HUMANS OF VANLIFE

Well folks something very exciting just happened! Clarissa has become the Co-Founder of Humans of Vanlife and I couldn't be more stoked. Together we decided to team up and work together from the road to cover peoples stories. Listen to the full episode to hear about what else we are creating for our valued followers. We could not be doing this without ALL of YOU!  Love and gratitude, Nikky & Clarissa >3

This episode takes you on a journey of how a woman left everything behind and embarked on a trip that would change her life. Julia lived in Germany and had a great career, car, flat and everything that society classes as the ‘Good Life’ yet she was unhappy. Julia bought a ticket to Australia and decided to figure out what truly makes her happy.  Tune into the full episode to hear Julias story of travelling around Australia for the last 10 months. Love & gratitude, Nikky

In this episode we hear the story of a man who was living a good life. Jack lived in Brisbane, had a great career as a carpenter and had lovely friends. Jack found himself playing gigs every weekend on top of his work week and wanted more from life. He realized that in order to live out his dream of being a musician he would need to dive fully into his passion- and he did just that. Jack quit his job, bought a van, and now is touring around Australia performing his Northern Rivers EP. Tune in to Episode 37 to hear the story of a touring musician as we bring voice to honest parts of life on the road like loneliness and the desire for connection.  Love & gratitude, Nikky Sound edit: Nathan Tomsic @nathan_tomsic  https://humansofvanlife.com/ https://www.patreon.com/thehumansofvanlife 

Jeremy is someone everyone needs to know. His courage and mental fortitude assisted him in walking across America to raise awareness for an anti-bullying campaign “Fight for the Forgotten”. In this episode Jeremy shares with us his life story of growing up with Tourette’s, being told he was incapable of doing what he dreamed of, too pushing through fear and embarking on an unforgettable journey. Thank you Jeremy for being vulnerable with us all and courageously fighting for what you believe in. You inspire me. Jeremy insta: @beatsfromthecore https://www.patreon.com/thehumansofvanlife

In this episode Ole and I talk about the freedom that owning a van provides. For Ole, even just knowing he has a van and can escape at anytime gives his great relief. Ole shares with us how he stopped letting fear get in his way and decided to fully go after his dream of being a musician. He shares with us his journey from flying around in helicopters putting out fires, to busking on the street and now deciding to step fully into this music career. This episode is bound to hit your heart strings as we get real serious and face questions such as “when you are 60 years old and look back at your life, what opportunities will you wish you had gone for”. Additionally, we chat about how fear is an excuse that prevents us from getting where we want in life. This episode is a MUST listen. Thank you so much @ole_falco for joining me in the rolling studio and sharing your gifts with us all. Love & gratitude, Nikky  To support this podcast head over to my Patreon account and join in on some exclusive extras.  Patreon account: https://www.patreon.com/thehumansofvanlife Website: https://humansofvanlife.com/

Welcome to Episode 34- I am glad you are here :) After a breakup of 5 years Georgie decided to buy a van and set off on an adventure. While attending a @vanlifediaries gathering she experienced a life changing moment and decided she was on the right path. In this episode we explore what life was like for Georgie when she was living in an apartment in the city. Georgie shares her experience of feeling “like the walls were closing in on her” and how she felt disconnected from herself. This episode is a beautiful journey through heartbreak, fear and what life can be like when you push through these walls and find a way of being that resonates with your soul. Tune in today to hear Georgie's story! Love & gratitude, Nikky  Sound edit by Nathan Tomsic @nathan_tomsic

I met Alana outside my van and within 30 seconds we were podcasting. Alana lives part time in her Toyota Hiace names Betty and spends the rest of her time in a tiny home in Brisbane. Vanlife became a part of Alana’s life when she embarked on an epic trip travelling 30,000 kms and spending 12 months travelling around Australia. She travelled for 9 months solo and shares about her honest experience on the road.  Additionally, in this episode Alana opens up about experiencing loneliness on the road and shares about how vanlife is a natural extension of who she is as it encompasses: freedom, community, minimalism, travel and so much more. Tune in to hear Alana's full story about life on the road as a solo female. Love & gratitude as always, Nikky  Patreon link as fore mentioned ❤️❤️: https://www.patreon.com/thehumansofvanlife?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=creatorshare

It was so powerful getting the chance to talk with Kwabi. He truly is a force to be reckoned with. Kwabi attended grad school and was working full time, yet he felt like he wasn’t doing enough for his community. So he bought a bus and utilizes it as part of his campaign towards peace for all. Kwabi travels around to elementary schools having discussions around peace, anti-bullying, non violence, and humanizing individuals on the street. He believes that it starts with the young and is currently working towards staring a TV series for children. To hear more about homelessness, peace work, and Kwabi's epic journey to the Mexican boarder, tune into this episode Thank you for all the work you do Kwabi. You have inspired me to continue trekking towards my main goal: bringing voice to the voiceless. Love & gratitude, Nikky 

WELCOME to Episode 31! In this episode you hear the journey of how Neesa went from living in the city, working a full time job, and renting a house to leaving all of it and flying across the world to live in a van. Neesa shares her chilling experience of feeling lost and unconnected living in the city to attending her first vanlife gathering and realizing there was much more to life then working a 9-5 job. Once Neesa got to experience the power of true love & belonging form community there was no going back for her.  It is so beautiful to hear the obstacles, self-doubt, fear and uncertainty that Neesa overcame in order to start living the life she wanted. This podast will be nothing short of a look into how fear and societal expectations hold us back from living our true potential and might even hit close to home.  This episode is made possible by @vantasticwesty, a true friend, respectable mechanic, expert in custom rig solutions, and all around guy you need to know.  Love & gratitude,  Nikky  Sound edit by: @nathan_tomsic

EPISODE 30: 22 year old lives in a van at a  commuter carpark in a massive city.  Want to know what it is like to live full-time in a van at a commuter carpark in a massive city? We’ll tune into this episode to hear how Marc, a 22 year old beauty rocks it out! Marc, a vanlifer of 6 months, lives both worlds with grace. He lives in his van in the city of Sydney, Australia where he teaches music at a school and does graphic design. Marc shares his unique story of feeling lost, stuck, and depressed within his old life only to find his independence and true self from living in a van. He went from living in his parents house to finding the van of his dreams, a Toyota Hiace, and moving fully into it with ease. Marc shares with us his raw experience of battling severe depression and anxiety and how he overcame it. It was really special sitting with Marc and having the tough discussions of privilege, mental health, independence, societal expectations, and hearing Marc say “these 6 months have been the happiest of my life”. This episode brought to light just how profound this lifestyle can be for people. Again, a perfect reminder of how #vanlife is so much more than just the vans, a pretty view, and a life full of travel.  If you want to support this podcast leave a comment & review on Apple Podcast.  Love & gratitude,  Nikky  Sound by @nathan_tomsic 

On this episode Ira and I sat down at Descend on Bend and had an honest conversation about Ira's journey into vanlife. From her thoughts and experiences of being lonely on the road to finding the love of her life, Ira takes us on an untold journey of how it all came to be. It was so special getting to know Ira on a deeper level as we worked through a stimulating conversation about Ira's past. Did you know  she lived in an attic and a Bewick before finally finding Ruby, her beloved VW van from @gowesty?  We discuss everything from how humans are always looking for the next big thing to how women have this idea of needing to be seen as independent, when really, we all just want love.  Thank you @Irawolfmusic for sharing your story with us and being the courageous woman that you are.   If you haven't already you must check out Ira Wolf's music on Spotify- I promise you wont be disappointed.  Love & gratitude, Nikky  AUDIO edit by @nathantomsic 

On this episode we explore the life of a man who lusts for adventure. He began his travels at the early age of 2 years old and has never stopped. The nomadic lifestyle is part of his blood. We are lucky enough to hear Anthony explore his current lifestyle of working full-time as a biomedical engineer and managing to escape every weekend. “work really hard during the week & play really hard during the weekend” is his motto and let me tell ya, he lives it up. Furthermore, we get deep and discuss the exclusivity of #vanlife and touch on how it has become sexualized. Anthony acknowledges that this way of living is a privilege that we are even lucky enough to dream of. Lastly, we discuss masculinity and how his father’s up-bringing has influenced the man he is today. This is just the beginning of what we talked about in this episode. It was such a honour to sit down and have a heart to heart conversation with Anthony. Tune in and give us a rating

Episode 27 is with Taylor & Chris two warriors who have survived it all. Chris has a background in the Navy and the fire department and Taylor is studying as a Child development major hoping to work remote to continue to travel and teach kids english. . These two take us on their journey through living in a house for 3,000 in San Diego and being unhappy to moving into a yacht, and then a van. They spent over 11 months travelling around the USA enjoying time in Baja and finding the true meaning of love & community on the road. . Chris shares his near-death experience and teaches us all how powerful the mind is at overcoming trauma. Additionally, we discuss the topic of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) and how this couple has navigated the world on being a minority. This episode is important and will move you deeply. Love & gratitude, Nikky

Hi all you beautiful people, This episode is extremely unique and sacred. Alex shares his heart and soul with us. He takes us on his journey of being a young musician and living in a van at 16 years old whilst dealing with his own ego, to moving through the most traumatic experience of his life, to hitting the road and finding himself through community. Alex teaches us a lot about the importance of self-improvement and how it is with people that we can transcend, grow and come together in the most beautiful way Thank you Alex for the most beautiful gift of going through this with me, sitting with me and holding space. It all needed to happen.  You can feel Alex’s radiant energy through the microphone and get the opportunity to know Alex on a very intimate level. This episode is particularly different as during the podcast I experienced anxiety and had to take a break to centre myself. The importance here is that my main priority with this podcast is to keep it as authentic as possible and from this experience I learnt that: I AM HUMAN- I AM LEARNING- I AM EXPLORING MYSELF THROUGH OTHERS and I am fully stoked on this. SO tune on in and hold space as both Alex and I get real vulnerable and share our truth with y’all.

Episode 25 is with Noami & Dustin from @irietoaurora Sitting down with these two legends was epic. Dustin and Noami both amaze me with heir humbleness and desire to stand up for what they believe in. They both speak their truth no matter what the situation is and that’s damn inspiring. They have been living in their west for 3 years now and have been through it all. Most recently they had considered giving up. On this episode you get to find out things that you probably never knew about these two beings such as what does fear mean to them and more. Additionally, you get the opportunity to hear about what projects these two are involved with and they bring you along on their tragic experiences with their van and how they have overcame such adversity. Dustin and Noami are humans you must meet! Tune in to hear their full story. If you dig this podcast please leave a review on apple podcast

Welcome to episode 24!  Katie, a super power of a woman discuss her journey of healing her broken heart on the road.  Katie opens up about her experience of leaving the corporate world and becoming an entrepreneur on the road. We get real and honest with y’all and talk about mental health, heart break, societal expectations, overall wellbeing, the pressures we face from our family and how Katie navigated all of this while being a solo traveller. Tune in to hear more about Katies intimate experience on the road.  Subscribe & share this podcast if you dig it Thanks for tuning in! Love & gratitude, Nikky 

  Episode 23 with the legend @freetired is out 🎉 - Steve has been living in his built out sprinter van for 3 years now and shares with us his journey of reconnecting with community and the impact it has had on his wellbeing. - I am thankful for Steves willingness to share about the difficulties of starting relationships while living in the van and his ability to be express his honest experiences from the road. - We get real serious about our desires, love, shame, independence, and all the tribulations that come with vanlife and relationships. - If you want a real look into relationships and living on the road this is the episode for YOU. Plus, there is a special appearance from the king questioner @nathan_tomsic so you ain’t going to want to miss this magic 👑 - Subscribe to HOVL on your favourite podcast app! - Love, Nikky ❤️

It was such a pleasure having Melissa in the studio with me and getting to know her story on a deeper level. The moment I met Melissa I knew that we have known each other in a different life and immediately felt connected to her. On this episode Melissa takes us on a journey into her life from listening to her heart and working in the corporate world to the heart break experienced after leaving a relationship of 12 years and finding herself on the road.  Tune into this episode to have your heart opened and get to know Melissa in a more intimate level Love & gratitude Nikky

Lyn is someone you have to meet. Her ability to embody her unique self is contagious and ferocious. On this episode you get the opportunity to learn about Lyns journey in a very intimate way. She shares about her battles with mental health, trying to balance work and passion, and shares her heart with us about how she is the happiest she has ever been. Lyn truly embodies what it means to be part of this community and I am very grateful to have met her.  Please comment and subscribe to this podcast to help me reach others with these inspiring stories. Love & gratitude, Nikky 

Episode 20 is with Neal the earthling. Neal shares with us the tenderness of finally being heard and seen in this community. Unfortunately, misunderstood and misinterpreted are two things Neal has been his whole life, yet he continues to exude nothing but love and wisdom. We can all learn the importance of getting to know people on a deeper level and not judging at first sight from him. Neal uses poetry to express his honestly and feelings and recently performed at the @vanlifediaries gathering in Colorado. Every time I have the opportunity to sit down with this earthling I learn something about life and myself.  We appreciate and value you deeply Neil. Thanks for allowing us to see you in your fullness and we are stoked to hear more of your poems!  Like and subscribe to this podcast if you are digging it

EPISODE 19 folks! This is our buddy Matt. Him and his darling little dog Wilson have been living in their rolling home for 2+ years. Matt is the founder of @enjoythejourney.today, which is a phrase that he lives by and is encouraging other like minded humans to do the same. We had the pleasure of meeting Matt at the Grand Tetons @vanlifediaries gathering back in June and have continued to convoy, camp and connect since then. @enjoythejourney.today has an electric energy that is so positive, fun and up lifting. You can find him making coffee & his “Matt-mosa’s” in the mornings, connecting with the community through out his days, and dancing up a storm in the evening (or any time really🕺🏼) We have truly enjoyed our time living next to Matt and feel grateful to continue this wild journey together. Tune in to our podcast today, where you’ll get to know Matt on a deeper level, hear all about his experience with Enjoy The Journey Today, and the importance of this community. #EnjoyTheJourneyToday#GoodVibeTribe

Nathan.  Who is Nathan. He is not just your average Australian next door. Nathan is incredibly witty and charismatic not to mention hilarious, leaving everyone bursting with laughter. He is also extremely gentle and loving. The way he listens to people's stories you can see he cares deeply about what is being said. He is willing to take the time to connect on a level not many people would be willing to do. Nathan is incredibly humble and has done it all. Diving into film school at a young age creating incredible content, he was also a cook for a number of years and even a professional bmxer. If you can't already tell Nathan is a wild and free spirit that cannot settle for mundane. He is constantly evolving and setting intentions to connect with others while continuing to stay true to himself. He dominates the artistic field by conjuring up incredible beats, creating independent films and is always willing to collaborate with other artists. When you watch Nathan in his creative element it becomes something of pure bliss, the way he closes his eyes and embodies the rhythm and vibration of the music. There is something of pure passion and magic coursing through him, that beautiful vulnerability causes time to stand still.He is one of the most caring people to have in our community he offers endless support extending a hand in every direction, bringing people together with musical talents, cooking expertise and contagious laughter. To you Nathan we say thank you for being exactly who you are and filling our hearts with love and joy, always willing to cook up a meal and share stories around the fire. You are deeply valued and loved by your community we wouldn't have you any other way. Subscribe & share please! LOVE you all  Nathan's Insta: @nathan_tosmic

Episode 17!! We are at a lack of words to express the gratitude and excitement we are feeling in reaching episode 17! If you’ve been following along then you will be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful twist this episode has in store!! In this episode Nikky had the opportunity to sit down with Austin and really decipher what van life means to him and what inspired him on his journey. Austin is a mesmerizing talent that sweeps through you leaving you feeling moved by the raw emotion in his music. Not only is he musically talented, he is also an incredible sweet and gentle man that’s energy is contagious to everyone around him. He is always sharing stories and smiling from ear to ear. We are so incredibly grateful to have met such a kind loving soul that's life is dedicated to getting out there and traveling the world while also sharing his stories with beautiful communities.Tune into episode 17 and be moved by Austin’s soothing voice and musical talents as he shares some of his original songs with us. Thank you Austin for being vulnerable enough to share a piece of your heart with humans of Vanlife. Love & gratitude,  Nikky  Austins insta: @fw.dude

Sante shows us that everything is possible on the open road. Sante is a being who lights up any room he enters and inspires many people to be their best selves. He has been living on the road for 2 years now with his dog sitka and has traveled from Vancouver island, to Baja and all around the US to name a few. It was very special sitting down and podcasting with Sante as we quickly dove deep into topics such as personal growth, mens work, vulnerability, living out of our discomfort zones and much more.  Tune in to feel inspired, intrigued, and stoked on life. Believe me, as usual, you aint going to want to miss this one. I will leave you with a quote from Sante: “I believe you can be fully stoked on life every moment and if you’re not that way then there are opportunities for work.”   With love & gratitude, Nikky 

So stoked to share with you guys the beautiful story of Josh and Meisha, our dearest friends from the road. We met Josh and Meisha in May and have been travelling with them from 2 months now. It was so incredible to finally sit down and podcast with them as our relationship has now deepened. A beautiful reminder of how important holding unconditional space for people is and how much more can be uncovered. Tune into the full episode to hear the beautiful journey of how these two continue to be in love and inspired on the road.  Please subscribe and share this podcast to support the people and their stories.  Love & gratitude, Nikky and Clarissa.  Josh & Meisha insta: @captains.logs

Well folks something very exciting just happened! Clarissa has become the Co-Founder of Humans of Vanlife and I couldn't be more stoked. Together we decided to team up and work together from the road to cover peoples stories. Listen to the full episode to hear about what else we are creating for our valued followers. We could not be doing this without ALL of YOU!  Love and gratitude, Nikky & Clarissa

I believe everything happens for a reason and let me tell you my van breaking down was confirmation of this. I broke down at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park and ended up getting towed to Carls house. What started off as a shitty experience, ended up being a blessing in disguise. As I arrived at Carls house I was quickly welcomed into his home by him and his beautiful wife.  Carl has started his own Vanagon renting business that allows you the opportunity to check out vanlife before committing to buying your own van. Each of his vans are fully equipped and ready to be taken wherever you soul desires. I highly recommend Teton Van Works for any of your travels also you wanna meet Carl in your lifetime! So check out the website below and message Carl to inquire about renting one of his vans. Love and gratitude,  Nikky http://www.tetonvanworks.com/ Carl insta: @tetonvanworks Nikkys insta: @veeweethevanagon

I met Scott in Yellowstone National Park when my van broke down and I was stuck all alone. Scott is one of those incredible humans who gives with his heart and expects nothing in return. After spending about 48 hours with Scott I quickly learned that he has been on an amazing journey that took him giving up his 40 hour work week to hike the Appalachian trail for 5+ months and has never gone back. Not only does Scott have an incredible heart, he also has an incredible story that is worth sharing!  Subscribe to hear the whole episode and feel free to share this podcast if you are inspired too!  With gratitude,  Nikky  Scotts insta: @beastbeyondboston Nikkys insta: @veeweethevanagon 

NEW EPISODE! We changed it up for the 11th episode! One of my soul sisters Paige wanted to interview me so that all you folks who are listening can get to know me a bit better. I thought Paiges idea was rad and was eager to try something knew. At first I was nervous because I am used to being the one asking questions, not being asked myself. However, thankfully with Paige’s calm energy and our soul connection I felt right at home. It was awesome to be on the other side of the table this time as it provided me the opportunity to share my story and for a container for Paige and I to connect on a deeper level. This episode really taught me how rich a conversation can be when you have each others undivided attention and create a safe container to explore and share together. Listen and subscribe to get to know your host a bit more

What a rewarding experience it was getting the opportunity to sit down with Mooey and explore with him on a deeper level. What I thought would be a normal episode of exploring the individual inside the van quickly turned into a deep profound conversation about vulnerability and the affects that being vulnerable can have on you. Mooey shares with us his experience of journalling and how it has helped him become more honest with himself and others as he gets the chance to explore what’s within. Additionally we explore many other topic such as the freedom of moving from a home into a van and all the freeing feelings that come along with it. Tune into the full episode and subscribe to hear Mooeys story.  Mooeys insta: climboncollins

Jess and I decided to sit down and have a open, honest, and raw conversation about our experiences of living on the road. We talk about the differences of where we were both raised and the societal "norms" that were embedded into us and how we have shifted out of those expectations. Additionally, we discuss the truth about having your period in the van, feeling lonely, the challenges that come with not having access to unlimited water & electricity and how we have navigated our beauty regime.  Tune into hear us get down and real with y'all. Subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes come out Jess insta: @followthefosseys Nikky insta: @veeweethevanagon

Jasper Sunshine is a force to be reckoned with! He is a clear example about what it means to speak with integrity and use your own voice to bring awareness to important topics such as mental health. Jasper and his dog Rhea live full time in a van while Jasper furthers his education with acting school while Rayna lives her best life :).  Listen to the full episode to hear his full vanlife journey and to get a chance to be apart of our intimate conversation about mental health, loneliness, vanlife, peoples expectations and so much more.  Please subscribe to my podcast and leave a comment

I had the pleasure of sitting down and getting to know Josh. Josh is one of those people who you know right off the bat is a beautiful soul in which you want to get to know on a deeper level. Thankfully, Josh helped remind me that opportunity is so easily followed by living the van life as you can literally just start driving towards your dreams at any time. It is inspiring to see Josh following his dreams and consciously creating his ideal adventurous life admits all the barriers and pressures of our societal norms.  Your going to want to listen to the full episode to hear Josh's story.  Josh's insta: @joshmackenz Nikky insta: @veeweethevanagon

I had such an incredible time sitting across from Jess and Tyler and hearing about their story... I met these two in Squamish and knew instantly that we would connect and be life long friends. These two taught me the importance of listening to your heart (even when your family says otherwise) and pursing your dreams. These two are a direct example of the life you can life when you choose love over fear and stop allowing others to influence your decision.  In this episode we hear about the real life challenge these two face with the impending proposal of a new bylaw to ban vanlifers and hear some refreshing ideas about new possibilities that the city could do to help with this issue.  Please share this episode and write a review if you enjoyed it :) Jess & Tylers Insta: @followthefosseys

This episode is raw. Clarissa takes us on a honest journey of what it is like to be a women in van from having your period to getting ready and going out partying. Clarissa shares her journey of leaving her hometown at the age of 22 and hitting the road for what she thought would only be a short amount of time. Two years later Clarissa is still living full-time vanlife and is loving every minute of it... mostly.  Listen to the full episode to hear her wild journey.  Insta: @clarissakiing Please rate the episode and leave a comment :) 

Follow along to hear the journey of Evan, a 22 year old from Calgary who has fallen in love with vanlife and all it has to offer.  Evan rolled up to our community about 2 months ago and has become an instant brother and life long friend. Together we explore the dichotomy of living secluded from community vs the importance of growing within a community. Evan reminds us that living out of our comfort zone is necessary in order to grow and thrive. He also highlights the mindfulness that can be cultivated through living this lifestyle. Tune into to hear Evan's full story  Instagram: evansmethurst

On this episode we get the chance to sit down with Mike and Hayden, two blokes from Australia and listen to their journey about flying across the world to live in a van and travelling around BC. These two surprised me with their contagious energy, amazing accents and profound realizations about themselves and the world. The remarkable realizations and shifts of perspective that living an alternative lifestyle can provide never ceases to amaze me- tune in to hear theirs.  Mikes insta: _mikey__96 Haydens Insta: piss_ant_

Nikky and Kayla are back at it again! This podcasts guides you through the hard truth of Kayla and I's experience with the law and touches upon the reality of the housing crisis here in Victoria, BC. You can expect to hear an honest conversation of our challenges with vanlife, as well as our social justice voices as we plea and advocate that others educate themselves about the housing crisis here in Victoria. I believe awareness and knowledge= power.  Nikkys instagram: @veeweethevanagon Kaylas instagram: @queiladouglas Photo from: @bedifferentmedia

Welcome!  Tune into this podcast to hear the story of how my roommate kayla and I got evicted and decided to live full time vanlife for our last year of nursing school. You can expect to hear the journey of 2 women who persevered through the challenges of living a minimalistic life and the stigma from others, only to come out with more gratitude and love for the vanlife community and our lives.