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  • I'm a city girl who experienced van life for the first time. Here are 12 things that surprised me most.

I'm a city girl who experienced van life for the first time. Here are 12 things that surprised me most.

Anneta KonstantinidesNov 20, 2021, 18:37 IST

I recently went on my very first camper van trip. Here's what surprised me most about the experience.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

  • I have almost zero prior camping experience, but recently went on my very first camper van trip.
  • I spent three days traveling the California coast, stopping in Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, and Paso Robles.
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I recently went on my very first camper van trip, and the experience was full of surprises.

Me and Kristen before our camper van experience.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The camper van was much smaller than I expected.

The camper van, which we nicknamed "Cabana Hannah."Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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But despite its compact size, the camper van had plenty of storage space.

There was plenty of storage space in the closet.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

And there were a number of surprising amenities thanks to some very clever use of space.

This hidden fold-out table was perfect for cooking prep.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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While the drawers' lock buttons sounded obvious in concept, we had a surprisingly hard time remembering to actually use them.

This snack drawer almost impaled us multiple times.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The camper van also drove far smoother than we expected.

Kristen behind the wheel.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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And I couldn't believe how cozy the bed was.

I couldn't believe how comfortable the bed was.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Despite sharing a tiny space with the toilet, the shower didn't actually feel claustrophobic.

Our van's toilet and shower.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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Camp Hox gave us an awesome snack drawer, but I was surprised that no salt and pepper had been provided.

The snack drawer provided by Camp Hox.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The carefully curated Camp Hox itinerary took us to so many great spots, from a delicious taqueria and gorgeous beach to a local store and farmer stand.

Our food from La Super-Rica Taqueria on East Beach in Santa Barbara.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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And I quickly fell in love with Paso Robles, a hidden gem for wine lovers that's way cheaper than Napa.

Our tasting at LXV Wine in Paso Robles.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

And the food in Paso Robles was not to be missed.

Our dinner at The Alchemists' Garden.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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But what surprised me most was how much I loved the camper van experience, which allowed me to experience my home state in a completely different way.

Me hanging with one of the horses at Windrose Farm.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider
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