Real Honest Vanlife Talk
So you’re ready to hit the road and start living the van life dream. But one major question pops up fast: what do you do without a fixed address? From receiving mail to renewing your driving licence, not having a permanent home can seem tricky—but it’s totally doable.
Here’s a breakdown of what actually works in 2025 for full-time vanlifers navigating life without a fixed address.
Read moreLooking at July 2025 and wondering where to point your van without ending up in some overpriced field full of Instagram posers? You’re in luck – there are actually three proper van life events happening this July, though two of them have managed to book the exact same weekend, which is either brilliant planning or a complete disaster depending on how you look at it. Whether you’re after a classic VW festival, a full-blown vanlife party with Chris Moyles behind the decks, or a motorhome show where they’ve decided to throw in some tribute bands, July’s got you sorted. Just don’t expect it to be simple – nothing in van life ever is.
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TL;DR: The new Felixstowe van parking ban came into effect July 7th, 2025, targeting campervans and motorhomes on the seafront. While not a complete ban, the Felixstowe van parking ban makes overnight stays significantly more challenging.
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Driving for hours in a van is knackering enough without the constant deluge of road noise battering your ears. Every mile feels longer when you’re fighting tyre roar, wind noise, and the general racket of being inside a metal box doing 70mph.
Then you finally park up. Maybe it’s somewhere decent like the Lakes, thinking you’ll get a bit of birdsong and tranquillity. But the wind kicks off and the rain starts hammering the roof like a techno set at 3am. Or worse—you’re stuck in a layby next to the A1 trying to get some kip while every HGV thundering past sounds like it’s about to plough through your pillow.
Welcome to van life—where every inch of bare metal turns into a resonating chamber of chaos.
Sound deadening is one of those jobs everyone bangs on about during their build, and for good reason. Done properly, it transforms your van from a mobile drum kit into something you can actually sleep in. The trick is knowing what actually works and what’s just expensive marketing fluff.
Let’s strip back the hype and get into what’s actually worth doing to stop your van sounding like a biscuit tin in a blender.
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Picture this: you’re staring at Google Maps on your laptop, watching that familiar blue route snake across the screen. “4 hours 32 minutes,” it says confidently. Perfect—leave at 9am, arrive by 2pm with time to spare. You plug the times into your spreadsheet with the satisfaction of someone who’s got it all figured out.
Except there’s a problem. That masterpiece of optimistic planning is about to transform your dream van life adventure into an exhausting disaster—and I learned this the hard way during what should have been an epic trip to Oktoberfest.
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So there I was, queued up at Dover with my van stuffed full of camping gear, practically bouncing with excitement. Then I heard someone behind me mention “alcohol testing kits” and my heart sank. Alcohol testing kits? Nobody said anything about carrying around a bloody chemistry set when I was planning this trip.
After a few road trips through France, Belgium, and Germany, I’ve learned that the difference between an amazing adventure and a €200 roadside fine usually comes down to having a plastic triangle and a hi-vis vest in the right place at the right time.
Look, I get it. You want to roll off that ferry in Calais and head straight for those Bavarian beer gardens or Portuguese beaches. But trust me on this – let’s sort out the boring legal stuff first. Not the Instagram-worthy gear, just the actual requirements that’ll keep you from having very awkward conversations with foreign police officers who don’t share your sense of humor.
Read moreJune 2025 is shaping up to be the ultimate month for van lifers across the UK! Whether you’re into music festivals with dedicated campervan fields, VW-specific gatherings, or relaxed vanlife meet-ups, this June has something incredible waiting for you. From the legendary Glastonbury Festival to intimate coffee mornings in East Sussex, we’ve uncovered 7 fantastic events that welcome campervans, motorhomes, and the entire vanlife community. Pack your wellies, charge your leisure batteries, and get ready for the best month of festival season – here’s everything you need to know about June’s unmissable van life events.
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Let’s be honest — the DVLA’s checklist for turning your van into a ‘motor caravan’ feels like it was scribbled out during a lunch break in the ’90s and somehow became gospel. The obsession with stickers and side windows? It’s like they made it up as they went along. Still, if you want that shiny logbook update, here’s what you’re up against:
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It’s vanlife festival season. The sun rears its head for the 2 weeks it always does in the UK, giving us that brief hope of a nice summer (before we remember it’ll be crap by August). The van’s ready, the urge to hit the road is strong, and this year you’ve decided a fridge is definitely needed. Tesco, Halfords and Asda all have coolboxes going for half price – £89.99.
Most won’t even advertise cooling specs, but step into Halfords and you’ll see it: “Cools up to 16°C below ambient temperature.” That’s where the alarm bells SHOULD start ringing. But they don’t, do they?
Do the maths: rare hot UK day at 28°C means your “fridge” is running at 12°C. That’s not cold. That’s “bacterial breeding ground” temperature. But you’re still thinking it’ll do for the weekend.
Trust me, it honestly won’t. Are you really wanting to deal with buying ice every 6 hours? Slushing out meltwater that’s leaked all over your bread? Playing Russian roulette with milk sniffing?
Just Google “how long can cheese survive at 14°C” and watch your weekend plans crumble.
Actually, forget Google – let’s talk proper food safety. The UK Food Standards Agency isn’t messing about: your fridge needs to run between 0°C and 5°C. Not “below ambient.” Not “coolish.” Actual below 5°C. Why? Because above 8°C, bacteria reproduction goes mental. We’re talking doubling every 20 minutes.
That innocent-looking pack of ham at 12°C? It’s hosting more bacteria than a festival porta-loo by day two. The FSA’s “2-hour rule” says perishable food shouldn’t sit above 8°C for more than 2 hours. Your coolbox running at 12-16°C? That’s the danger zone, 24/7.
Here’s the kicker – environmental health officers can actually shut down food vendors for running fridges above 8°C. But somehow it’s fine to flog you a “cooler” that can’t physically achieve safe temperatures? Make it make sense.
And if that’s not got the message across, let’s deep dive into why these things are basically expensive fans with delusions of grandeur…
This post? It’s what I wish I’d read before wasting £90 on a “cooler” that couldn’t cool a can if its life depended on it. So let me walk you through exactly why these thermoelectric disasters will ruin your trip, and why I ended up scouring Facebook Marketplace for months until I found a secondhand Halfords 30L compressor fridge for £100. It’s not perfect – bit noisy, looks like it’s been through a war – but it actually keeps things cold.
Read moreFor the UK’s van life community, Morocco has emerged as the new promised land—a sun-drenched, budget-friendly alternative to Europe’s increasingly regulated and expensive roads. What began as a trickle of adventurous overlanders has turned into a full-blown migration, with YouTube feeds filled with desert sunsets and Atlantic surf breaks. But what’s driving this exodus to North Africa? Our investigation reveals the magnetic pull of Morocco’s landscapes, culture, and van-friendly infrastructure that’s making it the ultimate destination for mobile living.
Unlike the UK’s unpredictable weather that turns van life into a test of endurance for much of the year, Morocco offers van lifers near-guaranteed sunshine and dramatically varied landscapes within relatively short driving distances. From the snow-capped Atlas Mountains to the golden dunes of the Sahara and the crashing Atlantic surf, the country packs tremendous geographic diversity into a compact area.
Digital nomads and content creators particularly appreciate this variety, as it provides endless visually stunning backdrops for their videos and social media posts. The “van valley” near Tafraoute with its surreal blue rocks has become particularly iconic, offering perfect wild camping spots where “no one comes around begging or trying to sell you things” and where campfires are permitted. Similarly, the long right-hand point break at Imsouane has become a mecca for surf-loving van dwellers, with free street parking available at the top of town.
For UK van lifers accustomed to battling parking restrictions and stealth camping, Morocco offers refreshing affordability. While wild camping has become more regulated in recent years with new laws from the King restricting RV parking in coastal areas, costs remain remarkably low compared to European campsites. Designated parking spots with guardians typically charge 10–30 dirhams per night (about £0.80–£2.40), rising to 50 dirhams (£4) in more touristy areas. Even formal campsites rarely exceed 90 dirhams (£7.20) per night.
Fuel costs are another major draw, with diesel priced around 10 – 12 dirhams per litre (approximately £0.88). Combined with Morocco’s compact size, this makes exploring the country remarkably affordable for those used to UK fuel prices. The low cost of living extends to food markets, where fresh produce, dates, and local bread can be purchased for pennies.
Morocco Vanlife Hack
“Need propane? Look for ‘Gaz’ signs in villages—3kg bottles cost £4.80 and are swapped, not refilled. Tip: Always carry a wrench to loosen the connector (Moroccan bottles thread opposite to European ones!).
Morocco has quietly developed infrastructure that makes van life surprisingly comfortable:
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For YouTubers and Instagrammers, Morocco offers irresistible content opportunities:
Many creators have found that Moroccan content performs exceptionally well, with viewers drawn to the exoticism and adventure. The country has become such a hotspot that some YouTubers like Mr & Mrs Adventure are even creating entire books about their Moroccan van life experiences.
Morocco isn’t just a destination—it’s a counter-movement. After years of Europe’s creeping parking restrictions and campground overcrowding, the short ferry hop from Algeciras to Tangier (from just €35) has become a symbolic escape hatch. For van lifers, that 90-minute crossing marks more than a border: it’s a return to the rawness that drew them to the road in the first place.
Post-Pandemic Rebellion
The lockdown generation is trading UK drizzle for Morocco’s sun-bleached freedom—where you can park beside a 12th-century kasbah one night and a Sahara dune the next, no booking required.
Europe’s Van Life Burnout
With Spain enforcing overnight parking bans and France’s aires overflowing, Morocco’s guardian-protected wild spots (10–30 MAD/night) feel liberatingly simple.
The Algorithm Loves Adventure
YouTube’s hunger for “epic content” has turned the Algeciras–Tangier ferry into a rite of passage—the moment a “UK Van Tour” becomes a North African Expedition.
The shift is also emotional. For many, it’s a return to what van life used to feel like before apps, crowding, and regulations dulled the sense of exploration. In Morocco, there are still places where you can truly go off-grid, be welcomed with a smile, and feel the thrill of the unknown..
The irony? This migration is possible precisely because Morocco remains just inconvenient enough to deter casual travelers. The ferry isn’t easy—you’ll navigate chaotic ports, haggle with fixers, and surrender to Moroccan time—but that friction is the point. In an age of over-tourism, van lifers crave places where arrival still feels like an achievement.
The ferry docks in Tangier, and suddenly your van isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a passport to the Morocco guidebooks miss.”
Yes, Morocco is generally safe—but it’s not Spain. Petty theft happens (lock your van at markets), and women may face stares or harassment in rural areas. But van lifers report feeling safer in guarded park-ups than in some European cities. Pro tip: Travel in loose clothing, avoid isolated spots at night, and always carry small cash for “guardians” (they’ll watch your van like a hawk).
While Morocco offers tremendous advantages, van lifers should be aware of significant challenges:
Despite these challenges, Morocco’s combination of affordability, beauty, and van-friendly infrastructure makes it likely to remain a top destination for UK van lifers and content creators. As more travellers share their positive experiences online—and as Morocco becomes increasingly familiar to the van life community—the migration shows no signs of slowing.
For those tired of the UK’s parking restrictions, cold weather, and high costs, Morocco offers an enticing alternative where van life can be lived more freely and affordably. As one traveller put it: “The further south you go, the friendlier the people, the more free parkups you’ll find, the warmer the weather and the cheaper the prices.” In an era of rising living costs and increased regulation of alternative lifestyles, Morocco’s open roads and welcoming culture may represent the last frontier of true van life freedom.
If you have dreams of the Moroccan road trip or have been there, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch via twitter/x, instagram or drop a comment down below or if you want to go retro, email is an option.