Rachael
@create.discover.nosh
Q. Who are you? How old are you? Do you travel completely alone... if not who do you travel with?
A. Hi, I'm Rachael (32), a solo female traveler with my only traveling companion being, Nooch my 28 year old Lazy Daze RV.
Q. How long have you been living full time in a Mobile-Home (camper-van, RV, etc)?
A. I've been living in my RV for several months now, but was mostly stationary while I worked on fixing her up and renovating the inside. We've been full time on the road for almost two months now.
Q. What's the best thing about being female and on the road?
A. After my decision to live full time on the road, I started following a lot of other full-time travelers on social media and I was so inspired and influenced by the solo women on the road. I want to show other women that it is possible. There are so many restrictions that are put on us, as women and as humans in this society. Who made up these rules and why do we have to put up with them? Once you break away from the restrictions that hold us back, your heart opens to so many wonderful people and opportunities.
Q. Conversely what is the worst thing about being female and on the road?
A. Well the obvious one would be sexism. It very much exists, even if most of it is "well intended". I want to believe that it's due to people not being exposed to certain things, and the more that we are out there doing what we are doing, the idea that woman aren't capable will melt away. The part that probably bothers me the most, is that I get it from women as well. We need to build each other up, because if we don't believe in ourselves, we can't expect others to. We are capable as hell, don't be mistaken!
Q. How do you decide on where to stay?
A. Sometimes I feel like that can be a full time job (a little bit of an exaggeration, but it can be a lengthy process). It can include me flipping between a few browser tabs on my laptop, 3 or so apps, and a couple maps/books for what seems like hours or it could be as quick as looking up a friendly Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lot between destinations. My favorite spots to look for are ones that aren't overrun with crowds of people (I can get overwhelmed in crowded places). Places where you can feel at peace in nature and let the stresses of life melt away. On numerous occasions I've had to let myself know that it's ok to leave an area if circumstances aren't working out, even if it's a "must see". ALSO the weather plays a big role on my decision where to go, since I spend most of my time boondocking (dry camping with no hookups) I can't run my a/c unless I have the generator on, which I hardly do, and since I live in a metal box, it gets hot! That's one of the wonderful things about this life… if it doesn't suit you, move on!
Q. What is the most surreal places that you visited?
A. Honestly, I go into every place trying not to compare one to the other. I like to be in the moment wherever I am and try to find a place's uniqueness and beauty. I don't want to be at destination Y thinking the views were nicer at destination X. It's my goal to find what makes a place beautiful and unique in the here and now. I've been in parking lots that have had amazing views and all I have to do is pull down my shades on two sides and it's like I'm not even in a parking lot. It's really all about what you make out of the experiences that you have.
Q. What are some common items savvy travelers bring with them (that less-savvy travelers don't)/ what could you not live in a mobile-home without?
. I don't want to say that these things are things that a "less-savvy" traveler doesn't have, because everyone has there own ways of getting through life. What works for me, might not work for the next person, but these are the things that I am thankful to have on the road and have made life a little easier for me since living full time in my RV…
Solar panels- it was a last minute decision at the end of the renovation of my rv to get solar. I always thought down the road (pun intended?) I would get them and even installed two inverters for that purpose, but after thinking about it and doing research on how much it would cost, I figured it would pay for itself in no time, since I wouldn't have to stay in campgrounds with hookups. I'm so happy I made that decision and I've had full batteries ever since. Not thinking about if I'll have enough power is one less thing to worry about!
Composting toilet- I'm not going to lie, black tanks are not my jam (are they anyones?). It's an unpleasant thing that you have to deal with on the road… or is it??? In all my research I did while renovating, I found out about composting toilets. The more and more I investigated, the more I was convinced, this was the way to go for me. It has it's own annoyances, but the trade off for me was well worth it. It's friendly to mother earth and saves me from having to refill my fresh water tank as often.
Vent fans- these babies can blow air in or out of the rv and I installed two, so I usually have one pulling in air and the other blowing it out for good air circulation. As I mentioned before, I live in a metal box… it gets HOT. They are also great at creating white noise when I am staying in parking lots, that cancels out a lot of the street noise. I pretty much run them constantly and only feel comfortable doing so, since I have the solar panels.
Other than that, I think everyone should carry physical maps, you can't always rely on electronics and there will be times you will be out of cell service.
Q. How do you get work everywhere?/ How do you have an income?
A. For the past three years I have owned my own online handmade jewelry business. It was one of the reasons I realized this lifestyle was possible for me. You can find my shop at maderalane.etsy.com
Q. How did your friends & family feel/ react when you told them you were going to travel full time?
A. I have had really positive feedback. All my friends and family were extremely encouraging and supportive. I'm very lucky to have such good people in my life. I would have gone through with my decision to be an rv lifer if I didn't have the support of people in my life, but it would have made the whole process a lot harder. The journey from when I decided to live full time on the road and now has been very stressful at times, but I can't imagine what it would have been like if I didn't have all the support and people rooting for me. If anyone out there wants to live full time on the road and doesn't have the support they need… I will be your cheerleader! Message me for love and encouragement :)
Q. What inspired you to hit the road?
A. I remember finding this instagram account of a couple who lived full time in a trailer and they had a dog or two and were vegan, I thought, they are living my dream life! It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't need all the pieces to the puzzle to live a dream life. My mind wheels were in motion and after playing with the idea for a (short) while, I decided to make things happen. It was a very easy decision once the idea was there. Now, the process of making it happen wasn't so easy, between finding, buying and fixing up Nooch (she was worth it).
Q. Is solo travel dangerous as a female?
A. Of course I think everyone traveling alone should take certain precautions, like always be aware of your surroundings, follow your gut when things don't feel right, have a Plan B, don't give out information on your whereabouts online or to people in person, don't announce that you are traveling alone, check in with family and friends, etc. There are risks that everyone takes everyday, this risk just isn't the "norm" so it might seem riskier to people. If you don't take any risks, that leads to a pretty mundane life that I not comfortable living.
Q. How do you deal with loneliness? if you experience any at all.
A. For as long as I can remember, I've treasured my alone time. It's the way I recharge and I think it's important for my mental health. When I'm around other people I tend to feed off of their moods and energy, which can be very draining, so the recharge is definitely needed. I also can be very social and the alone time makes me appreciate when I do have people around. I love this saying that I heard, "I'm not antisocial, I'm pro solitude". So true, so so true.
Q. Do you feel awkward doing certain activities alone? How did you adjust to this?
A. The question should be, when do I not feel awkward? I pretty much feel awkward all the time regardless if I'm with people or by myself. For the most part I love doing things alone, but of course there are things that are more enjoyable shared with others. This life is all about doing things outside of the comfort zone. Taking certain risks or doing something that makes you feel awkward or uncomfortable might make you realize something about yourself, make you grow as a person, and grow in your confidence.
Q. Do you have tips for women who want to branch out and travel alone?
A. DO IT! There are always going to be excuses why to not do something and there will always be excuses to delay something. The circumstances will never be perfect. There is a huge wonderful community of people living the nomad life that will help and encourage you. Find a way to do it and make it happen. Tomorrow is just an excuse to wait for something that you can make happen today. There is so many resources out there on youtube, and blogs about how to make money, how to fix/alter pretty much everything dealing with rvs/vans/trailers/buses, and all the tips and tricks of life on the road. And if you can't find what you are looking for, ask someone who is living it. Most of us are more than willing to help out (at least I am!). The internet has made this lifestyle so much more accessible, just make sure to look up from all the technology and enjoy what and who is around you :)
