Behind the Wheel - a Vanlife show

Ready to join us on an adventure?

Behind the Wheel tells the vanlife stories you won’t find on Instagram, to prepare you for your next campervan road trip. Honest truths and little known facts about life on the road. Our hosts Izzy and Ariel interview experts like full time vanlifers, travel journalists and pioneers of sustainable travel.

We discuss themes like finding a home on the road, sustainable travel, experiencing true freedom, and much more. Check out our episodes below:

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S2E8: Is Campervan Travel Sustainable? Emissions, EV's & More

We asked a scientist: how sustainable is campervan travel compared to other types of travel?

Show notes Do you want to calculate the CO2 footprint of your campervan trip? Use our emissions calculator here. Do you want to have a look at our electric campervans? Find our EVs here:

S2E7: How to Make Your Bucket List Trip Come True

What does it take to turn a bucket list trip into reality? Karlijn shares what made her stop dreaming and start driving.

Show notes You can follow Karlijn and her family on Instagram. Or find out more about the book she referenced here, about the Zapp family. Are you preparing for your next campervan adventure? We made a super extensive guide including all the practical tips for your first campervan road trip. Find it here.

S2E6: Why Wild Campers and Glampers Aren't So Different

A campervan trip works for die hard campers and glamorous comfort seekers alike. Today we find out why that is.

Show notes Do you want to know more about camping in comfort? Find our comfy camping hacks here. Are you more interested in wild camping? Find our best tips here, or read more about wild camping in Norway.

S2E5: How to Create Your Own Home on Wheels: Buying & Building

Chris built his own campervan that he lives in full time. He covers all the things to consider when making your own home on wheels.

Show notes You can follow Chris' adventures on Instagram. You also might want to check out these websites that Chris used during the building process: Faroutride.com and Explorist. Or read our article about finding out which campervan to buy, or about everything you need to know about buying a second hand campervan, or read up on exciting new 2023 campervan models.

S2E4: How to Go Off the Beaten Track Like a Pro Travel Journalist

Senior travel editor Tom Aussems covers trip planning, leaving room for spontaneity, learning from locals, and dealing with overtourism.

Show notes Tom writes for Columbus Travel, find the magazine here. In the episode, Tom also talks about the Romantische Strasse route in Germany. We made an itinerary for it here. For more off the beaten track inspiration, read about the 7 best undiscovered beaches in Europe, the top 10 undiscovered destinations in Italy or an itinerary for the South West Coastal 300 drive in Scotland, which is a great alternative to the extremely popular North Coast 500 drive. 

S2E3: What Does a Campervan Trip Cost?

The great thing about campervan road trips is that you decide how much they cost. Josh points out exactly what to consider when budgeting your trip.

Show notes Read more tips about planning an affordable trip, or check out our extensive guide for planning your next trip. We've included all kinds of practical advice, from planning to being on the road. It's completely free to use. Find our travel guide here

S2E2: How to Deal With Surprises on the Road

The Labrie family tell about the importance of mindset, flexibility and how unpleasant surprises can actually be a blessing in disguise.

Show notes Find our best destination content on our blog or follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more travel content. Follow Family Labrie on Instagram, or check out the non-profit they work for.

S2E1: How to Plan Your First Road Trip: All the Practical Tips

Jake covers everything you need to know for your first campervan experience, from finding the right vehicle to planning your trip.

Show notes Want to know more? We have made an extensive guide including all the practical advice for your first motorhome roadtrip, from planning to being on the road. It's completely free to use. Find our travel guide here

Season 2 Announcement: Get Ready for the Trip of a Lifetime

Welcome back to season 2! Our new host Izzy went on a campervan trip for the first time last year, and now she wants to plan another unforgettable trip for this Summer. That's why she's been speaking to full time vanlifers, travel journalists and campervan owners, coverig themes like planning your very first campervan trip, dealing with surprises on the road and making your bucket list trip come true. So make sure to follow the show, buckle up, and join the ride.

 

S1E5: What Does Sustainable Vanlife Look Like?

With Sara van Geloven

Sara and her partner Jurrien are in the process of converting a fully electric van into a campervan. They have left everything behind and plan to live in it full time. But what does the future of vanlife look like? And how sustainable is campervan travel in the first place?

Check out our article about installing solar panels on your campervan.

S1E4: How Can You Make a Living on the Road?

With Kay and Esther

Kay and Esther adopted the vanlife lifestyle way before it was cool. In this episode, they share how they made a living while being on the road, while still enjoying the freedom and adventure of travelling. Vanlife is not only for self-employed people who are working online, and it even lends itself perfectly for a workcation!

Learn more about Kay and Esther or check out our article about budget camping.

S1E3 - Is Vanlife Not So Glamorous After All?

With Ella and Frank

In this episode, Ella and Frank look back on two years of full-time vanlife, and they give a full disclosure of the reasons why they eventually quit this dreamy lifestyle. Is vanlife really all about feeling free and posting glamorous pictures? Or is there more to it?


Want to know if vanlife is for you? Find out here.

S1E2 - Can You Live a Nomadic Life with Kids?

With Val and Tim

In this episode, Val and Tim share about their nomadic lifestyle as a family, and how their kids grew up on the road. They show how children are not a reason to stop us from going on new adventures. On the contrary, they might even be the reason why we should be planning our next trip.


Want to know more about travelling as a family? Read about the best camping activities for kids, or check out these 10 family friendly campsites in the UK.

S1E1 - Vanlife: Meaningful Lifestyle or Instagram Hype?

With Amy Nicholson

We invited full-time vanlifer Amy for an honest conversation about how travel impacts mental health, the power of autonomy and of course the Instagram hype around vanlife. What is it that made it so popular?


Curious about female solo travel? You can read more here.