Getting fidgety while WFH? This young Melbourne couple have the perfect remedy.

Picture this. You can keep your same job. But instead of going back to the office, or continuing to WFH, why not work and roam in a van? That’s exactly what Damian, van owner of Luxury Adventure Mobile, and his partner Maisy did when lockdowns first hit... and they didn't stop! We spoke with him about all things working from the road, his transition to van life, and his hot tips for first time digital nomads!

Tell us a little bit about your passion for camping/van life.

I didn't own a campervan at the time, but as soon as my work went fully remote and it became evident that we'd soon have Covid lockdowns (Feb/March 2020), we packed our tent and dashed off to rural/coastline South Australia. We worked there for a few months living out of the tent at a free campsite (it was a very basic existence haha), but once the pubs/cafes closed down we didn't have anywhere to charge our laptops for work.

So we started paying a caravan park to stay there, as this gave us access to power. But we quickly came to the realisation that we should just buy a campervan that has an inverter (which could charge our laptops), rather than paying a caravan park. That lead us to buy our first campervan, which was already pre-built.

We immediately fell in love with the lifestyle it enabled for us, and decided that we wanted to keep doing it full time. So we decided to upgrade our campervan and complete a brand new fit-out from scratch, with all of the learnings that we'd had from living in our first campervan. And the rest is history - now we have our big yellow van that we love!

Who do you usually travel with?

Myself, Maisy and Drippie (our pooch!). Sometimes if Maisy and Drippie can't come though, I'll use the van with friends for surf 'strike trips' where we chase swells/surf for 3-5 days.

When did you decide to begin you’re hiring journey with Camplify and how’s it going?

Only this January, and it's been going great! We've been pleasantly surprised by how easy the process of hiring out the van is, and also how wonderful all of our guests have been. It's been so touching to hear about their trips and the van playing such a big part in that.

Why do you think your van is proving so popular?

Since Maisy and I designed the van so that we could comfortably work our full-time jobs remotely whilst travelling around Australia for a one year trip, we put a huge amount of thought and effort into coming up with a great fit-out. The aim was for maximum comfort and a homely aesthetic, but also for functionality and convenience. As such, we probably ended up spending more features that you wouldn't otherwise find in most campervans. For example, our van has:

• Air conditioner & heater → a top of the range reverse cycle AC so you aren’t at the mercy of extreme weather.

• Shower → no need to rely on visiting caravan parks to shower.

• Comfortable remote working setup that has been purpose-built for 2 people working full time (the table even has an adjustable lever so it can be moved into a position that’s most comfortable for you).

• Large 'garage space' in the back with ample room for surfboards (up to 8ft), snowboards or other large gear.

• Reliable engine → unlike many other van brands in Australia, the Mercedes Sprinter (our van) is known for being ultra-reliable. The van is regularly serviced and we’ve never had any mechanical issues.

• And then all the other high-end campervan features (e.g. it's a high top so there's standing room, ample charging for all 240V and 12V electronics, etc)

Why did you decide to take your work on the road?

We love surfing, we love the outdoors, and we love travelling - and that's why we love travelling around Australia in campervans. Once we realised that remote work while travelling was feasible (which was one of the few silver linings of Covid), we saw no reason why we shouldn't be on the road! No more having to drive 90mins to get to the surf - just pull up there the night before and you can get a session in before starting work!

Campervan or caravan? And why?

Depends on what type of trip you're doing. If you want to get to really remote areas where you need 4WD access, or you are going to spend solid periods of time in one region (e.g. 2-4 weeks at a time), then I think a caravan is great. But if you want flexibility and you don't care about 4WD-ing, then campervans are better. If you get a big enough van, like ours, you can enjoy most of the same luxuries that a caravan offers anyway (e.g. shower, air conditioner, big couch, etc).

Tell us about some of your favourite places you visited, and why?

Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The surf is amazing, and the landscapes have a rugged and raw beauty that is so unique. It's like desert meets ocean, but totally pristine.

Any advice for first-time digital nomads campers?

Get a reception booster ("cel-fi go repeater" is the technical name)! And make sure you have a comfortable work setup. Lots of couch/table space is great, but having lots of big cushions is our secret. It's amazing how comfortable you can get when you're lying horizontally on a couch if you put the cushions in the right places.