Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

syntheti.cc

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 351 posts

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#141

Post by dominotw »

sanswork wrote: post #129
gnarcoregrizz wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are lots of sewers for human waste at truck stops, some gas stations, and parks that he could dump it down, I would rather do that than throw it in a dumpster.

I think people are misunderstanding your comment and thinking you mean dump it in the drain. For those people, there are actual sewage dump stations at a lot of those places. Look for a sign with a vehicle with an arrow or pipe out the bottom next time you're near a truck stop or state park.

Then you are just living the RV lifestyle, different from what OP is trying to do?

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#142

Post by lallysingh »

grecy wrote: post #6

I did something similar. I wanted a vehicle I could explore the world with, so I turned my Jeep into a house on wheels with fridge, drinking water and filtration, solar and dual batteries, interior cabinets and a custom modified pop-up roof so I can stand up and walk around in the Jeep. I joked about applying for a home owners grant :) The full pictures and story are in this album - http://imgur.com/a/OLK3o I'm drivi…

I didn't know you were a hacker! I've been following you online for some time!

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#144

Post by oxryly1 »

darzu wrote: post #139
Paul_S wrote: post #131

This is a heart-warming story but he is definitely conflating 2 separate issues. If you want to have a gap year and drive around the country then do that and it's clearly what he wanted. If you want to cut down on expenses there are far better ways of doing it without buying a van. It makes as much sense as saying the only way to cross a river is to build a giant sling (fun - yes, but mundane options are available).

Can you give examples of better ways to cut down your expenses?

Move to a small apartment in a downtown area, ideally where you don't need a car. Get a roommate, cancel netflix, etc etc. Pretty mundane stuff...

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#146

Post by 35bge57dtjku »

grecy wrote: post #40
jdhawk wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also remember the reddit thread. There were a LOT of people questioning your decision to tour Africa, with some scary sounding warnings. Have you run into anything as dangerous as they made it seem?

Nope, not one single thing. And I've been talking to many, many people traveling here, including people backpacking, and they are loving every second. People here are extremely friendly and welcoming, and the landscape is breathtaking. "Africa" does not deserve the reputation it has. I've never met anyone that has traveled in Africa that would say otherwise.

> I've never met anyone that has traveled in Africa that would say otherwise.

Because the rest are all dead?

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#147

Post by grecy »

irrational wrote: post #44
grecy wrote: post #6

I did something similar. I wanted a vehicle I could explore the world with, so I turned my Jeep into a house on wheels with fridge, drinking water and filtration, solar and dual batteries, interior cabinets and a custom modified pop-up roof so I can stand up and walk around in the Jeep. I joked about applying for a home owners grant :) The full pictures and story are in this album - http://imgur.com/a/OLK3o I'm drivi…

You drove from Alaska to Argentina? How did you drive through the Darien Gap in Panama?

I shipped the Jeep in a container from Colon, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia.

I wrote up the whole process in great detail so others could follow in my footsteps.

http://theroadchoseme.com/shipping-across-the-darien-gap-pt-...

There was no ferry when I did it, and it's been cancelled again now.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#148

Post by 35bge57dtjku »

dublinben wrote: post #27
sliverstorm wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it deserves to be slightly more nuanced than that. There is a category of things that are small, used rarely, but very necessary. Medicine & tools always come to mind. For me, if I don't use my screwdrivers for a year that doesn't mean I should get rid of my screwdrivers.

Arguably, it means just that. If you only use a tool once a year, you should just borrow/rent them when you actually do need them. Our lives are cluttered with occasionally used 'just in case' items that we really don't need.

You could just put a bunch of tools in a toolbox and figure you probably use the toolbox every week or every month.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#149

Post by Paul_S »

darzu wrote: post #139
Paul_S wrote: post #131

This is a heart-warming story but he is definitely conflating 2 separate issues. If you want to have a gap year and drive around the country then do that and it's clearly what he wanted. If you want to cut down on expenses there are far better ways of doing it without buying a van. It makes as much sense as saying the only way to cross a river is to build a giant sling (fun - yes, but mundane options are available).

Can you give examples of better ways to cut down your expenses?

Don't want to spend your salary on your mortgage? Houseshare. Has the added benefit of still living in a house. Cook for yourself. Don't own a car. Live outside the city (obviously some are mutually exclusive). Stop buying useless crap (that includes a gym membership, netflix, prime). You can drive down your expenses to quarter rent and food.

You can live frugally without an RV. Running and maintaining an RV costs money (aside from building it).

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#150

Post by ryandrake »

I always read these stories with a sense of awe and wonder. "I took 2 years off of my totally boring office job to X" where X is something that is 1. expensive and/or 2. not generating income or not nearly as much income as Boring Office Job. How the hell does one live without their salary for 2 years without going into debt or depleting savings? Don't you people have student loans to pay off, medical bill payments, or other financial obligations that can't be delayed? I don't think I could last much more than 3 months, and I'm quite proud of my meager emergency savings. What the hell do you people do for a living that you can save such a vast amount of money (and presumably blow it during said 2 year activity)?

I'm not criticizing--just very curious. Most of the time when this kind of question is asked, the response is a vague and coy, "Well I got a little savings..." Awesome--how on earth?

Post reply on HN