starting van life, such as not realizing that they would be "waking up in parking lots so often" instead of enjoying the beautiful views usually posted by #vanlife influencers.

It's usually easier for van lifers to park in a parking lot than to risk getting a ticket by parking in a prohibited spot. But even if you are parked in a relatively benign location, you may be asked to move in the middle of the night anyway.

"It's a daily task to scan the apps and figure out where to safely sleep each night, and the reality is, sometimes your best bet is going to be a Walmart parking lot or a rest stop," TikToker  @sunnylunaliving noted. 

Peeing on the road can be a problem.

Many people living in a van have to get creative with their plumbing and bathroom situations. Some van lifers have jugs or a bucket in which they go to the toilet, while others have waterless toilets that must be constantly maintained.

The TikTok account @geneandshay is run by a couple who document their van life experiences to 320,000 followers. In an April video, they revealed that they use a bucket with a trash bag filled with cat litter to go to the toilet

"It is not glamorous, but it works for us," Shay said. 

Many female vanlifers also say they use a "she-wee," a portable device that allows women to pee standing up, or stopping at gas stations and stores in order to use their toilets.

 

Privacy often goes out the window when you're living the #vanlife.

People tend to be so fascinated with the vanlife lifestyle that they'll often snoop around your living space, or ask invasive questions (in what other context is it normal to ask a stranger where they pee?) without thinking. 

"Strangers will literally break their neck walking by to see what's in your van. It's hilarious," said TikTok user @austinandjanna in a video posted in 2021.

To counter the encroaching curiosity of strangers, TikToker @courtandnate posted tips for how they maintain privacy while on the road, such as only having windows on one side of the van, not putting any identifying marks on the van, and covering the windows so people can't peek in.

Vanlifers sometimes find themselves in dangerous situations.
@toritravels follow to see more of the ups and downs of what #vanlife really is 🚐 #travel #vanbuild #solofemaletraveler ♬ Nobody - Mitski

 

Traveling in a van across the country and in remote locations is not always safe, especially for solo travelers. Living in a van means sleeping in public spaces, which makes you more "exposed," TikTok user Tori Torres, who goes by the username @toritravels, said in a video posted in 2021

"It's hard for me to find a place where I can get a good night's sleep when I'm alone, because I just don't feel as safe," she said, adding that she often worries about someone breaking into her van.  

Everything sounds dangerous in the back of a van at night, said @litaofthepack

"If there's something barking outside of our van at night, it's a coyote. If there's someone's talking outside of our van at night, it's a murderer coming to kill me," she said. "Maybe the moral of the story is that I'm just too paranoid of a person to be living in a van." 

Vans require constant maintenance and often break down in the most inconvenient places.

 

TikTok user @fastfamvan posted a video in January to showcase the "unglamorous sides of van life," including how "parts of your home are bound to break." 

"Knobs come loose, covers will blow off, and shower doors will completely break in half," said @faracrossthefoam.

TikTokers @geneandshay talked about having to wedge their cupboards shut to make sure their stuff doesn't fall out and break, as well as the "bumps" on the road causing things to fall out of containers and break inside their storage spaces, too.

Then there's the auto maintenance side of it. Van repairs can run in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, and cause major travel delays. 

User @josie_wanders documented having to fix a leak in her van, while @kaderfolles showed how difficult it is to fix a broken fan belt.

 

Rising gas prices mean that driving a van is much more expensive than it used to be.

According to statistics by the US Energy Information Administration, gas prices hit a record high of $5 per gallon mid-June.

Weekly gas prices are now coming down to under $4 per gallon, according to the US Energy Information Administration, but it can still cost van lifers a lot to fill up their tanks.

TikTok user @heymartimarti posted a video in late June where she expressed excitement at finding gas for $5 a gallon, claiming that she had previously seen it as high as $6 or $7, and almost $10 in one place she visited in California. She added that it cost $100 to fill her gas tank halfway.   

It's hard to get reliable service or contact someone for help in a remote location.

Since van lifers often drive around to remote places, they may find themselves without wifi or cell phone service. As TikTok user @sunnylunaliving said in a video posted in 2020, even though they had hotspots and service plans by various providers to help them get connected, they still found themselves without service or wifi very often, which can make working remotely impossible. 

This can also become dangerous if you need to contact someone for help while in a remote place.

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.

Read the original article on Insider


Disappointing TikToks show the difficult, messy truth behind #vanlife
Source: Kalayaan News

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