Escaping the 9-5 Grind by Embracing Van Life Freedom!
Life is just so busy, rushed and stressful! Whilst working 9-5 we are confined to a schedule, that in time, becomes quite mundane. The jobs we perform, the hours we work, the breaks we receive and our income are all defined for us. And this is the idea of Society's normal? My partner Nick and I are at the stage in life where we want to live it on our terms.
The cost of living now is off the charts! Groceries have doubled, petrol is expensive, rent has increased as have household bills. We find ourselves living from paycheck to paycheck. This is not how we wish to live; stressed out and struggling to find a dollar!
And so is the allure of van life! The freedom of the open road, living and working on your own terms and the opportunity to explore new destinations within our great Country, at our leisure is drawing us in! We are both free spirited by nature, and no longer wish to conform to society's view of 'normal life' as it just does not sit well with either of us. Instead, we want a lifestyle centred around simplicity, adventure and self-discovery!
Life is passing us by so quickly, and we want to experience it now! Having no children of our own, we have realised that there is nothing stopping us from living the van life in the not too distant future. Should we wait until retirement, who knows how our health will be then. We figured, let's do it soon, whilst we are both still young enough to really enjoy it!
Material things mean little to NIck and I. We both enjoy the simple way of living. Sure, it's nice to have nice things, but that is all they are; things! That is not where your happiness lies. To Nick and I happiness means freedom and embracing a more minimalist, experiential lifestyle.
So, after much discussion and watching youtube videos on stories of individuals who have successfully made the leap from the corporate world to van life (our favourite being Chrome and his gorgeous dog Cruze), the planning has begun!
We have decided that we will downsize our possessions by selling them, and have recently purchased a LDV90 4WD which we both just love. Nick has previously worked his way around Australia, and I am super excited to view our great country. We have made a list of products we will need for our journey, including us staying connected whilst on the open road!
When discussing ways on which we could embrace financial freedom, Nick and I have developed 'NickAlly Camping' our online store. This includes practical camping-related products for all outdoor enthusiasts to purchase and use at great prices.
We will be including product reviews and travel blogs (watch this space) on the commencement of our journey. We are both planning to gain work whilst on our travels.
Despite being a little apprehensive about converting to van life, I am super excited for this new challenge ahead! The nomadic lifestyle, the uncertainty, dealing with inclement weather and navigating my relationship with Nick in close quarters are obstacles I'm wanting to experience (although I think it will be Nick who may struggle living with me in a van. As. let's face it, I can be bloody hard work!)
Nick and I are both firm believers in living outside your comfort zone! This is where growth occurs. Neither us like the 'same old, same old' that the grind of working 9-5 has to offer! To us, life is for exploring! And what better place to explore than our great country!
Alison and Nick
NICKALLY CAMPING