Wild-Camping: Q&A

July 27, 2013

Today marks our one month anniversary of living in the Kangoo.  Aside from the daily events of sightseeing you may wonder how things are going with us living in our car. We compiled some questions that relatives, friends and blog readers have asked us in hopes of  painting a better picture of what life is like wild-camping  through Europe.

How do you fill all that time in the car?

Good Morning 

Since we are driving, sleeping and eating in our Kangoo we try not to drive long distances.  Sightseeing or stopping to find wifi helps to break up the hours we spend in the car each day.  At first we just got frustrated jumping from one radio station to another.  In France and Spain this was especially difficult because we don’t speak the language.  In England the repetition of popular songs began to annoy us, so we would pull out my computer and listen to Itunes or Spotify. After a while my offline playlist got tired and played out as well.

Have you learned new ways to occupy your time in the car?

I had forgotten about some of the advantages of owning an Iphone because I suspended my cell service to avoid high roaming charges; until recently it simply operated as a clock.  That is until my laptop stopped working! After that happened we had to become more creative so we downloaded the podcast app from Itunes.  Now we listen to podcasts in the car ...i.e. This American Life, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, and TedTalks. Our time in the car is rather interesting and the always changing topics give Ross and I new things to talk about.  Also we have the always changing scenery to keep our eyes busy.  

Do you have a daily routine?

Each day offers new challenges which we like because it keeps us sharp. We are constantly thinking of new or better ways to get by.

How do you eat without electricity and no refrigeration?

Couscous & Pasta for Dinner

We are still shopping at grocery stores for pre cooked food and deli meat for the majority of our meals.  Southern Ireland has presented a new challenge considering it does not have many supermarkets. Locals here buy their meat from the local butcher, their vegetables from the weekend market, or they are farmers themselves.  Usually we splurge on breakfast because we are coffee drinkers and currently we cannot make that in the car; but we are trying to figure out a way.  The rest of our daily calories come from lunch meat, cheese, chips, rice cakes, and fruit.  Water is a staple in the Kangoo but we do keep a few sodas for the occasional cocktail once we have stopped for the night.

Vodka shots before a day walking & sightseeing

                         

Shopping is a part of vacationing for most people…i.e buying souvenirs and gifts for others. Do you two shop for anything other than food?

Your looking at Everything we own!
Two carry on suitcases & two backpacks. 

Before we left the states we sold everything we own and we packed very minimally for this journey.  Since being gone we have learned to fight our consumer urges.  We only buy what we NEED and we are extra thoughtful about purchases and souvenirs because of our limited space. When we do buy something for ourselves, like a new tee shirt or a raincoat they come from second hand stores.  For example we were in Waterford Ireland and there happened to be a number of thrift stores; so we splurged and got some new clothes.  I bought a coat, pants, and two shirts. Ross got one pair of pants and two shirts and we only spent 32 Euros for everything. 

What is wild camping like?

Trying to be inconspicuous when wild-camping in public places can be tricky. It takes time to find a safe, low profile place, especially when we are in more congested areas.  We don’t want to be the only car in the parking lot but we also do not want it to be busy with cars coming and going because of the noise.  Usually we park somewhere between 6pm and 9pm, set up the Kangoo for sleep, and stay inside the car till morning. Our evening in the car consist of eating dinner, journaling about the day, and then watching a DVD before bed. 

How do you deal with nature calling and hygiene?

You get funny looks when brushing your
teeth in public bathrooms

This is the 21^st century so restrooms are easily found but at night when we are trying to be inconspicuous or trying to avoid bad weather we bought a bucket only used for #1.  Each morning we brush our teeth with a water bottle and spit out the window.  Showers are much more challenging.  We bath on average every two – three days by either jumping in a river or waterfall. If we are lucky we get to shower at a gas station or pay a small fee to shower at a hostel. On a few occasions we just used bottled water, soap, and a field. 

How is spending this much time with one another in such a small space affecting your relationship?

Our love is still growing

One of the first questions we get asked when on the phone with family is… “Are you two still in love?” The answer is yes! As cheesy as it sounds we are more in love than ever; which is really remarkable considering we are basically the only human the other one communicates with, we are sharing a space roughly 10ft by 5ft, and on a daily basis we talk out minor frustrations and make plans together for our next move.  We don't agree on everything but we somehow come to a reasonable compromise. To be honest we have started to think alike so making decisions together is almost as natural as breathing.  Just like a newlywed couple learning to share their lives in a house; we divide responsibilities.

A tight squeeze on skinny European roads

Ross does all the driving and I am in charge of our budget and the blog.  We share the responsibility of researching destinations and making plans because we are constantly on the go.  We check our ego at the door because it is more important for us to learn to love and appreciate each other for who we are. This perspective also allows understanding and growth to occur naturally between us.  

Do you have any questions for us?  If so leave us a comment or email us at gettingtwothepoint@gmail.com