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Van life — freedom on four wheels

Why buy an expensive camper when you can convert your minibus or transport van? Vanlife is a lifestyle trend that is gaining more and more followers.

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A couple standing in front of a van with a boat on its roof — A growing trend is to buy a van and convert it into a camperImage: stefhau

Tony ought to make it to Switzerland today. Tony is what 44-year-old Hauke and 39-year-old Stefanie affectionately call their Citroen Jumper, which they converted into a camper van in seven weeks of hard work. They plan to travel through Europe for a year. Stefanie quit her job, Hauke took a sabbatical. Since July 8, they have been enjoying their life in the van, have already been to Spain and France, and are on their way to the Alps.

Man sitting on the bed of a camper playing a guitar with the sea visible in the background — Hauke and Stefanie enjoying life on the roadImage: stefhau

"The other day our Tony was parked on a cliff overlooking the sea, and I was lying in bed, looking out at the water through the open tailgate. Hauke was playing the guitar. It was bordering on kitschy and beautiful," Stefanie says. It was certainly an Instagram-worthy moment, but the couple didn't post it, instead choosing to savor it in private — unlike many others who travel in a camper van and share every special moment with their followers.

A growing community

Traveling and living out of a DIY camper van is becoming ever more popular. Search Instagram for #vanlife and you will find millions of posts dedicated to this lifestyle. There's a vertiable vanlife community out there, growing by the day.

A parked white van the has all its doors open while work is being carried out on its interior — A Citroen Jumper van is being converted into a home on four wheels Image: stefhau

Stefanie and Hauke are part of this community. They converted their van into a motorhome after drawing inspiration from YouTube clips, blogs and Instagram posts.

Nature holidays

Even before the COVID pandemic, camper vans were in great demand. However, the pandemic caused sales figures for to soar in Europe. 2021 was the industry's most successful year ever. Germany saw the greatest rise in new vehicle registrations, followed by France, the UK, the Netherlands andSwitzerland.

"The trend toward individual, nature-oriented vacations began long before the pandemic and will continue to influence the travel behavior of many people in the future," says Daniel Onggowinarso, managing director of the Caravaning Industry Association (CIVD).

Less is more

Demand for motorhomes and caravans is expected to remain high in 2022. Small recreational vehicles are especially popular. They accounted for around 53% of all new vehicle registrations in 2021, according to research by CIVD.

People looking at camper vans at a trade show — Motorhomes at the Caravan Salon trade fair in DusseldorfImage: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa/picture alliance

They offer significantly more comfort than a tent, but are also more easy to drive and park than a large motorhome. They don't come cheap, however. Even a basic VW California can easily cost €60,000 ($59,469). Meanwhile, vans can be rented from an increasing number of providers. In Germany, start-ups such as Roadsurfer and Indie Campers have specialized in this segment. There is now even a dedicated German camper festival, called "Vanlife Ferropolis." In July, more than 1,000 camper fans flocked there to attend workshops, lectures and swap ideas.

Lots of parked camper vans and people mingling with big pit excavators in the background — Germany's biggest vanlife gathering in GräfenhainichenImage: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa/picture alliance

DIY vans

More and more people are also converting their own vans. 40-year-old Oliver Lein did just that. In 2017, he converted a VW T4 minibus together with his wife, an interior designer. They designed and built the bed, cabinets, ceiling paneling and kitchen all by themselves.

The side of a camper van with a brackfast table attached to the open side door through which a bed can be seen — Designed with love and attention to detail — Oliver Lein's camper van Image: Oliver Lein

"Great things are created when you look for smart solutions in the smallest of spaces. My wife and I really enjoy developing them. We even installed a mini-shower, so you can shower off your feet at the rear."

An old blue VW camper van parked on the seafront — In the 1960s, lots of young people hit the road in VW vans like theseImage: Daniel Gammert/dpa/picture alliance

Buying a used van and converting it into a DIY camper saves a lot of money compared to buying a new one. However, it is far from cheap. Especially when you rarely use your recreational vehicle, even though you are paying taxes and insurance for it. This is not the case for Oliver Lein, who uses his camper van as a mobile cafe when he's not traveling.

The open rear of a camper van with a coffee machine and mill — Oliver Lein uses his van for holidays and as a mobile cafeImage: Oliver Lein

Mix and match

Berlin company Plug Van caters to this market. It offers modules that can be easily installed in a standard 3.5 t transporter van. The company says fitting the elements takes mere minutes. Plug Van offers storage modules that can be turned into sleeping areas, as well as refrigeration modules, gas cartridge stoves, mobile power and solar units.

A woman inserting an interior camper unit into the rear of a white van — In just a few steps, this van can be transformed into a camperImage: PlugVan GmbH

Freedom on wheels

Oliver Lein is still buzzing from his recent trip to Italy this summer. It was the last holiday with the converted family VWT4 this season.

Stefanie and Hauke, on the other hand, say they may leave any minute for their next adventure.

A couple wearing helmets posing against an Alpine backdrop — Hauke and Stefanie on a climbing trip in Switzerland Image: stefhau

"We don't have a plan. We do what we like to do the most: climbing and kayaking, where and when we feel like it. We decide spontaneously, we live in the here and now. That's why we love being on the road. It makes us free and independent."

This article was originally written in German.

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