By my objection vanlife isn`t really new. In Portugal I recognized vanlifers since years, mostly young people who are addicted to surfing.

Wild camping was and is still illegal there but it was tollerated by officials as well as by locals. Since some years I recognized a bunch of people with self builded vans who were trying to live the very cheap way. The don`t respect the nature and they don`t contribute to the local ecomomy; they don`t buy in local small shops. They leave their litter everywhere and they poop and piss into the nature around the scenic spots at the coast. This is the behavior which will kill the possibility of "every remotely stay" in future.

Covid accelerated the trend of vanlife and municipalities around the south europe`s coasts will answer with more radical meassures in the future to everyone who will camp wild equal if using a tent or a van. I heard a lot of stories where locals acted agressively and with violence against vanlifers in Portugal, South France, Spain and Morocco.

As a surfer who respects the ecosystem, who loves the ocean and who supports local hospitality businesses, I have no other choice to understand and support the locals in that kind of unfriendly and non hospitable behavior. Imho these trend driven vanlifers are a special kind of pest and they have nothing in common with travellers who follow an outdoor etiquette during their stay equal of the vehicle they use.

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