The Real Nomadland: A Single Mom and Kiddo VanLIfe Story
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Our Van >
        • 2018 Ford Transit Cargo Van
  • The Build
    • Planning is Different Then Doing - VanLife Van Build
    • How Much Does it Cost to Convert a Van?
    • How Much Time Does it Take to Convert a Van?
    • DIY Van Conversion Checklist >
      • Phase One DIY Van Conversion - Research >
        • Designing Your Perfect #VanBuild While Going on Practice Van Life Adventures
      • Phase Two DIY Van Build: Making Decisions for Your DIY Van Conversion >
        • Rural Internet
      • Phase Three DIY Van Build: Selecting and Buying the Van DIY Van Conversion >
        • Finding a Van
      • Phase Four DIY Van Build: Prepping the Layout- DIY Van Conversion >
        • Detailing the Van Before Conversion
      • Phase Five DIY Van Build: Installing Windows on Van Conversion for #vanlife
      • Phase Six DIY Van Build: Vent Fan for our Conversion Van >
        • Vent Placement in Conversion Van
        • Cutting a Hole for a Vent Fan for our Conversion Van
      • Phase Seven DIY Van Build: Installing the Subfloor
      • Solar Panels on Conversion Van >
        • Wind Solar Power on Conversion Van
        • Van Conversion Solar Set Up - Everything You Need
        • How Much Solar Power Do I Need?
  • Our Adventures
    • The Backstory >
      • We Found a Van!
      • Pre-Purchase Van Freak Out
      • Vanlife- Van Purchase Day
      • Registering an Out of State Vehicle
      • Full Time Van Life Diaries >
        • Full Time Van Life - Kates Blog
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week one
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week two >
          • Kingman Arizona
        • Full Time Van Lifers - Are We Homeless or Not?
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week three
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week four
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week five
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week six
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week seven
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week eight
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week nine
        • Full Time Van Life Diaries week ten
      • Single Mom Cross Country Road Trip
    • Van Life Adventures >
      • Sea World - Orlando
      • Aquatica- Orlando
      • Treasure Island Florida
      • Great Wolf Lodge, Concord, North Carolina
    • Friends on the Road
    • Roadschooling
  • Resources
    • Basic Van Life Must Haves
    • Van Life Overnight Parking - Where Do You Sleep?
    • Van Life Trash
    • Financially Supporting Van Life
    • Vanlife Websites and Blogs
    • Vanlife Hashtags for Families on the Road
    • Vanlife YouTube Channels
    • Random #VanLife Stuff
  • YouTube
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The Backstory: How did we get here?

Kate (Daughter)

It all started when my mom wanted to live in a van. I really wasn't into it but I watched a lot of videos about it and I started to warm up to it. Obviously I still had my ups and downs, but started to really like the idea of van life.  After months of searching my mom finally found one, but it was in Orlando, Florida. We lived in Chico, California so Florida was very far away from us. Luckily my mom got us  plane tickets. We got to the hotel at 3:00 am so we were very tired.

​In the morning I woke up to my mom on the phone with the bank talking about how she bought tickets to Sea World and never received them in her email. We finally arrived at Sea World. It looked really fun but there was just one problem... All the rides needed 52 inches I'm only 48 inches so I could only ride on one ride Infinity Falls. Of course I could go in other rides but they were all closed for setting up the fireworks. Don't get me wrong I loved Infinity Falls, just the line was about an hour long. So all you would be doing is waiting in a hour long line to get splashed. And we went there two times so combine those together you'll get about two hours.     
​
Melinda (Mom)

How did we get here? Well, that's a loaded question.  For me, it was a series of fortunate - and unfortunate- events that pushed us into van life in the infamous year of 2020. 

Even as a kid, I kind of had this gypsy soul.  I mean, there is family speculation that my Hungarian ancestors were actually Gypsies, so this wanderlust might actually be genetic.  

Way back in the 80's I had hoped for some serious RV travels "some day."  
I thought maybe a retirement thing?  With my husband?  You know, two empty-nest lovebirds touring the country and sending postcards to family stuck back at home...

But, nope. That's not happenin.'  Husband is, well, eh, long story, and the nest won't be empty for at least a decade. Add in a long-standing disdain for the status quo (whatever that is anymore), a dose pandemic anxiety, some unplanned homeschooling frustration, a post-marital precarious living situation, economic uncertainty, and something I like to call Unimpressed with Conventional Life Syndrome, and you have a free spirit ready for some roaming.  

Anyway, go ahead an combine all of the above with regret over not traveling enough with my older (now adult) children.  There was always "stuff" preventing adventures: work, school, money, the need to be "stable" for them.  We never really attained "stable" despite all of my misguided efforts anyway.  Then, suddenly, they were all grown up and traveling on their own.  I looked at my youngest (Katelyn) and thought, it's going to be the same story with her if I don't do something about it now.

So, after years of increasingly more serious thinking, planning and research, #iboughtavan on July 6, 2020 (a few days after Katelyn's first roadschooling packet arrived!!)  Hey, when it's time, it's time!


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Adventures
We are Kate & Mel, daughter and mother fulltime van life nomads who have set out on a gypsy adventure in our currently being built van, Eliza. Join us as we explore the non-glamorous, not-Pinterest-worthy, real, figure-it-out-as-we-go, sometimes ugly, but always glorious, version of full time van living.

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Single mom and kiddo set out on a nomad, van life, roadschooling lifestyle. Watch the beginner diy van conversion, first time homeschooling, first time build, first time on the road experiences, newbie family van life adventures unfold. 

We will share van life travels and tips to encourage other people to get out and explore the open road.