The Sunday Read

Recent news about off-grid life from around the interwebs

Octola, an off-grid lodge, in Finland’s Arctic

Off-grid Luxury above the Arctic Circle in Finland

Are you up for some off-grid Lapland luxury?

Octola is a lodge powered with wind-generated electricity and geothermal heating, while drinking water comes from a spring on the property, according to Globetrender

As amazing as that sounds (and looks), get this: the main investor in the remote resort is Mika Hakkinen, a two-time Formula One World Champion known as the “Flying Finn.”

Talk about paying it forward after burning all those fossil fuels racing.

Hanging at the lodge.

Lodge owner Janne Honkanen, who is a genuine reindeer herder, and former pro snowmobile racer, doesn’t shy away from the need for speed. He told Globetrender: “We have e-fat bikes, snowmobiles for all ages, cross-country skis, off-road skis, snow shoes, sledges, ice skates, ice driving cars and buggies.”

At its latitude you may find yourself chilly at Octola, but more likely you’ll just discover you’re chill.

The film poster for the upcoming release Nomadland.

Van Life drives into the mainstream

Are you ready for this: A film about van life is being touted as a major Oscar winner for 2021.

Nomadland is being tipped by a number of outlets to win not only cinematography- but, hold onto your hats here - best director. What’s crazy is the film isn’t even out until February 19.

But it stars the always wonderful Frances McDormand and follows her after the “economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada” has her character Fern pack her van and “set off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.”

The film focuses on the disenfranchised, many of whom lost their livelihoods and homes through the pandemic and other circumstances, and can no longer afford to pay rent, and so decide to live out of their vehicles.

One of those is Bob Wells, according to theGuardian.com Wells actually plays himself in the film. The U.K. newspaper reports: “Today, he lives exclusively on public lands in his GMC Savana fitted with 400 watts of solar power and a 12-volt refrigerator. His life mission is to promote nomadic tribalism in a car, van or RV as a way to prevent homelessness and live more sustainably.”

Living van life.

New York City? Nah. I love my rural van life

Nomadland is definitely not fiction (although the film is). Rather it captures a moment in time. Consider the story of Lee Kalpakis. She had a successful career as a recipe developer and food stylist for the likes of Bon Appetit, Epicuirous, Delish, and other major cites before the pandemic hit. Her boyfriend built sets for Showtime and HBO.

But as she told Thrillist: “When things got serious in the city, all our gigs were put on pause. We were hoping things would just… go back to normal. Two weeks turned into two months, and our jobs didn’t come back.”

The amazing thing about the van life movement is at one time living out of your vehicle was seen as the hitting the lowest point you could reach. Now it’s becoming an accepted form of dwelling and lifestyle.

It’s better than being homeless.

Kalpakis keeps it real: “I wish I could say the transition was super easy, but it was a serious adjustment to go from a 700-square-foot loft to a tiny camper in the middle of the woods. Especially sleeping at night, when I was so used to city noises—out here, you hear nothing. Except we have several barred owls on the property, and when they mate they sound like women screaming, so you can imagine how that went over at 3 a.m.”

Do you fancy vacationing off-grid in Australia?

The next big trend: Off-grid holidays

The paper, The West Australian, is highlighting a growing trend: off-grid vacation spots. The paper offers up three in a recent article.

At the Margaret River Heartland, for example, visitors are told: “The cottage has no mod cons — no TV, no microwave, no air-con. But it does offer what we call ‘Star TV’ — millions of stars in the sky viewable due to no light pollution, and a baker’s oven under the wood fire.” 

And the Petite Eco Cabin, The West Australian reports, offers cheese-making classes, and wine and cheesemaking classes.

Mmmm…cheese…and wine. I’m in.

Reports the paper: “The outdoor shower and bath use rainwater, heated by solar power, with grey water then recycled and used for the property’s newly-planted fruit trees.”

Post-COVID-19, I know one destination I might head towards.