Why I want to Travel the World in a Van

When I was 20, I was working at a campervan and car hire company. I would watch with envy when people would take their vans, loading them up with all of their belongings and hitting the open road. My enthusiasm and excitement was evident as I showed people around their new van, and everyone was impressed by just how much could be fit into the back of a high-top. I often found myself looking into different campervan options and trying to find some cheap van insurance quotes for my age, I wanted to hit the open road myself!

If I could travel the world in a van, I would probably spend months researching itineraries and destinations. I love the freedom that a van represents-you have both accommodation and transportation sorted, so you can go wherever you like. This means if you visit a destination full of tourists and want to leave, you can take off and maybe even stumble across a place that only locals know.

While many people may assume that traveling the world in a van could be lonely, most of the time people will make friends with others doing the same things. Camping grounds and parks are prevalent around the world, so people can stay for a night, maybe wash some clothes, charge the van (if needed) and compare itineraries with other travellers.

I want to take a van from Cairo to Capetown. Traveling from Egypt to South Africa has always been a dream of mine, and I can think of no better way to do it than in a van. Along the way I can stop in towns and cities, while still seeing some of the incredible sights of Africa and sleeping under the stars whenever possible.

I’ve also always wanted to take a van around New Zealand. New Zealand is a country which is relatively small, making it perfect to see via a road trip. The scenery is famous from movies like Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and if you fly between destinations, not only will it be expensive, but you’ll miss some of the most incredible scenery.

One thing I’ve always loved about the thought of travelling in New Zealand, is driving from Auckland at the top of the North Island, down to Queenstown at the bottom of the South Island. Depending on the size of my van, it can often be taken on the ferry across the Cook Strait, between both islands.

Europe would also be an amazing place to travel in a van. Accommodation and transportation can both quickly add up, and a van allows you to get to those smaller villages which you may not see if you’re taking the train between countries. While hostels can be a great way to see Europe, it can often work out cheaper to take a van since all you’ll be paying for after the van hire is food, entertainment, and petrol. You may even choose to pick up hitchhikers along the way, who will usually chip in for gas.

While many people wait until they’re retired before they travel the world in a van, more and more young people are starting to realise that they don’t want to be stuck in an office throughout their 20’s and 30’s, and would instead like to see the world.