Why Van life? Outdoor adventures

We are already 2 months on the road and even though everything happens very spontaneously,  we are starting to find a rhythm for getting things done so we can enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. We usually find a nice spot where we can stay and explore the surroundings for few days and we make sure we have everything we need beforehand. (full water tanks, empty toilet, groceries, and so on).

We also travel to Germany from time to time as not only everything is much cheaper there than in Switzerland (especially Diesel), but also more wild camping friendly. There are so many campervans everywhere you go in Germany, which somehow makes us feel more comfortable and safe.

It is well known that people from Switzerland go to Germany for shopping and we are no exception. But now besides getting groceries and fuel, we actually pause to enjoy what each place has to offer. One of the top destinations by the border with Switzerland is Konstanz, where we have been on many occasions but we now discovered some really nice spots away of the touristic area, where we enjoyed the freedom of wild camping. We found ourselves delighted by the golden hours at the lakeside and star gazing at night, far away from the city lights.

Van life is teaching us to be aware of everything that surrounds us and to take it all in. It is more us time, being connected to nature time, discovering ourselves time. We can do whatever it is that we love doing: hiking, painting, photography, cycling, watching the Nature’s spectacles and exploring as much as possible. It teaches us to stop wasting our time and energy on unnecessary things or habits and to live in the present. It may sound like a cliché but living simply actually means living more. And by living simply, we don’t leave our dreams for later. Life length is unpredictable so we try to make sure that each day is our favorite day.

We take most of our activities outdoor, even painting (I) and editing pictures (R). And we like that each day is different from another. Not only because of the different locations but we also alternate our activities. Some days might be about mountain biking, others about hiking or exploring the countryside. Some days are about enjoying the sunshine at the lake, about managing our projects or “vanhold” duties, or just chilling in our “yard”.

Having a good time outdoors is of course influenced by the weather as well and we must say that lately in Switzerland the weather has treated us amazingly. An average of 25°C in middle April is really something! We of course immediately got our Stand Up Paddleboards out on the lake (our friends know us already as SUP freaks😃). We also got to ride our fat bikes a lot more, plus our camping gear (outdoor chairs and table) finally got to see the sunlight this year.

What we love most about this lifestyle is that everything we need is in this tiny home on wheels that comes along with us to all these amazing places and adventures. It is a simple life but at the same time having such views from the comfort of our home is quite a luxury.

We’ve been paddling on the lake right in front of our house, and this is just one example of the “home is where you park it” amazing experiences.

Home is where you park it

Sunset by the lake with our home on wheels

And to sum up how a van life day spent outdoors may look like for us, we let you watch our first YouTube video. It’s a short one so you won’t have time to get bored. Let us know if you like it and whether we should make more videos in the future. Videography is something totally new for us but fun to learn. Tips and ideas are highly appreciated!

Love,

R&I