An independent journal by João Ferreira

BE THE XCEPTION

Solo vanlife with a dog. Stories about crossing borders, cooking simply and choosing a different way to live.

Latest journal entry

A secluded cabin beside a misty Swedish lake — Västernorrland, Sweden

One for the road

A chosen story from the archive, not necessarily the newest.

Turquoise water and a pale beach on the Corsican coast

Featured story

Top 5 Corsica Beaches (with a map)

Our top five Corsica beaches, drawn from three visits to this beautiful Mediterranean island.

Travel · VanlifeSeptember 5, 2022

Travel to Corsica

Recently published

In chronological order, with original publication dates.

A quiet meditation room prepared for a Vipassana retreat

ReflectionsMarch 26, 2024

I did (not) a Vipassana retreat.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, that I had experienced to date could have prepared me for what I was about to experience.

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Stories worth taking with you

Vegan RecipesAugust 10, 2021

Vegan Coffee Banana Muffins with Chocolate filling

Perfect for breakfast or a hiking day: an easy recipe with cinnamon, banana and a chocolate centre.

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Working outdoors beside the van while travelling

TravelApril 16, 2021

How to earn money while traveling? How can you start?

A personal guide to the practical question behind long-term travel: how can you begin earning on the road?

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The Bumblebee camper van parked beside a coastal road in Sardinia

VanlifeMarch 5, 2021

How much money do I need to own a van?

The real costs of converting, owning and travelling in a van, answered from lived experience.

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The converted Bumblebee van parked in a wide natural landscape

VanlifeFebruary 16, 2021

Why is vanlife so popular?

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A bowl of vegan peanut butter pasta with vegetables

Vegan RecipesJune 13, 2020

Vegan Peanutbutter pasta with veggies

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Follow your curiosity

Find a place, a meal, a practical lesson or a reason to look at life differently.

TravelPlaces, routes and practical guides VanlifeBumblebee, road life and conversion diaries Vegan RecipesSimple food for home and the road ReflectionsOn choosing a different way to live

Explore by place

Journeys are pinned only where a published story supports them.

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João and Leonie beside their converted van

“People who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do it.”

Be The Xception began with Leonie, João, Maria and Sharpy, and a first vanlife experience in Australia in 2017. The journal holds that shared history while making room for the story as it is today.

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There is more road behind us.

Fifty-six published stories, and counting.

Explore the archive