So, after years of talking about it, we finally did it. Throwing caution to the wind and ignoring the small voice in the back of heads telling us to put the money into our mortgage – we bought a campervan!

As you may have seen from this blog, we have hired a couple of vans over the past 2 years and so had a pretty clear idea of what we wanted (automatic, under 2.5 m tall, fits in a parking space, rear kitchen) – we just had to find it. Turns out small rear kitchen vans are few and far between, so having located a potential at Harbour Creek Motorhomes on Hayling Island, we decided to take a risk, book a one-way flight and hope that it was what we wanted. Lucky for us it was almost exactly right (I still wish the roof window would actually open) and we became the proud owners of a Westfalia Club Joker City.

On the epic 11 hour drive home we got used to all the buttons and after much discussion (about 10 hours worth) agreed on christening the van ‘Sir Miles A’lot’. Since then we have headed out for many an adventure. We have been kayaking at sunset in Loch Lomond, explored the beaches of Aberdeenshire and even been to the circus when it happened to be in town, right next door to one campsite!

  

After the massive error of not bringing the right gas adaptor on our first trip (and therefore no cups of tea) we have got into the swing of things; knowing what we need and what we don’t. We have figured out how to move around each other in the small space and how to set everything up in only a couple of minutes, although no-one wants to be the first to use the on-board loo!

Part of the point of getting the van was to get out and explore, to go to new places and experience new things. We want to make the most of life, to not wait until we are old and retired. Whilst we may have to work full time during the week, the van enables us to check where the sun is shining and just drive there – it’s amazing!