27. Traveling by Sleeper Van (Part 3) When I Have to Sleep in the Van on a Rainy Day

Let's continue with the journey after the first night. After I had my coffee and ate a couple of slices of bread, and finished using the bathroom, I grabbed an apple and a bottle of water, then walked aimlessly. If you think about it, the destination was wherever my heart led me. I really enjoyed walking through the suburbs in the morning with good weather, crossing bridges, watching the flowing water, and listening to the birds singing differently from back home. At the same time, I bit into the apple while listening to music or audio that I liked.

Many times, I've felt that if my happiness lies in simple moments like these, I might not need to work so hard to earn money to buy what I want. Of course, some activities bring excitement, but I've compared the feelings and found that the happiness from taking a walk like this is softer and more comforting. Plus, it's low-cost. As for personal satisfaction, I think it's also a matter of individuality.

That morning, after wandering around and exploring to my satisfaction, I walked back to the car, drove back to the gas station, bought an extra gallon of engine oil, and then set off again. The goal was to head south on the map. Coincidentally, I remembered the name of a city that a fellow traveler, who had stayed at the same backpacker hostel, had recommended. The city was called Wanganui. The reason for today's journey was to follow my friend's suggestion.

Before reaching this city, I kept taking turns here and there, without setting a specific time to arrive anywhere. It was just whenever I got there. And in the end, that evening, I concluded that I hadn't reached my destination yet because I stopped to rest overnight at a suburban park. Actually, it would be more appropriate to call this place a spot for people to ride mountain bikes through the forest, as the park is designed that way. And if anyone has a dog, they can take it for a walk here.

On the other side of the road, there is a large pond with several orange balls floating in the water, which is the jet ski area. People who enjoy this sport would probably love it here. However, despite having well-equipped facilities to relax, there aren't many people around—one could say very few. This might be because the population of this country is not large. For this reason, many natural places in this country offer a serene atmosphere close to nature due to the low number of people. For me, this atmosphere and condition are the charm of this place.

After I walked around to inspect the bathroom and made sure that no one would lock it at night, I also explored the surrounding area. Upon evaluation, I found that it should be possible to stay overnight here. So, I started cooking. A simple dish I would recommend is canned food like beans, corn, and carrots. Just heat them up and add canned tuna or sausages. Season with your favorite sauce and eat with bread, which I always keep in the car as an easily accessible source of carbohydrates. Given the pleasant weather here in this season, there is hardly any problem with food spoilage because the climate, if I were to assess it based on feeling, is quite similar to a good refrigerator.

My snacks were fruits. Apples, for example, were my main fruit that I never got bored of, and I felt they also help with digestion. Especially during times when I had to stay in the car and sat for long periods, sometimes I stock up on chocolate or cookies in the car (later, when I returned to Thailand, I had to visit the dentist several times because I had many cavities). So, as long as it's not too complicated, food shouldn't be a concern because there will always be enough.

In the evening, while I was cleaning the cooking equipment, I had the chance to meet a local person who was walking her dog. I chatted with her for a while, asking various questions. Before she left, she advised me not to park and sleep here alone because it wasn't safe. She gave this advice out of goodwill, which I understood, but my instinct told me that this place was safe and very comfortable for tonight.

After she drove away for a short while, a man in his father's age stopped by to chat. Perhaps it was because we parked not too far from each other and he was on his way home. As we talked, I found out that he came here to ride his bicycle for exercise and relaxation. We exchanged views on life. He mentioned that he had traveled to Thailand before, but we both agreed that this place is much more serene and peaceful. Once he drove away, my car was the last one left there. I spent the time before sunset reading a book and enjoying the natural scenery. When it started to get dark, I went to bed.

There was a light rain in the early evening, and tonight it came with wind as well. At first, I thought parking under a tree would be a good idea (of course, if it were during the day with sunlight or at night with normal weather). But on a night like this with rain and having to sleep in the car, I was terribly mistaken. The sound of raindrops falling from the leaves above onto the roof was truly alarming. I dozed off and woke up a few times, but I didn't move or have any ideas while still groggy. I could only force myself to sleep until morning. When it started to get light, I went about my usual routine and only realized in the morning that the sound of raindrops falling would have been more consistent if I had parked in the rain without any leaves overhead. I would definitely try this idea if it rains again in the coming nights.

I didn't know how, but that morning another car parked there too. I heard a dog barking from inside the car because I probably looked like a stranger to it. However, the owner in the car didn't open the door to greet me. I only heard him scolding the dog to be quiet. He might have been surprised to see someone there so early in the morning. At that moment, I had just finished my personal business, so I drove toward Wanganui.