My three must-haves are my toolbox, extra oil, and solar battery pack. It's all about self-reliance. You never know when you will be completely alone with no cell service. All three of these items have saved me on multiple occasions and I never drive too far without them.

Learn how to do the mechanical work yourself. You'll put yourself in a much better position to get out of trouble if you're in a bind. The best part is, after a while, you will start to really understand the language of your bus and you'll be able to catch small issues earlier on before they turn into something you might need an experienced mechanic for.

If you are thinking about Buslife, my best piece of advice is to just go for it. There's no experience necessary. You can lean on the community to help you learn along the way. You'll learn not only how to survive Buslife but you'll learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. Maybe you'll learn that it isn't for you, but you never know until you try. Buslife was the best decision I ever made, I've grown so much because of it, so I always recommend at least giving it a try.

For overnight spots, I try to plan ahead. I use sites like the Dyrt to get an idea of what is around. I try to always have a backup plan in mind as well. THIS IS CRUCIAL, especially if you are traveling alone, intuition is everything. Do your best to arrive before dark and trust your gut. If something feels off about a place, high tail it out of there. Never stay if you don't feel safe.