"Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as — (VanLife)."
The secret project. For several months, I've been working on the move from where I had been living for the past 18 months, to a converted Ford Transit van. It's something I've been wanting to do for years, arguably since the start of the pandemic in 2020. But after a few changes in my life recently, I decided that the time was now to go for it and see what VanLife could be like for Jolly and me.
I always like to have a Plan B for the 'just in case' scenario. The Van turned out to be just that, but so far, it's likely one of the best decisions I've recently made. Nothing changes, Springboard-wise — it likely means I'll be able to visit places far easier than before, but my main base will be Glossop, for the boy.
So, you may be wondering, how can I possibly play games like Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider II, and many more on the go, wherever I am? The answer, dear reader, is that we live in a very easy time when it comes to technology.
Switching it up
Getting rid of countless boxes, furniture, clothes, and more over the past couple of months has been very cathartic. Some I had owned for over a decade, and some for several years. But it was time to let a lot of it go and decide on keeping the things I couldn't live without, or others that I simply needed to go day by day. Part of the reason for buying the Switch 2 was so I could play all the games I've owned in the past, as well as what's coming to Nintendo's newest console.
Of course, the MacBook Pro is needed for, everything (waves arms furiously at the site), as well as my iPhone. When it comes to the iPad, that's now an emulation powerhouse, thanks to apps like Delta, Gamma, and many others. With it paired to the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, it's been perfect for playing games that have next to no chance of appearing on consoles and PC anytime soon, like the original Resident Evil trilogy.
But what powers all of this, you may ask? A Bluetti EB70 power station. This came with the van, and can charge all my devices with no issues, as well as powering the water system and the compressor fridge. Thanks to climate change, there's plenty of sunlight this time of year, even when cloudy, so everything has been self-sufficient. However, I can plug the EB70 into the mains of whichever coffee place or house I find myself at from time to time if need be. When it comes to showers, that's where the Gym comes in, offering a bunch of them at almost every one of its many branches across the country. As things stand, so far, so good, and I can't see AI being able to drive a van and write about it anytime soon. However, there is one factor that must be addressed.
Jolly
The main man. The celebrity of Lincoln and, likely soon, Glossop too. Jolly's got all his toys, food, and water, and essentially all of Glossop and the UK to walk on now. He even has his own bed, and so far he's loving it. With the van having great airflow due to the fans, insulation, and blacked-out windows, neither of us has struggled with the heat in the van.
When it comes to security, the van is tracked, alarmed, and clamped like Fort Knox. But anything valuable is always with me. So if the worst comes to the worst, it's still fine. In a way.
All the people, so many people
To get slightly philosophical for a moment: When you stop thinking about bills, like rent, the electricity, the council tax, internet, and more, you start to look at the bigger picture and wonder — what are we doing? The cost of living crisis has made everything so much harder for many people out there, and it's simply terrifying for many, where it feels like the government just isn't doing enough to help.
Then there's social media. Far too many times, I see perspectives skewed by sites like 9GAG and forums I won't mention here, thinking that the end of the world is definitely coming, and absolutely everything is incredibly terrible. But at least so far, from talking to more people face to face during my short time in the van, no arguments are made from the off due to politics or sexual preference made behind a keyboard. We just all get on, no matter who we are, and it's nice.
Anyway, whilst I'll be visiting Lincoln now and again, I want to visit lots of different places in the UK in a few weeks. So if you'd like to meet up at a Caffe Nero or somewhere else, by all means, shoot me an email.
So that's where we are. This newsletter will, of course, feature the van from time to time, as I believe there's plenty to say about living in one whilst running a business. I'm also keen on testing out products in the van as well, so by all means, if this interests you and who you represent, get in touch.
For now, though, I'm happy about making this change, and despite my mental health still being the best it's been for several years, the van has somehow made it even better. The freedom it gives me is amazing, and it allows me to be closer to the boy more than ever, instead of doing two four-hour drives a week that I had been doing previously.
When all is said and done, that's what really matters.
Thanks for reading.
