Dream Complete: Camper Van Office

Our New Home & Office on Wheels

I signed my name, and was given the keys to a dream camper van office.

The Sunlight Adventure T680 I just stepped into only has 3,000 km on the clock, and the press agent tells me it was built just a month or two ago. A dream setup. A camper van office with that new car smell still intact.

Just a week ago, I found out we’ll be heading out on our biggest adventure yet. To live, travel, and truly work from the road. The next issue of Advanture Magazine is going to be as authentic as it gets, because the entire mag will be created from this camper van while we tour Europe.

I will be documenting the entire journey with my parter and co-editor, Mascha, starting in her home country of Germany. We’re taking the readers of Advanture Magazine along with us via social media to share the lessons, setups and insights behind working remotely in a moving home.

“For the next three months I am going to be living in the most stunning camper van I have ever got to see.”

2. Why Work From a Camper Van? 

The rise of the digital nomad pairs perfectly with the idea of vanlife. Having the money and the time, without any fixed place to be, grants the freedom of travel and explore new horizons.

I’ve always worked for myself. Well, except for one terrible job while I lived in Australia. I lasted a month before packing back into the van and returning to true happiness. But as life goes, you get a bit older and things like family, pets and the desire for a bit more comfort does start to fold in.

But, remote work is my chosen way of earning an income – because honestly, who the f*** wants to put on a suit and make the man up top even richer?

When it comes to the very foundation of Advanture Magazine, my independent vanlife print publication, the ethos of both living and working from anywhere is embedded within the founding pillars. It’s what excited me to start my own magazine in the first place. Now I get to create an issue while seeing Europe with my young family — our cat firmly calling shotgun in the passenger seat.

“Managing vanlife with family and remote work from the camper van office will be my top priority. And hey, if I fail on this first attempt, just expect a few typos.”

3. An Introduction to Setting Up a Mobile Camper Van Office

When it comes to running any business from the road, there are some baseline necessities that need to be figured out. Considering the majority of roles that a digital nomad would be working as, at the top of the list will of course be the need to power your electronics, connect to the internet and have access to a work station such as a desk for your laptop.

Camper Van Office essentials

• Power: without power, the work won’t be remote for long. In the past, batteries were expensive and you needed complicated electrical systems to charge them while driving. Today, this could look like a much easier setup of a portable power station, such as the Bluetti ones I use, which are recharged in three ways: by solar, via 12v when you are driving, or plugged into the grid via 230v (120v in the USA).
• Connectivity: Check your mobile data plan first, as it may already provide unlimited data. Depending on your job, tethering your laptop to a 5G connection might be enough. For heavier use, systems like Starlink or Eutelsat can provide more reliable coverage.
• Workspace: Swivel plates on front seats let them turn to face inward, and folding tables can be positioned by windows or doors. As long as you can sit comfortably and have space to spread out, it’s ten times better than working from your bed.
• Lighting & atmosphere: The Sunlight Adventure T680 I am using for the next three months offers a surprising range of lighting options. From a full living space illumination to a single low-intensity strip light for relaxed evenings. That level of control is essential for a comfortable camper van office: less eye strain, more productivity.
• Workflow: I don’t yet have the answer to staying productive when parked in ever-changing places. I’ve written about it before – when my daughter was three months old, we drove into the Pyrenees and I quickly discovered the difficulties of working on the road.

4. The Reality of Living and Working on the Road

With this opportunity of publishing the next issue of Advanture Magazine directly from the Sunlight camper van office, comes the real challenge of achieving a balanced remote work lifestyle.

And I don’t just mean needing to make sure the water tanks are full, the batteries are charged and the fridge is well stocked. A happy wife and child is certainly going to ease this transition *cough* snack cupboard *cough*. Finding ample time to settle down and tune out both distraction of noise, and the amazing new worlds outside the window, will be the aim of the game.

Managing vanlife with family and remote work from the camper van office will be my top priority. And hey, if I fail on this first attempt, just expect a few typos.

5. Don’t Miss the Journey!

I’ll be creating and publishing the next issue of Advanture Magazine entirely from this Sunlight Adventure T680. Follow along on Instagram and via our weekly Substack newsletter for behind-the-scenes stories, a full publishing setup tour, and life updates from the road.

Now, time to refill my coffee, and figure out where we are heading next..

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