I quit my job and bought a campervan
Van life was part of my original plan when I moved to New Zealand over three years ago. But nothing ever goes to plan, does it?
I moved to Aotearoa in September 2019 originally on a twelve month working holiday visa, with a rough idea of working for six months, then travelling around in a campervan for three months, before heading back to Scotland for the summer and to schedule my next trip.
However, like many people’s plans around the world, covid and lockdowns threw a spanner in the works.
I ended up in a full lockdown. With no job to go to as I was working as a bartender and the bars were closed. Living in a flat with two flatmates I wasn’t close to, so we didn’t socialise. And my flights home had been cancelled.
Nevertheless, I consider myself lucky. Being in New Zealand meant I ended up in one of the best countries to live through the pandemic. After only a couple months of lockdown we were back in bars and restaurants. A couple months after that we were at gigs, events and festivals, all without masks. I was able to apply for a new visa that allowed me to stay in Aotearoa long term.
During all of this, van life never left my thoughts.
I began joining van selling groups on facebook. I was following Instagram and TikTok accounts of people who lived in vans, buses and all sorts of converted vehicles. Watching youtube videos to research the pros and cons of living a life on the road. I was fully convinced that this was the life for me.
The only problem, I was now on a work visa, therefore I am obviously required to work. The very nature of my work, managing a bar, is quite difficult to do remotely, and a slight obstacle when all I wanted to do was drive around and photograph this incredibly beautiful country.
Then a lifeline from the New Zealand government. As a reward for staying in the country during a pandemic and contributing to the economy, they had created a fast track residency application, and I qualified! I applied, and within six months I was approved.
Suddenly, the van life goal was back on.
I stepped up my game to acquire a converted campervan. Not the size of an RV, but something smaller that was able to get around the twists and turns of Kiwi roads. I also had a yearning for a wee wood burning stove from following thiscabinvan. After a couple potential buys falling through, I stumbled upon the perfect first van. A converted 4WD Toyota Hiace with a wood burning stove already installed.
Although it was located in Queenstown, and I live in Wellington, I messaged the seller explaining how I’d had a couple potential vans fall through, and I wasn’t just another backpacker here to rip the arse out of his van for six months and sell it on. Would he be willing to hold onto the van for a few days till I could to fly down and view it on my day off?
Luckily, he was super cool with waiting, and even sent me a message to say he had a good feeling about me. I viewed the van a few days later, loved it, bought it, and drove it back to Wellington in what was my first road trip.
Owning the van instantly put a different perspective onto my life. I remembered why I moved to New Zealand in the first place. To see everything that this country had to offer. Not to sit around my house, going to work 40+ hours a week, and be stuck in a depressing routine.
So I quit my job.
I finished up work a couple days before Christmas and I am taking the rest of summer off before deciding what I want to do for work next. For the next couple months I want to travel around in my van, taking photos and filming everything I see and do.
This is the van life dream being fulfilled and I can’t wait to share it with you all!
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If you want to follow along with me you can do so here on medium, Instagram, tiktok, or YouTube, where I will be sharing my experience of van life in Aotearoa.
If you have any questions, or tips for living in a van full-time, please share them in the comments!
