: How I Turned My Van Into a Campervan With Solar Panels #IndiaNEWS #Eco-tourism An uncomfortable road trip drove Sidharth Varman, a professional in the automotive industry, to think of ways with which

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How I Turned My Van Into a Campervan With Solar Panels #IndiaNEWS #Eco -tourism
An uncomfortable road trip drove Sidharth Varman, a professional in the automotive industry, to think of ways with which he could make travelling a better experience for not just himself, but also others like him with a sense of adventure.
This thought was the precursor for him converting his van into a campervan and eventually launching Roadhouse Campervan, a rental service, in 2020.
Off the beaten track
“Ive been into off�roading for around 15 years now. I’d join my group for drives into the jungle in our jeeps and we’d navigate obstacles and rocky terrain. We would also take part in the tiger census, wherein we’d go into the jungle with a forest official and they would count the number of these wild cats in a certain area,� Sidharth recalls in conversation with The Better India.
On these off-road trips, the lack of accommodation was a problem. They would put up makeshift tents which, all in all, did not make for a very comfortable experience.
“When people are into offroading, or for that matter when they take a van for a trip, at the end of the day, they want to come back to a place that has a shower and some amenities,� he says, adding that this was the moment the idea of building a campervan struck him.
This, however, did not materialise until the COVID-19 lockdown, when Sidharth started to take a keen interest in European campervan culture. He liked the aesthetic that the campervans overseas displayed, and consulted an architect on what interiors would make for a good campervan experience, as well as what materials he should procure.
By this time, he was 30 years old and had quit his job in the automotive industry to go headlong into his plan of having a campervan rental service. He purchased a van and got started with the process of turning it into a campervan, but the idea was met with obstacles.
“There weren’t many builders in Chennai around that time,� he recalls.
So he went with his next best option — fabricators. “When factories in Chennai are being relocated, there are fabricators who set up makeshift offices,� says Sidharth. “I wanted a similar setup inside the van and so decided to go ahead with these contractors. �
Dissatisfied with the amount of time the process was taking, Sidharth rolled up his sleeves and decided that if he couldn’t find a carpenter who could translate his ideas into reality, he would turn into one himself.
“It was difficult to learn the trade, electrical work, plumbing, etc. Every day that I saw the van in my garage was a wakeup reminder for me that I needed to get it on the road as soon as possible. I knew I had to work well and work fast.

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