Designing A Tiny House Truck For Kaziranga Wildlife Living
Updated: Sep 30, 2022
"Going to the woods is going home," says John Muir. One of the most sought-after wildlife attractions along the Brahmaputra River is the Kaziranga national park. This diverse forest in India spreads out over 430 sq. km of area located in the Northeastern state of Assam, in the Nagaon district. The sheer variety of wildlife and the awe-inspiring landscapes make this place unique. It is one of the finest wildlife refuges in the world & home to the largest population of great one-horned Indian rhinoceros. The park is famous for saving them from the brink of extinction in the early 20th century. The ecosystem of Kaziranga has almost 80% of flora & fauna unique to the region. Alongside the one-horned rhinoceros, the park is famous for tigers, elephants, swamp deer, Antelopes & wild Asiatic water buffalos. This tropical broadleaf forest is home to 500 species of birds. For avid birders, it is a great spot to explore the famous Spotted owlet, black-headed Ibis & greenshank, to name a few. Being a tropical deciduous forest, it has different types of vegetation. Indian gooseberry, Kumbhi & cotton trees are some of the famous trees that can be seen in the park & along the river shores as well. In light of the above information, Kaziranga is one of the best places to visit in Assam. Visting is an option but have you ever given a thought to living there? If yes, you are in the right place. We are here in designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga Wildlife living.
The topography of Kaziranga national park flourishes with dense forests, shallow pools, tall elephant grasses, and marshes. Due to its unique natural environment, it became a world heritage site in 1985. The Brahmaputra river system circumscribing the park provides fertile & alluvial soil for better habitation. Due to the sedimentation & new land formation, it behaves as dynamic ecological and biological processes. The park experiences monsoons from July to September, during which two-thirds of the western region immerses underwater. The elevated fences provide shelter for animals during floods, ranging from 40 meters to 80 meters high. As a result, the best time to visit the park is from November to April. During the visit, one can enjoy many activities like a jeep safari. It is a major attraction for tourists of Kaziranga that gives a mesmerizing view of nature and wildlife. You can also take an elephant safari or a boat ride in the Brahmaputra Marshes seeking some adventure. If you are an explorer, you may choose to trek in the lush wild surroundings.
Through increased tourism, the park has a profound impact on economic empowerment. It helps in recognizing the value of veterinary care and park protection. Tourism is no longer the only influence, as human settlements exist around the park as well. The authorities have their challenges in protecting the site from illegal incursions of poachers and herdsmen.
People in wildlife habitat are a known source of the disturbance. In Manas, people who collect natural resources in the park have not only impacted the presence of species in areas but also their behavior if compared to species from a mostly undisturbed habitat. To understand this better, the study used 9,209 independent photographs of the seven prey species from Manas and Kaziranga taken by camera traps,
Dipankar Lahkar, tiger researcher in Aaranyak, told Mongabay-India.
The dream of living in Kaziranga park does not start from wanderlust stories. In the present time, it is common for people in their corporate life to be frustrated with their errands & artificial environment. Though they are in every sense well, they still crave the closeness of nature. The most profound way to experience is to live by it. Your moving space is going to be your new home in Kaziranga. But, it takes a lot of preparation & acknowledgment to have one. Choosing the appropriate accommodation and your necessities for a comfortable life is the foremost step.
You will always find the essentials you need in the wild. But are they as comfortable & convenient as your own home? It is impossible to live entirely on forests for a week by relying on them. Your own home is vital for your happiness and safety. You need everything from food to water to safety to security. Does a truck have the capacity to accomplish this task?
Designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga wildlife living that is sustainable and beautiful.
William Shakespeare said,
"Nature is the visible expression of the invisible God."
It is true nothing can be more mesmerizing than living in the lap of nature. New Study reports show that living close to nature improves mental health & emotional well-being. If you have a dream of living in the Kaziranga national park, a beautifully designed moving home will take you closer to it. Before boarding for such a rewarding experience, you should consider various factors. The truck you choose should have sufficient power & a robust frame for all the conditions. It needs to be built on a solid structure to withstand heavy jerks & remain intact from inside. It is about how you manage your utilities within a moving truck considering all the preventive measures. One needs to be precise & methodological in deciding all the factors like compactness & adequate mountings while designing a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, water & food management, electricity supply & storage concerns.
At Simplykalaa, we decided to gain plenty of knowledge so that you could live at a place like this.
Making Up the living room.
The living room is the least occupied space for your home on wheels. It is more like a hangout area. By choosing a layout, you can precisely dimension your space. We have created the elementary living room to accommodate all of your belongings. To begin a design, let's jot down the essentials you'll need to meet. Whatever you want -- a book, a tiny sofa, a place to work, or even a fireplace -- it can be whatever you want. Taking into account the fact that your living area is also small, the dining area must be integrated into it as well. This space works best when built in front of the main door. For a more beautiful experience, you can have a window beside for your dining to brighten it up with enough daylight. It will make you feel more involved with the surrounding nature & less suffocated within the constrained space. We have included this as the first step in designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga wildlife living. The steps to make one for you is:
Step 1 - On one side of the truck trailer, make an opening for a sliding door or outward pulling type door. Protect the panels with toughened glass. Step 2 - On the opposite side of this door, create a platform that can act as your kitchen. The end part of the trailer (above the rear wheels) will be your living room. Step 3 - Elevate the flooring so that it can demarcate itself with the kitchen. Place a sofa cum bed on the same wall where the entry door is present. This can act as your living space as well as the bedroom. It can also have storage inside it. Step 4 - Make an opening of the window on all three walls of the room. Step 5 - Make a platform attached to the end of the trailer (opposite to the driving compartment) where you can sit and enjoy greeting nature. Step 6 - The storage will be the elevated floor, sofa cum bed, and cabinets near the bed. Step 7 - For entertainment, install a projector and screen on the ceiling. Step 8 - Now comes the groundwork for the best flooring. Cork flooring is the most sustainable option. It is tough, durable & soft as a feather being a better alternative to vinyl flooring. Step 9 - Lastly, for lightening up your room, use ceiling lights and the ones below the bed.
Summary - The living area is more like a recreation area. For a moving home, the biggest concern is that everything should be attached. The booth dining is the preferred choice but we will be making it differently. On entering the trailer, you will be greeted by the dining space and the kitchen. Walking along the rear side, you will find your living room cum bedroom.
Creating the Kitchen.
Most of the compact & narrow-oriented areas have to keep precision while designing the kitchen. For healthy conversations to kick in, our kitchen covers the center layout of the trailer. You can start by placing a single cedarwood or another durable wood slab on the wall opposite the entry door and to the sharing wall of the bathroom. Choose your material wisely for the slab as it has to be durable & scratch resistant. For cleaning purposes, you can fit a camper sink. The sink could also be the one with a lid that acts as an extra platform area when you are out of unclean utensils. Under the kitchen platform, we will design our cabinets. Make sure to use styrofoam panels for better insulation. This will help us to store our food supply for longer durations. While doing so, you should add a temporary lock to the cabinets. It is necessary to keep them organized while on the move. For cold storage, install a low voltage small refrigerator. Another addition that you need to do is the stove. Place it on the wall opposite to entry door, where we will also make a cutout for a window. This will help you interact with nature while cooking and facilitate cross ventilation. The stove could be electric or dependent on propane. While using the latter one, install a gas detector near the propane tank for safety measures. In designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga wildlife living, one must adhere to include all the essential elements with him. The systematic approach should be:
Step 1 - Upon entering your home, you will see the kitchen platform on the right side and the front. Step 2 - The slab goes up to the elevated space of the living room, near which you can also place a coffee maker for pleasant mornings. Step 3 - Use the space available below the slap for cabinets. Add some surface lights for better focus on the desk. Step 4 - Make a cutout for a window, where you can also place some plants of your choice. This region should not extend your truck width, and for this purpose, we will use a 2-burner stove around it. Step 5 - Install a shoe cabinet under the platform which is built near the door. Step 6 - For the dining room, use the space available on the wall where we have architectured the door. You can set up a bench that can fold into seats and a surface to eat. Step 7 - On the rooftop, build a skylight window and place an exhaust that lets the fume find its way out. It will also serve as a light source.
Creating the Bathroom.
A small compartment to the right of the entry door and just behind the driving cabinet is the bathroom. It has access to water & installed with a small blower fan to keep away the bad smell. Composting toilets are the most environment-friendly & easy disposal toilets for moving space. It doesn’t require any chemicals or enough water for disposing of the waste. Minimum odor & separation techniques are the best outcomes. Adding a small hand shower can ease the access to water in an utter compact area & help the bath remain clean. The water tank remains under the floor in contrast to the weight displacement of the vehicle. It will prevent the upper desk from any leakage also. For constructing a leak-proof bathroom, it is advisable to use waterproof paints. Not only will the bath be protected, but it also looks stunning. Some steps to create it:
Step 1 - This compartment is built up in the minimal area you have. Step 2 - You can do that with the area left to the right of the entry door or just behind the driving compartment. Step 3 - Install a sliding door on the wall opposite the living room to access the bathroom. Step 4 - On the way-in of the bathroom, install wooden bidding on all four corners, especially at the bottom to prevent water from going outside. Step 5 - As you have a kitchen & bathroom nearby, frame the water tank below them. It will provide you with the shortest waterways and prevent future leakage due to longer pipes. Step 6 - Your bathroom will start to come together when you put in the flooring. Vinyl flooring is the best laminated & budget-friendly tile for used wet surfaces. It comes in a range of designs & textures with wooden boards.
Summary - The fundamental aspect of a bathroom is sustainability. When built to live in nature, it should not affect nature in any manner. Key points to note are minimal area, composting toilet & waterproofing of all the joints. Put up some biddings to prevent water flow inside the camper. Try to utilize the minimum amount of water by using a hand shower. Choose your flooring wisely for durability & safety concerns.
Creating the external storage.
In designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga Wildlife Living, we must carry all the adventure tools in our bag. The truck’s body should be robust enough to carry a lot of attachments. It would be better if the structure is a steel frame with aluminum skin for strength & weather conditions. All the add-ons should be sturdy enough to assist as storage units. The boxes in the narrow compartments below the structure are used for storing pipe hoses, electrical equipment & supplies like a torch, rope, etc. Depending on the truck design layout it can accommodate more units such as Main toolbox storage. The vehicle should also carry a towing cable with a self-assisted motor to deal with unknown circumstances. It makes you always ready to face any adverse situation. On the side panels, attach the receiver switch for hanging your dirt bike & other adventure gears like crampon, Jumer & Ax. It will help in utilizing the area & keeping the external dirt out. After collecting all the utilities, you still need a ladder for roof management that will adjust anywhere downside.
In the tiny moving home, the roof must be equipped with a system to meet energy demand. So, solar panels are the most efficient option to opt for. They can easily be installed on the roof for electricity & energy storage needs. The controller & electronics can be extended by wires to the lower deck where all the wiring meets. It becomes easy to keep a tab & utilize the leftover space.
Here is a briefing for the planned way to do it:
Step 1 - The outer structure is the storehouse for your maximum supplies. Step 2 - First part is to cover all space that is available under the floor. It is mainly a sliding box that can settle across the width of the truck. It depends on the vehicle design you choose. Step 3 - Use a receiver switch that helps in hanging & anchoring heavy objects. You can pack your off-roader outside. Step 4 - Use the roof to place the antenna for comms & networking. Step 5 - Now coming inside, you will find an area under the bed. The sliding cabinets can be constructed based on dimensions. That will help as a wardrobe unit.
Personal safety & ecological concern
Living in nature comfortably within your moving homes sounds interesting! Though one has to take safety measures before going in. There is no doubt, Kaziranga is a marvelous piece of nature but it is a living forest. You have to be protective & be ready for any circumstances. Even if you have your own home, you might encounter several hurdles. To know about the local flora & fauna will help in many ways. You would not be munching any poisonous berries & also take precautions from various plants & trees. Knowing about the animals there & their movement, you know how not to get tracked. Knowing & using the herbs available also helps to remain fit. Still, you never know what you might encounter, so consider having a first aid kit, antiseptics & some bandages. Apart from that, what type of truck you are using also has an important role. One needs to consider all the emergency conditions that might occur. That's why, while selecting the truck it is preferable to opt for a hybrid version. Sometimes you might not have enough fuel but still manage to drive out using an electric engine. Moreover, having two alternative sources, you won't get stuck anywhere.
While considering various ways for your safety, you have to be conscious of your activities towards ecology. It is a fact that not only trees but plants, animals & insects are disappearing at an alarming rate every day. It is putting the earth’s balance at risk. There are only a few parks left as the national park of Kaziranga. While living there, your focus should be giving back to nature rather than taking it. Try to take only non-toxic & more nature-based products with you for your daily use. Never dump your dirt or any plastic product in the forest area to avoid unnecessary soil contamination. You should be aware that your curiosity to know should not disturb the animals. So, avoiding trails on the grazing land will also help the habitat. You can take many initiatives like the plantation of native flora, vegetation & agroforestry.
How to manage basic needs?
Apart from safety & security, we need to know our surroundings. Living joyfully in Kaziranga within your truck trailer is mere fantasy. Even though your place loads with all your utilities, you still need the forest to provide for you. It becomes necessary for you to learn the art of forestry. That is how you can survive on necessities that can easily be available from native flora & fauna. Kaziranga has 132 species of sour fruits, leafy vegetables & 12 cane species. There are many other consuming foods & it is because of the large amount of water flowing through the forest. Being a tropical forest & such a hefty flow of rivers fulfills your water needs. It is also advisable to prefer running water over groundwater. That is why you should haul your mover near a flowing water passage. But this is nature, don't depend too much on it. You could come across heavy rainfall & carrying some water purifying tablets for emergencies is an appropriate choice. Least to say, these are some endless wants that forest will give you. But, it's an undeniable fact that living in sync with the forest, you can never be short on your needs.
Mata Amritanandamayi said ‘Let us take from nature only what we really need, and try to give back to some extent.’
Conclusion.
A soothing environment is where every human wants to live. And how you can live in one is what we have tried. To have a small moving home in Kaziranga is like a dream come true. Hence, a proper guide in designing a tiny house truck for Kaziranga wildlife living is a must. But, at the same time, we should be aware of our heritage & wildlife.