Am I completely insane?

[madanna]

Having aquired a bike trailer for the majority of my journeys, I am now thinking of persuing another dream - to own a camper van.

Sadly I cant actually afford one, and did think about tenting it - but on my own with 2 kids this seems like hassle (another one of my interests that DH has no interest in) - and as I will be driving there anyway......

So a mate suggested a minibus, with basically not much more than beds in - maybe a sink / cooker depending on the room

Now knowing nothin but having a mechanic for a brother, I am not worried about obtaining a good van in exchange for my lil seat car.

But what about the inners?

I have seen on ebay pull down bunks for £20 and a table that converts to a double(ish) bunk starting at 99p (home made but looks good so cant imagine running into £100's)

Is it totally nieve to think that this cannot become a reality on a fairly tight budget? and that I can do alot of this myself?

Not toooo worried about electrics, can managed with torches on rechargable batteries, and realistacally looking at odd nights, weekends, rather than a whole week so can manage food without cooking much - but just getting away - letting the kids see the countryside and coastline that sort of thing.

Anyone got any helpful suggestions / experiences that might help me decide? Is this my over wrought hippy trying to escape (did i mention I intend to spray it pink and have flowers painted on )

Thankin u

Anna (proving once and for all that I am completely mad!)

[Clara]

The NHS auctions ambulances every so often - that´s what we got and the advantages are:

- being the NHS they can´t/won´t put a duff vehicle up for sale, so everything will be in good working order, with service history

- They are already insulated and panelled inside, they will probably have some storage which you may or may not want to keep.

- If you get a paramedic ambulance you will be able to drive it quite fast!

- Our paramedic ambulance is already rigged with 12v sockets and when we can be bothered we will convert the old airlines to take gas.

- You get a little light on the dash which reads "drugs locker open"

The disadvantage is that they take the blue lights and sirens out before sale

It was also quite cheap, about 1100 quid.

We did 3000 miles in 6 months in ours around the pyrenees, we have been up some tracks in that ambulance that would be impassable to all but 4x4s.

Can´t wait to go off again this summer

Happy camping, Clara x.

[Thomzo]

A friend of mine just used an old van. She picked it up for a couple of thousand and literally just put some airbeds or camping rolls in the back. Camping gear did for cooking etc. It's slightly more safe and sophisticated than camping but only just and has the advantage that you can hire it out for friends to move house in.

Zoe

[red]

we did it see my van page
enjoyed making it - and we made the van just right for us

[Stonehead]

I agree with Clara about ambulances. One of the biggest auctioneers of ambulances and similar vehicles is Merthyr Motor Auctions, about 20 miles out of Cardiff. When I worked on car magazines 10 years or so ago, we got a few vehicles from them.

It's also worth looking out for private ambulances (but be more careful in having them checked), ex-MoD ambulances (not all of them are 4x4s), and workshop vehicles as used by utility and construction companies (some of the latter have sinks, cookers fitted already).

[Muddypause]

I think I'd approach this as an evolving thing. First get a bare van, and go away in it for a weekend. Resolve to rough it for the first trip. Take what you think you'll need - air beds; portable cooker, etc. And don't go so far from home that you can't get back when you find you've forgotten the tin opener (or that airbeds are just too uncomfortable).

Whilst you are away, assess what would make life easier - beds here, bit of hanging space there, a cupboard unit to put the cooker on, a small fridge maybe, plasma screen TV in the roof, suroundsound speakers positioned around the place, and the whirlpool somewhere... Well, maybe not all of those will be necessary.

Over the course of a few trips, you can gradually assemble your perfect camper van. No need to do it all at once.

[madanna]

Excellent - thanks guys - knew I could count on some positive support here lol

I was actually thinkin that just roughin it in the back was a good place to start - and those weblinks are brill - thank u sooo much

I will let u know once I aquire me a van - maybe i'll blog the story too.

Anna

[the.fee.fairy]

The old NHS ambulances sound brilliant!

All i need now is a driving licence...

I especially like the Drugs Locker light - that appeals no end!

[Clara]

The weird thing is that when we were searched in France (like if I was gonna smuggle drugs I´d do it in a van that yelled HIPPY! from 500m ), they didn´t go in the drugs locker because they said that it was private !

Clara x.

[fenwoman]

if you have a towbar howabout a cheapo caravan? I've seen several offered on freecycle over the last year. I bought a folding caravan thingy off ebay a couple of years ago for £90. I stripped the insides out though as I never go on holidays, and use it as a permanent carboot sale trailer. Loads of space and a weather proof lid which folds out to become the selling table. As one old chap remarked "cor, that's a big suitcase"

[Stonehead]

if you have a towbar howabout a cheapo caravan? I've seen several offered on freecycle over the last year.

That reminds me of something I saw years ago in the outback in Australia. I came across a really, really bonkers couple who had a flatbed truck with an old, wheel-less caravan strapped onto the back.

I asked what they were doing with it. They laughed and said it was their camper van!

I didn't believe them at first, but it really was. They had a ladder to get up and down to the door, with had a table and chairs bolted down to the flatbed behind the caravan for outdoor dining.

He was dressed in a white, baggy suit that looked like it was made from old sheets, with a piece of floral carpet made into a belt, and an ancient hat with another piece of carpet for a hatband. He topped it off with a pair of red Doc Martins.

She was dressed in an outfit that looked like a plump fairy had crashed into a rockabilly chick (big skirt, big hair and high heels plus lots of silk scarves, sequins and really OTT jewellery).

And it wasn't their camper or their dress sense that made them bonkers, it was the conversation...

All that on a dirt track way out in the middle of nowhere - for the Aussies, we're talking somewhere between William Creek and Marree.

[baldowrie]

Trouble with cheapo caravans is that they are very often nothing more than rotting ply board on wheels! If your are going that way fork out £10-£15 for a damp meter and touch NOTHING that smells damp or has damp signs inside the cupboards.

You can buy largish pop up family tents now.

Also trailer tents can be picked up for sometimes £300, as my friends have just done, and all you need to do most of the time is redo the water proofing on the canvas and the occasional patch on the roof.