Wildcamping is mostly not really legal, if you look over the world..

Often completely forbidden in many countrys. At sample the situation in Europa:



In the center of europe you mostly had to break the law - just with driving to a remote location:



In Switzerland you can be fined for 120 USD for passing that sign.

Arrive late, go on the next day, leave it clean and be honest - can help you a bit.. I never got a fine so far what is just luck! Did wrote a small guideline how i did wildcamping during my trips. To stay extended will raise the probability to get a fine...

To sleep on semi legal Parking lots who others use for start wandering/biking mostly dont allow a campfire and will bing some traffic during the day. At night often joungster come for getting loud and drunken.. This is ok for just sleeping during eating kilometers - but i did rarely use these...

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

people regularly get away with illegal activities, but it doesn't make it right. Continued abuse of local regulations just results if the authorities tightening the rules even more and making it harder for travellers who are responsible.

Had a great conversation with some "vanlife" travellers camping illegally who said they couldn't afford to pay for a campsite, yet they could afford to travel, have parties every night with lots of alcohol and smoke illegal substances, its just a selfish attitude.

Respect the rules of where you travel, and put something back into local businesses where you can

I never go to campsites, because I dont like them. It`s not about the money (wich is 30 USD per night). The fines against breaking the rules are 120 USD just for passing the forbidden sign.

In central Europa that is a usual campsite:



It is not allowed to light a campfire, it is noisy, it is crowded.



I want to stay remote, like to light a fire, enjoying the nature. I`m prepared to pay the fines, if necessary to do that. To enjoy the nature at night by Car - means breaking the law in many parts of the world...

That is was I do at home and on extended tripping thorugh Europe, Africa and anywhere.

Sometimes i got detected by the land owner. As they see that I travel without traces, collect my garbarge, just enjoying the nature, they rarely did send me away. And if it is detectable who is the land owner, be shure that I would ask and would offer a cold .

It is about living in the nature, and not about saving bucks. Its a way of live. Maybe some smoke pot, others like me do dring . I dont judge about ohers.

Please compare both pictures, and tell me that you prefere the campsite more..

#Vanlife is a new trend. They try to live another lifestyle, mostly with working remote, online business, youtube, onlineshops. They love to life in the car, but couldnt afford the campsites. Probably they will kill my "want to stay remotely" because they not stay for 1-2 nights, they stay till the police removes them. In Italy at sample, wildcamping in the northern part is pretty hard, because the police search for wildcampers and fine them. But soon they drive vans - to drive an offroad capable car, allows mostly to leave the drivable path...

I dont use Roofbox and side awning in switzerland, to be more un-noticable when I leave the path. So please dont judge my tinkered awning ^^

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Ive used campendium.com and freecampsites.net...together.
Campendium allows downloads and can be used offline.

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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