My Mini-Me Camper Van

The Journey Home: From World Wanderer to Van Builder

Sometimes you have to leave home to find your way back. Like Santiago in “The Alchemist,” my path has taken me across continents, only to lead me back to where I started – but with an entirely new perspective and purpose. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, I begin anew.

The Wanderer’s Path

Mid-August 2024, I sold my apartment in Brussels. What followed was a journey that would reshape everything: my “Pascalization” in Bulgaria, a spiritual pilgrimage through France’s power spots, finding stillness in Mauritius, and gaining clarity in Bali.

In Varna, Bulgaria, working with a powerful psychedelic, I cleared childhood shadows. France became my testing ground for vanlife while I recharged at ancient places of power – following a path from Notre-Dame de Rouen to Utah Beach, from Mont-Saint-Michel to Carnac’s standing stones, culminating in the mystical Forêt de Brocéliande. Mauritius offered a different kind of magic – watching magnificent sunsets on Flic en Flac beach (with delicious ice creams), losing myself in the Ebony Forest’s wilderness, and taking in breathtaking views from Le Morne’s peak. The journey led me to Bali, where I found myself far from the tourist crowds on the small island of Lembongan, in an otherworldly peaceful resort – the perfect place to start a new year… and a new life! Not just turning a page, but closing an entire volume of my life and starting writing a new one.

Each stop added a piece to a puzzle I didn’t even know I was solving. The Universe had a plan I didn’t see coming!

The Vision Takes Shape

It hit me in Bali. Like many great ideas, it started small: “I should build a camper van.” But as usual, this triggered a firework in my brain. Ideas that passed through my mind these last 25 years started flooding back, drawn together like metal shavings to a magnet. This wasn’t just about building a van, for me. It was the seed of something bigger, for humanity. Everything started to unfold naturally, fitting together like pieces of a grand puzzle… my Master Plan 2025 was born.

Master Plan 2025

The core magnet: my national motto “Unity Makes Strength” merged with my “beyond money” convictions.

The metal shavings: pieces fitting together to strengthen the whole. Building a van, yes, but collaboratively to achieve state-of-the-art results – combining latest knowledge, modern technology, and finest craftsmanship. Where? Physically, in a state-of-the-art space, home for people who are “un poco loco in their head”. Virtually, on digital platforms crafted around our core values. All this is possible today thanks to humanity’s ever-evolving collective knowledge, and we’ll pass the torch forward, fueling it with our new discoveries.

The goal: demonstrate what becomes possible when we remove artificial constraints and let human potential flourish freely.

Where in the world should this happen? We need the perfect birthplace for a modern renaissance, for a transition to a new age. Florence, it must be!

OK, let’s do it! But coming back down to Earth… wait a minute, this is crazy! How can I possibly do that?! And then, divine inspiration struck – a new idea emerged…

“Build My Van” Event

What if we combined the collaborative magic of Startup Weekend with the expertise showcase of West Coast Customs – but for van builds? Five teams of aspiring vanlifers building their dream vans with expert guidance and manufacturer support. Not just builds, but a comprehensive educational experience, documenting everything to help future builders. A perfect way to demonstrate the power of collaboration and unity.

Hey, this feels familiar. Of course! It’s essentially what I posted three weeks ago, the seed that grew into my Master Plan. The circle completes itself.

OK, let’s do it! But coming back down on the ground… wait a minute, this is still quite ambitious! How can I possibly do that?!

I need to get back to Europe, ideally near Florence to connect with the energy of my ultimate destination. But there’s a practical challenge: in our current society, finding a place to live and moving around with belongings is still unnecessarily complicated. Already, this nomadic lifestyle is… let’s say it’s showing its limitations.

Classic me 🙄 The Universe was leaving breadcrumbs, but I wasn’t yet seeing the full picture! The solution was right there at the beginning, and even in the name of this project: let’s build my van!

Starting Small, Thinking Big

Yes! That’s a great idea! It’ll allow me to move around with my stuff… and it fits perfectly into the bigger plan! Why am I still surprised 🙄

I’ve a lot on my plate this year so this must be quick, focused on the bare minimum. And I want to keep the costs low. I need something that can embrace both worlds – connecting with nature while being practical in cities, and stealthy.

Remember Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies? Hilarious… and therefore a name that often cross my mind when willing to start small. That’s what I need here, a Mini-Me Camper Van, a reduced version of every aspects… except state-of-the-art!

Joke apart, this has several advantages: less materials, smaller systems, and no room for the unnecessary! But the most interesting are the constraints – they’ll force me to question everything, to look for unconventional ways, to think creatively and to innovate. Per-fect!

And most importantly, it’s something I can begin right now. So let’s do it!

The Plan

In the next month, or so… let’s say for my Valentine’s present to myself ❤️

What I will do:

• Build Mini-Me as a pilot project for the “Build My Van” event
• Engage with the van builders and makers communities – online and visiting makerspaces along my way
• Start reaching out to industry experts and manufacturers – about what I’m doing now and introducing what’s coming next
• Document every step to help others on similar journeys – and start building a reputation/audience
• Produce educational content and resources – as a much welcome revenue source

What you can expect:

• Questioning: thinking everything from first principles
• Researching: analyzing what others are doing and getting inspiration
• Learning: understanding how things work, what to do and why
• Prototyping: testing and validating ideas
• And watching me publishing videos?! 😱

The Path Forward

So here I am, heading back to Brussels, my hometown. But this time, I’m not just coming home; I’m bringing with me a vision that bridges my past and future.

The first step is simple and practical: spend some quality time with a VW Caddy (or similar) to feel its vibes. I’ll probably rent one for a few days, live in it minimally (with my trekking gear), and test different situations and scenarios. This will help me understand my real needs and feel if this is the right vehicle. If a Mini-Me still feels right, I’ll find one to buy.

Meanwhile, in a parallel track, I’ll work on the requirements, research and analysis, and start drafting the specifications.

For the build itself, I’m going full circle: back to the MicroFactory, my first makerspace experience. The goal is focused: make the minimal necessary transformations to hit the road as quickly as possible. Everything else can be improved along the way.

From there, the path leads naturally toward Florence, that cradle of Renaissance thinking where my larger vision waits. One step at a time, starting now.

Join the Journey

Whether you’re a van enthusiast, maker, or fellow seeker finding your way home, I invite you to be part of this adventure from the very beginning. This Mini-Me build is more than just a personal project – it’s Phase Zero of a larger vision.

What you can do:

• Follow my journey here and through Instagram and YouTube as I “build in public” – documenting every step, success, and lesson learned
• Read the Build My Van Manifesto to discover the next phase of this vision – where we’ll help five teams build their dream vans through expert-guided collaborative builds
• Visit Unity GZ to explore the ultimate destination: a revolutionary experiment in human potential where unity truly makes strength

The path forward starts with a single step. Will you take it with me?