"Homelessness" is an outdated INACCURATE catch-all word for people who have no income, live on streets, struggle with mental illness/drugs, and lack access to information. Van Life is NOT ANY of THOSE THINGS.
Thank you for your kindness, and acknowledging homelessness in this video, when so many others just want to sweep it under the carpet. I have never felt so alone, so judged, and like I was a person not worth caring about. Thank you for caring, it means more than you probably realized. xx
Hey Tash, I thought you articulated that really well. I live in WA and my dream as a teen in the very late 90s was to pick up a $2k Kombi and live out of it while crossing the Nullarbor. You're completely right about the gentrification of the lifestyle, it's not cheap to live like the top VanLifers and so less affordable. I really like how you are bringing it down to earth, focussing on the adventure (the great and the scary parts) but also the financial reality - you are making it more accessible to people who might want to try it at the lower price point. Safe & fun travels!
Thank you so much! Thats really the whole goal for me, when I started I really felt it wasnt accessible and although my version isnt all that glamourous, its meant to be all about the travels anyway! 😀
I get a feeling that many of the van people do it for the express purpose of creating YT channels. Every aspect of what they do is so cliche as to be laughable, from the embracing couple in front of their 100 thousand dollar build to the yoga pants woman in the big sun hat staring pensively into a canyon. There was one of these couples whose van was parked in their driveway and they made weekend video making jaunts to show them 'living on the road'. But, like all trends, it will come to an end and van life will go back to what it was before - either the homeless or true adventurers. Personally, I can't wait for it to end. There are too many narcissists in the van army.
Fellow Aussie's don't care about the homeless. They don't even like to acknowledge it. It's disgusting. I've been in my car/ tent, trying to sell my things so I can upgrade to a van, so I'm a little safer. I was assaulted on day 2 of being homeless. 55 yr old trying to leave a toxic house. Good luck trying to get a crisis payment, I've had no luck. I'm hoping to sell my car in the next couple of weeks to upgrade to a van. It is the quick and the dead. Because van life is a thing, people are buying them to do up to sell and make money on. So people like myself in difficult situations have to deal with that competition, and most people in a homeless situation don't have as much money to buy these vans. So I think it's going to be a challenge.
@@debbiegriinke4973 Suggest you try and stick to Mitsubishi if possible ( poor mans/womans Toyota), pretty reliable and parts aren't expensive generally. Wishing All the best for you.
A wise head on young shoulders 👍 I’m coming up to my seventh year on the road and have noticed many changes over time especially the last three years. Less options to camp and gentrification of formerly cheap caravan parks. I can’t use gyms because they reek of chemicals and so finding showers is doubly difficult, only a handful of towns have free or low costs showers. Some parks actually have a deliberate tactic of sprinkler systems coming on to prevent a homeless person from sleeping on a park bench. Most councils in Australia have also signed up for the 15 minute cities which has huge ramifications for all people- but most are unaware of what it really means across the globe. My advice is to see what you can while you can…and learn to evade the system as much as you can. 👍
Im sure you have far more insights than myself, especially after seven years! This is certainly a multifaceted topic, that I know I still need to learn a lot more about but thank you for sharing some of your knowledge ❤
Van life itself hasn't become gentrified. It's the difference of choice vs. need. Actual homeless people that end up living out of a vehicle due to financial issues could never afford a Sprinter van, or pay thousand's to deck out any vehicle. There are just people who figured out they can make some money off YT, and/or patron. I doubt many of the people on YT, who would like other's to believe they are fulltimer's, actually are. I equate them to fake begger's in a large city, who, at the end of the day, change their clothes and get into a BMW to drive home.
Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm 68 and I have been preparing for van life, as to go visit loved ones that have moved out of state. Which is a very large portion of my family and friends. Some I've not see face to face in 10-25 years. Thumbs up for your content, and best wishes from S. California.
The problem is...social media. If one lives ones life without it depending on their image and life in the alternative online universe (which is what matters most for most people nowadays), it matters not.
so so true, Ive been slowly deleting social media and Ive felt so much better, I didnt realise how much I was comparing myself to others. Still got quite a way to go though, thanks for commenting :)
Really well articulated Tash! I currently live and work from my 2000 Tarago minivan in South Australia... it's not easy and definitely not glamorous at all. I can't even watch #vanlife videos (the kinds that you are describing). So I really appreciate this post! :)
thanks so much, Im glad you appreciated it. I feel I could have articulated things better but I was just going with what was coming to mind in the moment. I was thinking of heading to South Australia maybe later this year, youll have to give me a list of the best places to see!
Thank you for making this video! I have been living in a caravan for a month in my uncles driveway after deciding to move out of an abusive and toxic rental situation. I am "homeless" and now have no fixed address because I chose to move out of that rental property. I'm no now selling my caravan to get a van and travel with my dog. The current rental market means I can only afford a house in a mining town or a share house without my dog. Living in my caravan was a temporary solution. Backpacking around Australia in a van seams to be my only option to not consider myself "homeless"
I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you are feeling safer now with your dog now that you're out of that environment. Good luck and I hope that life is on the up for you 🙏
I don't think anyone is "glorifying" vanlife. It's simply an alternative to traditional living. Some people do it because they want some because they have no other option. Talk about how many people are struggling to pay their mortgage/rent plus all the other expenses. Who said you need seven bedrooms to live comfortably?
My husband and I do van life in a motor home We go away quite often but we still have our home to go to. I could never do van life full time. I feel so sorry for people who have no choice but to have this life style. Hats off to people who by choice (or not )live 100% of their lives in their vans. To be homeless is a horrible thing for people to go through. There should be more park up places for people especially the true homeless to park up safely. ❤️from 🇬🇧
It looks like a very young huntsman. They get much much bigger!!! I have 3 in my home right now at various stages of growth and have never had any issues with them. My biggest problem is keeping them safe from my cat and dog 😱
It´s the same thing with all those so called female travel influenceres/ entrapanuers in SE-Asia. I cannot tell you how many of them are actually only making $ 500 a month on their dropshipping /youtube/travelblog while they are staying in Bali/Changmai or Goa in India but what they are really doing to make it is escort/OF. I had a conversation with some of them in Thailand and they got really angry with me when I called them beggers with Macbooks.
I agree. Hallelujah girl. I choose to have no boogee build. Just a bed. A fridge. A set of plastic drawers. Refreshing to get away from the sticks and bricks feeling. Each to their own. No judgement here. ❤
Thanks! Im much the same, just use what you have and get on out there. A lot of my storage containers were from an old fridge of mine and it works as perfect storage under my bed haha
No one is mandating how YOU want your van. Odd that you need others to go minimalist or cheap to make you feel comfortable. You be you and let others do their thing.
Ownership of most possessions has become the domain of the rich. I cannot believe the cost of land and houses these days. I remember just before I moved to Tassie in 2019 I was seriously looking into tiny houses and RVs, I can not believe the cost of them now, it is ridiculous, so glad that you are doing it simply and without the status, I have a friend who has a passenger bus and he has done the same, keeps it real simple and reuses everything. Enjoy Kinglake, before moving to Tassie, I spent 24 glorious years in Warburton, a fantastic place to raise children and such an incredibly diverse community and again today is unfortunately out of the price range of most people.
very true. I know many in my generation feel they will never have any form of ownership over anything. I love Warburton, certainly a special place in my books. I was thinking of potentially going to Tassie later in the year, youll have to tell me where is best to go 🤗
there are different levels of homelesness eg: I have a van but I am homeless,(I don't feel homeless I feel clever) can't afford rent, (dont want to afford rent) still work, there are levels that are not represented LGPT (you know what I mean)
Nothing is what it seems online The vanlife people's camp down by the Crick near my Joint some times there's 3or four vans there ,In a car park in the pouring rain
While true that a lot of your most well-known vanlifers are largely living the upscale life, quite a few are more frugal. For the purposes of this discussion I'll also include the cargo trailer nomads (the category I more immediately identify with). I have seen plenty of videos with people who absolutely had to go the nomadic life because of bad life circumstances. Most of them have no-cost or extremely low-cost builds...because that's what they could afford. To that point, this is why I get frustrated that SO many ordinances and laws seem to penalize nomadic life. To be fair, more than a few abuse the areas they stay at. But most do respect the areas and other people. The nomadic life can definitely be affordable, even if that IS your last resort. You can choose to travel and stay in more temperate locations so heating and cooling are less of an issue (animals do this naturally). We just need to lobby for less punitive ordinances and also as the nomadic community put pressure on people to be respectful of every place they go. If I saw a vanlifer/trailer nomad looking to spend a night in our neighborhood, I'd be more inclined to simply introduce myself, and get to know the person/people and what their experience has been. I wouldn't mind getting a tour of their build, if they were willing. I'm as impressed with the frugal builds as I am the luxury builds. The bottom line for me is that if the community gets better at "policing" itself, it would be easier to get rid of ordinances that are punitive and everyone can live in piece.
I've been a full-time van resident since May of last year, and I sold my home to pursue a life on the road. So what I did was purely a deliberate lifestyle change and not because I couldn't afford a traditional home. So stop comparing me to a homeless person! Homeless means you have no means of income and live on the physical street. That's not who I am at all. I have a substantial bank account and meet all my needs on my own. You're the one glorifying homelessness!
Some people are really crazy like so what if it's changed people go out in the road and they want to live better some people you know so what you just are you just trying to make a video to get some money or some or you don't got nothing else to do
"Homelessness" is an outdated INACCURATE catch-all word for people who have no income, live on streets, struggle with mental illness/drugs, and lack access to information.
Van Life is NOT ANY of THOSE THINGS.
Thank you for your kindness, and acknowledging homelessness in this video, when so many others just want to sweep it under the carpet. I have never felt so alone, so judged, and like I was a person not worth caring about. Thank you for caring, it means more than you probably realized. xx
It's a conversation worth having. I hope you are having a wonderful day ❤
brooo did you see that big black spider 6:44 LOOK AT THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT
OMG I surely did freaked me out. 🕷️
Bloody hell!! That one looks nasty!
I was wondering if anyone was going to notice him 😅
Yes, spider I shit myself I thought was run in down tv
I was wondering if someone else noticed as well ;-)
Hey Tash, I thought you articulated that really well. I live in WA and my dream as a teen in the very late 90s was to pick up a $2k Kombi and live out of it while crossing the Nullarbor. You're completely right about the gentrification of the lifestyle, it's not cheap to live like the top VanLifers and so less affordable. I really like how you are bringing it down to earth, focussing on the adventure (the great and the scary parts) but also the financial reality - you are making it more accessible to people who might want to try it at the lower price point. Safe & fun travels!
Thank you so much! Thats really the whole goal for me, when I started I really felt it wasnt accessible and although my version isnt all that glamourous, its meant to be all about the travels anyway! 😀
I get a feeling that many of the van people do it for the express purpose of creating YT channels. Every aspect of what they do is so cliche as to be laughable, from the embracing couple in front of their 100 thousand dollar build to the yoga pants woman in the big sun hat staring pensively into a canyon. There was one of these couples whose van was parked in their driveway and they made weekend video making jaunts to show them 'living on the road'. But, like all trends, it will come to an end and van life will go back to what it was before - either the homeless or true adventurers. Personally, I can't wait for it to end. There are too many narcissists in the van army.
Good luck to them!
Fellow Aussie's don't care about the homeless. They don't even like to acknowledge it. It's disgusting. I've been in my car/ tent, trying to sell my things so I can upgrade to a van, so I'm a little safer. I was assaulted on day 2 of being homeless. 55 yr old trying to leave a toxic house. Good luck trying to get a crisis payment, I've had no luck. I'm hoping to sell my car in the next couple of weeks to upgrade to a van. It is the quick and the dead. Because van life is a thing, people are buying them to do up to sell and make money on. So people like myself in difficult situations have to deal with that competition, and most people in a homeless situation don't have as much money to buy these vans. So I think it's going to be a challenge.
I have been looking. I am handy. So I have some ideas, but it will be very budget friendly, using things I already have mostly to save on costs.
or things I can get 2nd hand cheaply.
@@debbiegriinke4973 Suggest you try and stick to Mitsubishi if possible ( poor mans/womans Toyota), pretty reliable and parts aren't expensive generally. Wishing All the best for you.
@@wyattfamily8997 Thank you I have been looking at toyota's, I've had 3 before I got the sedan I have, they are really reliable.
A wise head on young shoulders 👍 I’m coming up to my seventh year on the road and have noticed many changes over time especially the last three years. Less options to camp and gentrification of formerly cheap caravan parks. I can’t use gyms because they reek of chemicals and so finding showers is doubly difficult, only a handful of towns have free or low costs showers. Some parks actually have a deliberate tactic of sprinkler systems coming on to prevent a homeless person from sleeping on a park bench. Most councils in Australia have also signed up for the 15 minute cities which has huge ramifications for all people- but most are unaware of what it really means across the globe. My advice is to see what you can while you can…and learn to evade the system as much as you can. 👍
Im sure you have far more insights than myself, especially after seven years! This is certainly a multifaceted topic, that I know I still need to learn a lot more about but thank you for sharing some of your knowledge ❤
Van life itself hasn't become gentrified. It's the difference of choice vs. need. Actual homeless people that end up living out of a vehicle due to financial issues could never afford a Sprinter van, or pay thousand's to deck out any vehicle. There are just people who figured out they can make some money off YT, and/or patron. I doubt many of the people on YT, who would like other's to believe they are fulltimer's, actually are. I equate them to fake begger's in a large city, who, at the end of the day, change their clothes and get into a BMW to drive home.
Home is where the Heart is...
❤❤❤
Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm 68 and I have been preparing for van life, as to go visit loved ones that have moved out of state. Which is a very large portion of my family and friends. Some I've not see face to face in 10-25 years. Thumbs up for your content, and best wishes from S. California.
How exciting! Best wishes on your van life journey, I hope you enjoy it 🩷
The problem is...social media. If one lives ones life without it depending on their image and life in the alternative online universe (which is what matters most for most people nowadays), it matters not.
so so true, Ive been slowly deleting social media and Ive felt so much better, I didnt realise how much I was comparing myself to others. Still got quite a way to go though, thanks for commenting :)
Really well articulated Tash! I currently live and work from my 2000 Tarago minivan in South Australia... it's not easy and definitely not glamorous at all. I can't even watch #vanlife videos (the kinds that you are describing). So I really appreciate this post! :)
thanks so much, Im glad you appreciated it. I feel I could have articulated things better but I was just going with what was coming to mind in the moment. I was thinking of heading to South Australia maybe later this year, youll have to give me a list of the best places to see!
Thank you for making this video! I have been living in a caravan for a month in my uncles driveway after deciding to move out of an abusive and toxic rental situation. I am "homeless" and now have no fixed address because I chose to move out of that rental property. I'm no now selling my caravan to get a van and travel with my dog. The current rental market means I can only afford a house in a mining town or a share house without my dog. Living in my caravan was a temporary solution. Backpacking around Australia in a van seams to be my only option to not consider myself "homeless"
I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you are feeling safer now with your dog now that you're out of that environment. Good luck and I hope that life is on the up for you 🙏
Tash , well said, appreciate everything no matter how small
Spotted a spider running down the door, what’s his name ( speedy)
havent named him just yet 🤔
I don't think anyone is "glorifying" vanlife. It's simply an alternative to traditional living. Some people do it because they want some because they have no other option. Talk about how many people are struggling to pay their mortgage/rent plus all the other expenses. Who said you need seven bedrooms to live comfortably?
My husband and I do van life in a motor home We go away quite often but we still have our home to go to. I could never do van life full time. I feel so sorry for people who have no choice but to have this life style. Hats off to people who by choice (or not )live 100% of their lives in their vans. To be homeless is a horrible thing for people to go through. There should be more park up places for people especially the true homeless to park up safely.
❤️from 🇬🇧
6:50 there's a fkn SPIDER! 🕷️
It's Australia, why surprised.
@@wyattfamily8997 lol
It looks like a very young huntsman. They get much much bigger!!! I have 3 in my home right now at various stages of growth and have never had any issues with them. My biggest problem is keeping them safe from my cat and dog 😱
That was not a huntsman....😱
haha yea thats my pet huntsman, pretty chill guy just a bit skittish 😉
There was huge fucking spider in your door.. RUN. I hate spiders
Ahaha yea I know, should probably name him 😅
It´s the same thing with all those so called female travel influenceres/ entrapanuers in SE-Asia. I cannot tell you how many of them are actually only making $ 500 a month on their dropshipping /youtube/travelblog while they are staying in Bali/Changmai or Goa in India but what they are really doing to make it is escort/OF. I had a conversation with some of them in Thailand and they got really angry with me when I called them beggers with Macbooks.
beggars with MacBooks is such a creative way to put it 😂
I'd say van life is not what is glorifying homelessness, videoing it and putting it on social media is what is glorifying it
I agree. Hallelujah girl. I choose to have no boogee build. Just a bed. A fridge. A set of plastic drawers. Refreshing to get away from the sticks and bricks feeling. Each to their own. No judgement here. ❤
Thanks! Im much the same, just use what you have and get on out there. A lot of my storage containers were from an old fridge of mine and it works as perfect storage under my bed haha
No one is mandating how YOU want your van. Odd that you need others to go minimalist or cheap to make you feel comfortable. You be you and let others do their thing.
You should go on about enjoying your ventures in life and let other's do the same. Some jealousy and narrowminded issue's going on here.
Ownership of most possessions has become the domain of the rich. I cannot believe the cost of land and houses these days. I remember just before I moved to Tassie in 2019 I was seriously looking into tiny houses and RVs, I can not believe the cost of them now, it is ridiculous, so glad that you are doing it simply and without the status, I have a friend who has a passenger bus and he has done the same, keeps it real simple and reuses everything. Enjoy Kinglake, before moving to Tassie, I spent 24 glorious years in Warburton, a fantastic place to raise children and such an incredibly diverse community and again today is unfortunately out of the price range of most people.
Your friend isn't Dave from Richmond, TAS is it? If it is, shout out to Dave, hope you're doing well.
@@SwampCityRadio1974 nope, but if I bump into him, I'll tell him you said hello
very true. I know many in my generation feel they will never have any form of ownership over anything. I love Warburton, certainly a special place in my books. I was thinking of potentially going to Tassie later in the year, youll have to tell me where is best to go 🤗
I turned my SUV into a Camper for traveling. Very comfortable.
Thats so cool! Amazing work 👏
Is it about homelessness or is it more about houselessness?
A van can be your home, a house is just sticks and bricks.
there are different levels of homelesness eg: I have a van but I am homeless,(I don't feel homeless I feel clever) can't afford rent, (dont want to afford rent) still work, there are levels that are not represented LGPT (you know what I mean)
Nothing is what it seems online
The vanlife people's camp down by the Crick near my Joint some times there's 3or four vans there ,In a car park in the pouring rain
Can't do much about the weather no matter where you live.
While true that a lot of your most well-known vanlifers are largely living the upscale life, quite a few are more frugal. For the purposes of this discussion I'll also include the cargo trailer nomads (the category I more immediately identify with). I have seen plenty of videos with people who absolutely had to go the nomadic life because of bad life circumstances. Most of them have no-cost or extremely low-cost builds...because that's what they could afford. To that point, this is why I get frustrated that SO many ordinances and laws seem to penalize nomadic life. To be fair, more than a few abuse the areas they stay at. But most do respect the areas and other people. The nomadic life can definitely be affordable, even if that IS your last resort. You can choose to travel and stay in more temperate locations so heating and cooling are less of an issue (animals do this naturally). We just need to lobby for less punitive ordinances and also as the nomadic community put pressure on people to be respectful of every place they go. If I saw a vanlifer/trailer nomad looking to spend a night in our neighborhood, I'd be more inclined to simply introduce myself, and get to know the person/people and what their experience has been. I wouldn't mind getting a tour of their build, if they were willing. I'm as impressed with the frugal builds as I am the luxury builds. The bottom line for me is that if the community gets better at "policing" itself, it would be easier to get rid of ordinances that are punitive and everyone can live in piece.
thats such an amazing point, the world would certainly be heading in the right direction if we started taking it more from that stance 👏
Cool video 👍
Thanks 🩷
What a extremely smart, young female
I’m not sure that’s what I meant but that’s what I said😊
Huge spider crawling down the door jam. Hope it didn’t go in the van 😱🕷️
We will never know, i thankfully havent seen it since 😅
Houseless, not homeless! 😊
The people there are nice but the place has deadly snakes all over the place
🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
I've been a full-time van resident since May of last year, and I sold my home to pursue a life on the road. So what I did was purely a deliberate lifestyle change and not because I couldn't afford a traditional home. So stop comparing me to a homeless person! Homeless means you have no means of income and live on the physical street. That's not who I am at all. I have a substantial bank account and meet all my needs on my own. You're the one glorifying homelessness!
Some people are really crazy like so what if it's changed people go out in the road and they want to live better some people you know so what you just are you just trying to make a video to get some money or some or you don't got nothing else to do
Lame.