I've given it some thought, and I’m pretty certain leaving the comforts of home behind and moving into a van is the most sensible way to for me to see the world and figure its riddle out.  At the moment, I’m a young writer of 24, and well on my way to living in a camper van and rolling around North America writing about what it’s like.  Maybe it’s egotistical of me to think that anyone would want to read about it, but hell... it might get really interesting.

To explain where the van plan came from involves a quick trip back to high school.  I recall making a deal with my good friend Jen in which we swore we would head for California and live on the beaches in her van for awhile. She got an old Dodge van for free somehow—and even though it was a little rusty--and duct tape replacing necessary some things like the rear-view mirror—it ran and had a handy double bed built out of plywood in the back.  The deal started out as more of an abstract daydream, but eventually we did make it to California.  All the way to Santa Cruz, in fact.  We left just as I hit 22, and the trip was a mini vision-quest.  I didn’t come back a grown-up, but I did come back harbouring my own van plan. 

I often wonder how a lot of people only vacation for two weeks a year.  They work hard each day and the months slide by.  They complain about their jobs and—sometimes—they only find joy for as little as a few moments a day.  I don't think I can do that.  Not for awhile at least.  I’ve worked long enough just to get by while finishing a Journalism degree—selling shoes, making lattes, cleaning trains, delivering flyers, catering weddings, and assembling newspapers—just to name a few.  So I’m going to go live my life now... such as it might be.

I’ve committed to the van plan for a spell, which means giving away most of my stuff and moving permanently into the van.  Besides not having a schedule and not paying any rent, the beauty of van living can be summed up just by mentioning the ability to sleep where I fall (or park) and enjoy my morning coffee outside in the sun.  I’m going to go where I please and do what I like—meeting people, chasing adventure and blogging about it all the way. Welcome to my living breathing novel. It's all a true story...