A year in

It’s now a year since I bought the van:

 9000 miles

58 nights away

2 driveway sleepovers

 I didn’t really have a plan at the start of the year apart from doing the conversion and getting away as much as possible. I haven’t managed to be away as much as I would have liked to have been, but then I'm not sure any amount of time would be enough. Apart from my plans for next year, then I may be sick and tired of vanning/vanping/camping/glamping, but I very much doubt it!

 Most things are now working, some things that did now don’t and the to do list will always exist but as she didn’t fall apart the minute I drove her away I think I can safely say I didn’t buy a complete lemon.  I’ve learnt a few bits along the way - taking out the right type of insurance first time round would have been a good idea, I now know all about steering racks and power steering fluid and have had to work out a lot of wiring diagrams to get the electrics working. I've had some brilliant holidays, and found that driving half hour to the New Forest can be almost as satisfying as driving 800 miles to Scotland. I’ve had some practice at not being mugged off by a garage and standing up for myself, negotiating at campsites and having to deal with bad decision making (Weymouth, Nov 5^thsprings to mind). I’ve also found out that I have a crafty side. For me, it’s turned out that owning a van has been so much more than just owning a van, and even though I didn’t think I’d keep it long term, I’m quite attached to her now. Never name the pet pig.