Granny-Anne and I have acquired a new toy. “But that’s a van!” I hear you exclaim. “How did that happen?” Well, it’s a complicated story.
A year ago, having lived quite contentedly without any sort of motor vehicle for about 18 months, it was becoming apparent that a car was needed, if not particularly wanted. No affordable modern car succeeded in firing my enthusiasm so I bought a 40-year-old Morris 1000 Traveller and a conspicuously fine example of a Traveller at that.
During the past 11 months the Traveller has covered 2000 miles, on trips to local shops and hospitals and on one excursion to Devon and back. Apart from a couple of small problems within days of taking delivery it has performed faultlessly. So why the van?
Well Granny-Anne and I were obliged to remain at home for a year (apart from one short holiday) by the number and frequency of my hospital appointments. Now, with all that behind us, the spirit of adventure is awakening and we want to go touring – and with the freedom to avoid relying on hotels and restaurants. What’s more we have form. Many years ago we had some great day trips and longer holidays in a Type 2 VW Camper (the “Bay Window” version), and an earlier Type 1 conveyed me on numerous long journeys across England and Wales, destroying clutch cables as it did so, yet managing to get me home without one (usually in the early hours of the morning), the miserable six-volt lighting severely testing my night vision. Quite simply, despite all its merits the Morris is too small to contain a cooker, fridge, sink with running water, beds for four, TV and DVD etc. plus other facilities including an awning. It is time to revive our campervan ambitions and I cannot justify owning two vehicles.
I doubt that this is a good time of year to sell a car so I may not advertise the Traveller for a while though I will post more pictures here quite soon, just for the record.
Meanwhile, the next time it stops raining I will post more pictures of the VW.
That’s fantastic, sounds like a lot of fun and adventure awaits you! You should christen it and give it a name.
Oh, there’s nothing more fun than getting a new car, except, of course, putting the new car (vehicle) to use in the service of adventure! I do have to ask – that checkerboard pattern. Is that standard over there? It’s just so unusual. It makes me want to play a game of checkers, except I fear they wouldn’t hold to the “board” so well. Perhaps they make magnetic ones?
It’s just wonderful to hear you’re feeling venturesome. Looking forward to hearing more about the successful sale of the car and the plans you make for travel!
It is really good to hear from you both again, D.D. and Shoreacres. You must have thought that I had given up on blogging – and I have to admit that I was tempted.
Oh OK D.D, I will try to think of a name for the wagon if you insist! As for the checkerboard pattern, it is a tough, rubberised fabric cover for the bonnet panel. It is an accessory, not made by VW but by Cheshire Motor Caravans, the company who convert VW vans (and others) to campers. The purpose of the cover is to protect the bonnet panel from stone chips, and the actual cover is known as (no kidding!) a bonnet bra. Mind you, I am not sure that I like it very much and, as I see little evidence of stone chips on other forward facing panels, I may remove it. Advice from other Type 4 and Type 5 owners would be very welcome.
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