Van life can be a wonderful way to live and to explore the world. Yet so many single women may think twice about living and travelling in a camper or converted van for a range of poignant reasons, such as safety, mechanical prowess, and comfort, to name but a few. The good news is that there are already plenty of women out there doing it, so it is truly possible to tour in a van as a single woman. Although the tips you’ll find below certainly won’t hurt either!

Conversion or camper

When it comes to van life, the first thing you’ll need to think about is whether you will choose a camper van designed for this purpose or one that you will convert. Especially built campers will cost more, but they usually provide more space and comfort as they offer built-in furniture designed for the road.

If you choose a conversion, then you have one further choice to make. This choice is whether you will permanently convert a van like a transit for your purposes, or use a removable camping box. Camping boxes are a relatively new development on the market and include a single unit which is built to house a bed that can convert to a table and chairs, as that has expandable storage for a camping stove underneath. The major advantage of this is that not only is it cheaper than a full van conversion, but it can be fitted to either a van or an SUV and be easily removed when not in use.

For a full van conversion, you will need some time, especially if you do it yourself. Although do not be put off by the conversion process, as there are plenty of people to learn from, including those in the video below.

The Mechanics

No matter what type of camper you choose for van life, you will need to make sure you know at least the basics of how it works and how to maintain it before you set off. Making sure you have this knowledge and have practised doing things like changing a tire, emptying out the waste, and connecting your rig up to the power in a campsite will serve you very well indeed. The more you can become passionate about servicing and repairing your van, the safer you’ll be on the road, and you'll save plenty of money as you travel, too.

Safety

While we're on the subject of safety, there are some tactics you can use to enhance your safety while living a van life. One is to make sure that your van is properly secured and cannot be accessed from the outside without your permission. There is a range of suggestions that can work for different vehicles and situations here, so it's best to do your due diligence before you hit the road.

Another thing that can be helpful is to travel with a furry companion, especially those of the canine variety. A dog can not only be amazing company, but can alert you to things you might not otherwise hear at night, and their barking may be enough to put off unwanted visitors, too.

Your Route

Some people like to plan out their route beforehand, while others prefer to roam freely once they are on the road. However, no matter what your van lifestyle, there are a few things that you should consider when planning your route.

The first is whether you want to stick to official camping sites. The benefits of this are that you’ll have access to facilities like toilets, showers, and laundry, and some campsites also provide additional services including swimming pools, shops, restaurants and bars. The latter can be a great place to meet people when you are solo camping.

If you would prefer a more wild or stealth camping experience, then you will need to consider whether your van will pass for just a normal vehicle. (This is where van conversions and conversion boxes can be particularly useful.) You’ll also need to think about safety and make sure that you check in with friends or loved ones back home regularly. This is important because if you have an accident, are injured, or worse, they will be able to alert the authorities of your situation and location.

Money

Unless you have a huge amount stored up, you will need to make sure you have some money to fund your adventure. Happily, there are plenty of options for this. One is to travel to places that offer work, such as campsites or resorts and work during your stay. Another is to work remotely or freelance as you travel, which means your location doesn't matter as long as you get your work done.

Lastly, it can be helpful to build up a safety net of savings before you embark on your road trip. To do this, you can save money from your regular job, start a side hustle and even sell things of value that you have. You may just be surprised as to the things that can earn you a good amount of cash by selling them too. For example, you may already be sitting on a small fortune when it comes to the number plates that came with your van. You can easily find out how much is my number plate worth online. The good news is that if they are personalised or popular in any way, you could get a great price for them, which will top up your travel budget nicely.

Managing Resources

Last of all, when you're roadtripping in a van, some things will be harder to access than others. One of these is running water, which can make showering and laundry more tricky. One of the best ways to deal with this is to get a deep folding bowl so you can hand wash items when you don’t have access to running water or washing machines. For showers, you may wish to consider hooking up a camping shower to your van, either with a curtain around it, or just shower in your swimsuit for privacy. Also, remember that campsites and beaches will provide you with easy access to showers and other facilities, so be sure to use them when you get the chance!

Another thing that you will find in limited supply while you are on the road is fresh food, especially food that needs to be refrigerated. This is because few vans are equipped with full-size refrigerators and freezers, not only because of the space they take up, but because of the power they use as well!

You can get around this problem by taking a small and often approach to stocking up on foods, meal planning, using a mini fridge or a cool box, and keeping only truly essential items in the cool place, like meat and dairy, rather than vegetables.

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