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Engage is a leading publication for creative nonfiction, showcasing personal essays, memoirs, and authentic human stories inspired by real-life and meaningful life lessons by makers, adventurers, and everyone with a memorable life story to share.

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The Insecurities of Living an Alternative Lifestyle

Sanne
6 min readJul 10, 2024

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The author in the door opening of her campervan wearing a black dress over a white long sleeve blouse.
Picture from the author’s portfolio

Last weekend I was parked up in one of the unofficial ‘wild’ spots I found in an app for vanlifers. It was a beautiful parking area on top of a hill with a wide view over the rolling English landscape.

There were mostly normal cars parked around me. Couples come here in the evenings to enjoy a romantic sunset from within their cars, and local people with dogs start their daily walks here. Another small van was tucked away in the corner and was also gratefully enjoying one of the rare parking lots without a height restriction barrier and with a good view.

In the early evening, I could hear the roaring engine of another large vehicle climbing up the hill and when I looked over I saw an old white van turning into the parking lot. It looked like one of those old English delivery vans converted into a campervan with solar panels welded onto the roof.

I felt a sense of delight and pride when I saw a girl about my age behind the wheel. Her dashboard was covered in loose-laying feathers, all different colours and sizes, which gave the van a colourful alternative hippy look.

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Published in Engage

Engage is a leading publication for creative nonfiction, showcasing personal essays, memoirs, and authentic human stories inspired by real-life and meaningful life lessons by makers, adventurers, and everyone with a memorable life story to share.

Sanne
Sanne

Written by Sanne

I am a full-time vanlifer and work as a freelance translator. I like writing about my alternative lifestyle but I also like writing poetry.

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