After I was diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, my specialist gave me two options; 1) chemical chelation or 2) long distance walking. After some research I decided I would try long-distance walking, but where to walk? Both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail required more planning than I had the energy for. At this point, I could barely get out of bed without pain. Also, those weren't really trails I felt safe walking alone. My partner at the time had grown up Catholic and he said, "What about the Camino Santiago?"
I said, "Huh? What is THAT?"
Long story short, he explained - we flew to Spain - and that was the first of 21 times I've walked the Camino Santiago. I walked 6 hours every day for 6 weeks, and at the end of the trip, felt as near to "normal" as I had felt in years. I decided to do it EVERY year and in order to afford that, began taking groups on the Camino, which I continued to do up until COVID struck.
What I learned on the Camino was just how happy I could be with nothing but what I could carry on my back in a pack.
1 change of clothes, a toothbrush and paste, a comb, and not much else. After all these years, I've gotten the total weight of my backpack down to 12-14 pounds.
And THAT set me up for living out of my car, and then my van.
For me, the secret to happy vanning is minimalism.
I have seen so many people smothering in "stuff" in their van.
The thing is, for me, just to take what you NEED, and then to keep those things very organized and out of the way so you aren't cramped. I am a Leo and I like to spread out - I don't like being penned in. So the longer I lived out of my van, the more I got rid of, until I finally found what worked for me.
People will make lists of things you "need."
I fell for that... in the beginning ... and you know what? I've gotten rid of nearly ALL those things I was told I "needed."
So my advice is this.
Start small.
Take ONLY what you really need for a week.
Then slowly add to it as you find you really NEED things.
For instance, I was told I needed a battery operated shower, so I bought one.
I've used it twice.
I just don't need it.
There are free or inexpensive showers nearly everywhere I've camped.
People said, "You need a shovel."
I've never used one.
You need an oven, a tv, a "fill in the blank."
Don't fall for it.
What you NEED is a warm bed to sleep in, an outfit to wear and one extra, a warm jacket, sturdy shoes, enough underwear and socks to change every day for a week, a pan to wash in, something to boil water or cook on, a pot, a skillet, a plate, a fork, a knife, a spoon, a cup, a solar lamp or flashlight, food and water, a book to read or a musical instrument to play, or art makings, a phone and a way to charge it. And if you'll be in cold weather, a heat source of some kind for early mornings.
Everything else is dessert!
