Our lacking trip schedule.....

Since coming back from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, we have failed miserably to use the van as much as we'd hoped for various reasons... These include but are not limited to the following:

I have basically used all of my work holiday now, so I'm struggling to find the time to use the thing. Work for me is quite tiring as it is, so I usually find the prospect of getting the van gone to be used fairly daunting, and that I'm in need of my beauty sleep!

We also have a holiday in Croatia booked for the begining of October, and since this has occurred we've been saving a bit of money to spend there, so the van has taken a back seat sadly. We're not really equipped for wild camping yet, and camp sites cost money, diesel the same, etc. Motivation has been low sadly :(

Unfortunately I have considered SORNing the van so I don't need to tax and insure it, thus saving several hundred pounds, ready for its use again in March/April time next year. I haven't actually done that yet and I'm doing my best to not do that as I like having access to the van as well as my car, and in doing that it will absolutely stop us using it! As long as I can save enough for insurance in January, all will be well. I did also realise that if I SORN it now, I will have paid for nearly a years worth of insurance but will not be able to claim my extra years no claims, which is seeming a bit wasteful.

So she is currently parked and usable, and I have been running her and turning her on ;) occasionally so she doesn't just die on me, as you will see in the video attached to this post.

You will also find in the video a load of new modifications that I decided were necessary since living in the van for over a week in Cowes. These would have obviously been helpful whilst there, along with the few other bits that I had meant to do to the van before going, such as the rear door lock, the other rear door net, and the red Renault decal I had for the bonnet.... all of which have now been done!

One of the things we realised in Cowes, was that the wall with a net on it, above the table, was and still would be a total waste of space. It was rubbish, only held a few bits anyway, and I had a better idea. Ikea sell little Spice Racks for £3 ish, and it turns out 6 of them fit perfectly on that section of the van. My plan is to line 6 of them up there as shelves. The reason I'm using these spice racks is because A) they're cheap, B) they're already made, C) they're easy to install, D) they have bars across the front to stop things falling off them, so they're perfect! If I need to, I will also reinstall the netting over the top so that when I'm driving about, everything is held in place if it needs a little something extra to help with that.

I have only just received my order of Spice Racks, so that will be contained in the next video. Now that I seem to have stopped for 10 minutes, I'm catching up on everything I haven't done, like van stuff and videos which is what I love doing.

Another thing we decided we want to do is replace the bed. Our current sofa bed is great, if you're using it for 1 or 2 nights, but over a week nearly killed us. Our backs were broken. So I will be investigating a new bed, or making one that can double as a seat and getting some cushions made, or something this winter, as this madness can't continue!

The van and the conversion will be taking a tiny back seat once more whilst we go on holiday, so I expect more will ensure mid October, and from then on should hopefully return to being fairly regular during the winter, maybe even a few cold trips hopefully.

I haven't gotten nearly as much use from the camper than I wanted this year, which has been quite disappointing, but there is always next year, and at least there is fun to be had.

If I get my stuff together, I want to do a full and comprehensive review of the Sheltapod, and a run down on the blog of our Cowes trip, although for now the 2 videos will be ample.

If you follow the videos and the blog, thank you, and please bear with me and my slow progress. Life is busy when you work full time, and your spare time is split between the necessity to chill, a campervan you haven't really finished yet, and a boat that you also want to make the most of!