BUMP IN THE ROAD
I live in a van but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be – I can only shower for 3 minutes and my heater almost killed me
Watch the video below to find out why one person chose to move into a van
A VANLIFER has revealed the unexpected challenges she’s experienced living in her converted Ford Transit.
Amélise confessed staying warm, safe, and clean hasn’t been easy in her three years on the road.
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Amélise () has garnered over 514,000 subscribers on YouTube, where she gives a glimpse into her travels around Europe with her dog.
She racked up thousands of views on a now-viral video answering questions about the hardest part of living in a van she converted herself.
She described the fact her van, which she calls Gloria, has stayed in one piece as a “miracle.”
The vehicle sometimes leaks due to its age but the shower situation is the main feature she would change.
Read more van life
“I would get a gas boiler that you can continuously run cold water through and heat up immediately,” she said.
“I’m not that much of a fan of the water tank on board because I do have one but I got really lazy with it and it was kind of complicated.
“Now I only have a hot water stream straight to my shower, so I can have a shower for about three minutes.
“I have to hold it out here so it can cool enough before it touches my skin.
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“It still doesn’t, it feels like I’m showering in flames.
“It’s not a pleasant experience and I think it damaged my hair a lot.”
Single mum reveals she was forced to move into van with son
Amélise has four cameras installed around her van for security.
However, she had to take down the mounted screen from the inside because she started “hallucinating” seeing people and the paranoia affected her sleep.
She confessed living in a van on her own can be “scary” but there are also dangers lurking inside.
“My diesel heater melted and almost killed me,” she said.
“The diesel heater in terms of installing was my least favourite thing.
“I tried to install it probably in November, England, and it was so cold.
“I had to go underneath the van and it was so cold with all of the sparks flying in your face, just praying you’re doing it in the right place.”
The Rise Of Van Life
The rise of van life began during the pandemic in 2020. With no one able to leave the country, staycations became popular for many say camping blog .
On top of that, the rising cost of renting a house has put many off doing so, especially when wages have failed to keep up with the cost of living crisis.
Although it has gained popularity again, many people opted for van life in the 60s and 70s.
The heater worked for a year, before malfunctioning when she accidentally left it on.
Amélise said her new method for staying warm is turning on the gas hob for cooking despite being risky.
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Viewers were impressed by the work she put into her van and grateful that she was open to answering their questions.
One commenter said they could relate to her “traumatic flashbacks” installing a diesel heater, while others revealed they were inspired to start their own van builds.
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