I’m in Spokane at the moment for the tatting conference. Today was a very fun first day, and I know that when tomorrow night rolls around I’ll be very sad there’s only two days.

I’ll probably post a bit more about the conference later, but I make no promises. I may be too busy playing with my new thread.

For nearly the first time this trip I passed by a truck stop, (been doing most of my traveling on smaller highways), and I had a chance to take a look at some of the 12 volt cooking appliances. I have been feeling a definite lack of hot foods this trip. Or perhaps I should say ‘cheap’ hot foods since I’ve been visiting with a lot of old friends this trip and we usually end up going out to eat.

That’s fine with me, of course. I think that’s part of the fun of travel, but as time goes on I’ll definitely be wanting to do some more of my own cooking here in the van.

Which is why I will probably end up getting the RoadPro cooking pot. (Sorry, no links right now. I’m posting this with my phone and can’t do them).

They have a couple different appliances, including a skillet which also looks pretty sweet, but knowing what types of things I’d actually cook on a regular basis the pot would be better.

There’s a crockpot, which Tara, from Hobostripper.com, says is not very good and a little oven which is also tempting, even if only to say I have an oven in the van and can make fresh cookies when I want. As neat as it is though, I’m not sure I’d use it enough to justify the space.

There’s a small electric water heater which I like the idea of, but might not be necessary if I get the electric pot. Still, when I was traveling in the winter I constantly had tea heating in my, -now broken-, SmartMug. Maybe that’s something to consider for the winter.

Now that my curtains are finished, (at least they’re up and working and I’m unlikely to put anymore time into them even though they’re less than elegant), my next little project of the van is figuring out the cooking stuff. Anyone tried any of these?

Categories: Car Living, Travel
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I know you’re wondering about showers. I know you’re wondering because it’s usually the first question I get asked when I tell someone I live in my van. In LA, when I’m staying put it’s easy. Time consuming sometimes, but easy.

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Categories: Car Living
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One of the interesting things about this whole 1.5 months at work, 2 months off from work that I’m doing this year is that it means about every two months I head down to my parent’s house in San Diego, empty out the van and repack it with only what I need for the next two months.

Which is what I’ve been doing for the last couple days. The business-y clothing is getting packed away in the closet, (specifically in two paper bags in the back of my brother’s closet since I don’t really have a room at my parent’s house anymore). The jeans and t-shirts are moving to the van, (once the van was vacuumed, that is); the biking and camping gear is being sorted through and packed up. Paperwork I don’t need anymore is being filed away and the books I’ve been carrying for the last month are being replaced with ones related to the places I’m visiting in the next two month.

Basically, it’s like spring cleaning six times a year.

It would be a good way to keep sorting through all my “stuff” and getting rid of those things I don’t need. But I’m sitting here and look around at the boxes at my parent’s house of things I don’t need now, but want to keep. I do still a ways to go with the whole simplifying.

The upside is that I do get rid of a few things each and each time I get a little faster, a little more efficient at packing up the van.

I’ll spend the rest of the day here packing up, getting ready to hit the road again tomorrow, (well, after two more days of work on my way through Los Angeles). I still have to give my bike the once over and put the rack on the van. I to have pack up my computer and a few more books and paperwork. I’ll probably sort through my tatting supplies since the far end of this particular trip is a tatting conference in Spokane, Washington, in mid-April.

Still lots to do in the next 24 hours, but like I said, each time I get a little faster and more efficient. It won’t take me much longer to have everything packed up, folded up, stuffed under the bed, fitted into the drawers or tucked away in it’s convenient, but hidden away nook. The oil’s been changed. The gas tank and cooler are full.

It’s like paying off all your bills at the beginning of each month. Closing that checkbook and starting off knowing you are all caught up and everything is in order.

It won’t stay that way for long, of course. As soon as you put away the checkbook and turn on the tv the electric meter starts ticking away. I know it will only be a day or two before I pull everything out from under the bed searching for one book or another.

But it’s a base to start from, and I know that whatever happens, however messy or cluttered the van gets, no matter what it is I’ve discovered I’ve left in San Diego, I’ll be back here in about 7 weeks doing it all again.

Categories: Car Living
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It’s one of the questions I get a lot. “How can you sleep there with the lights and all the people around.” Honestly, it’s the sort of thing you get used to. When I first “lived” in my car it was because I was commuting once a week from San Diego to LA and staying there for three nights before coming back. I used to drive each night 35 miles from Burbank out to Malibu to stay at the only campground in LA that stayed open after 10:00, (which is when I got off work). Really I got used to sleeping in the van in public places because I was so sick of making that drive when all I wanted to do was go to sleep. And really if you want to get comfortable sleeping in your car the only thing you can do is sleep in your car. Even if that first night you stay up the whole time worried then at least you’ve gotten through that first night. Staying up all night won’t kill you. Then the second night will be easier. After those first couple nights, after nothing’s happened, and you’ve had no problems, then it gets easier and easier, till it’s no big deal.

The way I look at it,  three unlikely things have to happen for me to have “trouble” with people bothering me.

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Categories: Car Living
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When I spent a month backpacking in Italy two years ago I was quite pleased with how I’d packed. I fit everything in one of my brother’s spare backpacks and a shoulder bag that served as my carry on. About half way through I realized I still was carrying stuff I didn’t really need. So for this last month in Australia and New Zealand I was determined to really take some more care with packing. I packed up another of my brother’s spare backpacks , (the one the smelled least like campfire smoke).

I looked at the items for how easily they could be washed and dry overnight, how they might layer for warmth, (barely needed for most of the trip), and where ever possible their dual uses. My pajama pants, (plain black with a tie), work as dressy pants and with long underwear is very warm. (The long underwear was only needed once, they spent most of the trip buried at the bottom of the bag). My shawl, (bought in Sorrento, Italy), also makes a great towel, tablecloth or skirt.

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Categories: Car Living
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