The idea of buying a recreational vehicle (RV) was born when Dong Qifei was quarantined in a hotel together with his wife and daughter. Back then, the family from Zhejiang Province was traveling around Hunan Province in the summer of 2021 when another guest in their hotel tested positive for COVID-19, throwing the whole place into lockdown.

In spite of pandemic travel restrictions, Dong and his wife, both travel buffs, still managed to get in an adventure or two, avoiding all public transportation and driving their own car. But restaurants and hotels were one thing they simply couldn't get around whilst on the road—unless… they had a motorhome.

After two months of weighing, researching and comparing his options, Dong finally purchased an RV for a little over 300,000 yuan ($44,600).

"The motorhome can easily fit a family of three and it serves both short- and long-distance travel." Despite the occasional hiccup, including the struggle to find a battery charger when the vehicle's solar panel wouldn't work, the investment proved worth their while.

"When you wake up right next to the beach, or a lake, or grassland, the stunning views erase all irritation," Dong said.

To motor or not to motor

Long considered a niche market, China's RVs have amplified their social media presence in recent years with a growing number of vloggers sharing their experiences and exploring new lifestyles.

A couple in their early 30s from Harbin, capital city of Heilongjiang Province, embarked on motorhome journey after the husband was diagnosed with gastric stromal tumor and had surgery.

"We believed stress at work to have been the culprit," the wife surnamed Cheng said in a video on Douyin, China's version of TikTok. "At the time, we were pouring all our combined energies into our business in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, roughly 2,500 km from our hometown. It was the surgery that made us stop in our tracks and reconsider our priorities in life. We asked ourselves, 'What do we really want?'"

And what they really wanted, and needed, was change—a change of pace, a change of scenery... As the couple had always dreamed of exploring the country in zigzagging fashion, they spent over 200,000 yuan ($30,000) on a secondhand RV and, together with their pet pooch, embarked on their adventure in April 2021. "We only had 100,000 yuan ($15,000) when we first hit the road one year ago," Cheng said. "But we can always earn more later. If we don't do this now, we might regret it when we're older."

Criss-crossing China, they have seen more of the nation's vast landscape and visited more places than most people ever will. "We've made many friends along the way and so far our road trip is turning out to be the best choice we've ever made," Cheng added.

Thirty-one-year-old actor Ma Shuai uses his motorhome for different purposes, namely to serve as a real home. After graduating from college in 2013, Ma rented an apartment in Beijing, spending over 4,000 yuan ($600) on rent every month. With his work taking him all over the city, and country, his apartment was just sitting empty.

Last March, when Ma's rental contract was about to expire, his landlord raised the rent by 300 yuan ($45). It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Ma gave up the apartment and took up residence on the road.

He spent around 100,000 yuan ($15,000) on a travel trailer, attaching it to his car. On a monthly basis, he now spends 500 ($74) to 600 yuan ($89) on parking fees and under 200 yuan ($30) on a gym membership—with the gym conveniently located right next to "his" parking lot, so he can both keep fit and shower.

The mobility is a major plus. When he lands a gig outside Beijing, he can easily go there, park his whole house somewhere near the set and even nap at noon. Even though the pandemic did cut into the number of job offers, Ma's Douyin videos gained him many followers as well as some income.

Temporary or permanent residence?

Inspired by Ma, one 28-year-old vlogger conducted an experiment to see whether a person can really live in a motorhome instead of renting an apartment in downtown Beijing. Different from Ma's career, which is always on the move, this vlogger had a fulltime office job. He started his experiment in winter 2021, and continued it for more than two months.

It can save you money, he concluded. An apartment easily costs you 6,000 yuan ($890) per month, but the cost of motorhome living is only about 2,400 yuan ($357). "It's all very doable," the vlogger said. "But you do have to consider all the inconveniences, including poor soundproofing, the hassle of carrying water to fill the water tank and regularly dealing with all types of waste."

"Many RV vloggers are more inclined to paint a pretty picture of motorhome life in order to attract more viewers," said Wang Zhi, a Beijing resident and proud RV owner. "The real picture is far from fancy."

"A minor detail, which many overlook, is that many small items, such as bowls, cups and pots should be taken good care of," Wang said. If you prefer to use real plates, for example, you will have to use a dish organizer to keep them from sliding around inside the cabinets while driving.

Wang also noted that as China's number of motorhome parks is still rather limited, RVs can often only park in public lots, where fresh water and power-charging service are not provided. "Power generated by the vehicle's solar panel is also limited, especially in winter and summer when heating and air-conditioning are musts in RV life. And when it rains, it pours," he added.

Such issues, though, pale in comparison to the fun you get from touring around in an RV. "This is the charm of motorhome travel: You encounter problems and you deal with them," said Xue Yu, an RV lover from Beijing.

Xue is among the first in the city to get a C6 driving license, a new license for driving light towing trailers released this April. The policy is also believed to encourage the further development of the RV niche.

"The new license helps to bring RV driving up to standard," he said. "I believe the supporting facilities of RVs will also see much progress in the years to come." Motorhome travel is like an old diesel engine: It just needs to warm up. 

(Print Edition Title: Homes on Wheels)             

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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