Just about two weeks before our estimated kickoff date for our 2-month vanlife trip across Canada, we went to pick up two camping chairs from a seller near Nose Hill, in northwest Calgary.
At the last minute, the seller messaged us saying they’d be about an hour late and asked if we could come back later. We had already arrived at the meeting spot, so we sat there wondering: should we wait an hour, grab a Timmy’s nearby, take a walk through Nose Hill Park, or just leave and find another seller?
Guess what we did?
We stayed in our van, pulled out a chair, and lay back comfortably — chatting about our upcoming trip and what we still needed to prepare. Time passed so quickly we barely noticed. About 45 minutes later, the seller’s wife walked by our van with two camping chairs on her shoulder. And just like that — we bought them!
We were honestly so excited to have these classic Canadian camping chairs joining us on our adventure. And it hit us: if we were going to live in this minivan for the next two months, why stress about waiting 45 minutes inside our home on wheels? The journey already started. Even moments like these — resting, doing nothing — mean something.
Later, my partner shared that she had spent a lot of time diving into vanlife communities while researching our build. She noticed there seem to be two types of vanlifers
- Those living on a tight budget who can’t afford rent
- Those enjoying retirement and embracing freedom in their golden years
I laughed and asked, “So… which type are we?”