Van conversion at its best
Sandra and Joriën have fulfilled their dream: They live in a van that they have renovated using sustainable materials. They are free to travel wherever the wind takes them. In this interview, Sandra and Joriën reveal what they paid attention to during the renovation, what they think of sheep's wool as insulation for their van and what tips they have for prospective van couples.
ISOLENA: Sandra and Joriën, what made you decide to give up your "normal" life in a house and take on this challenging project yourselves?
Joriën:We realised that we both love travelling. That's why we decided to start this life. We tried two other vans before we bought the one we have now. The first one was actually Sandra's flower delivery van. Then we bought a bigger one, but after seven months we realised that we still needed more space to be able to travel for longer. With our current van, we have more freedom of movement and can expand our creative skills.
Sandra: Covid also contributed to our decision. I was working as a freelance florist in the events industry and lost my entire income at the time. I then went back into graphic design, which I had already been doing before becoming a florist. Joriën was a pastry chef, but his work was not without its challenges. Because of the problems we both had professionally, we decided to do something completely different. Neither of us has a professional background in building or restoring a van. My part is to take on a creative role, while Joriën is very skilful as a craftsman. So we are a good match and make a great team. We also learn a lot on the road.
ISOLENA: What was the biggest challenge during the conversion of the van?
Joriën: Ten years ago, I would never have believed that I would be converting a complete van and installing the entire power supply or a gas or water installation. Everything just turned out the way it was supposed to. We did ask some friends to help us, especially with the power supply. But we actually did the rest ourselves. The power supply in particular was our biggest construction site. All the cables are behind the walls and it took two weeks to get everything in the right place. Even now, when we're travelling, there's always something to repair.
Sandra: It's a lot of work, but it's all worth it in the end. And that's the point we've been working towards. But every now and then it can be a bit of a challenge to sit down and fix something. Especially when the weather is nice and you'd rather go to the sea or just relax outside.
" Sustainability and reusable materials were very important to us during the renovation. For the van insulation in particular, we spent a long time looking for a natural material that could withstand difficult conditions. "
Joriën:
ISOLENA: What was the biggest thing you had to give up to start your life as Van Couple?
Joriën:You give up a lot. Also when it comes to your own safety. You're out in nature around the clock, so it can happen that someone tries to break into the van. You also have to make some compromises when it comes to comfort. You don't have as much space in a van, you can't store as many things.
Sandra:The main question at the beginning was: can we live together in such a small space? When the sun is shining and you can go outside, it's not a problem. But if it rains for several days, the two of us have to find our way around this small space. That can be a challenge, because there's nowhere for one of us to retreat to. Our moods are automatically reflected in each other. Sometimes that can be a challenge. But we are very fulfilled by this way of life and feel that we get a lot out of it, we can travel wherever we want, we can meet new people and we are free.
ISOLENA: What was particularly important to you during the renovation and why did you choose sheep's wool as the renovation material?
Joriën:Sustainability and recyclable materials were very important to us during the renovation. For the van insulation in particular, we spent a long time looking for a natural material that could withstand difficult conditions. We tried spray cork and hemp, but then we heard about sheep's wool. Not everything we heard was positive. However, when we spoke to people who had already worked with it, we found that none of the negative feedback was true and that sheep's wool would be an ideal choice.
Sandra:And now we are more than satisfied. The sheep's wool was not only very easy to install, it also delivers what it promises. The van is incredibly well insulated. It is neither too cold nor too warm inside. The indoor climate is also very pleasant. Especially when you compare it with our previous vans, where the walls were often very cold in the morning and condensation formed. This has completely changed with the installation of the sheep's wool insulation. We needed about seven rolls of sheep's wool for the entire van.
" We are more than satisfied. The sheep's wool was not only very easy to install, it also delivers what it promises. The van is incredibly well insulated. It is neither too cold nor too warm inside. The indoor climate is also very pleasant. "
Sandra:
ISOLENA: What advice would you give to someone who also wants to start such a life?
Joriën:Try out a van. On Instagram, most people only show the good sides of van life. And everyone at home thinks, "Oh, I can do that too." If you're just worried about getting a job, there are so many ways to make money on the road. I'm training to be a graphic designer myself. But that doesn't mean we don't struggle with certain aspects of this life. So our advice would be to try a van and see if you can live in such a small space, even without a normal toilet. Normally vans are equipped with a porta potti where you put chemicals to prevent odours. In our previous van, we put biological substances in it so that we could dig a hole under a tree to dispose of the waste. Now we have a composting toilet. So we no longer have any chemical waste at all. But you really have to experience that first to see if you can handle it.
ISOLENA: How long will you be travelling without a permanent home?
Sandra:We don't yet know how long we will do this. We've also met couples who live in their vans for eight months and then fly to Bali or somewhere else for four months and stay in one place. Then they can take a little break from caravan life and enjoy the luxury of a normal toilet or washing machine. Joriën could probably live like this for the next ten years. I myself would like to find a place in the next five years where we feel comfortable and can settle down. Maybe in Italy or Spain. But we'll see how it goes and whether it feels right for us.
Interview partners: Sandra & & Joriën from @travelwildtobefree
Picture credits: © travelwildtobefree
