Setting Clear Travel Goals

Before you hit the road, take some time to map out your van travel itinerary and define your travel goals. Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip, a weekend getaway, or a year-long expedition, having a clear plan will help you estimate costs more accurately and ensure you make the most of your adventure.

Researching Van Financing Options

One of the first steps in budgeting for your van travel adventure is reviewing and securing your van finance. Explore different financing options, such as personal loans, hire purchase agreements, or van leasing, to determine the best option for your budget and needs. Consider factors such as interest rates, loan terms, and monthly payments to find a financing solution that fits your lifestyle.

Creating a Van Financing Budget

Once you’ve chosen a financing option, it’s time to create a budget specifically for van payments. Calculate how much you’ll need to allocate each month for van repayments and include it in your overall travel budget. By planning ahead and staying on top of your payments, you can enjoy your van travels without worrying about financial strain.

Researching Fuel Costs 

Fuel expenses can quickly add up during your van travels, especially if you’re covering long distances or exploring remote areas. Research fuel prices along your planned route and estimate the total fuel expenses for your trip. Consider factors such as fuel efficiency, distance traveled, and any detours or side trips you plan to take to ensure you budget accurately.

Creating a Fuel Budget

Based on your research, create a budget specifically for fuel expenses. Calculate how much you’ll need for the entire trip and allocate funds accordingly. Look for ways to save on fuel costs, such as using loyalty programs or apps to find the cheapest gas stations, and consider alternative fuel options like biodiesel or propane if available.

Planning Meals in Advance

Eating out can quickly drain your travel budget, so it’s essential to plan your meals in advance. Stock up on non-perishable food items and cooking essentials before hitting the road, and focus on easy-to-cook meals that require minimal ingredients and cooking equipment. By cooking meals in your van, you can save money and enjoy delicious homemade food wherever your travels take you.

Budgeting for Food Expenses

Allocate a portion of your budget for groceries and dining out, taking into account the number of people travelling with you and any dietary restrictions. Estimate how much you’ll need for each meal and snack, and be sure to factor in occasional dining-out expenses for special occasions or when you’re craving a taste of local cuisine.

Balancing Eating Out and Cooking In

While it’s tempting to indulge in restaurant meals during your van travels, dining out can quickly eat into your budget. Strike a balance between eating out for special occasions and cooking meals in your van to save money. Consider packing a picnic or enjoying meals at scenic rest stops to enhance your dining experience without breaking the bank.

Budgeting for Breakdown Cover 

Include the cost of breakdown cover in your travel budget, factoring in the level of coverage you need and any additional services you may require. While breakdown cover adds to your upfront expenses, it can save you significant time and money in the event of an emergency, ensuring you can get back on the road quickly and safely.

Creating an Emergency Fund for Repairs

Even with breakdown cover, unexpected van repairs or maintenance costs can arise during your travels. Set aside an emergency fund to cover these expenses, ensuring you’re prepared for any unexpected challenges along the way. Having a financial safety net will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your van travels without worrying about unexpected costs.

Reviewing and Adjusting Your Budget

Throughout your van travels, periodically review your budget and make adjustments as needed. Keep track of your spending on fuel, food, breakdown cover, and other expenses to ensure you stay within your budget constraints. Be flexible and willing to make changes to your itinerary or spending habits to accommodate unexpected costs or changes in your financial situation.

Budgeting for a van travel adventure requires careful planning and attention to detail, but the rewards of exploring the open road are well worth the effort. By following the strategies outlined in this guide, you can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of van travel while staying within your financial means. So pack your bags, buckle up, and get ready for the journey of a lifetime – your van adventure awaits!

The post The Ultimate Guide To Budgeting For Van Travel Adventures appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

When going on holiday using a campervan, there are essential things that you may consider inconsequential that you need to pack. These items make your life on the road a whole lot easier. Let us look at some of the essential items that you should always have on a campervan holiday.

Food and Drinks

• Water
• Coffee, hot chocolate, sweetener/sugar, tea bags
• Milk
• Snacks
• Plan for an outdoor barbeque
• Bedding

The type of bedding you carry depends on the size of the campervan. Those with enough space have fixed beds, which means that you can carry a duvet and a pillow. If your campervan is small, carry a sleeping bag as it is easy to store when not in use.

Toiletries

Remember that the campervan bathroom is just enough for cleaning your teeth. Therefore, only carry essential items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary towels, deodorant, hairbrush, an all-purpose body cream, and one or two hair products.

Portable Lighting

If you plan to stay or free camp on unpowered sites, you need portable lighting. Although the campervan has good lighting, it is not the same when outside the campervan. This is especially so if you want to spend time or eat dinner outside the van on a balmy summer evening.

The best option for portable lighting is battery-operated lamps as they are less fickle in comparison to gas options and also use limited resources. They are available in a range of styles and prices with both rechargeable and standard options available.

Travel Gadgets

• Tablet for watching TV
• Charging cables for cameras, tablets, and phones
• MiFi to enable you to surf and check your email
• Camera and lenses in different ranges
• A pair of binoculars
• Sat Nav if there is none in the campervan
• Your favourite playlist to play on the campervan’s audio system or via your phone

Foldable Outdoor Furniture

When you get to your campsite and the weather is nice, you can sit outside and enjoy the view. You can do this while sitting on some fold-up furniture set up outside the campervan door and enjoy a quiet summer evening. Ensure you pick one that does not occupy too much space on the campervan.

Campervan Insurance

This is a type of insurance that is customized for campervans. Believe me, you NEED it.

The insurance covers you when parked up and relaxing, and while on the road. It covers you, your vehicle, and your vehicle for theft, accidents, and damages. Campervan insurance like car insurance is a legal obligation. If you would like to purchase one, get campervan insurance quotes here.

Other Basics

• Hot water bottles
• Mosquito repellent
• Baby/wet wipes – can be used for various purposes
• Map
• A book and travel games
• Torch
• Water carriers – you can get collapsible containers or a fizzy drink bottle

If you bring your dog, remember to carry their food and water plus their feeding bowls, harness, dog towels, toys, and dog blanket/bed, not forgetting poo bags. Our dog joined us on a 2 month trip around Europe – you can read more about traveling with a dog in a van here and some FAQ.

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Now, we have the Internet, an invention that has simultaneously made things a million times easier and much more difficult. On the one hand, a huge amount of information is available at your fingertips; you can easily search anything you could possibly want to know and find the answer pretty much immediately. On the other hand, those looking for (as an example) a change of career might not know where to start, since the vastness of the information available is staggering.

A couple of years ago we did a road trip around Europe in our van (check out the #VanLife category in the menu!), and we’re so lucky that we can work from anywhere in the world doing SEO and Google Ads. If you don’t know digital marketing, and that’s not your jam, don’t worry. Your dream of working on the move isn’t over. This is a list of just a few of the jobs you could do if you love to travel:

Selling items online

Whether you’re handcrafting your own products or you’re working closely with a supplier, online selling is one of the easiest ways to make money on the road. Once you have your supply chain set up, it’s just a case of getting your products out there and selling them. Incobis online marketplace UK is a great place to start if you want to reach a bigger audience.

Pilot or air steward

If you love to travel, then there are few jobs better suited to you than being on a plane all day, right? Obviously, in order to become a pilot you’re going to need some serious expertise; there are courses and qualifications aplenty which you’ll need to complete before you’re allowed behind the controls of a plane.

If the idea of controlling the plane itself leaves you queasy, then perhaps you’d be better suited to being an air steward. As a steward, you’ll tend to your passengers’ needs, explain safety procedures and perform general maintenance of the plane; you’ll get to travel to various countries each day depending on which company you work for and what shifts you’re put on.

International aid volunteer

There are a huge amount of organisations constantly looking for people to help with food and medical aid in less-developed countries. Charities like the VSO, UK-based ICS and Challenges Worldwide offer many and varied positions, so there’s almost no chance that your skill set won’t be useful in some way as an international volunteer. If you’re looking for work that’s rewarding, challenging, and varied, then you’ll struggle to find something more satisfying than volunteering abroad.

Don’t expect this to be easy; many of the countries you’ll be working in are likely to be fairly far from home, and you might be needed for extended periods of time. This also isn’t strictly speaking a “job”, in that it won’t pay in the conventional sense. It will, however, be excellent for your CV.

Blogger

Do you like to write in your spare time? Have a specific subject about which you know more than anyone else? Want to get paid to write about it? You could even become a travel blogger. Well, it’s…not quite that simple. Building up an audience to justify getting paid to blog is a long, difficult and arduous process – nobody’s going to pretend it isn’t. You’ll have to put a lot of work into a blog as a side venture before it becomes big enough to quit your full-time job.

With that said, blogging is one of the most creatively fulfilling jobs you can possibly have. If you work hard enough (and luck out a little bit), then you’ll have a job where you have full creative control over your content, as well as how it’s distributed and who you partner with. If you’re lucky enough to have an in-demand blog, the world is your oyster, and – better yet – you can easily blog on the go with laptops and even tablets.

Bartending

We’ve spoken to some people among whom bartending has a very unfairly low reputation. “Isn’t it just pouring drinks?” say they. Our reply to this is always the following: do you remember the best cocktail you ever had? Where did it come from? How about that bartender who got into a fiery debate with you about some issue or other, and the conversation went on sporadically as they served customers?

Bartending is an incredibly difficult job to do well; it requires great people skills, excellent manual co-ordination, and the patience of several saints. You’ll never be prouder than when you serve that perfect mojito or that ideal Long Island iced tea, though. Bartenders are in high demand all around the world, so getting gigs in different countries shouldn’t be too arduous for you.

Trading

Trading has been around as a job for many, many years, but it’s never been easier to do it than today. Effectively, trading involves keeping an eye on trends within certain markets and predicting them using various strategies and your own know-how. It’s demanding, mathematics-heavy and risky work, but it pays dividends if you know what you’re doing.

There are various kinds of trading, including Forex trading (foreign exchange currency trading) and stocks and shares trading. Choosing an excellent trading platform with smartphone capabilities is key – All of them can be done on the move, as long as you have access to decent tech and a good Internet connection. If you’ve got decent capital to start with, you can make serious money trading.

The post Vanlife Jobs: Ways To Make Money Whilst Traveling appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Today I’ve been reminiscing about our 2-month road trip around Europe and we’ve started talking about getting another van. I started researching the top road trip destinations in Europe so I pulled together a post of some places we’d like to return to and some places we want to add to our ‘Visited’ pin map.

St. Bernard Crossing, Switzerland

It is the third-highest road in Switzerland connecting Martigny with Aosta in Italy. It is also the lowest pass between the two peaks of the Alps, Mont Blanc, and Monte Rosa. For those who are ecstatic about the beauty of the Alps, this is your path. Some of you may know, the Alps has a special place in my heart (read why here!).

Apart from being a beautiful place, this is also the route taken by Napoleon’s army to invade Italy, so it’s pretty historic. Along the way, we meet many small and picturesque medieval villages. The trail passes through the border triangle of Switzerland, France, and Italy in case you would like to visit one of these three countries.

Romantic Street, Germany

The so-called Romantic Road, from Würzburg to the Alps, is one of the most exciting road trips. It stretches from north to south for about 350 kilometers from Wurzburg to the medieval, atmospheric city of Fussen, passing through the Danube, and owes its name to the impression it made on the Allies after the end of World War II. There are dozens of beautiful villages and towns along this axis with romantic character, castles, and wonderful nature.

At the same time, the route from Wurzburg to the city of Fussen, against the backdrop of the dazzling mountain peaks is genuinely unforgettable. The road passes through Hohenschwangau Castle and ends at Neuschwanstein Castle, the famous palace of Louis II, in the middle of an evocative landscape at an altitude of 965 meters. The castle was actually under construction when we visited but I’d love to return another time.

Of course, if you do not own a car during your visit to Germany, you do not need to worry. Enjoy Travel provides you with a vast range of rental cars where you can choose the best prices, which you can pick up immediately upon arrival at any German airport you desire, to start your road adventure immediately.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria

This road was built at the end of World War I. Without a doubt, it is one of the most impressive streets in Europe with panoramic views. The mountain road is 48 km long and leads to the heart of the High Tauern National Park, which contains 36 turns around the mountain, following the natural course of the land and helping visitors to experience the tremendous high alpine landscape. Museums, nature and panoramic paths, unique exhibitions, information points, playgrounds, and large waterfalls await you in twelve selected locations.

The Western Highlands in Scotland

Scotland’s historic Highlands are also known for their incredible natural beauty. Fill your car and drive from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, and you will taste the different elegance of Scotland. Castles, forests, wildlife, and picturesque houses that will make you want to come back for more!

We found having a car in Scotland so handy because we could go to areas that were a little bit more remote and less touristy. You’ll find this is the case for most places, but it was especially true for Scotland.

Mediterranean Spain

The Mediterranean Sea covers over 1660 km of Spanish coastline, from Tarifa, the southernmost point of the entire European continent in the province of Cádiz, to the rocky cliffs of Cabo de Creus, on the Spanish-French border in northern Catalonia.

This quaint road trip starts in Barcelona and includes stunning locations like Valencia, where you can enjoy local wine, stroll in the historic old town or maybe rent a jet ski to explore the coastline. The journey continues all the way down to lovely Andalusia, the Sierra Nevada, Granada, and Malaga – too many shades in one brush one might say.

The post Great Road Trips Destinations In Europe (Itinerary Ideas + Tips!) appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

It was a massive adventure and we can’t wait to go on another road trip. Here are some roads we thought about travelling in our little camper, some places we drove through, along with some locations that are on our bucket list for next time!

1. Italy: Almalfi Coast

We spent a huge amount of our trip in Italy, and to be honest, it was overall my favourite area because there was so much diversity in different locations. We didn’t get as far as the Almalfi Coast but we are desperate to go back and do this 50-kilometre stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Campania region.

Deemed an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape by Unesco, the Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s most memorable destinations. It’s a popular holiday destination, with sheer cliffs and a rugged shoreline dotted with small beaches and pastel-coloured fishing villages.

2. Switzerland: Klausen Pass

Switzerland has always been high on my list of places to visit. It’s really expensive to stay in Switzerland so travelling in a campervan is a great way to see the area without paying £200 a night in a hotel. There are so many amazing mountain passes (as long as you don’t mind driving your van down wiggly roads!). Notably, Klausen Pass is a famous high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting Altdorf in the canton of Uri with Linthal in the canton of Glarus. Klausen pass is definitely worth visiting especially if you love skiing and mountains and passes.

3. Germany: Romantic Road

Germany was such a fascinating place to visit and there are tons of great roads to drive in Germany. One that’s particularly famous, that sadly we never got to drive, is Romantic Road. Romantic Road is one of the oldest touring roads in the world! Built after World War II as a means of attracting visitors to the country, this self-drive. Another one for the bucket list.

4. Norway: Trollstigen

Our retro campervan wasn’t set up for snow. We managed to get navigate icy conditions and cold weather whilst in Switzerland as winter rolled in, but I wouldn’t want to do a long winter trip in our old van. It had a giant hole in the side of it, where we had removed the fridge. It also was badly insulted (especially since I caught the van on fire, Oops!)

When we have a better than I’d love to tour the Nordic countries, specifically going through Sweden, Norway and Finland. You’ve probably spotted Trollstigen on Instagram – a serpentine mountain road and passes in Rauma Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. As one of the most famous National Tourist Routes, Trollstigen (“The Trolls Road”) is a visual feast.

5. Portugal: Estoril Coast Drive

When we first left England we planned to head south towards France to Portugal, where we planned to spend the majority of our time, then dip into Italy on the way home. As soon as we left London we popped across to Dunkirk and decided we were so close to Belgium, so we’d pop in for a chocolate waffle (we’d been in Ghent a couple of weeks before and we had a craving!)

Long story short, we broke down and ended up staying in Belgium longer than we expected. We were scared to take the van all the way to Portugal so we planned to dip into Germany and go home, but instead, we ended up going further than we ever imagined. We had a great trip but I’m gutted we never saw the Estoril Coast – one of the most picturesque roads in Europe.

6. France: La Route Des Grande Alpes

If you’re living in England and you want a taste of travelling in a campervan abroad, then France is your best bet. It’s not too far away from home and there’s so much to see and do in France. Also, if you decide to go a little further (like we did!) then you can easily access lots of other exciting bordering countries.

The Route des Grandes Alpes is a tourist itinerary through the French Alps between Lake Geneva and the French Riviera passing over all the high passes of the Alps within France. If I could only go for a short trip this is the route I’d take. It covers some of the most scenic places on our trip, without going too far to Slovenia.

7. Italy: Lake Como

Italy was gorgeous and we loved every minute of it. There are so many different spots that we enjoyed for different reasons. Sun, lakes and mountains, what’s not to love? When driving through Italy you’ll likely pass the stunning Lake Como in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, an upscale resort area known for its dramatic scenery, set against the foothills of the Alps. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, with three slender branches that meet at the resort town of Bellagio.

8. Iceland: Ring Road

When I book holidays I always try to book somewhere I haven’t been to before. I want to experience as many different cultures as possible, so I try to never go to the same place twice (my hen do being the exception because who DOESN’T love Marrakech!?). When I went to Iceland a few years ago, it was the first place I’d ever been that I said “I want to go back”

I know I didn’t even scratch the surface of this beautiful country. We’ve spoken about hiring an off-roader (I’ve been swooning over some on the Sandown Mercedes website!) and driving The Ring Road. The Ring Road is 828 miles long (1,332 kilometres), making it the longest road in Iceland. The Ring Road which encircles the island is whopping 1,333 kilometres! Assuming that it takes around one hour to complete 100 kilometres, you can drive around Iceland in 12-13 hours, but you’ll probably take a lot longer, taking in all the scenery.

9. France: Les Corniches

I’ve tried to vary this post as much as possible but frankly, I can’t help but pick snowy mountain spots, because these are the type of holidays I love. They make for epic road trips and personally, I find it a little bit more bearable being in a van and being too cold, rather than waking up in a van and being too hot. But I’m sure plenty of people will disagree with me on that!

If you love the sunshine and snowy drives don’t tickle your fancy, then you’ll want to hit up Les Corniches. The three corniches of the French Riviera: Grande Corniche, Moyenne Corniche, Basse Corniche, which run parallel to each other following the Mediterranean coastline. You’ll be spoilt with good food, sun and beautiful scenery!

10. Austria: Gerlos Alpine Road

Last but not least, the Gerlos Alpine Road. This road is one of the important pass road from Salzburg to Tyrol that we used it heavily on our trip (backwards and forwards getting lost, haha!). It also connects the village centre of Wald with the district of Königsleiten, winding 12km through high moor and spruce forest. This place is INSANELY beautiful. I highly recommend driving the mountain pass during the sunset – we did and I had to hold back tears because it was so overwhelming!

Have you been on an epic roadtrip? Or are you planning something special?

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Taking our furry friend presented fewer challenges than we anticipated, so we would definitely do it again. I published an FAQ post about travelling in the van with our dog but it was a bit more generic about the road-trip in general, so I wanted to write something a little bit more detailed about travelling with dogs, what it’s like, and things you can do to make the road trip go a little smoother.

Of course, I’m no dog expert, I’m just a girl with a little Jack Russell. As a matter of fact, Alfie is a little bit untrained, he has a great recall but he has some anxiety and separation issues, and he isn’t socialised. Despite his issues, he loved travelling with us (probably because he was having 12-hour walks every day!).

 

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Never want to come home

A post shared by Sami Pascoe (Charles) (@samisealion) on Sep 27, 2018 at 9:52am PDT

Create a comfortable space for your pup

Our campervan had a fixed double bed with far too many duvets, blankets and bedspreads, so there was always more than enough room for Alfie to get comfortable. But what I mean by this, is to create comfortable spaces for your dog for when he’s feeling hot or when he’s feeling cold.

Usually, Alfie would sleep on the floor of the van with his blanket. If it got too hot, he’d retreat under the bed where there was a lack of insulation, it was like a little cold trap under there. When we were in the mountains and it got cold, he’d climb into bed with us and snuggle by our feet. Giving him these options meant he could regulate his temperature.

On rare occasions, we’d leave Alfie in the van. Sometimes we’d take him places in his backpack (so cute!) but other times it was just a no-go. This was only for an hour or so, so we could pop into a supermarket or so we could go to the local swimming pool for an hour. We’d time leaving the van so the temperature was somewhere between 10°c – 15°c, we’d wait until the sun was going down after a long walk, and we’d park underneath a tree.

The first couple of times we were in a major panic, worrying about how he was. Every time we came back he would be cuddled up on the bed sleeping, didn’t look like he was missing us whatsoever! Just be mindful of your choices and always put your pup first. 

Maintaining a regular diet is crucial

When you’re on holiday it’s tempting to treat your 4-legged-friends to a little treat off your plate but believe me, this isn’t a good idea when you’re sharing a small space with him (don’t learn the hard way, dog farts are bad).

Remember to stockpile their regular food and treats, and if you’re going to be on the road or out and about a lot, ensure your pup always has plenty of water. It’s important to be aware that your dog will need more water when you’re going on long walks or it’s hot.

Alfie only eats natural, organic, and grain-free dog food. We switched to this type of food just over a year ago when he came out in a big rash and ended up having to go on steroids. We never identified the problem but we were told it could be his food, so it seemed like a no-brainer to ensure he was getting the healthiest option.

It gives us peace of mind knowing that he’s not eating some cheap rubbish, and he hasn’t had an outbreak since! There are lots of great grain-free healthy options on the market, Alfie has recently been feasting on this wet food c/o James Wellbeloved.

Listen and try to understand your dog

The most frustrating thing about being a pet owner is not being able to understand what your dog needs at times. Luckily, we didn’t have this problem when we were travelling, but we sometimes get it at home.

Most recently, we found out Alfie doesn’t like it when the bedroom windows are open. He started climbing furniture, whining, and shaking profusely. After a bit of Googling, we found out what the problem was. Obviously, this wasn’t an issue, we just try and reassure him – he’s slowly understanding that windows aren’t scary.

If you’re abroad or even just somewhere in the UK away from home, it can be worrying if you don’t know what’s wrong with your dog. Take note of his behaviour and know where the local vets are, in case you need to go.

Vets aren’t nearly as expensive as you imagine so don’t shy away from them. We went to the vets when we were in France so Alfie could get his tapeworm treatment before re-entering the UK. It was cheap, quick and easy (with the help of using Google translate!). It’s a small price to pay for the happiness of your furry friend.

Our next road-trip with Alfie is this Christmas and we just can’t wait

This post is in collaboration with James Wellbeloved. 

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