Living on the beach

 Ah, its a dream isnt it, find somewhere nice to settle on your camper for a while, a quiet beach just a little out of town, a little bar, a few other friendly campers.  Life is good.  The little guy comes every morning to comb the sand in his tractor, he even waves now, three times a week the bins are emptied.  Locals fish off the sea wall, dog walkers and joggers enjoy the gentle breeze as they go about their days. I think ive found the best place to be 'stuck' if or when the second lockdown comes.   Feeling quite smug i settle nicely into a sort of routine.  Wake up, wash, clean inside van, walk the beach into town, explore, but provisions, return to van, sit in sun and read, cook dinner and relax. Very nice indeed! 

I have a new neighbour John who also lives in his van (posher motorhome tho) so we have hung out a bit and had a laugh.  Last night we had huge storms, arc lightening across the bay, rain pelting down on my roof alot of the night.  Ah well im cosy in my little van and life is good. a bit of rain is all part of it isnt it?

Waking this morning the 'bit of rain' is now A LOT of rain! Im still looking out fo the window and messaging my new neighbour and still feeling cosy.  An hour later, thunder and lightening are still very much present and i look out of my window to see a river flowing rapidly under my van.  Brain kicks in, im on sand, there is a lot of water. Oh shit. Do i try to move and risk bedding myself in?  Do i wait it out - surely the storm will pass and it'll be all fine again? Checking my weather app theres another four hours of extreme weather. John braves it and heads for higher ground, i jump into the drivers seat and - filled with terrifying visions of being towed out of a big wet sandy hole - begin to drive. John calls and talks me through the route, im having hot flushes driving into large sandy puddles worrying im not going to make it to the other side. Swearing i slowly make it the two hundred or so yards off the beach and into the port. Bloody hell that was terrifying and exhilarating all at once!

Todays lesson - only park up on the beach in good weather.  Check weather daily.

Now wheres the kettle 

Vanlife, the early days.

 I aways knew would be a challenge, ive only really used my van for weekends and max 3 nights at a time. living in it is a completely different vibe!

Less is definitely more, unless you want to find yourself packing, unpacking and repacking several times a day.  Its also useful to find items that have multiple uses, such as my table, it used to have one leg and would clip to the worktop inside the van, now ive added two legs and I can use it outside as well. Multi use items are worth their weight in gold! 

Also, I don't have a fridge for space reasons and also as a veggie I have less that needs to be kept cool. I shop at Lidl/Aldi and local veg shops every 2-3 days so usually have fresh stuff at hand. 

Water, I have two ten litre tanks under the sink (one fresh and one waste water), in my biggest cupboard.  These are used up so fast and space is at such a premium that ive whipped them out, filled the cupboard with food and drink and now use a collapsible bucket for washing up.  Ive four five litre bottles in the back that I fill up when im near water.

Loo - having a loo on board is essential - Covid has ensured that all public loos are now bolted shut, I understand why and am so glad I have my little portaloo. It tucks nicely into the gap where the fridge would have been and I can empty it at the many service stations on the motorway.

Cooker/gas - I have a fixed two burner hob and use it at least twice if not more a day.  The gas here is super cheap and I rarely eat out so its a great tool                                                            .  I also heat water to wash myself, hair and washing up. Totally needed - I know some people have a outdoor kitchen but I like to get the kettle on whilst im still in bed! 

Talking of beds, mine is a rock and roll bed, its a bit firm and its a pain to put out each evening - so if you can afford it get a fixed bed and check that mattress! I don't have room for a topper so I gotta get used to it! Also bedding takes up a surprising amount of space - it fills my wardrobe area at the back so my small amount of clothes are in a backpack I keep in the cab. 

Power - Im running a laptop, phone, sewing machine and my Garmin. Not a huge amount but I do like to have enough power to not have to drive about or start my engine.  On board I have two super light and thin solar panels on the roof (£200 kit from Amazon) and a leisure battery under the drivers seat featuring a split charge system. This is more than adequate (it helps being in Spain of course!!) 

Whats missing?

After just five weeks im more experienced at living in the van and the two biggest issues are my back (no high roof so often bent over whilst doing jobs and shower - all the beach showers are wrapped up so its not an option (unless you use them after dark!) so I wash in the sink. a few times kindly ex pats have let me use their showers - gosh you really do learnt to appreciate the small things!!

Bike - id love a small folding bike I can nip about on when visiting towns rather than driving my van to small villages etc.  I am on the lookout for one!! I did bring my mountain bike but its bulky and im always worried it will get stolen.

Vehicle 

The way I see it you have two choices - a spacious high roofed vehicle that offers comfort and full facilities, with the downside that you are more conspicuous, you can't get under many barriers in car parks (usually 2 metres max) and fuel consumption is not as good. Or, a smaller vehicle (such as my VWT5) that has good economy, can go almost anywhere, is pretty stealth (and I do like to stay on beaches and in more scenic places and really don't like caravan parks and campsites etc)

In summary the key is to get organised, think hard about the size of vehicle you want to live in. There is a definite trade off either way.

Keeping your van clean and tidy needs discipline and everything needs its own place, its surprising how easy it is to lose things in such a small area!

If you are thinking of living the van life some of these pointers may help you :)

Roadtrip!

I set off yesterday from Valencia to explore the coast south and beyond.  As always I join a few groups on Facebook at the towns im passing through to gather info and find places to park up for the night. I use a selection of apps and don’t always hit the jackpot as its often not a safe feeling or not pretty.  I do love a black!!

A fellow van dweller from Bristol, Marc, kindly recommended Xeraco a week earlier so I got in contact and he met me and showed me a great spot right by the beach. 

After a quiet night, (lets not talk about all the mossy bites that wake me often)  I woke early this morning to the sound of waves and set off in a previous failed mission of some sea caves along the coast from Denia called Cova Tallada (Cova is cave - geddit?).  Recently id showed up at 10am only to find it swamped with tourists, something ive been trying to avoid where possible.

I drove through the mountains in the early mists, orange groves for miles and small smoke plumes where the farmers were clearing debris. It was beautiful. The oranges are not yet ready im reliably informed and they are bitter as hell, they look so luscious and orange you just want to try them only to be bitterly disappointed (lol) Also I learn that if a field has no boundaries, subject to fair use like your internet package, you can help yourself.  Im not busy looking for pomegranate, butternut, orange, lemon, and all manner of goodies to fill my little rucksack!

Arriving at the nearest road to the caves I was one of only three cars, brilliant! 

Id read up on the hike, 45 mins and a little tricky, they weren’t wrong!  Narrow paths  up and down the cliffs sheer drops and chains to hang on to! Ive noticed on the last few hikes ive been feeling a small degree of vertigo, I hear its common in women of a certain age and it makes me quite disappointed and more determined to go on, that said im so glad I got new boots a few weeks ago, the grip is insane!

Reaching the caves I scrambled up the wet rocks - my t short was wet and it wasn’t the sea, more fear of slipping and the strenuous hike. A few pics and a drink and I trekked back to the van in a now almost full car park.

Back on the road I was already thinking about where I might park up this evening. Looking ahead I was going to pass Benidorm and Alicante, neither of which I fancied.  I prefer small towns and pretty little villages - but it was interesting to drive through the almost desolate tired tourist hotspots.  Very strange to see empty restaurants and quiet streets. 

After a couple of failed attempts at not so suitable spots I found talk of a peninsula online La Manga, with a spot right at the end.  It was a good hour out of my way but you have to work for the good stuff sometimes!! On I drove and I passed so many high towers like buildings, some hotels and some residences, many for sale and again empty streets, although it is out of season and only 24 deg! After what seemed like forever the road narrowed - I had the sea either side of me and it felt a big wave would wash you away! I was at the end finally and arrived almost on a little beach.   A couple of other vans were there and both not super friendly so i walked on the beach and made some food.  And this brings me to now.

A Spanish guy in a motorhome has just pulled up next to me, we’ve had a chat, Jose (oh please rolls eyes) has gone fishing - this is about all we can manage to work out as our command of each others language is so bad haha!! 

Anyway im going to sign off and enjoy a glass of wine and the cool breeze of the med.

Snapped!

We are still awaiting a repaired camper van from our lovely friends here in Hamilton, North Island.  Im pretty sure they are sick of the sight of us - nice as we.  It cant be good having two travellers invade your home and spend days out while you have to work. Days out in your car....Todays day out was a trip to Tauranga and Rotorua.  We set off in the drizzle with flip flops in the boot and a bunch of hope.  We knew we had arrived in Rotorua by the nasty rotten egg smell emanating from the steaming and impressively large Rotorua lake.  I jumped out of the tiny Roadster and immediately regretted my wardrobe decisions, shorts were really not the best idea in the cool drizzle.  Having the briefest touristy walkabout i returned to the safety of the soft top.  Lloyd jumped in and started the engine  - his comment 'the accelerator has disappeared' made me dissolve in giggles at the sheer stupidity of it, he pointed and also began laughing, i looked down, indeed the accelerator was no more, it had literally disappeared.  For some daft reason we were unable to compose ourselves for some time.
A deep breath and a good look with the torch on my phone and it appeared the pedal had completely snapped in half! Jeez this wasn't good.
I found a nearby garage on google maps and we managed to limp the car there with the use of hazard lights, lots of accelerator wiggling and some high gears.  A smiley local guy said he could weld it and we went off in search of the alleged 'best pie in New Zealand'. Now don't get me wrong, best anything is good but i see such claims daily across New Zealand, and indeed Aussie.  We found coffee and pies and they were indeed very good.
After a long walk the call came to say the car was fixed, a good job done at a fair price and we were back on the road to Tauranga, to meet Angry Garry.  Garry was a chap we had met previously and id nicknamed him (to his face and he agreed!) as he is a permanently cross chap.  His son was fun and we had a couple of drinks and a beer.
I sit here typing waiting to hear if the camper van has passed its WOF or Warrant of Fitness, same as an MOT but NZ.  If so it means we can finally head to Wellington.

In other news, i have decided to take December off and have arranged a house/pet sit in Vietnam for a small dog.  Yknow those fluffy white ones the Asians love to trim and use decoratively.  I hope he's good, i haven't much dog experience, apparently he's super hilled and even has his own Instagram page. Eeek.  December will be spent taking care of myself, reading, planning and exploring Vietnam. There's even a scooter with the job!
Quite excited.

North Island in a 20yr old sports car..

Ok im 51 and 3/4 and getting in and out of a sports car that is almost as low as the kerb has been great for my flexibility hehe.
Zooming around windy roads here in North Island has been great fun, although its super hard to hold a conversation as the soft top doesnt really have any sound protecting qualities (plus im deaf on the drivers side too)! So we point and gesture instead which seems to work.
Its a curious landscape here, i was expecting a million sheep  - yknow, New Zealand lamb and all that but what i mostly see are a million cows. Upon research i discover that most farmers have moved over to the more profitable dairy and beef industry.  Lloyd says the natural land looks 'raped' and i think i agree. Km after km of flat agricultural land is the norm, with some hills and mountains.  The real beauty shows itself when we hit the coasts and you see a myriad of islands and green hills, stunning.
We travelled all the way to Cape Reinga in the tip of the north and it was majestic, then back down to Doubtless Bay to stay in a nice little self-contained apartment on a hill for a night.  Dinner was overlooking the sea in a fish and chip place, veggie burger for me obvs.
Back at our hosts house we find another couple of visitors, Joy and Bruce and the six of us have a few nice eves with chatter and wine and food, Lloyd and i love cooking and entertaining for others so often commandeer a kitchen.  Our hosts Glen and Liz take us to Rangariri to see where the battle happened in 1863 (where 1500 British troops defeated about 500 Maori warriors) I felt a pang of guilt for being a Brit as i learned the story. We then visited some wetlands as NZ is a major wetland area and hosts the biggest collection of seabirds in the world, there was a cool shop with tons of stuffed birds and loads of books and info.  Then onto a Maori graveyard in Glens hometown, they bury their own dead rather than dealing with the local authorities and these graves were by the sea.  Bruce suddenly started playing the bagpipes as we perused the headstones, strangely eerie but kind of fitting.
Sunday brought a big family gathering and there was mass cooking, the numbers went from 7 to 15 in minutes and we all pulled together, it was a great laugh We have been here a week now and we think the camper van repair may be today.....
In other news i have secured a pet sit in Vietnam during December! More on this later.
Kia koa for now!

New Zealand

I was hesitant to leave Aussie and knew i could have spent years exploring more but my visa was up and the flight from Melbourne to Auckand awaited.

I leanred at check in in Melbourne there was a new visa requirement for NZ, shock! i had to apply online at the last few minutes before the desk closed, it was a close call! Just three and a half hours later i was walking through the departure area and meeting Sheridan, the lady who i was volunteering for over the next five or so days (Lloyd was still back in Melbourne so i got some volunteer work while i waited for him)

Sheridan greeted me with the biggest smile and i knew straight away we would get on well.  Arriving at the house in the hills above Auckland i could not believe my luck! WOW the house was incredible, perched high on the hills you could literally see everything right down to the sea and beyond. I am a lucky girl thats for sure! As soon as we walked in i met Sophie, 19 from Austria, also volunteering and had arrive a few days before, and Brian, Shers hubby who was a delight. armed with dinner and wine we sat and got accqainted. 

The next few days work were so rewarding, weeding in the garden alongside alpacas in the sunshine, cooking in the incredible kitchen, scrubbing the deck and clearing the winter debris from the pool. Sunday was Brians birthday and lots of family were coming so i made a classic victoria sponge and assisted with the cooking and clearing.  I was staying in a cool little camper van on the driveway which was a definate upgrade from my beloved tent in Aussie.

Lloyd arrived late a few days later into Auckland airport and my hosts kindly let me use the car to fetch him.  On the return i got pulled by the cops (apparently i went through a red light!) It was 2am and i was so nervous, i gave my details and the policeman popped them into his device, within seconds he knew all my flight details and immigration status! After a word and a quick breathalyser he let me go - without so much as a stern word. Phew.

Soon Lloyd and i were on the way to Hamilton on a coach and i write this sitting in the back garden of some friends of his who have let us use their campervan for a month - except the water pump is broken so we now have a Mazda sports car for a week and then will retun for the camper when its fixed. This should be interesting!!

Family and friends

Port Lincoln

Mikkira Station, Port Lincoln

Mikira was incredible, firstly because we were the only ones there and secondly you could camp under the trees and enjoy the koalas above, we also saw emus and there were hot showers! bliss


Probably one of my favourite stops so far, arriving one morning with a dew covered tent we stopped at a friendly looking cafe and draped the flysheet over the back of the ute to dry out.  We walked in to a warm welcome from the woman we now know as Megan (pronounced Meegan in Aussie!) She recognised Lloyds accent immediately and started chatting about  S Africa as she'd been three times, we all got on like a house on fire and by the time we had left Megan had invited us to stay at a caravan in her garden! Such kindness from a total stranger warmed our hearts. We turned up with a cheery smile and a bottle of wine later that evening to be told we were being upgraded to a bedroom.  We met Megans husband Rhidian and their two sons and had such a good time, we stayed three nights while we went to visit some tour operators

The most notable operator here was a guy called Matt who was running a shark cage diving operation with a difference, Matt had two USPs, one he was not using any form of chum or burley (operators usually use fish heads and parts to entice the shark) and two he had a submersible dry glass tank that anyone could sit in and watch proceedings whislt having a cuppa! This really opens out the experience to anyone regardless of ability, fantastic! Matt is a larger than life character who readily offered us a couple of trips out and we also swam with sea lions which i really enjoyed.


Adelaide was next on the itinerary and also the realisation that we needed to be in Hervey Bay in early October so we decided to ramp it up a bit.  We arrive late in the afternoon to a warm welcome from my cousin John, his wife Sarah and their daughter Rebecca.  Wonderful to see how well they are all doing and to meet them properly for the first time really (apart from when John and i were children many moons ago!)
We drank wine and had a lovely meal and were sadly on the way again the next morning.