Dreaming about Vanlife? Portlandia previews your future

Once again, IFC’s Portlandia puts to the screen what we’ve all been thinking. In this case: Most hipsters dreaming of living out of a VW van have their head way too high in the clouds.

Yes, #Vanlife is all the rage on Instagram, as the allure of uninhibited life on the road has gained steam amongst bohemian millennials. Portlandia’s Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen perfectly mock this trend as they spot a mid-‘80s VW Vanagon Westfalia with a $35,000 (firm!) for-sale sticker in the window, and imagine all the idyllic possibilities of nomadic life.

Before long they start to realize maybe Vanlife is not all running through wheat fields while smiling and playing guitar. They cringe at the thought of tight quarters, gas-station food, and where to relieve oneself, and come to understand the experiment would probably end with Brownstein ditching Armisen for a passing trucker just to get away.

And Portlandia didn’t even touch on the fury and frustration of (inevitable) roadside repairs. We’re talking about a Vanagon here, people.