This week, Georgina Atkinson shares her story from Italy with her partner, Patrick, from Germany. Georgina is from the UK and left a corporate 9-5 Program Manager position at Vodafone to pursue vanlife and explore Europe—this is Georgina's Vanlife Voice.
A Love for Travel and a New Way of Life
Hi, I’m Georgina from the UK, and I’ve been living on the road for about three months now. The decision to embrace van life started brewing in January 2023, but it wasn’t until recently that I finally hit the road. I’ve always had a love for travel—exploring new places, discovering different cultures, and meeting people. So, I wanted to find a way to make this passion a long-term reality, and van life offered the perfect solution. It’s the freedom, autonomy, and flexibility of being able to take my home with me, following the sun, and making spontaneous travel decisions that truly inspired me.
I also wanted to downsize my life, both in terms of space and costs, to give myself a break from the corporate grind. Van life is cost-effective, and it allows me to work less, freeing me up to explore the world without the constant pressure of a 9-to-5.
Meet Alma: My Fiat Ducato Maxi
My van is a Fiat Ducato Maxi, affectionately named Alma. My mum actually came up with the name, which means soul and nurturing in various languages. It felt like the perfect name for my new home on wheels. Alma is 6.4 meters long, a decision we made after a bit of drama with our first van order, which was delayed and ended up being scrapped.
The Fiat Ducato is a popular choice for camper van conversions, and it’s easy to see why. Its boxy shape maximizes interior space, which is crucial when you’re living in a small space. The entire van was stripped and modified to become a fully off-grid camper, so it’s completely tailored to my needs.
The Conversion: A Bespoke Build
We worked with Homesmith Campers in the UK for the conversion. They offered a fully bespoke service, which was essential for us because I needed a space that could accommodate work as well as daily living. The conversion process took three months, and we were involved in every step, choosing materials, finishes, and the overall design.
Budget-wise, we stuck to a plan and only went slightly over, which was a relief! One of the special features we added was a roof deck, which was a bit of a challenge due to weight constraints, but they managed to make it work within our budget.
My Van Life Highlights: Freedom and Flexibility
While we’ve only been on the road for a short time, the freedom of van life has already provided some unforgettable experiences. One of the highlights was a spontaneous decision to change our plans from Lake Garda in Italy to Sardinia due to bad weather. Within a day, we drove through the Swiss Alps to Italy, spent a night in Pisa, and then caught a ferry to Sardinia. That’s the beauty of van life—you can pack up and be in a completely different place the next day.
Another memorable adventure was exploring Bavaria, Germany. We followed the Romantic Road, discovering charming towns that many people often overlook. It’s moments like these that remind me why I chose this lifestyle.
A Typical Day on the Road
No two days are exactly the same, but a typical day involves balancing the essentials of van life with time to explore. We start the day with coffee, and then I focus on the day-to-day tasks—managing water levels, electricity, and making sure everything is running smoothly. After that I try to explore the local area, go for a hike or work on my website.
We use an app called "Park for Night" to find our next stop, whether it’s a campsite or a free parking spot. It’s a constant balance between work, life admin, and making time to enjoy the adventure.
Electrical Setup: A Fully Off-Grid System
We’ve gone all-electric in our van with no gas at all. Our power comes from a 400-watt solar panel on the roof and a large lithium battery. We also have a DC-to-DC charger that charges the battery while we drive, and we can plug into a campsite’s electric supply if needed.
Most things run on 12 volts, like our fridge and fans, but we switch on the inverter for higher-powered appliances like the induction hob or kettle. Our setup has worked perfectly so far, and the team did a great job organizing the electrical system in the "garage" space.
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Learn MoreTips for Energy Efficiency and Van Life Hacks
One of the best tips we learned was how to run our laptop directly from a 12-volt adapter, which saves a lot of power by avoiding the inverter. It’s a great hack for anyone working from a van.
In terms of cooking, keeping it simple is key. One-pot meals or salads are the way to go when you’re trying to conserve power. And something as small as getting a mini kettle rather than a large one can make a big difference in how much energy you use.
Another underrated hack is using a composting toilet. It might not be glamorous, but it gives us so much more freedom. You don’t have to rely on specific disposal points like you do with chemical cassette toilets, and it’s much easier to manage when you’re off-grid.
The Transition: Challenges of Van Life
The transition to van life hasn’t been easy. There are so many little things you take for granted when living in a house—running water, electricity, flushing toilets, and easy access to everything. In a van, you’re constantly managing resources—how much water you have, the state of your battery, where you’re going to park, and whether it’s safe.
Packing up the van every time you move is another challenge. It takes time to stow everything securely so it doesn’t fly around while driving. But these are all part of the van life experience, and while it’s been tough at times, it’s been equally rewarding.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Adventures
Our plans for the future include spending the winter in Portugal and Spain, exploring Andalusia before heading to Portugal in January. Next year, we might head to Albania, Romania, and Turkey, or even venture into Morocco again, a place we visited and loved in 2022. We’re excited to continue this journey and see where the road takes us.
If you want to follow along on our adventures, you can find me on Instagram at @VanLavita or my website vanlavita.com, where I share snippets of van life. It’s a work in progress, but I’m determined to balance the excitement of exploring with creating content to inspire others to embrace this lifestyle.
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