The biggest upgrade from tent camping is mobility. The ability to discover new places every day is a wonderful aspect of the mini camper lifestyle. This van life has brought us closer to our motto: memories you want to have later need to be made now.
Meet Anna, Edwin, and Their Mini Camper Adventure
Hi! We are Anna (32) and Edwin (36), and we travel with three dogs in our mini camper. Since getting the mini van, we are now happy to hit the road all year round. Summer or winter, rain or shine—it’s no problem for us. It’s the feeling of freedom that excites us; having a mini home on wheels is fantastic for our weekend trips.
The Inspiration Behind Our Mini Camper Journey
We came up with the idea of a mini camper while on vacation in Italy in September 2021. We had been camping for years in a large tent, which was always a great experience, but this time our eyes were opened even further.
While at the campsite in Italy, we saw many small older vans that had been converted into mini campers. Some were so small that they were almost hidden among the field of camper vans and mobile homes. That’s when we decided we wanted a smaller campervan for ourselves.
Transforming Our Mini Van into the Perfect Camper Van
Once we arrived back home in the Netherlands, the search for a suitable minivan began. Eventually, we found a little Opel Combo, which would become our very own campervan. We bought the van and began the transformation into our camper van home. It took some time to finish the build because we were not overly creative. We purchased it in early October and completed the build by April.
Our idea was to create a removable camper box—something compact and multifunctional that would allow us to still utilise the minivan for cargo. Although it took us a while, we managed to spend Easter in our mini camper for the first time.
Embracing the Camper Lifestyle
Now we’re sold on the mini camper lifestyle because it’s so much more relaxing to travel in a camper van rather than a tent.
The big advantage of the mini camper is that it’s much easier to prepare for a night away or a quick weekend trip. After all, it’s a tiny portable house. This isn’t the same as travelling with a tent; it only takes a bit of rain or cold weather to make you hesitate to set it up.
We find that van life gives us the freedom to come and go whenever we want. It’s easy to hop in our camper and hit the road because everything is ready. This could be a good thing or a bad thing; for us, it’s clear that camper life is very addictive. Now that we’ve started, we constantly crave to see and discover more. We love it! It’s become a hobby that has grown beyond our expectations.
Our Favourite Feature: The Removable Camper Box
The removable camper box is our favourite part of the mini camper. Camping becomes difficult without it. The camper box serves as both our bed and seating area, combined with ample storage. It provides us with the comfort we need in bad or cold weather or when we decide to stay inside. This is an ideal and indispensable feature of our van build.
Living the Van Life: Traveling with Our Van
We both work quite a lot throughout the year. Anna works 32 hours per week, and Edwin works full-time. This can be restrictive, but we make the most of our weekends and holidays away, always eager to hit the road in our tiny home.
Tips for Aspiring Van Lifers: Why a Mini Camper Is Ideal
We recommend a mini camper, especially if you crave the freedom to explore and enjoy the beauty of nature. If you’re like us, on a limited budget and not looking to purchase a ‘real’ camper van, then a small delivery van with a removable camper box is ideal. This way, you get the luxury of a campervan while still being able to use the van for other purposes.
Find Them Here:
Instagram: minicamperencaravantravels
