The concept of MotorHome became very famous in the early 70s, but the United States, pioneers of this style of van, had already started a long time before to transform their vehicles into real houses on wheels. Today, this concept is becoming more and more famous and we can already find many adventurers and enthusiasts around the world who transform their VW and vans in order to travel!
However, fitting a house into a vehicle is not an easy task, and it is quite expensive. In this sense, the owners of the Kombihileiros channel, Ana Carol and Rafael, can speak properly about the difficulties of building a motorhome from zero.
- “All The VW Kombi In The World Will Become A Motorhome At Some Point”
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The couple were living the dream of making a backpacking trip when the pandemic arrived and ruined all the planning they had been having since 2017. Ana Carol recalls:
“The idea was to start in the United States, then Canada, Mexico, Central America and enter Brazil, all the journey would take about 2 years. But the pandemic started when we were in Mexico and we had to go home.”
Frustrated for not having completed the journey, unable to return to the life they had before the backpacking trip and with the money for the end of the trip saved, the Kombihome came like a light at the end of the tunnel. The initial idea came from Rafael, who started commenting on the possibility of investing the money in the vehicle. Soon the couple’s social media were taken by advertisements, but the VW ready to travel were really far off the budget and were almost impossible as they would still have to spend on the specific documentation that Brazil requires in order to have a motorhome. The way then would be to start one from scratch.
“We ended up finding a VW two blocks away from home, but it wasn’t ready to travel. We bought and then we started researching how to make it in an handmad way that was viable and met our needs, we started getting hands-on, without experience, making mistakes and making it happen.”, explains Ana.
- “We Recorde Everything, If We Make A Mistake We Will Help People To Not Repeat Our Mistake And If We Get It Right It’s A Form Of Incentive.”
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The lack of knowledge did not stop the couple, with marathons on youtube videos of people who had already done it, the help of friends and several cardboard molds, they have shown that it is possible,you just have to be persistent. And for a year now, Rafa and Ana have been recording step by step of the construction on their youtube channel, which already existed before the kombi home as a kind of travel diary, witch Ana confesses that she didn’t like the idea very much at the beginning and today it has become a hobby, something she really enjoys.
The process is actually time-consuming and very thorough. Because the two are working the entire day, the construction of the VW ends up being for the weekends, but they are in no hurry to finish, they want to do it very slowly and in a logical sequence. In addition, they also have the fact that they live in an apartment, so the couple need to go to Rafael’s brother’s garage to be able to build, especially when they work with the carpentry part that makes a lot of dirt.
Another point that the couple highlights is that with those who love traveling in quarantine, in their homes, many people started to build their kombi homes, and those who already had one started to invest in vans. This ends up being very good, because it increases the community of people who are adept at this style of travel here in Brazil, on the other hand it makes the demand increase and the materials become more and more expensive.
Because the space is so limited, it’s always good to keep in mind what your priorities are and what kind of trip you want to do, colder destinations require a few different preparations, more expensive but crucial. The couple intends to go to Patagonia, which complicates things related to space a little, since in addition to the cabinets, bed and stove, they will have to carry indoor a gallon water, which usually goes outside, so the water does not freeze.
“We’ve already thought about several projects and not having the notion of space bothered me when I need to make decisions about what I’m gonna buy. Usually people only put the thermal coating on the ceiling or just one layer. We are trying to make several layers, we made two layers on the floor, one on the ceiling and on the sides to try to make it well sealed.”- explains the traveler.
- The Best Part Of Having A Kombi Home
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As much work as it is, owning a motorhome can make life a lot easier for travel enthusiasts. The kombi is autonomy, with it you don’t have problems related to transport, which is very expensive in certain places, or with accommodation.
Plus, carrying the whole family is even easier! Rafa and Ana can finally fulfill their dream of traveling together, the couple has had a dog for 11 years and they suffered a lot for having to leave their partner with their family during their backpacking trip. Now with the Kombi, the story is different, the little dog is already going to get all the necessary documentation and will be the partner of the couple on the trip to Patagonia.
- The Space Is Not Tight?
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In fact, living on wheels can be a bit tight, but for those who are used to backpacking trips, a motorhome can be much more comfortable than some airbnbs, according to travelers:
“A lot of people come and ask if it’s not too small. We already spent a night in the VW and it was very quiet, for us it’s almost a mansion, it will even have a kitchen!”
It is worth remembering that for those who are not used to this style of travel, it is possible to have one for small journeys, for camping on the weekend, for example. It is a way to have more moments with family and in nature.
- Tip For Those Who Think About Entering In This World
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There are two things that for Kombichileiros are extremely crucial, they can be summarized into planning and not getting attached to fears.
Prior financial planning is extremely important when you go to other countries, be prepared and have a reserve in case of something unexpected happens or someone gets sick. Another point that the couple highlights is in relation to fears, in this style of travel, it is not all that can be organized in advance, it is possible to choose the destinations, but when we talk about rest stops it is something more imprecise. Therefore, for the person to really enjoy the trip, they need to keep in mind that not everything is predictable.
In the end, the important thing is that the trip is really a moment of rest, that you can connect with nature, discover new cultures and be with the people you love. And all that the motorhome can provide you!
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The article above was edited by Lívia Carvalho.
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