Tiny Living 02: Zak
We've all got a story, and we're all doing it our own way.
Here's a place to share yours.
Tiny Living 02 is with Zak down in Australia. Although I didn't meet
him on my recent trip down there, I have a feeling we'll share a beer together the
next time I'm there. Take a look at why he loves living in his van and a
peek at some tips for building out your own home on wheels.
@australian_vanlife_vw
If you live in any sort of tiny home, whether on wheels or not, and want
to be featured in the Tiny Living series, please email me at hello@rockmeetssoil.com.
I can supply a prompt of questions or you can write something up in
your own words. Let's share your story with the world!
tiny living 02: zak // @australian_vanlife_vw
Why did you chose to live in a van,
and where are you at?
The reason I'm living in my van is because it's purely the best way to travel Australia...for the cheapest, most magical memories and moments you achieve whilst living in your van.
How long have you been traveling in your van?
Almost a whole year!
• One month from Sydney to Melbourne
• Four months in Torquay, Victoria working a couple days a week and exploring after work
• One and a half months in Tasmania (had to go back into the warmth)
• One month in Indonesia
• Three and a half months in South Australia
• Currently in the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia
Favorite aspects of van life?
Dreaming so much when you're sleeping that you literally forget where you're parked
(at the beach, in the desert, in the bush, near a waterfall) and then waking up to beautiful surroundings.
The freedom of van camping everywhere and trying to hide from the rangers.
To this day I have yet to get a fine for sleeping in my van.
Making friends and getting inspiration from other travelers!
Van year, make and model?
2006 VW T5 Transporter with 2.5 litre turbo diesel
Tell us a bit about your build out.
I built my van to suit my needs in traveling; built from nothing, to what it has now.
Surf racks: I do surf a lot and try to get in the water at least 3-4 times a week depending on where I am at the time. I have my teaching board as well for when I give out surf lessons.
Work stuff: My one-metre slide out draw with all my tools for work, as I am electrician.
Kitchen goods: Gas cooker and sink combined, fridge and freezer, sandwich press, blender.
When I did start building out my van it took me about a year to get it fully complete. This is because every time I went to my mate's house to work on it we would just have beers and do up a few screws. That's all we got done over 2-3 hours an afternoon over a year.
Favorite features of your van?
My slide out cooker and sink. Cooking outside under the stars can be quite the treat!
Tips for someone working on a van conversion themselves?
When converting your van to a home you've got to consider every square centimetre because there's such limited space, and you can't afford to waste any space! Try to plan every screw and nut. When you start traveling, you'll start to change few things around to suit you more. I recently just screwed a few shelves up to put some fruit and vegetables in.
Any funny/crazy stories to share?
Favourite memory on my trip so far would definitely be sleeping in the bush land of Tasmania, Australia. Had planned to go hiking in Cradle Mountain the next day so we settled in this beautiful free camp spot near the mountain, freezing our feet off! We slept all of that night and woke up the next morning covered in 20 cm of snow. We were bogged for about 4-5 hours. The best thing about traveling in your van is you kinda forget where you're waking up.
Any advice for someone diving into van life?
Never keep a plan. Follow the road, follow the sun, follow the coast, follow the desert,
but always keep to the idea that no plan is the best plan.
What's next?
Surf's up! Don't even no what I'm doing tomorrow!
