Soy Katch, una fotógrafa de bodas de Colombia!

INFORMACIÓN GENERAL DE LA FURGONETA:

        MODELO Mercedes Benz Sprinter

        AÑO 2016

¿POR QUÉ OS DECIDISTEIS POR ESE MODELO DE FURGONETA?

Escogimos una Sprinter porque queríamos algo que fuera fiable al 100% y suficientemente grande para meter todo nuestro equipo. No queríamos una AC porque son demasiado grandes y más dificiles de aparcar en las ciudades y conducimos bastante en ciudad por nuestro trabajo. La Sprinter nos pareció una muy buena opción entre una AC y una furgo más pequeña.

¿CUÁNTO TIEMPO Y DINERO OS LLEVÓ LA CAMPERIZACIÓN? ¿QUÉ FUE LO MÁS DIFÍCIL?

No hicimos nosotros la camperización, nos la hizo Sportsmobile, ¡así que no nos fue nada difícil! Creímos que estaríamos mejor dejandoselo a los profesionales en lugar de hacerlo nosotros. Sus construcciones van desde $45K a 200K, ¡dependiendo de cuántas cosas necesites!

WHICH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DO YOU HAVE?

We have Solar panels for electricity and one additional battery.

WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING FROM YOUR VAN?

I think we might have considered getting a long body or tall body if we were to purchase another one. Just so we can have a little more standing room.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOUR VAN?

The bed. We wanted to make sure the whole van felt like home, not like a temporary makeshift home, but like real home sweet home. And for me, the bed makes it that. It’s incredibly comfortable and it’s my happy place. We added on a thick memory foam mattress for ultimate comfort!

DO YOU LIVE IN THE VAN OR ONLY TRAVEL IN IT?

We live in it full time. We don’t own anything else or have anything in storage or in an apartment or house.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TRAVELING BY VAN?

I was already traveling a ton for work, and flying every weekend in the busy season wasn’t my favorite. So van life made a lot of sense for us, so I could travel together with my boyfriend, Ben, and we could bring our home with us wherever we went. I was spending so little time in our apartment already so it made sense!

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE VAN?

To live in it for the next year or two, and then who knows!

THE BEST AND WORST PART ABOUT VAN DWELLING?

Best part: Being mobile, and being able to wake up anywhere you want, all over the states.

Worst part: Winter! Winter can get tough in a van, but thankfully we have heat. It just means we can’t spend as much time outside unless we’re being active and keeping warm.

HOW DO YOU SHOWER AND GO TO THE TOILET?

We have a little portapotty in the van. We use it whenever we need to, but for the most part, we try to use gas stations, friends’ houses, stores, etc.

We spend a lot of time near friends, we have friends all over the states, so showers aren’t a big issue for us. At any point, we’re usually close enough to someone we know that we can stop by and take a shower when needed.

FINDING SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP CAN BE TRICKY SOMETIMES. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO FIND SPOTS TO SPEND THE NIGHT FOR FREE?

We use an app called AllStays, it shows you potential free parking areas around you, its super handy and I definitely recommend it! For the most part, we stay in BLM land where we don’t have to pay to park.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO AFFORD TO LIVE ON THE ROAD?

We’re both full time photographers, we didn’t give up our jobs for van life, so our financials didn’t change much!

WHAT’S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT WORKING FROM THE VAN?

Sometimes its tough not having separate work and play areas. When your bedroom doubles are your office (and your kitchen, and everything else), it can be harder to get in a work mindset and really work without distractions.

WHICH ADVISE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO’S THINKING ABOUT LIVING IN A VAN?

I would tell them to make sure they’re doing it for the right reasons. With social media today, I think sometimes van life is romanticized, and made to seem like it’s all waking up to pretty views and doing nothing all day. But it’s definitely not like that. Sometimes we wake up in WalMart parking lots or people’s driveways. Sometimes you go days without a shower. Sometimes you’re stuck inside in a snow storm, etc. If you go into it with the wrong reasons or wrong expectations, you’re in for a big surprise. So I recommend reading articles about the downsides of van life, the hardships, the things people dislike about it, and then make sure your are okay enduring all of those. For us, we’re totally okay with it because the reward it larger than the price we pay. But it’s all personal opinion, and we’re all different!

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU MISS ABOUT YOUR LIFE BEFORE THE VAN/AC?

Honestly, not really. Sometimes I miss having a permanent home, but I immediately realize that what I have now is so much better for my lifestyle!

WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU?

To see more about my photo work: @katchsilva

To see more about my personal life and van life: @sheepfeet

Para ver más sobre mi trabajo fotográfico: @katchsilva

Para ver más sobre mi vida personal y furgonetera: @sheepfeet

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