Author: helenwheels99

Repairs, Van Life Scotland, Vanlife Europe

When Van Life Gets Real: Mirrors, Brakes & Battery Drama 🚐💥

Van life looks dreamy on Instagram. Snowy mountains. Remote camps. Freedom. And then sometimes… you clip mirrors with another camper, smash a window, lose your brakes, drain your batteries, and end up stranded in Scotland. If you’ve ever wondered what van life is really like — this week was it. 🎥 Watch the Full Video The Mirror Incident in the Mountains ❄️ My friend Beck … Continue reading When Van Life Gets Real: Mirrors, Brakes & Battery Drama 🚐💥

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Travel, Travel Stories, Vanlife Europe

Starlink: The Gift That Keeps on Giving (…and Taking 🙃)

Why am I bringing another Starlink box into the van? Because the first one died.And getting it fixed was… not the smooth, seamless, “future of internet” experience I was hoping for. If you’ve been thinking about installing Starlink in your van, this one’s for you. This isn’t an unboxing. It’s a real-life update after two months of frustration, unexpected costs, power dramas, replacement chaos, and … Continue reading Starlink: The Gift That Keeps on Giving (…and Taking 🙃)

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Travel, Travel Stories, Vanlife Europe

Lost in the Woods, Forts, Monkeys & a Michelin-Starred Surprise

This video started with a dashboard warning light and ended in a Michelin-starred restaurant — which is what I was expecting at all when I woke up that morning. I was heading towards Luxembourg, convinced it was only a couple of hours away, when plans quietly unravelled. Somewhere between Belgium and France, I crossed borders I didn’t intend to cross, started chasing lucky monkeys, found … Continue reading Lost in the Woods, Forts, Monkeys & a Michelin-Starred Surprise

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Travel, Travel Stories, Vanlife Europe

Bruges Heavy Hitters – 3 Things You Should DEFINITELY See.

Brugge surprised me in the best possible way. What started as a wander through a beautiful medieval city quickly turned into a deep dive into power, wealth, religion, art, and a few genuinely unexpected moments — including a very noisy climb and a world-famous artwork I absolutely did not expect to find here. In this video, I visit three of Brugge’s biggest historical heavyweights. The … Continue reading Bruges Heavy Hitters – 3 Things You Should DEFINITELY See.

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starlink unboxing
Travel

Unboxing and Setting Up Starlink: Solving My Internet Struggles

For months, my internet situation has been driving me absolutely bonkers. Whether it’s uploading videos, learning new filming techniques, or simply navigating with maps, my current setup just wasn’t cutting it. I’ve spent way too much time in slow McDonald’s Wi-Fi spots, and finally, I decided enough was enough. Enter Starlink—my long-awaited solution to all my internet woes. Starlink promises to provide unlimited, high-speed Internet, … Continue reading Unboxing and Setting Up Starlink: Solving My Internet Struggles

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Travel

Solo Female Van Life

🚐 Hi, I’m Helen I’m a fifty-something Aussie living and travelling in my Toyota Coaster bus — figuring out off-grid life, renovations, and everything that comes with doing something a little different later in life. What started as a van for weekend trips turned into a solo adventure around Europe… and now a full-time bus life back here in Australia. This website is where I … Continue reading Solo Female Van Life

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Travel, Vanlife Europe

Why Ghent, Belgium Surprised Me

In this video, I head to Ghent — one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Belgium — fully expecting a quiet wander through old streets, a proper castle, and maybe a coffee or two along the way. What I didn’t expect was to accidentally land right in the middle of a festival, stumble across some beautifully strange traditions, and learn about a medieval invention that … Continue reading Why Ghent, Belgium Surprised Me

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Travel, Vanlife Europe

8 Things I Learned in My First Month of Van Life in Europe

If you had the freedom to drive anywhere you wanted, take as long as you liked, and know that your accommodation was already sorted — where would you actually go? That question is what pushed me into buying a van in Europe. The idea was simple: freedom. Stay longer when a place feels right. Leave early when it doesn’t. Feel safe, self-contained, and able to … Continue reading 8 Things I Learned in My First Month of Van Life in Europe

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Travel, Vanlife Europe

8 Unexpected finds in Belgium. Vanlife Hidden Gems

Some of the best things that happen while travelling are never planned. They’re not on the itinerary, they’re not in the guidebook, and you usually only find them because something else didn’t work out. This video came from one of those stretches of travel. I was on my way to Bruges, moving slowly through Belgium, when I kept stumbling across things that made me stop, … Continue reading 8 Unexpected finds in Belgium. Vanlife Hidden Gems

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Travel

My Journey to Bruges: A Road Trip Full of Surprises

What was supposed to be a six-hour drive from Amsterdam to Bruges turned into a week-long adventure filled with unexpected discoveries. Along the way, I encountered witches, werewolves, historic sites, delicious food, and fascinating festivals. Here’s what I found on my way to Bruges! The Witches’ Weighing House One of the most intriguing stops on my journey was the Witch Weighing House in Oudewater. In … Continue reading My Journey to Bruges: A Road Trip Full of Surprises

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