Anna, I spent 11 years in the Army, mainly sleeping on the ground, on a foam mat. I can highly recommend a folding camp cot. It is a game changer. I used just the basic type, but these days there are great folding camp cots with extra cushioning, often aimed at the fishing market. Add your inflatable mat on top for even more. It also provides a place to sit too, and I think it would make life much more comfortable for you and they are relatively inexpensive too. The camping hiking ones will be more basic, less comfortable, but lighter and pack away smaller. The other end of the spectrum will be good for car camping, will be bigger, heavier, but much more comfortable, some with added padding or a thin mattress too.

@nic.frasca

10 ай бұрын

Great idea. Never seen a van video with a camp cot

@SeanHendy

10 ай бұрын

@@nic.frasca I think the simplest solution I've seen, maybe only once or twice, was someone strung a hammock diagonally. Seconds to setup, no moving of cushions etc, and a very short build time to put two fixing points in.

@debraderoos5225

9 ай бұрын

I keep a 4" tri fold mattress in the back of my car. Doesn't take up much room, Can double as a seat if you are putting in your desk for your computer.

The 12V fridge is key. Just got back from a month in Canada. Reloading ice was a PITA. That's my next update for my minivan camper. Have a safe trip.

@MyVanHaven

10 ай бұрын

I have a fridge that I keep in freezer mode all summer long and refreeze large ice packs every day that I then use at night to stay cool. Once winter rolls around, I'll be able to put the ice packs in my spare tire well again and switch it back to fridge mode and store things other than frozen veggies and hot pockets!

@jguy1930

10 ай бұрын

What in the world are you talking about lol , I’m high & don’t understand lol , I’m being funny, it’s 4:20 time lol

Is that microphone attached to a fork?

@Rudy1150

10 ай бұрын

its a mic-ork

@gss7271

10 ай бұрын

Yummy circuitry... 😋

@HenryBabcock

10 ай бұрын

Microfork

@thinkabout602

10 ай бұрын

It's a fork lift !

@hazmat1978

10 ай бұрын

That's why she's so aggressive with the Microphone! The eyes see the fork and Brain thinks about Food!🤷

Years ago I had a motorcycle riding buddy who owned a Honda Element. He towed a tiny Teardrop trailer behind it. The Teardrop was essentially his "hard side tent".

@judithryle2113

9 ай бұрын

That sounds much safer

Anna.....you positively crack me up...a true minimalist....here speak into my fork .I love the new format of your videos...very light hearted .and fun to watch ... Drive safely 🙏

I continually change/improve my minivan setup. All my storage is cardboard boxes - free and versatile. Messing around with ideas is super fun and entertaining.

Sounds like a plan! 7 key items! If you get one of those foil (reflective) windshield shades..you can use it under your air mattress or up in the pop top for insulation! Double duty! Safe travels. Enjoy and so happy you’re back! Can’t wait to see future plans for Mango

@cj9667

10 ай бұрын

Three…privacy at night

@traceyhill7784

10 ай бұрын

Great to see you travelling again. I love the minimalist setup, not sure I could cope with that but with your experience will be fun to follow. Interested to hear how long your road trip takes. Stay safe, have fun x

Having a raised bed is good for storage, because you can store a lot underneath it. I love the minimalist plan, you still need food, clothes, and camera/laptop etc. These things take up my extra room every time :)

@brianbenson3669

10 ай бұрын

Yup, agreed .... and a pull-out "gaucho" style bed can give the full single bed width and a comfy sofa when not deployed as a bed.

@lesleyhughes3174

10 ай бұрын

What did Anna say ' but you also need, but you also need. Nope I say, just like Anna.

@lesleyhughes3174

10 ай бұрын

Doomsdayers?

@j.r.arnolli9734

10 ай бұрын

'Things' take up room, but, for me, 215 lbs, 6'4", size 15 feet, my minimum size car for camping is a VW California. Anything smaller feels like a 'straight jacket'. Lucky You, those under 6' 😁 PS Honda never sold the Element in Europe, Honda seems to have trouble to understand the market.

@s-c..

9 ай бұрын

⁠@@j.r.arnolli9734The Element looks like a really handy car, especially with the pop up! Never had them here in Australia either. Not understanding the market is also why Mitsubishi didn’t export the Delica to most of the world. I ended up getting an imported D5 which I guess is quite similar to the California, but quite a bit cheaper here. It’s such an awesome car for camping & touring, & AWD to boot. Madness that they didn’t see their value.

You're so much fun Anna! So happy you've returned here :)

It is truly wonderful to see your positive energy, enthusiasm and excellent intellect Anna. You are a treasure.

You might want window covers for privacy/darkness. And a small chair so you can lean back and not be in the car. Could use it in the future at your shelving unit/desk. Have fun designing and deciding! Safe travels!!

Love this video - your sense of humour and ability to just flow is so refreshing and inspiring! Can’t wait to follow along your road trip

Good job girl ! I have to work 3 days a week at a location 2 hours away from my house so I went through all the portions what I can do to make my stay comfortable ! Since I am not handy or creative , I eventually decided to buy a sprinter van and have it built by a professional . It’s almost done and I am super excited ! I will check back to see how you are doing ! Enjoy your trip!

Good summary and minimalist approach. Thanks for sharing.

Can’t wait to see how your minimalist setup works on the road! So delighted to see you again! 🌷

@annauncharted

10 ай бұрын

Awe thanks 🙂 I appreciate your support so much! Looking forward to sharing more about the roadtrip soon!

@bthomson

10 ай бұрын

All ears!👂👂👂

Heck yeah! Your setup is what i love about minimalist car camping!

Anna, you are a trip and a half - love your new take on vids and really enjoy your bright attitude on the road. Be safe and stay 💪 to a lovely human being 🚙🌬🌬🌬

I'm so glad your back! ..you look beautiful and I love your camper❤

how fun. good luck on your adventure!

Spare tire (longer term): a number of Element owners/KZreadrs have come up with swing mount setups on the rear, so that’s a possibility if you’re going to opt for a permanent build that can’t be easily removed on the side of the road when you get a flat. FYI: You’ve got me shopping for an Element now. My new obsession with learning everything I can about these vehicles is ALL YOUR FAULT! 😂 Seriously though, have a safe & fun road trip!

@annauncharted

10 ай бұрын

haha 😂 guilty as charged. Good luck on the search!

@coreylaymon8425

10 ай бұрын

You will want to relocate that spare tire if you plan on building anything more permanent in the back as you will have to remove anything you build just to get that spare tire out.

@Community-Action

10 ай бұрын

An element camper is unique but a pickup with a leer or ARE camper shell would give more room. Mav on youtube has a nice setup.

As a former Element owner who did a lot of stealth camping in mine, I'm surprised you didn't just leave the passenger side rear seat in and then did the matching up with the reclined front seat for a bed. I found this quite comfortable. (Even though it's not completely flat.) And as you noted in a previous video, you can flip it up out of the way. I would usually just leave the driver's side rear seat out unless I really needed 4 seats.

So glad you're back, Anna.

My spare tire is still in the wheel well and I use all the space around it to store extra stuff that I don't need every day. There's spare toiletries, winter clothes, hand warmers, cooling towels, a small jerry can in case I need to leave my car to get gas, and my scrubba wash bag to wash clothes when there's no laundromats nearby, all wrapped in trash bags and pressed right up against my tire. Even if you don't move the spare tire for storage or just more leg room, you can definitely still put extra things in there that don't get used often.

I’m in this limbo where I just moved to the PNW and planned to build a van out, but I would really like a more practical vehicle for non-adventure stuff. So I’m right there with you brainstorming ideas for somewhat “portable” work stations… the dream is almost exactly what you described but also completely removable so when I’m not out adventuring it still just serves as a normal vehicle I can drive in with several passengers 🤔

Love the simplicity

Have fun on your trip. Will be watching the videos

Probably really low on your priority list, but I think you might find a swivel for the passenger seat very useful.

Hope all goes well,have fun and safe travels ❤️

Have a safe and fun trip out east!

Great to see you again! My thought on the spare, is mounting on the front of the vehicle. Also, I love to see how simple you have made this. Many folks make you feel like you need a very fancy set up. You go girl!

Mango is such a cute camper/suv! You are always joyful & fun to watch as you prepare for a long trip! Stay safe on your journey!! 💜🇦🇺😁🍻

Good for you Anna, glad your doing this again

You can get a 28 inch wide heavy duty shelf, six feet long that can hold a 28 inch mattress on top, storage underneath, but easily removable if you need to get to the tire. The tire can go an a read door mount, or on the roof rack,

can't wait to see your next journey

Sooo adorable!

Made me smile. Thanks!

Have fun and enjoy the road trip.

This is so cool! Thanks Anna!

Love your laid back and humorous approach to your videos! 😊

Thank you so very much for simplifying camping essentials ❤😂🎉!!

I love your approach and positivity

My previous car was a Green Honda Element that I named Iguana. I camped in it on many fun road trips. Elements make great camper vehicles.

Ok I love your fork microphone 🎤. Looking forward to seeing your new adventures in mango! I'm all the more excited to see how it works for you as I continue to plan for my future element. My minimalist setup would have to include a toilet bucket though. As a lady of a certain age, when I gotta go, I gotta go! 😅

So excited for your next journey!!!!!!!!!

I love your vibe! Following along!

I love your setting cause it's minimalistic.

Element owner here. 04’ same mango color as you E. I did the rear hatch opener modification on my E. It’s not hard, lots of videos on it. Way easier than climbing over the front seats to get out. Putting a swinging spare tire mount on, would make getting out the back more difficult. Make sure your spare has air! Safe travels! Edit. I watched your introductory video. I didn’t know Honda put a door opener on the newer Elements. Way cool!

I would definitely watch a vlog of your trip! I know that can be a safety issue so even a few blended together post trip would be fun ❤

Love the element! I have a 2000 odyssey. I use an airbed cot by intex, the smallest airbed they have. Cigarettes socket electric motors are available. It fits under my bench seat during the day. Its been wonderful. I really like your new setup. It really reminds me of mine! Enjoy your trip!!!!!! P.s. I hope you have something ready for an emergency bathroom. I use a 5 gal bucket but to each their own.

Love a break down to the functional and foundational! I make KZread videos in a similar spirit as you and am living on the road in my Volvo XC70 and am coming up on a year now 🎉. This week I am literally heading to my storage unit to do a gear/clothes swap out and i want to cut down even more - so this was a perfect video to inspire and realign to my “keep it simple” intentions (a case of the “what ifs” are REAL). Have a great time on the east coast! ❤

Super well done!👏

Just bought an 06 element 5speed awd, excited to start camping

I used to just sleep in the drivers seat or front passenger seat on road trips for weeks at a time. Stretching is key to staying comfortable when sleeping in a reclining car seat. One can get all of the other "stuff" at nearly any big box store or sporting good store nearly anywhere in the country. I like using a second car battery that fits my vehicle for a power supply. The vehicle you have is a castle compared to the little Volts-wagon Rabbit I use to car camp in.

I'm glad you're back. Good luck with your road trip! :)

So Real!❤️

Awesome video girl!!! Have fun on your trip! You should drive thru Tennessee on your trip. Lots of beautiful country roads that you can travel if you have time.

As an ex Element owner, but still a fan, I’m interested in seeing just how much permanence you can fit in Mango. Carry on! 😊

If your future build makes it difficult to access the spare in an emergency, then put it on the outside. An outside rack can be used to carry additional items you might want, but don't want inside the vehicle. Plenty to think about and I'm sure you'll figure it out as you go. Enjoy the adventure! 😎

Nice! And you made it to 8 minutes 😁 Have fun on your trip, can't wait for thr video ❤

Nice video 👍🏻 be safe on your trip. Most people take things for granted because if you really think about it we barely need anyting & the rest of everything is luxuries.

Have a good trip, Anna!! East is waiting for ya 😀😀😀

Definitely a comfortable pillow, a military blanket (if it gets too cold and could be used on top of your inflatable mattress), pepper spray and some paper towels & toilet paper rolls. Let's roll baby! Have a wonderful and safe trip!

Great idea and information. Thank you!

love the fork hand-held mic usage :)

Yay! ForkMic(tm) is back! :) (and, you too, of course! Missed you both!) Thanks for the quick videos! Hope you have a great trip w/ Mango!

Love it! Just got a 2004 ex last week. Was hoping for awd but couldnt find one with low enough km's.

Good choice of stove. I have the exact same one and it works great.

Great ideas for minimalistic car camping. "the 12 volt socket" (3:59) .. keep it simple. ;) In future these weird plugs might be replaced by more common USB-C plugs. FYI: having a small 12 volt cooler is very handy while traveling, as they greatly reduce, or eliminate the need for ice and the mess of melt water. Since they are solid state heat pumps that operate utilizing the Peltier effect. Essentially like a solar cell, but move thermo energy vs. converting light energy into electricity. They typically create a temperature difference of ~20ºC between inside and outside. They work best if items are pre-chilled. Regarding spare tire, a big consideration if planning to include a shelf unit, etc. is access to the tire should need. There are external mounting options, with could free up interior storage space. Also the current mounting for the tire could be repurposed to anchor a bench, or shelf. BTW: Most new vehicles for last 5-10 years no longer come with spare tires. Really depends of the 'safety' aspect based on where you'd be traveling.

Safest travels heading to the East coast!!

Love your video. Keep it simple. See so many trying to make tiny Van super Delux luxurious. It’s camping! I bring a small portable 100w solar panel to charge my Jackery. Have fun.

I just wanna say: I LOVE your Forkraphone 😜 I have no doubts that whatever you do with your CampingCar, will be an exercise of pragmatic thinking. I can’t wait to see how it all pans out 👍🏼

Ty !! minimalism is the way to go. ❤ Mango so excited for your road trip enjoy. Your microphone on a fork 🤣🤣. Good to see ya and look forward to your future videos of Mango. ✌️

Anna, enjoy your trip eastward. Have fun, be safe, take care of you. 😂😂❤❤

Finally someone is doing a simple bed! and Finally using the more modern charging (Lithium based none the less) battery . Y Other BS: the 12V internal socket - I would use caution with that depenind on the exact car model and year - because some (auto/suv/car et) models draw more mover out of that socket than needed , which if the electrical of the vechicle is not implemented and designed properly might drain your battery , mess up your vehicles fuses (the cheap ones,) and if desinged in a more bad way could mess up a bit more on your electrical (and yes including your batter :). Yes this does happen! It depends on the vehicle and model (and sometimes even the relays ... which is part of the fuse box) You might be better off accessing the battery area from the hood directly with specific clips , and do not access the ground of the battery of any vehicle directly. And you might be super better off , its more of a process and money, of installing an all weather socket connected in an electrically safe way to the car internally either battery and some ground, or some other way depending on the wiring diagram and load etc of the vehicle. And that socket could also be a 12V socket or someother type , again please go to an vehicle electric specialist only for that. Basically the 12V internal (cigarettle lighter) plugs in and is an inverter and if it draws too much power (wattage) could screw up your vehicle, best is to pop the hood get clips for positive hookup there and a safe ground and thats usually a part of the chasis - however please wear eye-sun-glasses type protection for sparks protection especially during humid/mositure that can get build up.

I've got an empty van and for weekend trips the single camp mattress goes straight on the floor. I have 3 plastic tubs with my stuff off to the side and that's it. For longer trips I have a platform for the mattress and more space. I don't even use a fridge anymore.

Keep it simple, what you described sounds perfect, it's all you need really, that little Element fits you to a T.

Anna you are so inspiring. I admire you and love watching you live my dream. 💗💗💗

Looking forward to your adventures w/ Mango. Thank you Anna.

This just popped up on my "recommended" tab, but I instantly got hooked, and I just subscribed!

Absolutely.

Hell yeah! That's how I travel the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley, minimum weight and minimum gear.

Great presentation. Surprising how little you need...look forward to your next journey.

I'm a huge fan of the fork mic, keep up the good work

Your microphone/fork combo is my favorite thing! 😄

you're twinning!

Love this.❤

Safe travels always.

That is all a person needs to live in a van or car plus 1 plastic tub for food and 1 plastic tub for clothes etc although i would add a 12v shower with a plastic flexible bucket for the shower & 2 x 100 watt foldable solar panels to power the power station etc In the uk theree is no need to have a fridge or freezer in vanlife or generally as in the uk a person can get chilled or frozen food delivered within 30 mins etc

I heart they already make prefab shelves for the element Best of luck Looking forward to seeing your next videos 👍

Love your videos Anna and as a fellow Element owner can’t wait to see what you do with Mango 🥭

Hey Homegirl, a handy roll of napkins has always been useful for me and someone already mentioned here a 6gallon jug to use as your on the go personal tap for washing dishes etc.

Hi Anna, you mybe able to get a swing away rear wheel carrier for your spare, it will move out to one side then lower your tail gate, this will free up spare wheel space for a water tank 😉 love your video ❤ always stay creative this is the love of life, stay safe, love the forkmic 😅 from rick in Perth, Australia 🇦🇺 😊❤

Just a thought as you plan more trips- as a big fan of smooth highway ride- when I have made some transport trips w big loads in my 2017 CRV, the heavier i was packed made a huge improvement on the ride enjoyment and overall trip enjoyment. Have to take into consideration possible elevation driving that we don't have much of here in the Southeast US, but a couple of the thickest Manduka or top quality yoga mats, some extra water bottles, food, washer fluid type items can add some weight while still being in the necessity category, the mats give you some nice room to stretch out and use full sleeping space, and can be used outside for workouts/ yoga fyi- have fun!

Hope to see you when you come through my state

Hi Anna, you need to patent your microfork. The broadcasting and music industry would benefit from that greatly. You could do a whole line of kitchen/music products. Example.... subwoofer mixing bowls. Have a great trip Anna, love your channel.👍👍

Just wondering, have you tried putting on the spare tire yet? You’d be surprised how many people don’t know how to change a tire… hopefully the jack and lug wrench is in that blue bag. Also a tire plug kit would come useful for your long journey as well..

Well done Anna. Love the minimalism. Safe travels East.

Love your personality Anna

I see a folding foamie slide out sits inside collapsed, so you can still sleep on top inside if needed parked it slides out. Unfolds and gives you a ton of room, more storage a hitch shelf bike rack. We have a transit connect. Have thought a lot in this subject.

Get swivel seats! Ive always thought that they are the key to opening up extra space for camper setups inside smaller vehicles. You are lucky to have a car for which there are conversation kits for, so I'd take advantage of it