Small things bring back big memories

After my first experiences with my van Anna, I spent some time organizing all my belongings and turning the campervan into a real home. There were boxes to unpack, cupboards to organize, and countless little decisions about where everything should go. Slowly, Anna started to feel less like a vehicle and more like my tiny apartment on wheels. By the end of May, there was no longer a backup plan with Airbnbs. Vanlife had officially begun...

I started exploring Vancouver Island and discovered something I had never even heard of before buying Anna: boondocking. Using the iOverlander app, I found free overnight spots with some of the most beautiful ocean views imaginable.

My very first night of boondocking was memorable for an unexpected reason. I parked near a harbour, and because Anna is twenty-five feet long, she occupied several parking spaces. Apparently, a resident became concerned about parking availability and called the police. To my surprise, a young police officer knocked on my door at 9.30 p.m. with a smile on his face and simply asked if I planned to stay longer than one night. When I told him I would leave in the morning, he said he had no problem with me staying. He even recommended a nearby restaurant with great breakfasts and parking spaces suitable for campervans!

Since then, I have stayed in many different places. Once at a large wholesale parking lot, once near a restaurant, but usually I find a spot overlooking the ocean. I have also discovered that I enjoy simple campgrounds the most. I don't need swimming pools or entertainment programs. Give me a peaceful place, hot showers, a dump station, and maybe a small camp store, and I'm perfectly happy.

One thing that keeps surprising me is how kind people are. Neighbours at campgrounds immediately offer help if I need anything, and even during boondocking, locals often stop for a friendly chat. One man who regularly walks his dog near my favourite overnight spot told me with a smile, "I call you all the overnighters." Apparently, many vanlifers use that location, and as long as everyone behaves respectfully, people don't mind sharing these beautiful places.

One of the greatest gifts so far has been the wildlife. I spent several days parked near a bald eagle nest and had the incredible privilege of watching the parents guard their young. Eventually, I even witnessed the eaglets taking their first flights. Moments like that make me so happy. I can't believe I get to see this!

Life inside Anna is small, but surprisingly comfortable. I have a full-size bed, a kitchen with a gas stove, a double sink, a fridge, my own toilet and shower, and I even brought my favourite office chair from home. Every morning I sit at my little table, drink my coffee, and work online while looking out at a completely different view almost every day.

Driving Anna felt intimidating in the beginning, but now I genuinely enjoy it. People often look surprised when they see a woman behind the wheel of this big vintage camper with her lime-green nose. And honestly? I'm quite proud of her. I still have a lot of plans for her. I want to paint flowers on the outside and give her a bit of a hippie vibe. Inside, I want to paint the cupboards and slowly make everything truly mine.

And perhaps the most beautiful part of all is this: I never seem to get tired of the ocean. As a child, I fell in love with whales and joined Greenpeace when I was twelve years old. That fascination has never disappeared. Whales, bald eagles and endless coastlines still fill me with wonder.

And somehow, my grandmother, whom I called "Moeke", travels a little bit with me too. Anna is named after her, and everywhere I go, I find little reminders of the world and the love she gave me as a child. Old apple trees. Buttercups. Daisies. Green fields beneath blue skies and white clouds. Sometimes, standing outside my campervan, I suddenly smile. Because the smallest things often bring back the biggest memories.