how does one get into this lifestyle?

[Wragg]

Hi, i'm new to the site. After hearing some of the stories and seeing the freedom that living an 'ordinary' life lacks, prospect of the train-hopping/squatting lifestyle has absolutely captivated me. Now, i'm young enough that i'm still in secondary education and live at home with my parents in the U.K so travelling or being homeless has never really been an option to me; the extent of my experience is going out on a friday summers night with a few friends and sleeping rough until sunday just for fun, but i could never really stray too far and any travelling i did was on foot. i'll admit, for all my enthusiasm i haven't the faintest knowledge of this lifestyle, and due to my situation unfortunately i think the most it will ever be to me is a dream. So, i was wondering, how does one fall into this lifestyle? how do you find yourself travelling the open road? and most importantly to me, at what age do most people take up this lifestyle (if they did so out of choice)?
Thanks
oh and P.S, how prevalent is squatting/train-hopping in the U.K?

 

[Will Dernis]

This wizard I met told me to

 

[Wragg]

srs

 

[Arketype87]

First of all, welcome Wragg. I've recently made a conscious decision to live a more 'liberal' lifestyle. I was kicked out of an apartment a few years back and have been squatting/stealth camping around towns and the last city I was living in. I've learned a lot these last few years, mostly from trial and error, but also from sites such as this and from the knowledge of people. I currently stay in an apartment, but am actually moving out this weekend to set up a camp outside of town for the winter here in Ohio, U.S.A. But this is on my terms now, and I've been preparing the site and my body for the road ahead. I'm 27, but I've always since childhood wanted nothing more than to just travel and camp in the woods.
What do you think you'll do after education?

 

[Xan]

get a car or van and see how far you can get. Learn to ask people for money but shit is so much less stressful if you get a check or have a job. There isn't any wrong way to do it. Don't be an ass, always respect respect respect. Don't fuck with homebums. Stay away from mean fuckers and try to enjoy yourself.

That is all.

oh and try not to drink too much or get caught up in drugs.

 

[landpirate]

not much train hopping in the UK. As we have a lot less freight travelling by rails than in the states. Also electrified rails are an added element of danger.

there's plenty of squats/squatters out there. mainly in cities and bigger towns. it's illegal to squat residential property now, so squats are in commercial property instead.

where abouts in the UK are you based?

 

[Cirno9]

Hello Wragg, first off let me point out that -you- are in control of your situation, I have no idea what secondary education means but im guessing that means you are still 14-16?? I would indeed wait a bit to hit the open road if I had a choice, which it seems like you do but I have seen kids that young as travelers (16 and up). Now the reason I got into traveling was more because I had too, I became homeless in my city and I was going insane staying in the same place all the time and I wondered what else was out there so I bought a few supplies and put my thumb out with a sign and headed out along with some bus tickets to help me along the way. I find this the case with most other travelers I meet, young and kicked out of the house due to problems or they ran away or they just simply wanted the freedom to go where they want when ever the fuck they wanted but that case is much rarer in my experience. I say you should just try it out during the summer for a month or two and view it as an unorthodox road trip, if it becomes too hard for you mentally or physically then you know it may not be for you or you might find that the people that you meet and the sights you see are amaze balls and you will want to continue . Take baby steps because you can because you are in your situation, as far as im concerned it just makes this travel thing a whole lot easier.

note: Xans suggestion of becoming a rubber tramp is also grand if you can afford it, sleeping in a car is preferable to the bushes or other unorthodox places I usually end up laying my head down.

 

[Wragg]

First of all, welcome Wragg. I've recently made a conscious decision to live a more 'liberal' lifestyle. I was kicked out of an apartment a few years back and have been squatting/stealth camping around towns and the last city I was living in. I've learned a lot these last few years, mostly from trial and error, but also from sites such as this and from the knowledge of people. I currently stay in an apartment, but am actually moving out this weekend to set up a camp outside of town for the winter here in Ohio, U.S.A. But this is on my terms now, and I've been preparing the site and my body for the road ahead. I'm 27, but I've always since childhood wanted nothing more than to just travel and camp in the woods.
What do you think you'll do after education?

I'm fifteen and in my last year of secondary school, when i'm done with that god-awful place I have an apprenticeship in joinery lined up, which i thought would be a useful skill to learn and is the easiest thing for me to get into, seeing as my brother and father both do it.

not much train hopping in the UK. As we have a lot less freight travelling by rails than in the states. Also electrified rails are an added element of danger.

there's plenty of squats/squatters out there. mainly in cities and bigger towns. it's illegal to squat residential property now, so squats are in commercial property instead.

where abouts in the UK are you based?

yeah i didn't think it was as big over here, i'm pretty sure it started in the USA with itinerant workers, right? anyway, i'm from Leeds, South Yorkshire in England

 

[xyth]

Probably gonna sound weird, I personally feel I never chose this lifestyle it chose me. Was booted out of my family home as a teen due to issues with drugs. Issue being was selling them and a family member being a fiend mad the fact I wouldn't kick him down drugs or money decided to set me up call the cops on me saying i supposedly robbed my own home got a restraining order on me along with implicating me in several sells and trades. Found out couldn't go home so basically with nothing but the clothes on my back decided to make it work on my terms did day labor jobs during the day sold drugs at night till insettled on leaving out of my home state an starting what still feel has always been a pretty dope adventure