The Ultimate Truck Life With This Land Pirate

My home on wheels is not a camper; this is truck life! It’s a rugged and stealthy truck. I love the fact that it’s scratched and dented, with 50+ shades of NATO green.

This gives me the advantage of camouflage, meaning I can park in the city, and nobody knows it’s my home. Additionally, I can even park on top of a mountain, where only mountain climbers will see me. It’s so damn PIRATE! The imperfections make it easier for me to reach exciting outdoor places. Therefore, I have no need to worry about adding new scratches, which may be what holds others back from embracing van life and leaving the beaten path.

Meet Flo the Land Pirate

Flo is my name. I’m 38 years old and a PIRATE by profession. I’m an enthusiastic sportsman, traveler, off-road trucker, and a wealth creator, collecting as many experiences and stories as I can through my truck life. This is my personal wealth. Furthermore, I have a wonderful 6-year-old daughter who is living with her mother in Germany.

How Did Your Truck Life Begin?

I’ve been traveling since I was 19, mostly hitchhiking or riding old motorcycles in South and Central America and Asia. When my daughter was born, an off-road truck became my solution to keep my family and me together. Unfortunately, the attempt wasn’t successful, but I learned a lot along the way.

Buying the truck was simple. Two friends and I got tickets from Munich to a military scrapyard in Warsaw. Between us, we had one driving license and four cases of beer to celebrate our return. The truck had been in the scrapyard for years. In fact, I could write a book about the number of breakdowns we had on the way back to Germany.

What Was It Like Turning a Truck Into a Home?

The truck clearly needed a lot of work. I rebuilt the engine once; however, it was still smoking and performing weakly. The second time, I invited some friends who helped me get the truck running well. Moreover, I upgraded the rear cabin to a bigger one and built an access hatch to the front. Originally, I built the interior with Styrofoam to see how the design would feel. In the end, I tried many crazy things—even spending three hours driving along the highway trying to heat water from the engine coolant system, which was completely DIY. Unfortunately, this was definitely not successful; it actually set fire to a part of the truck.

After four years, my pirate truck was finished. It cost me 80k, along with a lot of silly ideas, wasted time, and money. It’s a Soviet-Polish Off-road 6×6 Star. I chose it because it’s extremely lightweight, can comfortably house three to four people, and its off-road capabilities are almost incomparable. It’s definitely old and noisy, but I love it. This truck life has transformed my approach to travel and adventure.

What Is Truck Life Like?

On one hand, this lifestyle makes it harder to keep in contact with friends; on the other hand, it gives me a chance to make new friends along the way. No longer do I feel the need to buy another house, build another financially lucrative business, or study for another useless degree. Before moving into my truck, I was focused on building a financially wealthy future; now I am building myself. And man, sometimes I feel it may be easier to become rich than to deal with myself at some points!

How Do You Manage This Lifestyle?

I am fortunate to work as a captain on gas tankers. Essentially, I work for three months worldwide, and then I have a two- to three-month vacation. This allows me to travel in my truck and enjoy the outdoor experiences that come with the over-lander lifestyle, generally heading to Eastern Europe. Before my schedule starts, I park the truck wherever I am in a safe place. I am very grateful that I don’t need to ‘finance’ my truck life or give up any comforts or securities.

I never understand why people buy a van with hopes of an alternative life, only to park at a sunny beach with others of the same nationality, showing no interest in their surroundings. For me, I can only enjoy a few days before the need to discover returns. The need for personal growth is real; I want to gain as much as I can from each country and culture. After all, I am a land pirate!

Words of Advice

For anyone considering this truck life or van life, I have a few points to share:

1. Make sure you are able to give up precious things in life.
2. Some friendships will not last.
3. Some relationships will not survive van life.
4. Start with a low budget and try what you need or want before upgrading.
5. Don’t spend all your money on an off-road truck if you don’t plan to go off-road for real.
6. Don’t just stay in your vehicle—get out, talk to people, and engage with them. Otherwise, you’ll miss the point of it.
7. Don’t be afraid of locals; some may be anxious around tourists, but generally, they are great once you break the ice!
8. Don’t be too silly.
9. And… NEVER TRUST A PIRATE!!