Knaus Boxlife 600 MQ. Pebble Adaptations!

 We have now had Pebble for nearly four weeks. Strange how you get a brand new van to your exact specifications, or as near as possible and then set about changing things.

First adaptations involved removing all the surplus equipment.

• Out went the bed boards and padded boards for making the front bed.
• Next the ladder, now resting peacefully in our loft.
• Closely followed by  the cargo nets for the bed on both sides and the fittings.
• The cab carpet also sadly got it's marching orders as it wiggled about a lot and felt unsafe.

With the weight considerably reduced we set about adding back things we felt we needed.

• An additional mobile fridge/freezer in the back. Fits perfectly and we have had an additional 12v and 240v plug point put in.

• A few little hooks in the space that housed the ladder. This proved another useful spot for flat things.
• Loads of small containers in shelf spaces for things like keys and glasses.
• A few lightweight plastic crates for storage under the bed.
• Two soft folding boxes for the wardrobe space. Not quite sure why its designated as a wardrobe, a short jacket just about hangs. Great place for storing other things like shoes though.
• A small really cheap magnifying mirror on the bathroom wall.
• Two mats to keep the muck out
• A new heavy duty mat for the cab which works really well and doesn't wiggle.
• A small fan for really hot weather.
• A couple of small door mats for muddy feet.

Everything else we carry fits in well. All our clothes fall into the back lockers over the bed. We even have empty lockers here, although I'm sure we will fill them. 

The big drawers under the sink are perfect for all the kitchen and eating essentials, including our small induction hob and coffee maker. I did actually find a mini washing up bowl but abandoned it for a rectangular silicon bowl instead, which I bought for the new super gas Cadac cooker. This bowl sits on the worktop without moving, so job done. The only extra is a small plastic fold up box under the table for anything else I want inside the van.

Bedding for our new fixed bed was slightly more challenging to source without spending a fortune. The bed has a foam mattress and foam topper. Lidl came to the rescue with double sheets and duvet covers at "Lidl" prices. A double duvet fits perfectly and a mattress protector, cheap and cheerfully, fits over both foam mattresses and then is covered by the fitted sheet. Job done. The bed is extremely comfy.

Linen duvet and pillow set in a stone colour. Bottom sheet jersey in grey.

Our very cheap magnifying mirror does the job.

Kitchens are always another challenge. We used non stick rubber coated shelf liners to cover the glass tops.

In the corner spot the silicon Soft Soak from Cadac. Made to soak the plates of the gas BBQ on the new Cadac 2 Cook Pro, range, doubles up as a washing up bowl ,with the added bonus that because it is silicon, it sits on the worktop and doesn't move. I usually use site facilities for washing up.

We have been pretty ruthless in getting rid of anything that we don't use. So far it has taken two trips. I suspect that more things will follow, after all we are supposed to be camping.

A  nifty little door mat and of course my bee cushion!!

We are in the process of putting a net curtain in front of the back door, as a privacy screen, bug net. Will report back when finished. We have yet to try the bikes on the new Thule Velo Swing, a job for next week.

Knaus Boxlife 600mq. "Pebble" Has Arrived!.

 Time for a change and the new baby has arrived. A Knaus Boxlife 600mq Platinum Selection, to be precise. Purchased from Davan Caravans & Motorhomes in Weston Super Mare. Ordered in October and born June when she arrived from Germany.

A very pretty Artense Grey, hence the name "Pebble!" A rolling stone and all that, we did try to find a more Germanic name but eventually Pebble seemed to fit. Connotations with "The Flintstones" will be ignored. 

 So here she is, a capricious teenager already. Lots of bits and bobs to get used to and remember. Her super duper 360 degree sensors are not quite right yet and her Sat Nav needs to be adjusted to fit us, but apart from a few minor niggles she's ready to go. It only took a week to load her up, good exercise though. Our neighbours must think we are crazy.

A big change from our last van Krystal. A fixed bed which moves up and down over the huge storage area. A dinette in the front and at 5.99m more comfortable to drive. We also had a Thule Velo Swing mounted on the towbar for the bikes, a solar panel and two Lithium batteries. We have ditched the under slung LPG tank which was becoming more problematic to fill and have a camping gas bottle instead with diesel heating. A TV with sound bar and a 5g mi-fi router is also handy. We have abandoned the oven, although we have a two burner gas hob and substituted a new Cadac gas outdoor cooker ( with extras, of course) instead of our electric outdoor cooker. The fridge freezer was quite small so we bought a My Coolman, fridge freezer for the back, handy to keep and use at home when not travelling, perfect for cool drinks!!. We have kept a wind out awning and got a sun shade for the front of it, which worked well on Krystal.

The big question, a smaller van so did it all fit in? Well yes, surprisingly and with space to spare. We did have a massive cull of everything we put back in and actually have room for everything, with two spare lockers. 

A positive change? Yes I think we will enjoy life in Pebble, probably loads more changes before we are totally happy with where things are, but the bed is super comfy and it feels very cosy. Time will tell. So far we are on night 3!!!

Our Motorhome Camping Journey. 38 Years and Rising. Part 2

 2003

Everyone has aspirations and ours was to own an "A Class". Looking back on it now I'm not quite sure why, but it seemed a good idea at the time. 

The children had left home and we decided we needed a little more comfort. Our last van had served us well, although bed making  had started to feel too much like a chore. A pull down bed and more lounging area was just what we wanted. We still carried sailboards and two bikes, so underfloor storage also seemed a good shout!

A Pilote Galaxy fitted the bill perfectly and the dealer in Bath was relatively local. The new van was ordered, with loads of extras, air con, fixed bike rack, tow bar, safari room and satellite TV. After all this van was going to be a keeper.

The start of a new adventure. Lovely van to live in with loads of room inside, a dinette and comfy seating. The large windscreen gave the inside a very open airy feel. I did love the shower in this one, huge with a proper shower door and I could even wash my hair! Easy to live in, relatively easy to drive and not too long.

Always up for improving our set up, we bought a gazebo. Not a good idea, ultra heavy and a pain to put it up, Looked good though and was handy, though a bit too big. Another purchase from a motorhome show, strange how you get caught up in the moment. We reverted back to the large awning and the gazebo went into the loft! Years later we sold it to someone who wanted a covering for their swimming pool, so it went to a good home and we got most of our money back.

 

Our next "improvement". "Let's get a road legal buggy". So we did, a Chinese import on a very heavy fold up trailer. It was supposed to fit in the garage but I guess our measurements were a bit out, so it lived on the drive. We justified the expense by using it at home. Den drove it to work.  Great fun, it struggled up hills with two of us in it, but always attracted attention. It even had a roof rack which the sailboards fitted on. We enjoyed it for a few years and it was great fun, but totally impractical.

Ever "upwardly mobile"!

" I know let's get a car to tow!" Something a bit more comfortable for Den to drive to work in the winter.

The next "improvement".  A convertible soft top Smart Car, on a lighter weight trailer and so it came to pass.

Great to have a car to find all the hidden spots we had missed. Painful to tow around park and reverse! But it gets worse.

Our Pilote Galaxy after 10 years was just beginning to show her age. The final straw was having to change the windscreen when we were hit by a stone chipping. It took ages to wait for a new windscreen and eventually after three attempts it was fitted, though never perfect. 'A' Classes were out!!

 The next folly would have a fixed rear bed. Could 25 feet fit on the drive....just! Our poor neighbours. Billy was about to arrive.

2013

Our Bailey Autograph, called Billy was a lovely van. Masses of space and sleeping arrangements made it feel like we were sleeping in a nice hotel. The bed was super comfy and there was loads of lounging space and a dinette. Lots of extras including air con and a satellite TV. We had a tow bar fitted so we could take bikes but preferred to take Smartie on the trailer. With hind sight total over kill. 

Lovely, if you were parked up and didn't move but painful to park when on the move. Also the van was wider than usual so useless on country roads. We found we needed to plan all our routes. Billy also had a safari room, again almost unused 3 years later. I think our surname should have bee "All the extras!" Yes, it was the next forever van........ sadly NOT.

OK Billy and Smarty looked good but 12 wheels take a lot of looking after. I was always anxious about getting the car on and off the trailer. When towing it was always of slight concern that other vehicles would not realise we had a car on tow. 

Time for a radical makeover.

2015

Our next van was a panel van by IH a Leeds company specialising in high class makeovers. We went for an IH630RL who we christened April. A rear lounge, shower and loo, with a front end kitchen. A good part exchange for Billy sealed the deal at the Malvern show.

 

A lovely looking van in slate grey. The back doors were removed and fitted with a fibreglass pod, which gave us a boot with a hatch door. Nicely finished inside though the doors all emblazoned with the IH motif was a bit over the top. The van on a Fiat bae drove really well and was so much easier on country lanes and camp sites. We had abandoned the TOAD but put our two bikes on the back which worked really well. We had a large pull out awning on the side and loads of lounging room inside the van.

April did well taking us on loads of trips but we had loads of issues with the build quality. Sadly we had to return to the dealer and then the factory numerous times, mostly things wee fixed but we were never really happy with the quality. The final deal breakers for us at the time were small niggles like a kitchen tap that I struggled to lift up, lack of kitchen work space and the drop down bathroom basin which we hated!!

Despite all the niggles we did loads of European trips and enjoyed the whole concept of a panel van which really suited us. 4 years on and time for a change!!

2019

 

A Vantage Neo next. Identical layout to the IH van, except it had a longer kitchen worktop and a fixed bathroom sink. With  and extra solar panel and the addition of a small pantry behind the drivers seat. A compressor fridge made life on the move a whole lot simpler. This van was also an automatic which was so much easier to drive. Everything about our new van, who we christened Krystal, was perfect for us. We had an inverter fitted and a tow bar on the back for our bikes. This time we opted for silver grey.

We really enjoyed Krystal doing 32 000 odd miles in her over 6 years. 429 nights and the bed still really comfy.

On an 180bhp engine she travelled very smoothly with extra power when needed. Vantage were a lovely company to deal with and we did an annual pilgrimage to Leeds each year for the habitation check. Very few niggles with this van and any minor problems were sorted out very easily. However, all good thigs come to an end and we have finally almost said goodbye! Krystal has gone for sale and we have just ordered a new van arriving any day soon!

Another panel van from a local dealer ( the round trip to Leeds was becoming a bit of a chore!) This time we have gone for a Knaus Boxlife 600MQ. Exciting times ahead. A slightly shorter van, just under 6m with a fixed rear that goes up and down and a front dinette. Can't wait to pick her up!

Our Motorhome/Camper Journey. 38 Years and Rising. Part 1

  1986

Our camping journey started back in the summer of 1986. We decided to have a go at camping and when a almost new trailer tent came up for sale through a friend we decided to give it a go. At the huge price of £450 it was actually a bargain as they were about £800 new.

With two relatively small children, a seven and six year old at the time, a four berth trailer tent might be just what we needed. We did not have much camping experience between us but as a child I had spent a few summer holidays in a ready erected tent in Spain and Den had done some basic camping too. Luckily a friend had the same trailer tent so he came out on our first trip with us....then we were off.

One of our first nights away. Blackpool Sands, North Devon.

The back end was fairly easy and quick to put up, except in the rain. The main disadvantage with this tent was if it was wet, the wet canvas went down onto the beds. We put the back end of the trailer up for the overnight stop and slept very comfortably in the two parallel double beds. We spent a lot of time watching for rain on the overnighters through France. When we got home we could just fit the tent in the back lane for drying.

We actually had a good system going and could put the whole thing up including the awning in a relatively short space of time. The kids were actually very helpful most of the time and had their own little jobs to do. We towed with a Rover 100 car, poor thing! Three sailboards on the roof and everything else in the trailer. Looking back on it I'm surprised the whole rig actually moved.

 Three lovely holidays in France with pitches booked through Eurocamp. We were hooked on the great outdoors.

Camping Mariflaude at Hourtin South West France 1987.

1989

By 1989, we had a new hobby wind sailing. This meant we needed to carry more kit. Three boards, sails, wet suits and by then the kids wanted to take bikes. Time for a change. Our Erka trailer tent had to go 😞 We were actually quite sad as we watched it being driven away. Still the £500 in our pockets cheered us up, we actually made a profit after nearly 4 years.

Our next purchase was a panel van, a VW, called  "Harry". 

Bought as a 9 months old parts van in Cardiff and converted by Auto Sleepers in Poole. Overall the cost was around £12 500. High top roof with a roof bed, tow bar and the luxury of a rock n roll bed for us, water, gas and electric!! The kids had a Khyam fast erect tent between them. The top bed we used for storing wet suits, sails and all the other stuff we carried. We did love this van, we had a comfy bed and the kids got a bit more independence. Also this van could be taken anywhere and was much more comfortable for the kids to travel in with duvets and pillows on the back seat, they could snooze the miles away we could have a bit of peace. The only disadvantage here was loo breaks, though it did give us the opportunity to try out all those little French bars with disgusting toilets!!

Over the years our set up grew, until we had two tents ( just in case little friends came for the night) and a drive away awning. Not forgetting of course, the tow bar which now carried 4 bikes....no thought of pay load in those days.

We really enjoyed "Harry" spending most weekends between May and August by a lake in the UK and three weeks every summer in France. The kids made loads of friends and so did we. With two expanding teenagers after 4 years it was time for a change.

1993

Our next van was a "proper" motorhome. Strange when we look back we bought our next van almost by accident. We had started to look around but were not totally sure what we wanted next. However, a toilet and end kitchen springs to mind. We had been vaguely looking at motorhomes when we went to Poole for the day sailing. On the way home we stopped at a dealers and came upon our next van. An Elddis Autoquest 320D GT, this was on a Peugeot 2L petrol engine and it was only 5.49m long, an easy fit on our drive. Six months old and the beds had never been slept in, it cost around £20 000 and we were offered a great deal on "Harry." April had been born.

Pale blue dralon seating ( the colour grew on me after a while) with a front dinette and bench seat, rear kitchen, loo, shower, an awning and a heater! Officially it was a 5 berth but we knew the kids were happy with their tents so sleeping would be fine. It was actually a comfy van with loads more travelling room for the kids and plenty of room for wine and beer crates. Getting the sail boards on the roof was a bit tricky but we managed it. We used the luton for storage. This little van travelled miles and when the children had out grown holidays with us and left home it still kept going. We kept it for 10 years and when it was finally time to go it still looked tidy. The aluminium body work came up beautifully with a few dabs of Mer polish. The only area which was showing it's age was the bed which over time became a bit lumpy, we had our sights set on a more comfortable bed! Time for a change.