Motor homing is more than a hobby for many Kiwis. Some of us even call campers our permanent abode and either travel or park up around the country full-time.
But living in a vehicle means you are often heavily reliant on an infrastructure of non-essential businesses like libraries museums and campgrounds, and at this time that could be problematic to some given the Covid-19 pandemic that has changed our way of life.
For example, if you live or travel in a vehicle what happens when it’s not just the internet, showers and toilets that become unavailable?
What happens when an act of exercising freedom outdoors by roaming becomes selfish, by posing an infection risk if you move between communities?
What happens for nomads when freedom camping is shut down due to a pandemic?
What an invitation to problem solve we face. Many motor home dwellers in NZ have been forced to locate new ablution areas (several closed), a space to park up and figure out how to minimise trips to the laundromat and grocery store (even though your home may not have the capacity to store many clothes or groceries).
Our family currently lives in a motor home, potentially a self-isolation jackpot – since we’re designed for migration or escape – we can’t do that right now so I guess in other ways life on the road is currently as disrupted as living in a static home.
On the up-side, living in a motor home is already a version of self-isolation. People who live tiny and are nomadic are often already used to living with few needs, to being in spatially limited living quarters, and generally accustomed to living with low overheads.
With hindsight, I’m so glad that we lived and travelled NZ in our house bus all last year as I think in many ways it has helped us to cope with lockdown changes like those mentioned above.
Just like during our 2019 year of travel, we’re alone together with a lot of time on our hands, only now without the choice to “Go” anywhere, since movements are so restricted.
And so, like many other Kiwis, we find ourselves adjusting to everyone at home at once, all day and coming to terms with a perceived and actual lack of freedom and space at times.
We had an Easter holiday trip planned for the school holiday break – sea and sunshine and sand. Maybe you did too?
I feel grief over missing out on that blissful escape over Easter due to Covid-19 and know of others who feel loss over their plans that have been altered or cancelled by this historic pandemic.
Even the Olympics have been cancelled for the second time ever in history!
However, despite feelings of transition and loss at this time, I feel pretty grateful that we’re not at war being bombed like in times passed.
I’m grateful that we have such great medical, technological, and social care in place, unlike during previous pandemics like the Spanish Flu, which killed 5 million worldwide circa 1918.
I feel grateful that NZ declared lockdown when they did. We’ve complied as a nation with the guidelines given and so reduced our case numbers in the weeks following that decision. That’s been a national win!
All the same, NZ residents have been forced to quarantine. Most of us have needed to take our work home due to quarantine measures, but those with an essential worker in the family continued to go to work, living in hope that they would not bring the bug home with them.
I know we will get through this.
We’ve been full time in our house-bus during lockdown and after close to 5 weeks of quarantining, social distancing, and working from home, I find myself with evolving, mixed emotions about it all.
I’ve loved the bonus time that our family got to have together during quarantine. We’ve played games and done things together we hadn’t in ages.
Based on conversations I’ve had and social media evidence, some people seem to have so enjoyed that, doing and making in new, meaningful ways together. Others though instead face growing loneliness, mental health issues, or domestic abuse. I feel sad about that.
Another plus I’ve personally experienced is having a lot of time to catch up on things that have not had time allocated to them until now. I’ve turned my focus during lockdown to educating, writing, reflection, water blasting, and painting, which has given this task-oriented soul a sense of purpose through it all.
Some days I’ve felt buoyant and fulfilled by my completed tasks but other days it feels stuffy, crowded, and overwhelmingly loud around here. Can you relate?
Today felt crowded so we took a family walk, without the slightest concern about what we were wearing or looked like. (I’ve found worrying less about personal appearance to be a perk of isolation!)
Being rural, it was just us and the road. It was partly sunny as we set off. The threat of rain hung above us in grey, spongy clouds but never came, so we kept on walking.
We ended up meandering through a local neighbourhood and had a great time spotting the stuffed toys in letterboxes and windows as we ambled. Samuel most enjoyed the puddles along the way left by overnight rainfall.
As we walked I also noticed quite a few caravans and motor homes parked up alongside homes and in active use.
The people inside were on laptops or drinking tea and it made me realise that motor homes and caravans can be used in many ways, making them a valuable resource at a time like this.
The Pros of Having or Living In Motor Homes & Caravans During Lockdown
1. They’re a standalone space that allowed the owners to join up with family before lockdown so grandparents or other travelling family members weren’t isolated from each other.
2. They offer secluded accommodation, which may be providing infection protection for at-risk people.
3. They can act as a hang-out space, an extension to a house – nothing like a little driveway camping to lift quarantine spirits!
4. Or maybe they’re temporary housing for teenagers or uni students since campuses shut down.
5. Perhaps they’re even an alternate office space for remote workers. So many practical uses!
6. And maybe, once quarantine is lifted, they’ll provide a large part of the future of NZ holidays for a while.
7. Other benefits that are real to me with everyone at home are the small area we have to clean and how often we get outside to do things. And the lack of adjustment shock I’ve felt moving into lockdown status. Definite pluses.
As restrictions start to loosen in NZ, national parks, campgrounds, and freedom camping spots will once again be accessible.
It’s also likely that hotels, cruise ships, and airports will not be the best places to congregate initially and that countries will guard their borders carefully, so perhaps the safest way to vacation for the foreseeable future will be to buy or rent a motor home and see what this country has to offer.
Other bonuses will be the current low fuel prices and interest rates, making this possibly an opportune time to buy or rent a camper, travel trailer, 5th wheeler, or motor home.
Let’s hope that as we look ahead to a return to normalcy, that everyone will be able to get moving again with the hope that spring and summer will soothe our unsated nomadic itches and beach withdrawals.
I’d love you to share what you have missed or been grateful for during quarantine.
How has your life been affected?
With this pandemic stripping so much of our ‘non-essential’ lives back, have you seen a shift in what really matters to you?
I wonder what creative, satisfying, or relaxing activities you’ve had time for during quarantine?
Share your experience in the comments below.
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Thanks!
Meagan
