Advanture Magazine PILOT ISSUE

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The Pilot issue!

ENJOY WINTER! Mobile chalet: a base camp on wheels Tips & detailed information to get you into the mountains this year 42 pages of European vanlife culture

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NEW ISSUE

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T H I S I S A D I G I TA L MAGAZINE • View it on your smartphone, tablet or desktop • Zoom in to read to read the text and see pictures in detail • Use your finger to flick through the pages on a touch screen device • Click the links to explore members of the community, things of interest and content from our advertisers • Be a part of our community and follow us on social media

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L E T T H E A D VA N T U R E B E G I N

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W H AT I S I N T H E P I L O T I S S U E 07 12 16 20 26 27 28

EDITORS NOTE PARK UP A LAND SHAPED BY WOMEN TRAVEL BLOGS SCOPE OF THE PUBLICATION GEAR WE LOVE INTERVIEW: TRAIL HERO

CLE TITLES TO CLICK ONE OF THE ARTI OR SWIPE LEFT JUMP TO THE PAGE, TE THE PAGES AND RIGHT TO NAVIGA

→ Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees. Winter arrives and it is time to hit the frozen roads.

30 32 34 36 38 40

TALLER OMNIA STOVE TOP OVEN PARK YOUR MOBILE CHALET TAKING THE VAN OUT IN WINTER AURORA HUNTERS OVERLANDER CALIFORNIA

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AD 1/12 Page Square 2.313”w x 2.313”d

EDITOR

ALEX BROWN

COPYWRITER

MASCHA BLOME

CONTRIBUTORS

CRISTINA ABILLEIRA, CHARLOTTE DESTREZ, DAMIEN DUBOIS, PHILIPP AUSSERHOFER, DANI LUNA, ORKAN SEEWALD, HANNAH JAMES Published in Barcelona, Spain.

WEBLINKS, EMAIL ADDRESSES AND SOCIAL MEDIA TAGS ARE ALL CLICKABLE TOO

WEBSITE www.advanturemagazine.com FACEBOOK /advanturemagazine INSTAGRAM @advanturemagazine EMAIL advanturemagazine@gmail.com

COVER IMAGE

WINTER IS ON! PHOTO BY CRISTINA ABILLEIRA

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AM editor, Alex, is in France for sunrise ski touring, and testing a stove top oven for the camper. Flick to page 32 for the details. ALEX BROWN

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EDITORS NOTE A crispy winter morning high up in the Pyrenees, our first van camp at altitude. As excited as I was about the six inches of fresh snow covering the V W Tr a n s p o r t e r, e q u a l l y, I w a s s u r p r i s e d a t h o w m a n y o t h e r c a m p e r s w e r e up there too. Sure we love that sweet summer lifestyle of surf, jam, live in a van; but were there really others out there that kept the show on the road, all year long?

F a s t f o r w a r d t h r e e w i n t e r s a n d i t ’s J a n u a r y, m y v a n i s n o w a l w a y s r e a d y.

Down sleeping bag, snow chains, and ski touring gear in the top box. So versatile. Dependable. Always Advanture.

T h e d i s c o v e r y b a c k o n t h a t c o l d m o r n i n g w a s n ’t n e w i n i t s e n t i r e t y. P e o p l e camping in vans, this is what we all know best. What I had seen for the very first time though was a niche culture of adventure travelers, athletes and weekend warriors. I’m aware about the digital nomad movement where many a r e r u n n i n g b u s i n e s s e s f r o m t h e i r v a n s . Yo u n g p e o p l e , o l d p e o p l e , f a m i l i e s .

F r o m t h e m o u n t a i n s t o t h e c o a s t , a n d e v e r y t h i n g i n b e t w e e n . I t i s n ’t j u s t t h e vehicles that the van campers have modified, but their lifestyle too.

We are lucky to be living in a very privileged time where there is the p o s s i b i l i t y t o p u r s u e s o c i a l a n d l e i s u r e c h o i c e s a l o n g s i d e c a r e e r a n d f a m i l y.

For most, the luxury to freedom of movement. Plus, years of development and new technology allows us to take our home on wheels to survive in some of the most demanding, yet truly fantastic places on planet earth.

My partner and I immigrated to Spain some years ago and even though we are very well traveled (six continents over fifteen years), the close proximity of European countries with the rich blend of cultures, languages, food and w a y o f l i f e n e v e r f a i l s t o a m a z e u p t o t h i s d a y. E n a b l e d b y o u r m o b i l e h o t e l room we are able to soak up the essence of our modern world, and it is teaching me what the feeling of being cosmopolitan is really about. So these p a g e s a r e d e d i c a t e d t o t h o s e w h o w a n d e r, w h o a r e i n s e a r c h o f p o w d e r, chase swell, swim, run, create … Need I go on?

Four seasons, all terrain.

ALEX BROWN.

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Follow professional snowboarder, Aline, on a journey chasing powder from the road, in her latest film. ELEONORA RAGGI

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We are loving this conversion of a VW T5 California,

by Orkan in Germany. Find out more in his build feature later on in this issue. @NURMALKURZRAUS

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# A D VA N T U R E M A G A Z I N E @advanturemagazine

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H E R E I S A R O U N D U P O F O U R FAV O R I T E P I E C E S T H AT H AV E B E E N S E N T I N . TA G U S O N S O C I A L M E D I A F O R A C H A N C E T O B E F E AT U R E D N E X T I S S U E , A N D O N L I N E !

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Parked up? Ready for the widely anticipated Advanture Magazine?!

L e t ’s g o .

Europe, our playground.

Did you know that exposure to, or “contact with” our natural world, be that the beach, a forest, or mountain top, is directly correlated with positive mental, health and well-being attributes.

Spending time upwards of 120 minutes a week outside, is what researchers from the Natural Environment Survey say is the minimum amount of exposure time we need to start absorbing the benefits. So be sure to park up, and leave the engine off for the weekend.

The winter season this year has seen a dramatic storm drop up to 2m of snow in the Pyrenees, and ski resorts in the Alps are nearly running at 100% open rates on the lifts.

Things were a little warmer than we would like towards t h e e n d o f J a n u a r y, b u t w e have our fingers crossed for a few more fresh dumps of snow over the rest of the season. Are you making a t r i p t o t h e s l o p e s ? Ta g u s i n your photos.

We asked you, do you prefer van camping alone or in a group. Thanks to our growing community on Instagram for joining in on t h e p o l l . AM

WIN AN OMNIA STOVE TOP OVEN & COOKBOOK IN OUR GIVEAWAY! To be in for a chance of winning an Omnia stove top oven, simply enter your email and follow our social media channels

ENTER HERE

PARK UP

→ AM editor, Alex, is making sure to enjoy the incredible conditions in the Pyrenees this winter.

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← Jantina is parked up with an amazing view of these mountains. Head over to her blog to keep up with this advanture camper from the Netherlands.

WWW.AMELANDFOTO.NL

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THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THE EURO VAN LIFING COMMUNITY? IT’S RIGHT HERE - PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, NATIONALITIES AND VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS ENJOYING THE VERY ESSENCE OF AN ADVANTURE .

Not on social media? Then send us your stories via email! advanturemagazine@gmail.com ↑Pup Bowie is nice and cosy on a weekend in the French Alps. @outsidewithana ↓Radu has been photo shooting in the Sahara! See more at @radutudoroiu

↑Time for some powder in Furano, Japan. Dejan Pirtovsek ← UK ultra runner James , unwrapping his brand new Marco Polo in the UK!

E

nzo & Charlotte also known as TwoFoxOneCat.

We live in a 1996 Fiat campingcar called Slaika with our 10 month old puppy Neo. We spend most of the year traveling around Europe, exploring, climbing, highlining and enjoying the things we love.

We’ve been traveling together in Slaika for over 2 years now and we love it, being able to have adventures whenever we want!

We’ve escaped the cold weather of Northern Europe and have come to Spain in the hope of warmer weather for our highline and climbing adventures this w i n t e r. ← Charlotte on a 60m highline in Ve r d o n , F r a n c e .

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he van build idea was rather spontaneous.

I purchased a second hand Citroen Relay L3H3. The idea was to convert it in parallel to building my own business as a freelance s u r f a n d n a t u r e p h o t o g r a p h e r.

But I may have bitten off more than I can chew!

Without any experience in either department, equipped w i t h a d r e a m a n d a l o t o f Yo u Tu b e tutorials, I made my first incision in the van and installed a fan! It felt like I had opened a panel van shaped can of worms, and found myself obsessed with this new project. Not just that, but I had discovered a whole new world, filled with all these mad van life people that form an incredibly d i v e r s e a n d h e l p f u l c o m m u n i t y. A lust for life was reignited. ↑ Good luck D i e t l i n d ! F l i c k t o p a g e 30 to see some of her art.

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A LAND SHAPED BY WOMEN

By the time the depths of winter has rolled around, it is fair to say that a lot of the traditional camper vanners hung up their keys some time ago. But, we’re no ordinary crowd are we?

Yo u r d r e a m s o f p o w d e r days have been answered!

P r o f e s s i o n a l s n o w b o a r d e r, Aline Bock, had her camper p a c k e d a n d r e a d y, w e l l i n advance of the first snowfall of the season. Advanture Magazine was able to catch her for a chat about her latest movie, A Land Shaped

By Women. That was actually

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in between her cruising around Iceland, visiting the extreme sports fair ISPO in Munich, and then jetting off to Japan!

of inspiring Icelandic women, with tales about thier adventures with the m o u n t a i n s a n d w a t e r.

In the capital, Reykjavik, they met with Katrin O d d s d o t t i r.

A human rights lawyer and political activist, she was part of a small group who drafted I c e l a n d ’s n e w c o n s t i t u t i o n .

TWO FREERIDE WORLD CHAMPIONS EXPLORING ICELAND BY VAN “The adventure began the second we drove off t h e f e r r y. R e c e n t h e a v y snowfall caused our line of camper vans to get stuck on the first mountain pass leading away from the port. Everyone was slipping and sliding everywhere.

One van even ended up in the ditch. “We’ve got this” and minutes later we drove off with big smiles on our faces, while the rest of the van owners could only look on in wonder” says Aline.

W h e n A l i n e s a y, s w e ’ v e g o t this, what she means is that these advanture campers have a ton of experience navigating

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frozen roads in search of white gold and will stop at nothing to reach it.

She continues to tell us about the first days driving in Iceland, passing glaciers, frozen waterfalls and wild deer dancing through the epic landscapes.

All of this was framed by an out of this world backdrop of ocean and mountain views as far as one could see.

Aline and her crew had come with a shot-list too. Their primary mission was to discover and bring light to the stories

“SHE’S THE FIRST ICELANDIC WOMAN TO CLIMB EVEREST AND REACH THE SOUTH POLE; EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY KNOWS HER NAME” “Her mother had founded t h e W o m e n ’s A l l i a n c e i n 1 9 8 3 , g e t t i n g w o m e n ’s i s s u e s o n t h e p o l i t i c a l a g e n d a i n I c e l a n d . To have experienced her full story on our first full day felt very empowering. It gave us great impetus to dig deeper into I c e l a n d ’s f e m i n i s t m i n d s e t . ” Driving north in spectacular

← Traveling by 4x4 drive van has got to be the best way to explore Icelands’ wild side.

Images by ALINE BOCK & ELEONORA RAGGI

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weather conditions due to recent s n o w f a l l a n d c a l m d a y s a f t e r, t h e c r e w p u l l e d u p a t Tr o l l P e n i n s u l a , greeted by perfect curling waves.

We did says these women would stop at nothing, right?! Pulling on wet suits with a thickness of 6mm, accompanied with boots, gloves and also a full neoprene hood, it was a race to get out i n t o t h e w a t e r. N o w, w e l o v e the thought of surfing at some tropical beach, but it also has to feel amazing to paddle out through icebergs and float on waves while looking at a snow covered mountain range ahead.

Days later the feeling in their toes is just starting to come back, but they have not stopped. Using splitboards to traverse the wild backcountry landscape, the pay off is pure unspoilt rides back down to the van camp.

“From the water we’d gazed longingly at the white mountains above and then the next day we got to splitboard up and then snowboard down them, while

staring at the magical spot we’d surfed the day before. The dream scenario – in a crazy beautiful place.”

ALINE’S VAN BY SUNLIGHT.DE IS DECKED OUT WITH THE BEST EQUIPMENT FROM THULE Their next meeting was with V i l b o r g A r n a G i s s u r a a r d o t t i r, a true modern day hero. She was the first Icelandic woman to both climb Mount Everest, and reach the South Pole. Aline tells us how inspiring her chat with Vilborg was, hearing about the motivational tips that helped her in rough times while in Antarctica, and about some of her other expeditions.

They also spent some time with founder of Nikita clothing, Heida B i r g i s d o t t i r. S h e w a s I c e l a n d ’s first female surfer and is a pioneer of womens board sports.

For Aline, the way of life surrounding travel and adventure was instilled from birth. Her whole family loved to be outdoors and

trying new sports and seeking adventure. Her dream was always to be enabled to travel and seek out her own adventures, with a van decked out with her boards, c a m e r a s a n d o t h e r g e a r.

Back in 2017, Aline packed up her home and put it into storage, then left town in her new home on wheels. “There might be downtimes filled with loneliness or boredom, but I hope I will find sense and joy in every little o b s t a c l e o f t h i s j o u r n e y. L i v i n g i n a van to me is ultimate freedom, living in the moment and in the pursuit of something wild and new; to go where you want without regret or restraint.”

Aline starts to show us pictures form the trip, which presented a conflicting issue. How would we n a r r o w t h e s h o t s d o w n t o a f e w, and the need to go and pack skis i n t o o u r o w n v a n . AM Thanks Aline for an insight into your trip a n d e n j o y t h e p o w d e r i n J a p a n ! V i s i t w w w. alandshapedbywomen.com for a link to t h e f i l m , a n d f o l l o w A l i n e ’s a d v a n t u r e s .

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ADVERTISE IN AN INTERACTIVE, D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E We built a community of over 1600 people across our platform in just 6 weeks. They are European adventure travelers and passionate van campers, who are just like you.

Request a copy of our media kit to find out why print magazine value can not compete with digital, and why we will be the number one publication in the industry.

MEDIA KIT

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T R AV E L B L O G S THIS ISSUE WE GO ON THE ROAD WITH A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER AND HER FAMILY. PLUS, WE HOP THE BOARDER WITH ADVANTURE_FR, FROM FRANCE DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF SPAIN.

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After graduating from her studies in Advertising and Public Relations, Cristina Abilleira had a feeling that the nor mal protocol was not going t o b e f o r h e r. N o w, s h e i s k n o w n for taking the whole family out on her trips with the intention to locate and photograph wild animals in their natural habitats.

“So I suppose that ending up as a nature photographer was something that just came up,” says the mother form Galicia in Spain.

“Our first getaways were by car and we would stay in accommodation, but in a short time we realised that it was impossible to see the animals, who are always early risers.

Wa k i n g m y l i t t l e g i r l t o o e a r l y was not very appealing so we considered buying a campervan.

In this way my husband and daughter could be left sleeping and I could go and hide out at night, which increased my chances of being able to photograph the animals. Given the wilderness on which we usually circulate and

o f t e n i n c l e m e n t w e a t h e r, i t w a s essential that we find a four wheel drive and made the search a bit more complicated for us.”

Finally the perfect van appeared, a blue Marco Polo in h e r d a u g h t e r ’s f a v o r i t e c o l o r, and it came to change their lives completely by giving them unforgettable moments around the world.

“WITH CAMOUFLAGE FABRICS AND SPECIFIC WINDOW MOUNTS, IT BECOMES AN IMPROVISED HIDE FROM WHICH TO WAIT” “We really had to think about organising everything that you would on such photo trips and how to manage this within such a small space. The first thing was to locate the photographic equipment, which soon found its place in the middle of the two front seats. A backpack below and the cameras ready with telephoto lenses on t o p ,

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prepared for when an animal crosses us.

With camouflage fabrics and specific window mounts, it becomes an improvised hide from which to wait. It even helps us to change perspectives when we get on the roof, allowing low obstacles to be overcome.

We have a powerful inverter on board to ensure all the camera batteries are kept charged, and you can always use the computer to work on the material that you h a v e j u s t s h o t . H o w e v e r, I d o prefer to edit the images at home so that I enjoy the most from the trip and do not miss a moment.

So without hurry and without schedules we are a family that goes on an adventure in order to see and photograph animals in their natural environment. We have proven that it is the best way to educate our children to be careful

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with our surroundings. Respect for nature is transmitted with your actions, and the children feel it d i r e c t l y. T h e r e a r e n o w o r d s t h a t can raise awareness better than living in it.”

C r i s t i n a ’s form of stealth camping is nestled quietly between the bush. She gets to see the animals in the most natural way possible.

“I strive to create images that provoke feelings in people, because after all, “feeling” is w h a t m a k e s u s l o v e . Yo u d o n ’t harm what you love, but rather fight to take care of it and respect it with all your might.”

S e e m o r e o f C r i s t i n a ’s p h o t o g r a p h y o n l i n e a t w w w. c r i s t i n a a b i l l e i r a . c o m

→LEFT: A Iberian lynx spotted in the wild, Andalucía Spain. RIGHT: A pair of fallow deer in Holland.

Cristina Abilliera

3 PRO PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS 1. Maximse the day and make full use of the sunrise, sunset and even the night! It isn’t far to crawl back into bed after all.

2. Use multiple memory cards and keep f u l l o n e s s a f e l y o u t o f v i e w. D e p e n d i n g on your trip length, you might run out of space. Or in a worse case and your camera is stolen, you’ll still have some photos safe.

3. Edit on the go with some great apps for your phone and tablet, for example A d o b e L i g h t r o o m . I t ’s w o r t h t h e p r a c t i c e t o lear n how to get the best results, as your photos will really start to stand out!

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After a few days camped up in a remote spot such as this one, it can be normal for some of the wildlife to become curious. CRISTINA ABILLEIRA

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Charlotte and Damien, a French couple in their late twenties, acquired a VW camper through a family member just over a year ago.

They already have quite the appetite for an advanture, and have some fantastic images from the road to share with us.

“As soon as we received the keys we immediately wanted to give it a personal touch, the ideas quickly came so we just had to get started” writes Charlotte.

Most of our work started with changing the look of the fur niture.

We found decorative vinyl rolls, a really nice wood effect, in a DIY store. We treated all of the panels and I love how it has turned the original look into something very custom.

For the interior decoration we wanted to dress the floor and the simplest for us was to find two small rugs in sea grass, just to isolate us from the cold a little b e t t e r. B u t i t t u r n s o u t t h a t i t i s especially useful to be able to shake them outside to clean the van, too! Then, we took care of the interior lighting by installing a strip of dimmable LEDs in order to consume less electricity f r o m t h e c a m p i n g b a t t e r y, a n d to be able to adjust the lighting according to our needs when c a m p i n g a b i t m o r e s t e a l t h y.

On the exterior of the van we wanted to give it that adventure / swamper style look, by bringing

round, exploring France and our neighboring countries of I t a l y, S p a i n a n d S w i t z e r l a n d . W e started in the summer of 2018 with the tour of Switzerland, with our friends along for the rise too!

It was a superb trip, between lakes and mountains, with very beautiful hikes and magnificent spots! It set the benchmark for the types of trips we wanted to OUR ADVANTURE be doing for sure.

In November 2018, we ventured We have traveled almost 20,000 km aboard our T5 since getting down into Spain, starting with it in December 2018. We have the famous Bardenas desert. We n o t s t o p p e d t r a v e l i n g a l l y e a r w a n t e d a c h a n g e o f s c e n e r y, a n d it a few touches of matt black.

We have now painted the wheels, bike rack and awning rails, which all look really awesome.

For the summer we would like to add a system to heat the w a t e r, s o t h a t w e c a n t a k e g o o d showers. Maybe we’ll even use it in the winter!

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we certainly got it! It feels like you are in a Wester n movie, very unique I think for the European continent. While driving through the park here, we came up with t h e i d e a o f ​​e q u i p p i n g o u r v a n with off-road tyres, for more f r e e d o m a n d s a f e t y. I t w a s getting dark when we got lost on well-drenched 4x4 tracks, with no telephone network ...

LEARNING ON THE JOB We made our way all the way s o u t h t o Ta r i f a , w h i c h i s a l s o t h e souther nmost point of Europe.

But we were only able to enjoy one night there, where Damien

received a spider bite. It became infected and led to really bad edema, so some days had to be s p e n t p a r k e d u p . . . T h a t ’s a l s o vanlife!

U p o n l e a v i n g Ta r i f a w e s p e d u p to go and play cowboys in the Ta b e r n a d e s e r t . W h a t a w o n d e r f u l day in this movie village, FortBravo, it really felt like we were there with these wester n sets and the classic shootings. Looping b a c k a r o u n d v i a Va l e n c i a a n d Barcelona, we crossed back into France with some fond new memories from the road.

It was our first long trip, 100% van camping and for almost a month. It was far from the

Charlotte and Damien camping out in one of the deserts. What an incredible sunset too. ADVANTURE_FR

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comforts of home and we LOVED i t . A d VA N t u r e , s i g n u s u p !

IN THE PLANNING STAGE F o r t h e r e s t o f o u r A d VA N t u r e s , our list of countries to discover i s f u l l : S c a n d i n a v i a ( N o r w a y, Sweden, Finland), Scotland, Ireland, Slovenia, and many others ...

But above all, our big dream: one day to cross the Americas, from Alaska to Argentina!

Until then, join us and chat with us on our Instagram account @advanture_fr!

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SCOPE OF THE P U B L I C AT I O N : Why digital,

& why now?

Words by Mascha Blome

Advanture Magazine wants to position as a market leader w i t h i n t h e v a n l i f e c o m m u n i t y.

The publication is being set up as a multi channel platform to serve the active, adventure camper who owns a van in Europe. We are not going to be able to do this without growing a connected audience, so please help us to share news about the new magazine, join our social media channels for updates, a n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, s h a r e your own advantures with us.

The Adventure Magazine will only be published as an online/ digital edition with many reasons behind the decision to do so.

When weighing up the nostalgic attraction to paper magazines and old books that you can feel and smell, one also must ask, how sustainable is this in the long run?

Even though we want to focus on the awesomeness of life and especially that of vanlife, we need to learn to enjoy n a t u r e r e s p e c t f u l l y. W e h a v e to acknowledge that we are living in times with increasing detrimental events such as high air pollution covering our cities, and evidence of climate change that can already be seen ruining our natural world.

As we are using our vans a lot,

on weekends, for holidays or even for long term living (in the best case!), our CO2 footprint might be small in space, electricity and waste - but it is definitely high in fuel consumption. We are bur ning diesel and petrol, we can not deny that.

Everyone makes choices and we at the Advanture Magazine since its very conception, have been asking “how can we do this, consciously?”.

To start with we will have the smallest footprint possible, as not to add even more to the CO2 emissions t h a n a b s o l u t e l y n e c e s s a r y. O n e could argue that we are using the internet, which in itself has a high footprint through needing t o p o w e r a n d c o o l a s e r v e r. B u t on the other hand, look at what we are saving, it is definitely going to be more sustainable.

On our watch there will be no trees cut down in order to publish another magazine. The ground, plants and trees combined are a huge CO2 sink, which should in tur n help to protect our glaciers from melting (just r e c e n t l y, glaciers in the Alps were closed to the public as they showed dangerous rates of melting, becoming too unstable..). The forests also protect our hills and mountains from erosion, the risk of landslides are more apparent than ever across Europe in the l a s t y e a r. W e c a n n o t , o n o n e s i d e support trees being planted for

our good conscience, then on the other side purchase or produce print magazines that will destroy t h e s e e v e n t u a l l y.

Ye s , t h e r e i s r e c y c l e d p a p e r but even this is not better than publishing online. Even across p a r t s o f E u r o p e t o d a y, w e a r e n o t close to being prepared enough for effective waste recycling.

This magazine does not need a big office to be produced, no printing machines, no toxic ink use and no delivery trucks.

It will save a ton of energy and resources, so this is where we can start doing our own little bit.

It is especially in times like right n o w, w i t h u n c o n t r o l l a b l e w i l d f i r e s in the Amazon, California and Australia all in our news feeds, when we can not turn our heads a w a y. I t i s F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 0 a n d w e h a v e a h u m a n r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, to take action ourselves. Each person must do as much as they can, to be able to continue using our only planet for what we love, exploring it and enjoying it with respect for the future generations to come.

A n y w a y, w h i c h m i n i m a l i s t h a s enough space in their van to carry around a pile of old magazines a n y w a y. . ? ; ) Let us enjoy the outdoors and our advantures with respect for n a t u r e , M e r c i . AM

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The North Face Thermo slippers. AM editor is vouching for these! You’ve crushed your prebreakfast ski touring workout and are now back in the van, cooling down?

Slip on some of these and pull your sleeping bag back over. Happiness in its simplest form, guaranteed.

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Patagonia Retro Fleece. A timeless classic made from 100% recycled polyester.

Perfect for cooler days spent in your camper when you want to keep your feet up and tucked into a book. Or even better, flicking through the pages of the latest Advanture Magazine on your tablet.

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TwoThirds thermo bottle. There is no need for plastic bottles that create additional waste. We’re using this in the winter to keep our tea warm, and in the summer to keep our water cold. The metal loop on the lid makes it easy to hook onto a pack, so you don’t loose it out on the trail. On sale at time the of publishing.

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Upcycled product line. Again, there is no need for additional waste! We should all be keeping a tote bag, or a few, on-board for shopping. We love the new collection from IKEA which is made from recycled ocean waste collected from the Spanish Mediterranean coast by local fishermen. But only buy one, if you don’t have a reusable bag already.

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Beeswax food wraps. A great DIY project to do when you are at home. Check out this how-to on YouTube on how to create your own reusable food wrapping. Great to keep things like cheeses covered in your fridge, or a sandwich in when you are out hiking. A M

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Advanture Magazine

INTERVIEW: TRAIL HERO Running trails and skiing lines in the Alps is more than an annual holiday for sponsored athlete Philipp.

I n u n i t y w i t h t h e s e a s o n s . Yo u w i l l f i n d him trail running stunning track in the s u m m e r, a n d s k i t o u r i n g s o m e b e a u t i f u l r o u t e s d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r. H i s b a s e camp? Nothing more suitable than a VW California packed full with top of the range equipment to get him up the mountain as fast as possible.

AM: Hi Philipp, we are glad to have caught you while not in the mountains!

Philipp: Hi guys, haha true. A rare moment, so let‘s enjoy the few minutes we have down here in the valley with coffee and cake in my van.

A M : Te l l u s a l i t t l e b u t a b o u t the environment of your local area?

Philipp: I grew up in a small v i l l a g e i n S o u t h Ty r o l , c a l l e d Weißenbach, and in my eyes it is the home of skimo. The Ahrntal is a small valley with more than 80 peaks higher than 3000m, i n c l u d i n g g l a c i e r s a n d i t ’s a really technical terrain. It was the perfect spot to grow up around, and to fall in love with trail running and ski mountaineering.

With the decision to study pharmacy I changed my home base to Innsbruck. It is also great for both work and training.

AM: So, for someone who loves to train in the mountains, you do not need to travel far!

What are the benefits for you in owning a VW California?

Philipp: That‘s true. I have the

privilege to live within a mountain c o m m u n i t y. I n I n n s b r u c k I f o u n d a perfect home base with a crazy back land: the famous Nordkette or the Kalkkögel near Axamer Lizum, places like this are providing me perfect trails to train hard and to spend a lot of time outside. Even the Swiss and Bavarian Alps and even my home-mountains in Ahrntal are reachable within two hours drive. Last summer I decided to b u y a Va n , a V W C a l i f o r n i a T 5 which became my mobile base.

H o n e s t l y, i t w a s t h e b e s t d e c i s i o n I made in the last years, it gives me a huge amount of freedom and it‘s much more than just a g e a r l o c k e r, o r a p l a c e t o s l e e p .

AM: How is it to use the VW California as your base camp, either for early morning starts or helping to stay out later once the sun has set?

Philipp: This sort of freedom I was talking about is the most valuable thing if you own a van.

It‘s this possibility to escape, when the world gets too stressful a n d n o i s y. T h i s f e e l i n g o f m a k i n g every place to your temporary home for new adventures. W ith

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the VW California I’m free to leave home whenever I want, to bring some friends with me, to adapt travel plans at the last moments in case of any significant weather changes.

H o n e s t l y, n o t h i n g b e a t s t h a t „hey let‘s go to the valley and stay there for a weekend“ vibe, wondering about starry nights and absorbing stunning sunrises s o e a s i l y.

AM: How is it to base from the campervan, during competitions?

Philipp: 2018 I started with racing some competitions and h o n e s t l y, i t w e n t s u r p r i s i n g l y well. Getting some podiums in the first season was awesome, but I got also some injuries and recognized that it‘s not just about hard training. It‘s a lot a b o u t r e c o v e r y, n u t r i t i o n a n d those moments of relaxation, like coffee and cake now!

Especially for such racing days owning a campervan is a very big advantage: arriving the day before a race without stress, having the van as a calm space to relax in before the start, and I can easily stay a day longer if the a f t e r- r a c e p a r t y i s a g o o d o n e !

AM: What are your plans for 2020?

P h i l i p p : N o w, I h a v e a f e w mountain climbing projects in mind, as well as a few video s h o o t s . H o w e v e r, i n M a r c h i t ‘ s again time to focus on the new trail running season. It will be my third season and I am really excited and motivated to turn it into my first pro-season.

AM: What advise can you give our readers to encourage them out and into the mountains?

Philipp: head off - heart on and just enjoy! Let your kindness out and give your attention to the little things that happen during the trip, the sunsets and sunrises, the birds waking you up in the morning, the raindrops r u n n i n g o v e r y o u r w i n d o w. J u s t enjoy every second of your day to the fullest and leave all your problems aside for a while,

“.. nothing beats that „hey let‘s go to the valley and stay there for a weekend“ vibe ..”

there is no space for that in your van. All of these best moments can only be experienced in a van, parked in the middle of nowhere… Also be sure to pack a few good books, some tasty coffee and a piece of a homemade cake. At least this is all I n e e d … AM Follow Philipp on Instagram and say hi to this Advanture athlete @theflyingflip

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Advanture Magazine

TA L L E R VA N L I F E W O R K S H O P S

We are quite a creative community in general, with most first time vanlifers scouting the market for an empty commercial van, who then go full on DIY to bring the dream to life.

And some take things that o n e s t e p f u r t h e r. M e e t t h e people who are building up craft businesses, from behind the wheel.

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Va n l i f e r, M i k e , h a s a p a s s i o n project to sketch his way through the next 30 years of life. Currently working on a visual record to #vanlife - he has already quit his job so that he can travel and live full-time with his girlfriend, drawing inspiration from his van and m o b i l e g a l l e r y. O r d e r y o u r s a t drawnthere.com

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Check out these handmade, quality metal casted items in Dietlinds’ online store. This artist is currently doing a DIY van conversion, but was able

to send us a whale tail bottle topper which is absolutely stunning. Other items include keyrings casted from fossilised shark teeth and shells. SUPER nice work. Get yours from schirmershoots.com

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French Advanture campers, Charlotte and Damien, have a great eye to the details for customising both the interior and exterior of their campervan. With a home base in Rhône-Alpes, they are perfectly situated for touring around the continent on a n u m b e r o f e x c u r s i o n s p e r y e a r.

Their customisation ideas can be applied to any van. We particularly love the change to the table top design, which can be seen on their Instagram and Facebook pages. Say hi t o t h e m a t @ a d VA N t u r e _ f r A M

Are you a digital nomad busy creating the next app, or maybe you are finding inspiration from the road and building something out of raw materials? We’d love to see what our community has got g o i n g o n , t o f e a t u r e i n t h e n e x t TA L L E R . advanturemagazine@gmail.com

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← Bala is probably one of the most active vanlife dogs we have seen. Check out the trio of advanture campers and their winter trips on Instagram. @BALA_ON_TOUR

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Advanture Magazine

T H E VA N GALLEY ESSENTIAL: A STOVE TOP OVEN Words by Alex Brown

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hat is the van camping equivalent of a student meal? I was a few years older than the other freshmen w h e n I s t a r t e d u n i v e r s i t y, so had already matured past beans on toast, and rice mixed with Heinz Ketchup (a campus in England for those left wondering).

real looking meals inside, being cooked on the stove top. A few more clicks and I was seeing mouth watering recipes for juicy lasagna, calzone pizza and freshly baked sponge cakes. While the overall design is not new in its e n t i r e t y, t h e O m n i a s t o v e t o p o v e n has hit the camping market with an effective marketing strategy that plays to our stomachs, and at an unbeatable price point. The brand is certainly transforming van galleys everywhere.

In the winter months there is a really special time up in the mountains. Depending on how high up you are will deter mine the exact moment, but I estimate that it is about half an hour before the sun becomes visible. That alpine glow makes for some amazing pictures, when the snow all around you glows a magnificent mix of purples and pinks. The cost of this fleeting moment of natural awe? A 5am alarm and the necessary withdrawal from my down sleeping bag. Sometimes I am able to brew a quick coffee in freezing cold, but to be honest, most of the time I start skinning up the mountain on my touring skis with just a flask of water and a pouch containing some mixed nuts.

Not so long ago I was flicking through Instagram and noticed this pot with a red lid on a number o f p r o f i l e s . Ta k i n g a c l o s e r l o o k a t what was in the pots, I became even more curious. This was no So the sunrise was truly simple pasta and a jar of sauce worthwhile this morning. I had being heated up, there were to speed up a bit to reach the

first summit that I wanted to photograph from, and ate all of my food while waiting for the first sun rays to hit my cold face.

I h a d a l i t t l e m o r e e n e r g y, s o I continued to the second summit for some extra vertical meters.

Ski touring in the winter replaces my long trail runs that I do in the war mer months. I really love the effort in skinning up a ski resort, way before the lifts tur n on for the day and the slopes fill up. I close in on summit number two, and get a picture message from my girlfriend some 1500m of altitude below me. There are fresh croissants baking in the Omnia.

N e e d l e s s t o s a y, t h e s k i d o w n was made that bit better knowing that as soon as I pull back that sliding door I will be greeted with the sweet smell of warm f r e s h p a s t r y. W e b a k e a f e w rolls too, and enjoy them with some wonderful French cheeses and a bit of Jamón Serrano that we bought from our home in Barcelona.

Continental breakfast out of the w a y, i t i s t i m e f o r t h e d e u x i è m e t o u r. W e ’ r e s t r a p p i n g o n o u r s k i s for another wonderful bluebird day in the Pyrenees, our absolute favorite winter weekend getaway destination in our VW California.

While burning a few calories on the route, we get talking about all the new dishes we could whip up in the van now we have an Omnia on board. At home I really enjoy

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cooking with the rich variety of Mediterranean ingredients, which are readily available. In the van we do simplify our meal plan a bit, careful not to eat just fried or boiled dishes, but have indeed fallen into a bit of a routine with our go-to recipes. So after playing it safe in the morning, we are ready to step up our game this afternoon with a leak and potato gratin, and then if all goes well, we have spotted a nice looking cake recipe in the Omnia cookbook for desert.

A quick bit of chopping, the mixing of the sauce, and a dash of seasoning. The Omnia sits easily on top of our two burner stove in the California as we sit back and enjoy the warmth of the

Enter our free prize draw to win your own Omnia stove top oven and cook book! p13

oven heating up and the smell of our dinner cooking. My legs are feeling good from the workouts t o d a y, a n d I f e e l a b s o l u t e l y satisfied upon tasting the premier dish out of our new stove top oven.

W e f a l l a s l e e p e a r l y, k n o w i n g t h a t we have time tomorrow to enjoy the snow some more and also bake in the afternoon.

The next morning we wake up with a good 10cm of snow covering the van. We enjoy a few tur ns on the piste before riding down to our van, kicking the skis o f f a t t h e s l i d i n g d o o r. I f l i c k t o page 52 of the Omnia cookbook and start mixing the ingredients t o g e t h e r f o r a n A n n i c a ’s s u p e r s p o n g e c a k e . N o t l o n g a f t e r, t h e

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van is filled with the sweet smell o f t h e c a k e b a k i n g a w a y. N o w, t h e very fact that we are able to camp in our van at 1800m altitude, and ski right out of the parking lot is cool. But baking a delicious fresh cake to enjoy on the very same day - game changed.

The ability here to step up to van level glamping in the cooking department, has just made my vanlife that bit more perfect. But I am still curious, so before your Omnia arrives, tag @ advanturemagazine on Instagram and show us your equivalent of t h o s e s t u d e n t v a n m e a l s ! AM Thanks to Omnia for sending us the oven for this feature - we absolutely love it! Hungry?

O r d e r y o u r s a t w w w. o m n i a s w e e d e n . c o m

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Advanture Magazine

W H E R E T O PA R K YOUR CHALET ON WHEELS THIS WINTER Words by Hannah James

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inter vanlife doesn’t have to be about the balmy Portuguese coast or hibernating in the moderate climate ‘safe zone’ of the southern med. If you’ve got a van and a penchant for the white stuff, you can join the army of snomads who are spending their winters sucking up the bluebird skies all over Europe.

There are a massive number of opportunities open to you if

you’re looking for a park-up in t h e m o u n t a i n s i n s u m m e r, b u t these options start to get limited when you add in snow covered cols and the more conventional s k i t o u r i s m t r a f f i c . H o w e v e r, i f y o u ’ r e o p e n t o n e w h i l l s , t h e r e ’s something for every budget.

Here are a few suggestions for first timers in the winterized tribe.

The Safe Zone: Camping l’Oustalet, Châtel, Portes du Soleil €€€ W ith access to the entire PdS from Châtel, this campsite option is great if you’re looking to try your hand at this for the first t i m e . Yo u h a v e e l e c t r i c h o o k u p and everything you need on site in this traditional town and you don’t need to worry about battery l i f e a n d r u n n i n g o u t o f w a t e r.

Freeride: Campaggio Alagna, Monterosa €€ If you’re a backcountry kid, y o u ’ l l h a v e h e a r d o f I t a l y ’s freeride paradise, but did you know that for around €20 a night, you can stay in this historic alpine mecca? A free ski bus takes you from this woodland campsite, 5 minutes up through town and drops you directly outside the gondola.

Off Grid: Alpe d’Huez Aire € Anyone traveling by van in winter knows you need a plan B but you can rely on plan A at Alpe d’Huez. This is pretty much one of the best park ups in Europe, h e r e ’s w h y :

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Cheap at just €11/ night Enormous – you will always find a parking spot • Easy access – route from the valley is always clear and it has good access for bigger vehicles • Mixed terrain for all abilities T h e c a t c h ? Yo u ’ r e o f f g r i d a n d t h e r e ’s n o h o o k u p , b u t y o u h a v e everything else you need on site.

P l u s , i f y o u h a v e s o l a r, t h i s s p o t gets a ton of sun.

Our hidden gem: Guzet, Pyrenees - FREE Whilst the Pyrenees isn’t as snow sure as the Alps, when its g o o d h e r e , i t ’s r e a l l y g o o d . G u z e t offers nothing more than a place to park where nobody will bother you so head up with a full battery and all your supplies and you’ll have an awesome few days in this secret spot.

The full Monty: Camping Arlberg Pettneu, St Anton €€€€ The Mandarin Oriental of the winter camping world – Camping Arlberg Pettneu in the Austrian Ty r o l i s t h e f l a s h i e s t c a m p s i t e you will find in the mountains – not only does it have a spa on site but each pitch has its own heated bathroom hut and plugi n g a s . I t ’s c h e a t i n g b u t i t ’s a l s o awesome.

Wa n t t o k n o w i f y o u r v a n i s u p f o r t h e A d v a n t u r e ? w w w. w i n t e r i s e d . c o m i s a g r e a t resource with masses of infor mation about winter vanlife – from how to ready your van, to hundreds of places to camp.

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ABOVE: a space frees up in the Pyrenees, you better get in quick. BELOW LEFT: there is also fun to be had away from the piste, snowshoeing is a great alternative to skiing, costs a fraction of the price and is a great workout! BELOW RIGHT: be sure to pack your chains for Châtel. The Alps are a very dependable location for reliable conditions.

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Advanture Magazine

STEP OUT THE VAN ONTO A MOUNTAIN Absorb concrete advice from a member of the Mossos d’Esquadra Police Force (Catalunya, ES) and all-round mountain badass Words by Dani Luna

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ith my experience in adventure sports, I am here to give you some basic tips for making your first winter outings safe and fun.

Driving your van through the night and waking up to that first alpine sunrise is really fantastic. Here are some tips that I can recommend the newcomers to mountain side vanlife. So before leaving home, especially during e p i s o d e s o f w e a t h e r, i t i s important to run through the following.

1 ) R e v i e w a t t h e w e a t h e r. I s t h e r e rain, wind, fog, snowfall or storm war nings active? Get advice from the regional weather department

new items at home and learn how things need to be set up, and p a c k e d a w a y. T h i s w i l l s a v e y o u 2) Look at the state of the a lot of time and confusion when roads. Are there any closed on the mountain, when you want routes, and have the authorities to take your new snowshoes out issued mandatory equipment for example! Also, you need to requirements such as the use of think about how to pack in your extra kit within the space of your snow chains? van. Maybe you need to consider 3) Decide where you want to adding some extra storage such camp and if the overnight stay as a top box or gear rack.

In winter you have to be is allowed at the location. What services will the location have, much more proactive, as the a n d i f a n y, d o y o u n e e d t o p a y c o n s e q u e n c e s o f p o o r a c t i o n s c a n b e s e v e r e . R e m e m b e r, i f y o u g e t for them? into trouble, then you are also 4) Study the routes that you putting the rescue teams into intend on doing. This is the same the same possible situation. This for all activities including hiking, should be thought about for both skiing, snowshoeing, etc. Check if circulating the location in your it is viable in the given weather van, and while out having fun on c o n d i t i o n s , t h e p o s s i b l e e s c a p e y o u r c h o s e n a c t i v i t y. routes, shelters, relief “BEFORE LEAVING HOME, points and then evaluate IT IS IMPORTANT TO RUN the risks that it entails THROUGH THE FOLLOWING” (which includes the risk of avalanches, ice, cracks, Our vans have to be prepared stone falls etc). Once decided, infor m someone with tires that are in very good in a third party of the condition, and suited for the of the location. routes to be done, along conditions w i t h t h e e x p e c t e d t i m e s R e m e m b e r, i t i s t h e t y r e s w h i c h of a start and finish. keep us in constant contact In case of not giving with the road, so be sure to get signals at a later point in advice from your local fitter on time, a search by rescue their suitability for your specific teams will be much more vehicle. For alpine roads you must wear a winter tire, or at the efficient. least, a 4x4 tire - our vans weigh Yo u s h o u l d b e f a m i l i a r c o n s i d e r a b l y m o r e t h a n c a r s , with all of the equipment making the possibility of skidding you are taking, especially that much more of a hazard. As a if it is to perfor m some sort last resort upon finding ice, it is of task such as keeping only possible to continue safely y o u w a r m a n d d r y. U n p a c k w i t h t h e u s e o f s n o w c h a i n s . and lear n how to review detailed weather charts.

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→ Sarah & Mathias are regular deep winter Advanture campers, pictured here in Andørja, Norway.

Sarah Kringe

Tired of your regular van camp dishes? Learn how to upgrade your meals p32 Yo u should never let the fuel tank level drop below half full. Both because of the risk of freezing the tank itself, and so that we can run the night heater without worrying about emptying the tank. Don’t rely on filling up at the last gas s t a t i o n a l o n g y o u r r o u t e e i t h e r, imagine if it was out of service by the time you reached it!

M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, w e s h o u l d think about warm clothes for t h e d a y, a n d n i g h t . I t i s w i s e to not rely completely on your h e a t e r, a s u n f o r e s e e n e v e n t s that disable the use of one can happen. General breakdowns, malfunction due to height, or even a simple breakage of the window glass through which the c o l d f r o m o u t s i d e w i l l e n t e r.

Down gar ments offer the best weight to warmth ratio, but also lose their properties when wet.

Drying the clothing should be carefully considered, as you will most likely be confined to the space of the van for the duration of your trip. Many clothing brands

sell performance synthetic filling in their garments, which retains more warmth while wet and also dries quicker than down.

An insulated van will always be appreciated. Ther mo blinds are quick and easy to put over the windows.

A pro tip would be to bring a s e c o n d c o o k e r, a s w e l l a s s p a r e gas. Imagine than running out o f g a s o n y o u r m a i n c o o k e r, o r in the very worst case scenario, it breaks while you are out somewhere remote!

SNOWED IN? WARM UP YOUR VAN, AND YOUR HEART, WITH A DECENT HOT MEAL. F i n a l l y, w e h a v e t o c o n s i d e r o u r personal protection, which will a l w a y s d e p e n d o n t h e a c t i v i t y, so here you have to take into account everything considered as basic material such as spare c l o t h e s , f o o d , w a t e r, h e l m e t , gloves, buff, waterproof, ther mal blanket, flashlight, thermal

clothing, sunglasses and even sun protection. There is much more technical material that the more advanced mountain lover will prepare too, and includes ice axes, crampons, adjustable walking poles, mountain skis and avalanche search and rescue devices.

Keep batteries and mobile phones within inside pockets for protection. The cold will drain power much faster than normal, so bring back up batteries for your flashlight and other electronics. A mobile phone is great for shooting a few photos to post to the Advanture Magazine community!

Always remember to carry spare batteries, or a power bank. Keep GPS maps of the area on hand, and save the emergency telephone numbers of local rescue. Enjoy t h e m o u n t a i n s a f e l y, a n d y o u w i l l be ultimately rewarded by its g r a n d b e a u t y.

D a n i i s a a l l r o u n d S p a n i s h a d v e n t u r e r, who can be found all year round camping o u t o f h i s Vo l k s w a g e n v a n w i t h g i r l f r i e n d Helen. Find out more about their trips and s p o n s o r s a t w w w. c a r r e r a s y m o n t a ñ a s . c o m

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Advanture Magazine

AURORA HUNTERS OF THE NORWEGIAN ARCTIC Words by Carlos Quiles

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fter more than ten years of traveling around the world, Norway remains the most spectacular and wild country I’ve been to, as well as the one I know best. I once had a video shoot which took me up to the arctic, where I discovered an amazing and fascinating place, hard, inhospitable, magical and so much more.

I think that all of Norway is f a s c i n a t i n g b u t i t ’s t h e N o r w e g i a n Arctic, the region surrounding Tr o m s o , which is especially exceptional. So it really is the icing upon the cake when one f i n d s o u t t h a t i t ’s a l s o o n e o f t h e best paces in the world to see the norther n lights. Originally from the south of Spain, I now live and have a business in Norway where I take people from all over the world on photo tours to see the Aurora Borealis. My guests benefit from everything that I have experienced, lived and lear nt from two years living in this wonderland, packed into 4 or 7 day trips.

The unique angle of my tours

i s t o v e n t u r e o u t i n a c a m p e r.

The Norwegians keep their motorhomes for the summer and many would never even think about taking them out in winter!

Te m p e r a t u r e s p l u m m e t t o l o w s o f - 2 5 c i n t h e d e e p w i n t e r, b u t t h i s i s when the winter shows its fortune.

For me, spotting the night sky lighting up with elements of the camping is what triggers me.

“IN THIS WILD LAND YOU FEEL FREE, AND YOU FEEL THAT THE WORLD IS YOURS” How is it not going to be incredible to be able to see that night sky comfortably from your b e d , w a r m a n d e n j o y i n g a t e a ? Yo u can come and go from this home on wheels at your will, among a small group of adventurers with total freedom to follow the auroras wherever they are on any particular night.

This trip is a special and intense experience, so you need to have an adventurous spirit and be willing to undertake this jour ney with people from other countries. Enjoy the weather -

it snows, shines and everything between.

H o w e v e r, chasing natural phenomena we can’t a l w a y s b e l u c k y, s o i t i s a g o o d thing that we provide so much which will take your mind away from that. Photography and film making lessons are the focus, but we can also go dog sledding, taste a delicious dinner in a Norwegian cabin with the local delicacy of moose meat, and also absorb the nature while walking through incredible landscapes, frozen lakes, and mountains.

Maybe we’ll be luckier on the night we are taking an outdoor jacuzzi, and out of

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nowhere, the sky fires up in an e c s t a t i c d a n c e . Yo u s o o n e n o u g h learn to let go, be blown away by this destination and become open to anything that can come and embrace it - just as everything in life.

Of course you can easily fly to Norway and rent a car or take the tourist buss. But, I had tried those types of things when I w a s v i s i t i n g Tr o m s o , a n d q u i c k l y saw what was really lacking.

This personal project of mine is everything that I believe an advanture camper needs to experience.

In this wild land you feel free, and you feel that the world is y o u r s . Yo u s e e t h o s e m o u n t a i n s diving into the ocean, it is an o v e r w h e l m i n g b e a u t y. T h e r o a d s are breathtaking too, allowing us to cruise through the snow drifts, away from the lights, and into the dark night. One of my favorite things to do is pull over

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for a camp fire, whether it is just to warm up or cook an alternative m e a l . I t ’s t h e s e e l e m e n t s o f c a m p i n g t h a t I m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r, which keep me excited, just as much as the auroras. Sitting by the fire with people from all over the world to share stories with in this vastness, how beautiful.

Yo u ’ l l r e a l l y n o t i c e h o w g o o d we are set up when you spot the first tourist bus unloading, a few quick pictures snapped, and then everybody packs back in before it tur ns around to retur n t o Tr o m s o . W e m i g h t d e c i d e t o stay at this camp fire spot for the night, we’re relaxed and there isn’t really a reason to move.

After all, I can guarantee that waking up out here tomorrow is going to be something you will never forget.

Find out more about the tours with Carlos w w w. v a n a n d b r e a k f a s t e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

• The long and dark nights of January to March are the best time to go aurora hunting.

Yo u n e e d t o v i s i t a l o c a t i o n within the aurora zone • If you had always dreamed of photographing the night s k y, t h e n y o u w i l l n e e d t o make sure you have some key pieces of camera equipment.

Soon we’ll release a tutorial online!

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Advanture Magazine

THE 4MOTION O V E R L A N D CALIFORNIA Words & photos by Orkan

A

d v a n t u r e c a m p e r, O r k a n f r o m G e r m a n y, had a pretty clear vision for his latest p r o j e c t . S i m p l y, t h a t w a s t o m a k e t h e best overlander possible from a VW T5 Claifornia base model.

The reason for a T5 overlander? Let me take you back a little bit to how I got excited for advanture camping. I think we’ve (ed. Orkan and his family) been doing vanlife for so long, I am sure there wasn’t hashtag for it at the beginning.

It all started when we rented a motorhome for the first time in 2009. We planned a simple route from our home in Ger many over to Lake Garda in I t a l y, a c l a s s i c s t o p . T h e d r i v e i n t h i s b i g b u s w a s terrible but the feeling for this type of travel had grabbed us.

It really wasn’t possible for us back then to even consider buying our own van. The children were small, I had lost my job and the priority was on keeping our house. A couple of years passed and things improved a lot, I finally was able to buy us a Mercedes Marco Polo which we were a b l e t o d r i v e a s a f a m i l y c a r. I t w a s n ’ t l o n g u n t i l w e h a d d r i v e n f u r t h e r, v i s i t i n g a l o t o f G e r m a n y, A u s t r i a , S w i t z e r l a n d a n d I t a l y. A t t h e t i m e I w a s riding a lot on my mountain bike, so we went everywhere where there were great trails.

A f e w y e a r s w e n t b y, a n d s o d i d a n u m b e r o f vans. We tried various sizes of medium sized vans, but got frustrated in the summer trying to manuvure amongst crowds of tourists and traffic.

We tried a few AirBnBs, hotels etc, but it wasn’t exciting at all.

“THE REASON FOR A T5 OVERLANDER? LET ME TAKE YOU BACK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW I GOT EXCITED FOR ADVANTURE CAMPING.” Our goals for the next few years were to visit Wester n Alps, Norther n Spain, Scotland, Norway and the Baltic States. With this in mind, it was essential that we did not hit obstacles on the first gravel road that appeared, so we decided to c o n v e r t a T 5 C l a i f o r n i a i n t o a n o v e r l a n d e r.

Head to Orkans Instagram account for more off-road adventure pictures @nur malkurzraus

www.advanturemagazine.com

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Ta k i n g a l o o k a t w h a t i s o n b o a r d , w e c a n s e e a t o n o f upgrades from the stock version of the T5 Califor nia.

Here is a round up of the essentials: • Seikel axle ratio 4MOTION with number of teeth: 71:13, 71:19, 71:17 • Gears 1 and 2 = 18% shorter than standard • Gears 3 to 6 = 10% shorter than standard • Reverse gear = 17% shorter than standard • Seikel gear vents for higher wading depth.

• To a v o i d d a m a g e t o t h e g e a r b o x w h e n d r i v i n g t h r o u g h w a t e r, t h e v e n t s f o r t h e g e a r b o x , a n g u l a r g e a r b o x , differential rear axle and Haldex were installed in engine compartment at battery level • Seikel lift kit “Desert HD” for 4Motion • Ve h i c l e l i f t b y a p p r o x . 3 0 m m i n c l u d i n g r e i n f o r c e d r e a r axle springs • Bilstein shocks • Seikel interior wheelhouse enlargement • D e l t a 4 x 4 1 8 “ C l a s s i c B o n G e n e r a l G r a b b e r AT 3 255/60/18 • Engine underrun protection in 3mm. steel • Rear pull-out complete with euro boxes • Modular roof rack & rear rack • Rear box with integrated tool holder • V ivid Air compressor • Uniko folding ramps • Bundeswehr aluminum transport boxes

S I G N U P & G E T I N V O LV E D WITH THE ADVANTURE MAGAZINE ONLINE COMMUNITY Subscribe for free at www.AdvantureMagazine.com to get our newsletter and the next issue, direct to your inbox.

ISSUE 1 COMING SPRING 2020 In the next issue we will hit the dirt with MTB downhill action, catch up with some extreme rock climbers, and come back even stronger with a full issue of the magazine.

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