I’ve noticed something about living in a van.

My mood now depends quite heavily on where I am.

Petal by the sea? Lovely.

A nice view. Sliding door open. Coffee. Maybe a sunset later.

Excellent life choices.

Petal in a supermarket car park, next to a busy road?

Less lovely.

Suddenly I’m questioning what I’m doing here.

Same van. Same person. Same questionable decisions.

Different parking space.

But it goes further than that.

Entire towns and cities have started affecting my mood.

Some places I arrive in and immediately feel at home. I like the streets, the atmosphere, the people. I want to walk around, find a coffee, stay another day.

Others?

Not so much.

Sometimes I can’t even explain why.

Nothing particularly wrong with the place.

Just not for me.

Which is slightly inconvenient when your home is parked in it.

It’s not that I expect every day to come with a spectacular view.

I still need supermarkets. Gyms. Laundry. Water. Somewhere to empty the toilet.

Very glamorous.

But I’ve noticed how quickly a perfectly reasonable day can become slightly disappointing because I’m somewhere I don’t particularly like.

And how quickly that changes when I move on.

Same laptop. Same to-do list. Same slightly questionable internet connection.

Different surroundings.

Different mood.

I’m beginning to suspect my emotional stability is now a geographical matter.

Which is fine.

Petal has wheels.