Preparing for first major trip
Our first trip is coming up, that being the Isle of Wight for Cowes Week (sailing event) and to visit some other places whilst there.
We have booked a spot at Comforts Farm in Cowes (http://www.comfortsfarm.co.uk) for a few days, and now for quick tip! It generally costs around £60 each way to take the Wight Link ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne in the Isle of Wight. The trick to making that cheaper is to travel at anti social hours. I have booked the outward ferry over at 3am, and the return journey at 1 am! It cost us £27 each way, so all in all no more the £60 for the whole trip! Just going one way during the day would cost the same if not slightly more normally.
I have already started loading the van up with stuff we need, food, pots, pans, utensils, disposable cutlery and plates and bowls etc. This is because we haven't got a sink or waste and fresh water tanks built in yet, I figured the van is a little small for that and we don't have the space. So everything gets recycled, and after all, we only have a camping ring cooker! All pots and pans can be wiped and rinsed if out wild camping, and if at a site can be taken to be washed.
I did buy a 20 litre water tank with tap at the bottom, I figured that would make filling the kettle and cups etc easier than pouring from a 5 litre water bottle from the shops, and its easier to store being rectangular.
I have also been stocking up on things like bottled water, cans of soft drinks, pasta and things like that, so the van has a base stock that can be relied upon always. Pasta is a camping classic obviously!
I have however discovered a lack of storage, so I need to make some additions to the table, as there is space underneath to add a little shelf, hang some cups and stuff like that. I already have some stuff there that needs to be secured with a bungee, so will also add some hooks to hook those onto. Pictures will follow!
I haven't managed to tidy up various bits yet, like the edge of the table countertop is still the raw wood, I have failed to get any edge for it. I did manage to get some more of the little net pouches, at £5.99 for four of them from eBay, thats not bad! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-Car-Van-Truck-Net-Mesh-Storage-Bag-Pocket-Organizer-holder-Phone-Wallet-E-Cig/110966270689?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Still thinking about getting some bigger ones like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Elasticated-Black-Storage-Magazine-Net-Caravan-Motorhome-Campervan-Boat/291566804388?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Can't bring myself to buy one yet as they are much more expensive and so far I haven't really been presented with a time that I have thought I might need one?
I am still also thinking about an inverter, as from eBay they aren't too expensive. I won't be running anything like a TV, so really its just to charge my Macbook. I haven't bought one yet as I already have a can shaped drinks holder type inverter, which whilst not being massive, is enough to charge a macbook, as I have done that in my car before. Obviously I do have a cigarette lighter port in the back that this can plug into.
And finally, I have recently just added up the total cost of everything spent on the van, including purchase price, insurance, service, mot, problems that needed fixing, full set of tyres, spare tyre and wheel, jack kit and towing eye, driveshaft seal, discs and pads all round, cv joints, one tracking rod end, dodgy EGR valve,, materials for conversion, and much much more. So far from January this year when we bought it, we're up to about £3500, which isn't at all bad! If you're prepared to put the time into it yourself, its a lot cheaper than buying one yourself already built. Of course I obtained a lot of materials for free, such as pallet wood for the frame for the ceiling from my workplace, so it cost nothing. However, everything I got for free would not have added up to much more had I had to buy it myself, so £3500 is a good all round figure.
So thats it for this week, I will be updating and filling the van up all throughout this month in preparation for Cowes week which starts at the end of July. Our trip over is at 3 am on the 1st August, so I have to be ready for then!
We have booked a spot at Comforts Farm in Cowes (http://www.comfortsfarm.co.uk) for a few days, and now for quick tip! It generally costs around £60 each way to take the Wight Link ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne in the Isle of Wight. The trick to making that cheaper is to travel at anti social hours. I have booked the outward ferry over at 3am, and the return journey at 1 am! It cost us £27 each way, so all in all no more the £60 for the whole trip! Just going one way during the day would cost the same if not slightly more normally.
I have already started loading the van up with stuff we need, food, pots, pans, utensils, disposable cutlery and plates and bowls etc. This is because we haven't got a sink or waste and fresh water tanks built in yet, I figured the van is a little small for that and we don't have the space. So everything gets recycled, and after all, we only have a camping ring cooker! All pots and pans can be wiped and rinsed if out wild camping, and if at a site can be taken to be washed.
I did buy a 20 litre water tank with tap at the bottom, I figured that would make filling the kettle and cups etc easier than pouring from a 5 litre water bottle from the shops, and its easier to store being rectangular.
I have also been stocking up on things like bottled water, cans of soft drinks, pasta and things like that, so the van has a base stock that can be relied upon always. Pasta is a camping classic obviously!
I have however discovered a lack of storage, so I need to make some additions to the table, as there is space underneath to add a little shelf, hang some cups and stuff like that. I already have some stuff there that needs to be secured with a bungee, so will also add some hooks to hook those onto. Pictures will follow!
I haven't managed to tidy up various bits yet, like the edge of the table countertop is still the raw wood, I have failed to get any edge for it. I did manage to get some more of the little net pouches, at £5.99 for four of them from eBay, thats not bad! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-Car-Van-Truck-Net-Mesh-Storage-Bag-Pocket-Organizer-holder-Phone-Wallet-E-Cig/110966270689?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Still thinking about getting some bigger ones like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Elasticated-Black-Storage-Magazine-Net-Caravan-Motorhome-Campervan-Boat/291566804388?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Can't bring myself to buy one yet as they are much more expensive and so far I haven't really been presented with a time that I have thought I might need one?
I am still also thinking about an inverter, as from eBay they aren't too expensive. I won't be running anything like a TV, so really its just to charge my Macbook. I haven't bought one yet as I already have a can shaped drinks holder type inverter, which whilst not being massive, is enough to charge a macbook, as I have done that in my car before. Obviously I do have a cigarette lighter port in the back that this can plug into.
And finally, I have recently just added up the total cost of everything spent on the van, including purchase price, insurance, service, mot, problems that needed fixing, full set of tyres, spare tyre and wheel, jack kit and towing eye, driveshaft seal, discs and pads all round, cv joints, one tracking rod end, dodgy EGR valve,, materials for conversion, and much much more. So far from January this year when we bought it, we're up to about £3500, which isn't at all bad! If you're prepared to put the time into it yourself, its a lot cheaper than buying one yourself already built. Of course I obtained a lot of materials for free, such as pallet wood for the frame for the ceiling from my workplace, so it cost nothing. However, everything I got for free would not have added up to much more had I had to buy it myself, so £3500 is a good all round figure.
So thats it for this week, I will be updating and filling the van up all throughout this month in preparation for Cowes week which starts at the end of July. Our trip over is at 3 am on the 1st August, so I have to be ready for then!
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