Advanture Magazine issue 07 EN by Advanture Magazine

Advanture MAGAZINE N°7

ISSN 2696-9491

“Pulling up at a new camping spot, making a tasty cup of coffee, and picking up a magazine to thumb through. That is vanlife for me.” Alex Brown, founding editor

EDITOR Alex Brown CO-EDITOR Mascha Blome CONTRIBUTORS David Hamilton-Jones, Dani antúez, Fa b i e n d a l Ve c c h i o , C h a r l i e & D a l e , Steffi & Chris, Regina & Dietmar Blome, Ben Quesnel, Nicole Herridge, Raquel & Sam, Babett & Michael, Ása & Leo, Nuria Goma & family A special thank you to the Patreon supporters who are generously donating to the creation of this magazine. Oliver Brown, J a m e s Ye a r d l e y, R i c a r d o R a m o s , J a n i k Vo t h , S a p t o , N o a h Ve r b o o m , S i m o K o r h o n e n . w w w. p a t r e o n . c o m / a d v a n t u r e m a g a z i n e W E B S I T E w w w. a d v a n t u r e m a g a z i n e . c o m FA C E B O O K /advanturemagazine I N S TA G R A M @ a d v a n t u r e m a g a z i n e E M A I L editor@advanturemagazine.com

I L L U S T R AT I O N S

p12 Flo Hess p46 Ollie Smither

COVER IMAGE

Kim Öhman @hobosapienskimohman

B A C K PA G E I M A G E

Ben Quesnel @funwagen

E N I L N O D BAL DEUTSCHE AUSGABE HIER KLICKEN

MAGAZINE PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE W W W . A D VA N T U R E M A G A Z I N E . C O M / S U B S C R I P T I O N

8 EDITORS NOTE

PARK UP: ENABLED BY SOLAR

T i m e c h a n g e , b u t p e o p l e d o n ’ t n e c e s s a r i l y. Catch up on what has happened since the last installment of Advanture mag, in this totally redesigned full-production issue. And join us, or don’t, on social media!

Those enabled by solar are able to live f o r l o n g e r p e r i o d s o f f- g r i d , w h e r e t h e y choose to work, play and keep powered u p t h a n k s t o m o d e r n t e c h n o l o g y. B u t how easy is it to fit in your own camper?

26 OLD TIMERS

38 TALLER: VW T3 DOKA

We ’ r e r e c o i n i n g t h e p h r a s e . N o l o n g e r is should it refer to old cars, but pay homage to those who marked the route for us, in the 60s up until the present d a y.

Strap yourselves in, for not all is smooth s a i l i n g w h e n y o u c h o o s e a 3 1 - y e a r- o l d Vo l k s w a g e n t o c o n v e r t i n t o a m o d e r n day home on wheels.

INTERVIEW: THE SLACKER VAN

TRAVEL BLOG: THIS IS GREECE

These guys really know how it is to live i n a v e h i c l e . Fo r y e a r s , t h e c o u p l e b e h i n d Yo g a S l a c k e r s h a v e l i v e d i n a r e m a r k a b l y t h o u g h t - o u t t i n y c a m p e r.

We ’ v e a l l s e e n t h e b e a u t i f u l , a n d o v e r l y visited, destinations of prime time Greece. This couple knew there was more to go and find, so they spent months island hopping with their old Mercedes.

SPOTLIGHT ON: ICELAND

Ta k i n g a l o o k a t w h a t i t m i g h t b e l i k e t o venture to the stunning Iceland. Group t r i p o r g o i t u n d e r y o u r o w n s t e a m ? Fi n d out some insights in this spotlight guide.

NO NEED TO FREEZE YOUR ASS OFF

Editor Alex Brown installs a night heater to his VW T5 so he and his family can endure cold nights at high altitudes. A d v e r t o r i a l s p o n s o r e d b y Au t o t e r m U K .

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EDITORS NOTE I am cut off from the world i n a way t hat I have not experienced before.

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imes change. Not long after the last issue of Advanture Magazine was published, I became a father. Between my partner and I, we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what our version of vanlife would look and feel like once we became parents. My Volkswagen barely fit into the underground parking at the hospital in Barcelona, however, it isn’t really the most practical city for a place to park at the best of times. At 12 days old, our daughter got her first taste of camping on a short trip to a favourite spot of ours, not far out of the city. And before she turned 8 weeks old, we’d spent a few weeks with her out on the road, exploring the delights of Ordesa National Park in the Pyrenees. One evening while sat watching a fierce sunset paint the stunning limestone glacier valley, one of the most impressive places I have seen in the world, I snap a photo of my van and proceeded to upload it to my Instagram. Surprisingly, I discovered the social network is down along with Facebook and WhatsApp in a global outage. I’m 33, so for all of my adult life I have been a computer user and had unrestricted access to the internet. I remember the sounds of the dial-up modem on the first computer at my parents home, and I even remember someone at school teaching me how to visit a website for the first time. I studied at university typing for long hours on a computer, communicating openly online to grow my network, and using the latest technology to prepare me for the best shot at a prosperous career. So I’m sitting watching the sunset, and all of a sudden, I am cut off from the world in a way that I have not experienced before.

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The campervan market has seen tremendous growth off the back of the Coronavirus lockdowns, and for good reason. While every country dealt with things in their own way, travel was put on hold for the majority of people in 2020 and 2021. As we enter the post-Corona world I expect, and look forward to, meeting a lot of newly interested people that are enabled by their vans to go on new adventures. But one must remember that most of us are not the original custodians of this lifestyle by any means. I am excited to introduce a new feature to the magazine, Old Timers . Times do change but that doesn’t mean people always do. Take a trip back to hippie vanlife in the 70’s with Dietmar and Regina Blome who remember what living in a van was before Internet was even a word. I don’t even have my parents cell phone numbers on my phone as we’re permanently connected via Messenger. But not at this moment. There would be no sharing of my sunset image to Insta tonight. I drink a beer and talk with my partner. We wonder what if, just what if social media would get permanently switched off? For me, this became a romantic thought. Since that night deep in the Pyrenees I have had an internal war going on about how dependent I feel on modern technology. Have I submitted to the grips of a digital society? Then I discovered balance. I realise that one of the things I love most about packing supplies into my van to then go and explore someplace, is that I am out there in the real world where there is the chance ... just a small chance ... that I’ll need my tool kit, or to tuck into the emergency supply of food. This is the disconnect I need and one that I think we all do. There is a strong vision for Advanture mag but it has been clouded by the false importance of self-gratification and typical advertising-driven content. Especially with the digital edition where the reader can seamlessly click through to the storyteller’s social media for example. While I know this is a very important aspect for the contributor of the respective article, was the goal of their journey only to get a few likes and possibly a comment here and there? “Great photos, love your feed.” The print edition gave me hope. Here it was, a vanlife journal one could hold in their hands. Waiting to see the latest issue in real life is so exciting! I deliberately leave my apartment in Barcelona to go and sit in my camper, to get the feeling that you readers also have when a new copy arrives at my door. The copy of Advanture you hold in your hands is the first full production issue. 100 pages of curated stories and photography printed on offset paper and perfectly bound. Enjoy it at home, at your favourite cafe, or in the back of your campervan. Follow the magazine on social media, or don’t. The real storytelling is on these pages. From here on I will edit with a clearer vision, to curate inspirational and thought-provoking material, to allow you to feel your own form of escapism. Times change, and it feels like a good time to start rejecting that status quo.

@alexbrowndop

ALEX BROWN

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PA R K U P

Enabled By Solar

Get out & stay out longer. Words by David HamiltonJones & Alex Brown

P16 Dani Antúnez La Cerdanya Spain @dani_antunez P18-21 Fabien Dal Vecchio Astrophotography, France @visunature P22 Charlie Low Remote working on the road @climbingvan P24 Steffi & Chris Charging batteries on cliffs. @project_kuh

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@nookieart

ENABLED BY SOLAR

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iving on the road for a few weeks or months used to be a primitive affair, although, to the unknowing this may still appear to be the case. In all reality it is rare to look into a campervan today and not find a fair amount of modern technology, which has been specifically designed to increase the comfort for those who choose to live in one. For the majority of you who already have your van, you will most likely have a simple leisure power system in place. This typically looks like a 2nd battery wired up to the one in the engine, using a split-charge relay. While this does charge your battery when driving, you are limited by the capacity of it once you park up and switch the ignition off. However, there are many ways to increase your offgrid duration to power laptops, cameras, and anything else that you want to plug in. Many items with internal batteries can be charged while you are driving using the vehicles DC 12V outlets, or even the AC outlets in your build if you have added some. Use small portable power banks to extend the duration of devices that can be charged via USB. And, where possible, avoid using things that work against each other such as running your fridge at the same time as your diesel heater. With

that in mind, cold climates allow food and drinks to be stored outside, which may be preferable to running your fridge permanently. Dani, a Spanish traveller who practises triathlon, alpinism and ski touring tells us vanlife is the answer to living a more simple and free way of life. “It is about living in a small place without extra things, and with just what I really need. I can sleep anywhere I want, when I want. And for me this is the life I want to follow. I’ve learnt to live with only what is necessary and without excess baggage. I have a bed to sleep in, a heater to run when it is cold, a solar panel providing me with some electricity and a way to go to the bathroom. Everything else is expendable.” The heater Dani has installed into his Mercedes Sprinter draws fuel from the vehicles fuel tank, and is powered by a large leisure battery installed in the back. The solar panel on the top of the van charges this battery during the day, so that it can power the heater through the night. While something like a heater could be wired up to the starter battery, it would most likely consume too much power and leave Dani with a flat battery in the morning.

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I’ve learned to live wit h just the necessar y things and wit hout excess baggage. A b e d , a he ate r, a s ol a r p a ne l to have some elect ricit y ... Dani Antúnez, Spain | @dani_antunez

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P l a n e f f i c i e nt l y, s u c h a s cha rg i ng equ ipment wit h i nterna l bat teries wh i le you are driving. F a b i e n D a l Ve c c h i o , F r a n c e | @ v i s u n a t u r e

If you are considering how to modify your existing camper, or are in the planning stages of building your own, then there are a few considerations to keep in mind if you want to do more than camp on paid campsites with an electric hook-up. A relatively straight-forward way to calculate all of the power requirements for you to live, work and play in your van, is to first list all of the devices you use that require power. This information is typically found on the power plug, or at least on the manufacturers website. Then estimate the total duration of hours you intend to use each device for (while parked/camping in one location and not running the engine at all). By adding up the total of all watt-hours from the items, you will have an estimated grand total of watthours you will consume during your stay. Knowing this total amount will dictate the size of the battery bank you need. And then, if you have no way of recharging this while stationary, this will ultimately dictate how long you can stay parked at one location before needing to turn on your engine to start charging it all once again. You should consider sizing your battery pack larger than your estimated needs, to ensure you never completely run out of power.

Until recently people chose AGM batteries as the goto choice for a 2nd battery, offering a fair trade-off between price and overall capacity. However it should be known that opting for a lithium-ion battery would offer you close to double the usable battery capacity on the same Ah rating. A 100Ah AGM battery should not be discharged below 50% to protect it from damage, whereas a lithium-ion can be safely discharged closer to 80%. Astrophotographer, Fabien from France, has come to realise that a smarter way to live and work in such challenging environments is to reduce his overall power consumption, opting for lower powered devices and maximising on the battery pack potential. “I have not made any modifications to my VW California in terms of additional power. For my telescope I built my own power box, consisting of lithium cells delivering a total of 105Ah. I mostly want to use my equipment in the mountains and at altitudes of up to 2000m. Plan efficiently, such as charging equipment with internal batteries while you are driving. I built the power box to withstand high thermal fluctuations, and it can easily last up to four days of operational use. When the power has depleted, I unfold a 130w solar panel, which is easily stored inside my van. Building this myself gave me exactly what I wanted.”

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We l o v e b e i n g a b l e t o t r a v e l to fa r f lu ng remote places a nd not have to worr y about f ind ing a ca mpsite. Charlie & Dale, United Kingdom | climbingvan.co.uk

Adding solar to your system is one of the preferred ways to increase your off-grid camping potential. Effectively capturing sunlight means you could stay endlessly powered, should your consumption be lower than the rate of charge going back into the system. Those enabled by solar are able to spend longer periods off-grid in a van, and in recent times this has provided many with the possibility of remote working from wherever they want to. Charlie and Dale, authors of The Van Conversion Bible , have some great advice for those intimidated by the overall process. “We designed our electrical system to be able to sustain us off-grid indefinitely, because we love being able to travel to far flung remote places and not have to worry about finding a campsite. We have two fridges which allows us to spend more time off-grid as we can do a big shop and then disappear into the wilderness. However, some people would prefer to spend some time at campsites every so often and that’s fine too! The great thing about living in a van is you can do whatever suits you. So if you will spend time on campsites, you can install electric hookup, or if you will spend your time off-grid, you can include enough solar and a B2B (battery-to-battery) charger to ensure you’ll be able to keep exploring. The installation process of a campervan electrical system is actually fairly straightforward once you know what to do. If you have a wiring diagram to follow, then physically installing a system isn’t much harder than following the instructions on a piece of

IKEA furniture! The complication comes with the theoretical side of things - figuring out the battery capacity you need, how many solar panels to install, creating a wiring diagram that connects all of the components correctly using the correct wire gauges and fuse sizes. So although the physical installation can be easy, it’s designing the system in the first place that can potentially prove tricky.“ Solar does come with some trade-offs such as the need to understand the theory of it all, but plan accordingly and you will be less affected once the sun sets. Depending on where in the world you are, the angle of the sun will be more or less. Those camping in higher latitudes will receive less direct sun on solar panels during the day, and will experience long periods of little or no sun in winter months. While those further south can expect both more sun, and longer durations of it which results in a faster charged battery pack. Depending on the surface space available, you might be able to reduce the size of your required battery pack by increasing the size of the solar array. While larger vans could carry more panels on the roof, those with smaller vans could opt for free-standing panels that you set-up, such as in Fabiens’ case. An added bonus of these is that while you are parked in the shade during hot summer months, the panels can be left out in the direct sunlight. But be sure to check back on that initial list of watt-hours that you might expect to use, as you will need to forecast the power consumption throughout the night for things like your fridge and lights.

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Among those who took it upon themselves to calculate the power they need, figure out the wiring and safely install some solar panels on a van, are Chris and Steffi from Germany @project_kuh. “Neither of us are electricians, or mechanics! It was quite easy to assemble and install what we needed. Having the solar setup on our van makes it possible to stay totally selfsufficient for five days or even more when the sun is shining. We watched plenty of YouTube videos about ECTIVE, the brand of solar panels we had bought, and about solar installation on vans in general. Afterwards we created a connection diagram of how we’d like to have the overall system. In the end it was easy to install and works great! You just have to have a bit of courage to get involved yourself. Due to our solar setup we are now easily able to work from the road and even when abroad. It offers a great lifestyle that we didn’t have before. Chris works for an IT company, and I (Steffi) work for an international car manufacturer. We wanted to be part of the changing working world and to become an example of what is now possible.” As the prices of both batteries and solar systems become more affordable, this renewable source of energy compliments the lifestyle of many vanlifers. While we may burn litres of fuel to reach our destination, we can feel a little better once there. Enabled by solar we are using one of the best natural energies available. AM

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OLD TIMERS Let us recoin that phrase. No longer should it refer to the vehicle. The road which lays ahead of you has most likely been visited once upon a time by another road nomad, in a different era. We’ll pay homage to these Old Timers in a series of personal accounts from decades that have long passed. Words and photos by Regina and Dietmar Blome Bus life since ‘76

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Dietmar recounts, “In front of us stood a shiny paprika red, well-cared for on the outside, almost like new on the inside, modern camper. We wanted to buy it. It has been around 40 years since we purchased our first VW bus, a T2 model. But here we are in 2015 looking at a very comfortable T4 California Coach. It comes with a comfort roof, is still young at 17 years of age, and nicely run-in with 140,000 km on the clock. But still, it is really expensive!” --There is not only a great amount of time between the purchase of Dietmar and Reginas two buses. There are thousands of kilometres, two children, three selfbuilds, two alcove mobile-homes, two pick-ups with detachable cabins and countless tent holidays. A passion for living with the means to be mobile gave their family the means to enjoy a good time around Europe. “On our honeymoon in 1974, we drove our Citroën

2CV from northern Germany to the Algarve in Portugal. I remember it was around spring time and we were in the Cote d’Azur, with night temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius. We looked a little jealously out of our little tent at the magnificent VW Bullis. “At some point we have to have a bus like that too!” One year later, we bought a snow-white, four-year-old T2 petrol engine with double carburettors. The construction with glazed red poplar plywood, was also appreciated by the TÜV, although the hand-made bench in the rear did not quite meet the standard. So, officially it was just a two-seater. Our first summer trip was supposed to take us back to Portugal, but it didn‘t work out.” Regina “Our dream country Portugal, this time a round trip with our self-developed T2 Bully, that is how it was planned in the summer of 1976 and yet everything turned out quite differently! We drove through France and into the heat of the Spanish highlands, arriving in Seville. In the middle of this lively city we found a parking lot in front of a large hotel and were persuaded to take a horse carriage ride. Arriving back at the hotel parking lot, we discovered that all the cars in our row

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had been broken into, including our Bulli. We had left the bus spontaneously to go exploring, just grabbing our cameras and leaving too much behind. Bags, my ID papers, even my make-up utensils, all gone! Stupidity must be punished, which was probably what the police thought at the time, from whom we received no help apart from referring us to visit the German Consulate. The next day we received emergency papers for a three-week stay in Spain. For us a passport was still required to enter Portugal at this time. There was not much we could change, so we headed towards the stretch of coast in front of the Portuguese border to go on vacation. We found what we were looking for near Huelva and Punta Umbria, a campsite on a dry lagoon with a restaurant and nice English neighbours in a small Bedford mobile. The next day we immediately drove to the beautiful sandy beach in the Bulli. After the first swim in the warm waves and a little sunbathing, an emissary from our extended family appeared. To our surprise he spoke German and it turned out that Juan was living

with his family as a guest worker in Germany. Another member of his family, Manuel, was a truck driver who was married to a German woman. He invited us to dinner. We grabbed our towels and got to know the entire family. We reciprocated with a cognac for Juan, which we stashed in the bully for emergencies . The procedures for the following days looked a little something like this; eating on the beach then drinking cognac back in the bus, swimming lessons from the eldest daughter, getting to know other family members and invitations to typical southern Spanish houses. Brothers, aunts and uncles, other grandmas and grandpas and lots of children. We have never experienced such deep and positive insights with such overwhelming hospitality. It was an unforgettable experience on the Costa de la Luz in ‘76, which was not yet frequented by many tourists at all.” Regina and Dietmar got a taste for the road and many trips with the VW T2 followed. To Burgenland in Austria, to the French Atlantic coast, to Venice and to St. Tropez. The next year, 1977, they dared to travel

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Stayi ng i n a hotel wit h h a l f-b o a r d w a s t o o m u c h f o r ou r vac at ion budget, a nd wit hout ou r bus, we were homeless.

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to Greece along the Yugoslavian Mediterranean coast and around Albania. What would be quite a journey to prepare for today, was nothing less than a serious adventure to undertake back then. Dietmar “During a routine inspection in the winter of 1980, it was found that at least one cylinder had barely any compression left. It would be better to exchange the engine. Optimistically thinking that we were now well equipped, we set out on our annual trip to St. Tropez over Easter, something around 1500km one way. We were no more than 50 km from the finish at the French seaside town that we love so much, when the gearbox dismantled itself! Fortunately there was a junction to a small town right by us, and we rolled up to Daniel Molinengo‘s workshop. The friendly mechanic immediately recognised the serious damage suffered by our bus and was able to help that day.” Regina “Madame and Monsieur Molinengo, who were not much older than we were back then, will always be remembered for their incredible hospitality. Not only did they immediately book us a room at the local train station hotel, but they drove us there with all of our luggage and our slightly hysterical dog. I remember I had to quickly collect some cans of dog food. Over the aperitif, we discussed how to proceed. Pretty quickly, a new gearbox was out of the question. We started to call workshops in Marseille and Toulon hoping to find a used-like-new gearbox ... it would definitely take a week at the least to find. A week in this mini-town called Le Luc, cut off from the world with just a train station forming its centre. Containers in which Moroccan guest workers lived stood on the tracks of the station. They came to the hotel to eat in the mornings and evenings, spreading a North African exuberance. There was only Moroccan food on offer, but we were thrilled despite our vacation frustration. Everything was new to us! Unfortunately, I felt sick every evening after dinner which I could only blame on intriguing ingredients and the completely new-tome spices. Gluttony on an exotic level. After four days of quiet life, just walking the dog in the sun and eating as much as we liked, we received some good news. In Marseille there was a suitable used gearbox for our

bus. Molinengo fetched it and completed the install that same evening. The next morning we were sitting in good anticipation at breakfast when bad news arrived. On the way to the hotel, the “ used-like-new ” gearbox had also died! First horror, then the consolation that it could have been worse if it happened to us on the way to the coast, after leaving the hospitality of the Molinengo’s in Le Luc. Staying in a hotel with half board was too much for our vacation budget, and without our bus we were homeless. There was only one way out. A taxi was booked with the last francs in our purse. Bags and dog food were reloaded and off we went down the serpentine tracks to the coast, which felt like a journey through hell. We rented a dank mobile home on a campsite just south of St Tropez, instead of enjoying nature in our Bulli under a pine forest. It took a little convincing, but my sister in Germany agreed to bring us a new gearbox. I think she wanted to come with her boyfriend anyway. All‘s well that ends well, and it worked! The installation went smoothly back in Daniel Molinengo‘s workshop, however the bill was a strong surprise! Only the final installation of the new gearbox had been calculated. The preparation of it, organisation and the trips to Marseille had mounted up. Back home in Worpswede after finally having had a vacation in the VW ... we discovered that I was three months pregnant.” Dietmar “Despite the new engine and transmission, our trust in the beautiful bus was massively disrupted. In addition, we were expecting our first child and now needed at least one more approved and safe seat. A friend recommended a Toyota workshop to us, where he saw a red HiAce campervan. The price was several thousand Deutschmark less than a new VW bus. So we decided on the Japanese build in early 1980 and were happy with it for over 8 years! The expansion was of course a bit more demanding because we soon needed two approved seats in the rear. The twin sliding doors were practical so that gas and water could be supplied from the driver‘s side. In good time before the birth of our daughter in ‘84, we had a Reimo high roof built and installed. Nice, uncomplicated trips now took us mainly to France, to Brittany in particular.” Regina “1982 Brittany, Pleherel-Plage, Cap Frehel.

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Good friends lured us to the north coasts in Brittany in the summer, with long-term consequences. In midsummer when it is teeming with tourists, Brittany is and would remain our favourite area of discovery. Back then with our little son Tim and dog Ede, there was great freedom to be enjoyed! We could park our bus in the dunes, frequently finding like-minded young parents as neighbours. We were in the middle of nature but still on a campsite. There were free water sources and a supply of food from the local region ... only the sanitary facilities were scary from what I can remember! Luckily we had an outside shower and a small toilet rigged up in the HiAce. The surrounding places were partly within walking distance and the daily rhythm with toddlers was open and uncomplicated. When we were tired after a long day on the beach, 5pm would be nap time for our youngest. We would have a small walk from 8 pm, sometimes the adults enjoying a wine, and milk drinks with a straw for the children. Highlights included hiking to Cap Frehel, carefree swimming on the flat beach at low tide and contact with French families. Even with two children a little later on, Pleherel Plage remained our destination for some time. That was until we discovered southern Brittany on a trip in ‘88.” The Blome’s would see a small number of new vehicles over the coming years as they searched for something suitable for the small family. Frequent mid-length road trips were the focus, and finding a suitable camper that was fun, and safe to travel in, was key. Dietmar “A little more comfort and a little more space for four people saw us welcoming an alcove design mobile home. Our first attempt was a setup on a Mitsubishi L300 and we didn‘t like it for long. The vehicle was quite weak and we found the ride in the rear seating group too dangerous for our children. That forced us to promptly change to a new Bürstner A520 as early as 1990, a rather compact but fully equipped alcove mobile on a Fiat Ducato. Our children had their own cosy sleeping place in the roof, and we parents had to build our bed every evening. But that was soon over when our children preferred to sleep in tents at the holiday resorts we stopped at.

Over the years, driving on the autobahn felt like it became more risky. Heavy trucks were filling our roads and at some point we got the idea that we didn‘t want to let the children sit “back there” any longer. We also needed a second car with the larger camper. An ingenious solution would be a pickup for everyday use and a demountable cabin for travelling. Our first purchase in 1995 was a let-down, a used Opel Campo which had some faults, so soon after we opted for a brand new Mitsubishi L200. Well, we needed to sell the cabin to help pay for it. Inevitably, there was a summer vacation in a tent which followed, but also with obstacles. Upon unpacking the tent which we bought by mail order, we discovered that the fly ended 1 metre above the ground ... An old-fashioned and cheap tent from the supermarket saved our vacation. So we were looking for an affordable pickup cab with immediate effect. A year later we found a dealer in the Netherlands who imported American cabs. For around 15,000 DM we got a set-up that was sufficient for our purposes, but without a bathroom, and without a large overhanging bedroom. Soon the time came when our boy no longer wanted to travel with us and our daughter would prefer to sleep in a tent with friends. Regina and I moved our vacation from the campsite to our sailing boat, which has been in the nearby harbour since 2001, and is still there to this day.” The eleven-year-old pickup finally got too expensive with repairs and rising diesel prices. A small self build was enjoyed in a Peugeot Expert for some more years, despite it having no headroom nor bathroom. Dietmar “Later in 2015, my second year as a pensioner, the temporary arrangement would finally be over. We discovered our paprika-red VW T4 in the yard of a friendly dealer near Hamburg. Back in a Volkswagen, and so much more comfortable than what we remember from back in ‘76. But with the same feeling of freedom, independence and totally relaxed travel that we remember from the old days. As always, several kilometres leads us to Brittany and back each year, which we can now discover in peace and with a level of luxury. So it feels.” AM

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Retro vans shot on retro film, in 2021. @funwagen

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TALLER. D E F I N I T I O N ( S PA N I S H )

TA L L E R n o u n , m a s c u l i n e ( p l u r a l : t a l l e r e s m ) . Wo r k s h o p , s t u d i o , s h o p , g a r a g e . A p l a c e w h e r e dream adventure vans are born.

Is there a more capable adventure van today, than the ever-popular newer options of the 4Motion T6 or 4x4 Sprinter? We might have found one, but strap yourselves in, for not all is smooth sailing when you choose a 31-year-old Volkswagen. Words David Hamilton-Jones, photos Ben Quesnel

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Ben’s family moved from their native home in France to Asia when he was 3-years old. He hasn’t stopped moving since, visiting over sixty countries along the way. During his travels, Ben discovered his preferred way to tour. One that would allow him to see more while taking his time, and that was by travelling in his own van. “ In 2017, I took a 3-month sabbatical from my job in the Silicon Valley and backpacked all of South America, in what I believed would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Upon coming back in 2018, I instead decided to leave a decade of comfortable corporate positions behind me. My South American trip made me realise I wanted to centre my life around travelling and not the other way around.” Being on the road full-time for the past 3-years, Ben wanted to live a bi-continental lifestyle between the USA and Europe. This presented a problem. Ben has a 1985 VW T3 tin-top in the USA but also needed a suitable vehicle for when over in Europe. So why the Doka? The decision to buy the Doka, short for DoppelKabine, was influenced by Ben’s time in the States. With a love for pick-up trucks, amplified by the T3 having never been released in pick-up form over there, it makes this particular model highly prized by enthusiasts. Also, no stranger to the T3 platform, Ben wasn’t afraid of another ageing project. A long search revealed a Syncro Doka 16 with an undercarriage in very good condition, and one that had never been used as a utility vehicle. The Syncro 16 is a rare find. It has sixteen rather than standard fourteen-inch wheels and 4WD; there might only have been a few hundred of them made and most have perished due to hard working lives.

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Platform choice The Doka isn’t a common base for a typical adventure vehicle. The rear-engine presents some issues. While common maintenance can be done from a rear hatch, for anything more serious, the engine must be accessed from the pick-up bed above. This presents issues for building a fixed camper body on the back.

as possible, while still enabling a functioning camper. Therefore, there were to be minimal holes made and extensive use of bolted-on features would be the way forward. Ben’s higher design priorities included:

However, the layout gives a large flat platform, as well as a ‘treasure chest’, a full width load area behind the cab and below the pick-up bed with a door on either side. Finally, with the rear seats removed you are left with a spacious twin cab for living in which has a novel swing open door, rather than a sliding one.

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Designing the layout Before converting a vehicle, it is always recommended to camp in it to work out what will work best for you, within the constraints of the platform. This is exactly what Ben did, travelling for 3-months with the minimal setup the Doka came with. While the kitchen cabinets needed to be rethought entirely, the rear unit was well built and should be tweaked, but not replaced. The treasure chest was suitable for housing utilities and storing camping gear out of the way. Two major constraining factors influenced the design of this project. French law prohibits conversion of a vehicle into a camper without approval. So rather than going down the route of making permanent changes to the Doka, Ben decided to make it modular. He wanted to be able to revert the camper back to a fiveseat utility truck in a matter of hours. The second was Ben’s desire to conserve the rare classic Doka as much

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Stay close to the T3 camper layout for efficiency Use the treasure chest and under chassis space to keep the cabin clear Use a Frontrunner roof rack system to keep large items out of the way and safely secured

Building the Doka Unlike regular Taller features, this is not only a story of building an interior in a van. Despite the condition of the vehicle being good for its age, it is still a 31-yearold vehicle. Some restoration was required before the interior build could start. This included engine work, rust treatment, sympathetic body repairs, a full respray and fabrication of custom bumpers. Ben also had the gear box professionally rebuilt, and a decoupler was added to the factory front and rear differential locks, allowing him to disconnect the front drivetrain to save on gas and wearing out the 4x4 system. Now for the camper. The obvious place to sleep is on the ample pick-up bed. There is also enough space to provide storage beside a longitudinal bed. In the cab space, the passenger seat swivels, and Ben fitted a ‘lagun’ style table for working on or eating inside. He built a custom cabinet on the left-hand side, a divider between the living and sleeping area and a large pull-out drawer. These are all constructed in lightweight Poplar-ply. The unit houses a twin

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Fig.1 The utility spec of a 1990 commercial vehicle pairs well with BFGoodrich All Terrain tyres. Fig.2 A simple and clean update to the interior, including a new Dometic fridge. Fig.3 Repurposed cabinets in the rear augmented with neat gauges to monitor water and battery levels. Fig.4 The custom filler cap and water pump are hidden in the useful ‘Treasure Chest’. There is also room for camping supplies to be stowed in here. Fig.5 Three differential locks make the Syncro Doka a capable off-road vehicle.

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gas burner, a 12V compressor fridge and a sink with running water. A 45-litre freshwater tank is fixed under the chassis and the pump, expansion tank and filler are all located neatly in the treasure chest. Keeping everything powered including additional LED lighting is a 100Ah AGM battery. An intelligent split charging system tops up the auxiliary battery via the alternator while driving. Critical for a camper that will only be used for part of the year, and for off-grid camping, there is also a 180W ECTIVE solar panel mounted on the roof. A 500w inverter keeps 230V appliances powered. Water level and battery voltage is displayed on two gauges, monitoring the whole system. Externally, all-terrain tyres and a slight suspension lift indicate Ben’s aspiration to use this lightweight and capable 4WD Doka off the beaten track. To keep larger items out of the way, the spare wheel is fixed to a bespoke wheel carrier attached to the custom fabricated rear bumper. The lightweight aluminium roof rack, high-lift jack, spare fuel container and recovery tracks, all fixed to the exterior, finish off this exciting adventure van. However, a last word from Ben tells us that we could see another round of work being carried out to the Doka next year, “ I think the one missing bit I’d like to do before I hit the road again is to repurpose the right side of the treasure chest and add a slide-out kitchen cabinet, with a one-burner stove and maybe a small sink. This paired with a suitable awning will make for a nice additional outside space.” Find out where Ben is currently road-tripping at instagram.com/funwagen AM

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S U N R I S E S S TA R T T H E D AY Story by Nicole Herridge

Sunrises make me my happiest self. I get in my van and I turn that key. The feeling feels more intense if it is cold and fresh outside. When I have visitors staying they are surely wondering, ‘what are we doing up so early’. Then you begin to drive off on your little adventure, knowing that everybody else is most likely still asleep. The drive to my local beach is short, I meander through some woodland, passing fields and old cottages. I feel relaxed knowing that my route is straightforward and I won’t have to navigate any narrow paths in my big van. Just like a cinematic movie, the arches of trees start to give way ahead. I park up and try to spot the mood of the ocean. I prepare a warm cup of tea. There is some suspension as I quietly wait, listening to the waves, the seagulls, the weather if there is any. Slowly a pink hue starts to form which lights up any clouds in the sky. An orange peak starts to show itself, and the moment that first hint of warmth caresses your face you realise just how something free can offer so much. My most recent sunrise caused me to cry. Looking out at the colourful view I started to think of loved ones passed. Recently there has been a lot of sorrow due to this pandemic. But these were tears of appreciation, I am sure of that. I have seen sunrises in Australia on the beach with dingos’. I have had the pleasure of seeing the midnight sun in Northern Norway. I have ventured out to watch the first light shine over the Mediterranean sea. It’s on your doorstep and it’s as natural as it gets. You just can’t beat it. We should all appreciate the nature that we have around us more. Although, over the past couple of years society has started to realise how important the simplest of things really are. Like the sunrise. You can relish this and it doesn’t cost you anything. And that feeling with a campervan, where you set off out into the distance not knowing where you’re going to end up in the evening, can start to get us back in that adventurous mood. I am all about Scandi culture and the culture of hygge. In this culture the simplest of activities in the cold and darkest of winters is what makes them smile. Plan a social detox, say hi to the van parked up across the way, watch the snow fall out of the window. Or if you are anything like me, tomorrow’s sunrise will do.

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There is some serious exploration to be enjoyed in Iceland. Read our spotlight guide on page 86. @willicamper

OUR SPONSORS

Thank you to the sponsors for this issue of Advanture. These are the brands who answered our call when we went looking for great adventure gear that w i l l ke e p t h e m o d e r n v a n l i fe r w e l l - e q u i p p e d o n t h e o p e n r o a d . We c h a l l e n g e d t h e b r a n d s t o c o n t r i b u t e i n t e r e s t i n g p a r t s o f t h e i r o w n adventure, to tell us something about themselves or their products that we would not find out otherwise. They now become part of the story driven content that you are presented with on the pages of Advanture magazine.

U LT I M AT E L I T H I U M B AT T E R I E S POWERING EXTREME ADVENTURES WE ARE ROAMER

We a r e K a t e a n d S t e v e , a d v e n t u r e - s e e k i n g v a n l i fe r s . O v e r t h e l a s t 1 0 y e a r s w e ’ v e b e e n c h a s i n g s u r f a n d s n o w, w o r k i n g a n d b u i l d i n g b u s i n e s s e s o n t h e r o a d w h i l e l i v i n g l i fe t o t h e f u l l . T h r o u g h o u t t h a t t i m e w e a l w a y s s e e m e d to struggle getting enough power in our campervan. L o c ke d d o w n a t h o m e i n 2 0 2 0 , w e d e c i d e d t o d o s o m e t h i n g a b o u t i t . We d e s i g n e d a r a n g e o f l i t h i u m b a t t e r i e s t h a t c o u l d ke e p u p w i t h o u r o f fgrid adventures. The power to run any domestic appliance. The capacity to see out the most extreme expedition. The reliability to outlive the very camper van it is installed in. The Roamer battery was born. Tw o y e a r s l a t e r a n d w e ’ r e s t i l l p u s h i n g b o u n d a r i e s . O u r n e w f l a g s h i p 460SMART LiFePO4 battery is the highest capacity 12V LiFePO4 battery on t h e m a r ke t . W i t h 4 6 0 A h o f p r e m i u m l i t h i u m c e l l s , a s m a r t B l u e t o o t h B M S and a massive 3200W continuous power output, this is the battery that will t a ke y o u a n y w h e r e . Wa n t t o g o g a s f r e e ? N o p r o b l e m , t h e 4 6 0 S M A R T c a n power an espresso machine, microwave or even an induction hob without breaking a sweat. Roamer was created for extreme adventures and the everyday moment in b e t w e e n . I n a l i fe w i t h o u t l i m i t s , e v e r y t h i n g i s p o s s i b l e . Te l l u s , w h a t w i l l you power with yours?

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VA N TA L E In 2015, Debora and Christoph were travelling in their van as much as full time jobs would allow them. Kitesurfing in the South of France, hiking peaks in the Alps. Having a campervan allowed them to be on the mountain b e f o r e t h e t o w n s p e o p l e h a d e v e n w o ke n u p . B u t t h e v a n , a V W C a l i f o r n i a , l a c ke d p e r s o n a l i t y f o r t h e m t o f e e l a t h o m e . Timeless design and as functional as possible. There were so many p o s s i b i l i t i e s a n d t i n ke r i n g w i t h p r o t o t y p e s w a s s o m u c h f u n . Va r i a b l e w o u l d b e g r e a t ! A b a s e p l a t e w i t h d i f fe r e n t m o d u l e s . T h a t ’s t h e p l a n . We d e v e l o p e d t h e R YG G s e a t b a c k o r g a n i s e r o u t o f n e c e s s i t y. S o m e t h i n g was always flying around in the back of the van, and other cheap organisers e a s i l y b r o ke . T h e n a m e m e a n i n g b e h i n d , i n S c a n d i n a v i a n . Wo o d , p l a s t i c , l e a t h e r ? N o . . . fe l t w a s t h e r i g h t m a t e r i a l . S o h o w s h o u l d y o u f i x t h e p o c ke t s t o t h e b a s e p l a t e ? Ve l c r o ? To o c a r e l e s s , y o u k n e w t h a t f r o m your shoes from the 80s. An idea for snaps in a grid quickly came up. A f t e r d a y s & w e e k s , w o r k i n g l a t e i n t o t h e n i g h t , t h e f i r s t R YG G s y s t e m s a w t h e l i g h t o f d a y. O f f w e w e n t o n a j o u r n e y i n t o t h e b i g w o r l d w i t h o u r prototype. Our next adventure took us all the way to Agadir in Morocco and b a c k , a l w a y s w i t h t h a t R YG G o n b o a r d . Friends and people we met on the road loved our fresh design. New modules and colourways were added, along with hooks, laundry bags, toiletry bags, b o t t l e b a g s a n d t h e X L p o c ke t . We e v e n i n t r o d u c e d a c u s t o m i s e r f o r p e o p l e t o m a ke t h e i r o w n d e s i g n s o n o u r w e b s i t e . We a r e h e r e t o w e l c o m e y o u t o VA N TA L E , a n d p r e s e n t y o u w i t h t h e n e w e s t m e m b e r o f t h e f a m i l y. T h i s i s t h e O U T B A G . T h e f i r s t c l o s e d p o c ke t .

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IMAGINE THE SMELL OF FRESH BREAD I N T H E M O R N I N G , B A K E D I N Y O U R VA N W H I L E M I L E S AWAY F R O M H O M E

When you spend a decent amount of time on the road, you soon realise the importance of multifaceted items. The Omnia is one of those pieces of gear t h a t y o u w i l l f i n d y o u r s e l f r e a c h i n g f o r a t a n y t i m e o f t h e d a y. B a ke f r e s h bread, stew a hearty winter warmer or cook a full roast on the stove top. This is the reason why you will find an Omnia kit in campervans all over the world. These travellers rely on a simple design that delivers incredible tasting meals. And the team at Omnia are watching. T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e t e m p e r a t u r e g a u g e , d e e p d i s h p o t a n d b e s p o ke chopping board will be welcomed into the tiny living space of a campervan. Cooking in an Omnia goes hand-in-hand with living on the road thanks to i t ’s s m a l l s i z e a n d c o m p a c t n a t u r e .

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O U T D O O R A P PA R E L B L E N D I N G C R E AT I V I T Y, PERFORMANCE AND ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS F O R E V E R Y D AY A D V E N T U R E S

VOITED was born out of necessity from the back of a camper van. A need for a more technical and multi-use version of something we all use every d a y : o u r b l a n ke t . O u r p i o n e e r p r o d u c t , t h e V O I T E D P i l l o w B l a n ke t ™ , w a s d e v e l o p e d t o c o m b i n e 4 t h i n g s i n t o 1 : a p i l l o w, a b l a n ke t , a h a n d s - f r e e c a p e & a s l e e p i n g b a g . T i r e d o f b l a n ke t s b e i n g r u i n e d w h e n t a ke n o u t d o o r s , w e d e v e l o p e d a b l a n ke t t h a t c a n w i t h s t a n d t h e e l e m e n t s a n d a l s o b e u s e d to snug gle up comfortably wherever you are. Combining a love of the outdoors and adventure sports with a commitment to reducing the impact of manufacturing on the environment, VOITED c o n t i n u e s e x p a n d i n g i t s p r o d u c t s a n d c o l l e c t i o n s f o c u s i n g o n c r e a t i v i t y, p e r f o r m a n c e , q u a l i t y a n d s u s t a i n a b i l i t y. D e s i g n e d f o r m o v e m e n t a n d t o ke e p y o u c o m f o r t a b l e o n a l l y o u r adventures. VOITED integrates the best eco-friendly materials typically f o u n d i n p r e m i u m o u t d o o r g e a r w i t h t h e m o s t u s e f u l fe a t u r e s t o d e s i g n highly functional and durable multi-purpose products. The whole product l i n e i s m a d e f r o m 1 0 0 % p o s t- c o n s u m e r r e c y c l e d p l a s t i c s o y o u c a n fe e l e v e n b e t t e r w r a p p e d u p i n y o u r V O I T E D g e a r. Great for travelling in your van to the beach or deep into the mountains, or even when in the city and just on the couch, our variety of products with u n i q u e fe a t u r e s a r e y o u r s t o e n j o y o n e v e r y A d v a n t u r e . B l a n ke t s | C h a n g e w e a r | F o o t w e a r | A c c e s s o r i e s

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SLACKER VAN Few know how it is to actually live on the open road. Nomads Raquel and Sam, AKA Slacker Van, are a testament to living simply and making the very best with what you have. Today they can be found living out of one of the most purposefully converted L300s we have ever seen, but prior to this they lived in a little Ford hatchback, managing to visit all 49 continental states of the USA over the space of five years. Interview by Alex Brown, photos by Slacker Van

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After meeting at a slackline event, Sam and Raquel started travelling, while living together in their car. Today Sam and Raquel continue managing the company, YogaSlackers, from a L300 4x4 rig. They lead in person and online classes for slackline yoga, acroyoga, handstands and host adventurebased retreats around the world.

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AM: Having lived in vehicles for such a long time, what is it about the lifestyle that keeps you out on the road moving, and not in a stationary dwelling? It is a combination of wanting to explore and play in the earth’s outdoor environments and meeting new friends along the way. Once you start travelling and meeting new people, you realise that you will stop seeing a lot of your friends if you stop travelling! AM: At the start of your journey, how did living in a car allow you to do the things you wanted? Sam - While I was an undergrad, I started travelling to go climbing while living on a $5 budget per day, or something really small like that. It wasn’t long before I realised that I could travel longer if I didn’t have to ‘return’ home. Inevitably, the car I was using at the time became my new home. AM: Tell us a bit about how it felt to upgrade into the Delicia L300 van. Raquel - My shoulders were instantly happy. We used to sleep inside our Ford Festiva. The front seat of the car turned into a 1.5 person bed. It fit us both fine, as long as one of us slept on their side … which was usually me! My main request for our ‘new’ vehicle was to have a bed that fit both of us properly, and an air conditioner. It took a bit of time to figure out, but now we have both. Sam - We love the extra space gained with the Delica. Now we can store all our toys in a very organised way and we gained space to move be able to move around. I also appreciate being able to travel to places that were not accessible before in our little hatchback. Leaving the car at the beginning of a trail is no longer necessary. For the most part! AM: What is it about living the vanlife that enables you to live the way you want to? Living in a van and with a desire to avoid busy locations, usually puts us in places that are hard for us to stay inside! It is so easy to go for a decent hike, a bike ride or anything else that we may fancy that day. AM: How do you optimise the available space in your vehicle for all of the gear you take along? It took 5 years living in a very small space and wanting to have lots of gear, to learn to pack things away neatly, tightly and in order. We did a lot of mental planning before building the Delica. Since we knew exactly what we were going to pack with us, we planned accordingly. We planned for similar items to be put together, for similar activities to be together, for items we used more often to be accessible and then made piles of stuff. After that we measured all our belongings and made custom storage boxes to fit them.

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The main trick was to create the storage to fit the items that we had and those items we knew were in our near future. Each box was created to fit them perfectly. This helps us keep the van organised and discourages us from buying more stuff - ‘cause it won’t fit anywhere! One of the secrets to a happy vanlife is to make sure that everything has a dedicated space. If not our entire van would become as messy as everyone’s ‘stuff ’ drawer. Everything has a place, find it there, put it back there after each use. So far, with 10 years (and counting) of living together in a tiny space, we believe this one rule has kept us safe, happy and in love with our nomad home and each other. AM: As the seasons change, do you find yourself carrying gear that won’t be in use for a while? For example, winter clothing or gear such as skis/boards in the summer? Until the end of 2021 we didn’t carry our winter gear with us. We left it stored at friends’ houses. But now, with the addition of a 3rd Yakima Box, we have enough space to carry it all with us throughout the year. Why? Well… depending on where you go, you can ski at almost any time of the year… or not! We want to play more in the snow and figured that if we have the gear with us, we are more likely to head in directions that will allow us to do so.

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AM: Could you also tell us about your under bed storage? The initial build utilised aluminium bars, which resulted in a lot of dead space. After one month we redesigned everything with plywood and routed out channels in the wood to create slide drawers. This removed the need for heavy and spaceconsuming metal sliders. Initially we had no idea how to do this though. Raquel searched YouTube for weeks to find someone that had done a similar build. She found someone that built a workbench using a suitable method, so we modified it a bit, used lighter wood, and built it for ourselves. How long will you live in the L300, and do you have any dreams for a different rig or upgrade? Our Delica was supposed to be a transition vehicle between the Peace Love Car and our dream of having an electric van. But life has thrown our way - and everyone - a lot of challenges. The pandemic took out a lot of our yearly paid opportunities. And that in itself has halted our future build. We are preparing ourselves to live in the Delica for at least 4 more years now. Hopefully by then things will have gone back to a ‘new’ normal. Events would return. The electric builds would become more affordable and we’ll be able to finally build this new vehicle.

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AM: Tell us some more about your full electric vehicle (EV) van build. Why is it important for you to run on electric in the future? We have been dreaming about an EV solution since 2012. The dream is an expedition worthy 4x4 Diesel hybrid. Our plan was to use a 912 Deutz Air-cooled engine, with 50 to 150 miles of battery-only range. The thought was to have a 5kw (1kw while driving) fold out solar array, with a 10m mast supporting a 1kw wind turbine - great in low light, and to generate power at night. Our goals and bank account rarely seem to line up, but we have an amazing network of professionals to lean on. So, with minimal experience and even less cash we charged ahead with our dream. In 2014 we bought a 1963 P10, made by Grumman Olsen, and a dump truck frame. Our friend Zack was tasked with driving the P10 over 1000 miles to a small home garage he was living in. Zach, a friend for over 15 years, was 150 miles down the road and the fuel filter failed! Zach lurched into a local shop to buy a 55-gallon drum, some hose, and a generic filter. Within an hour I got a text saying he now had the range to drive the van all the way to Mexico. At about two in the morning, the alternator shorted causing all the fifty-year-old wiring to burst into flames. Zach was on the side of the road in complete darkness frantically trying to extinguish the flames before they reached that 55-gallon drum. On arrival, we spent days measuring everything we owned and designing a 3D mock-up of the storage and living space. Everything was on track, technology was catching up, there were scrapped EV’s now available to salvage. We had a good plan. Unfortunately, Zach was forced to sell his house and now lives in Idaho; the project is on hold until we can source a new workshop space. But why go through all this trouble? I suppose it’s a bit selfish. Our only expense is fuel. I want something that can drive 100 miles and sit for 2 weeks while selfcharging, then drive another 100 miles and just repeat this around the world. That would be great! This would free up some of the time that is currently spent on making the money that gets burnt up. So, beyond the traditional reasons of the environment and general energy diversity I am stoked to be able to create my own electricity and use that to live my passion (driving), with a little less impact to the environment that I love! Show the Slacker Van some love at instagram.com/slackervan

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Va n l i f e i s n o t a l l b e a u t i f u l sunsets & pristine living envi ron ments. It is about learning to adapt, doing the best wit h what you have.

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GEAR UP We’ve taken some new gear out to use while the days are short and the temperature is cold, with one goal in mind. Explore a new area, enjoy the company of a small group, cook on an open fire and feel as close to nature as possible while doing so. Photos by Alex Brown FIG.1 & this page. Wrap up in a Cloudtouch insulated blanket and thermal Soul Slippers from Voited. Windproof, ripstop and made from recycled materials, these can be buttoned together with other Voited blankets to make sleeping bags for two. A range of beautiful designs and colours are available direct at voited.eu FIG.2 The OUTBAG seat back organiser brings a much needed splash of colour and personality into any standard van interior. The zip locked pockets ensure gear doesn’t fly out when cruising down rough tracks, and hooks on the sides are neat attachment points to use when at camp. Two colours other gear is available vantale.co.uk FIG.3 Cooking can’t start without sourcing and cutting down some firewood. The SOG camp axe makes quick work when preparing your fuel. It’s compact size is perfect to store in the van, and the construction feels absolutely reliable for those longhaul adventures. Pair it with a SOG multi-tool and knife, to complete your wilderness setup. sogknives.com FIG.4 If you don’t have time or the space for a larger fire, then the compact wood burner from Quechua is the next best thing. The super lightweight design does not compromise on quality. The burner is very well constructed and it is easy to enjoy a controlled fire from. We cooked steak on a cast iron skillet which tasted amazing. decathlon.com

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THIS IS GREECE Astypalea, Amorgos, Iraklia or Sikinos ... islands most of us have never heard of. But it is precisely these unknown Greek islands that Babett and Michael travelled to with baby Joshua and their two dogs. Hopping from island to island in a selfconverted Mercedes Bremer, they often camped remote, free and discovered beautiful unmapped routes. Enjoy exerts from a travel diary they kept about great moments and adventures, but also the unexpected problems that arise on such a trip. Words and photos by Babett & Michael

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The final preparations on the camper are in full swing - TÜV inspection, new tires, roof box, sand plates and, not to forget, the Isofix attachment for the baby seat with a self-welded metal frame in the car. The little man will securely travel with us. In addition, there was the rough planning of the trip. The current entry regulations due to COVID had to be checked, and ferry connections planned and booked for some of the upcoming trip. August 28th, in transit All aboard. In order not to burden the travel budget too much, we boarded as deck passengers for the ferry crossing from Venice to Igoumenitsa. With an air mattress and sleeping bags, we made ourselves comfortable in the piano bar. Unfortunately, our baby Joshua, had just started to get his first teeth coming through. To calm him down, we paced countless kilometres on the deck with him in a sling. When we arrived in Greece I saw three white teeth in his mouth. What can we expect in the next two months I begin to wonder? September 3rd, Lefkada We have been on this wonderful island for a few days now. We keep wondering if we ended up in the Caribbean. On the west coast there is one dream beach after the other. The sea glows various shades of blue and the pebble beaches are wonderfully white. On this day a very special beach was on our program - the impressive Egremni Beach. We were last here eleven years ago. After that, access was blocked for several years after an earthquake. Now we were finally able to return to this beach, but it could only be reached on foot via a 1.2km long road and about 300 steps. In the heat it was a sweaty affair, especially with the baby, two dogs and our loaded backpacks. But the effort was worth it. When you stand at the stairs, the steep rock wall behind it falls and you can see the long white beach and the turquoise sea deep down, you can’t stop being amazed. September 8, Piraeus You need strong nerves here. It is a challenge to crawl through the chaotic traffic of this city with a big and slow camper like ours. Traffic jams, countless traffic lights, closed streets, wrong-way drivers in one-way streets, inconsiderate motorists and even worse moped drivers who overtake left and right dangerously. It is best to avoid this city or drive directly to the large ferry port. Spending the night can also be adventurous; there are many stories about break-ins and robberies. We stayed outside in the Glyfada district. In a large parking lot on a public stretch of beach. The garbage problem is really bad though. On the roadsides and on the beaches there are plastic bottles, cans, discarded furniture and electrical appliances .. shocking. We were happy when we were able to leave this juggernaut behind on the Blue Star Naxos ferry.

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... we moved on to explore t he aba ndoned su lphu r m i ne at Pa l ióre m a be ac h on the east coast of the island.

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September 18th, Amorgos We started the day with a dip in the refreshing tides at the beautiful Moúros Beach. The water was wonderfully clear and countless colourful fish cavorted around our feet. Simply fantastic. Every day should start like this. Then we drove to the second oldest monastery in Greece, the Monastery of Hozoviotissa. By now it was late morning and oppressively hot. Much warmer than the days before. In this heat we struggled up the many steps to the impressive, dazzling white monastery. This was built directly on the rock face and made defensive over the centuries like a fortress. Because of the dogs, we could only take turns visiting it, but that didn’t matter. We were well entertained by Christos, who distributed skirts and shawls to the wrongly dressed tourists. In the monastery itself, we were even given cool water and raki (an alcoholic beverage) . September 20th, Koufonisia Caribbean, South Seas or Indian Ocean? Where did we end up? It is only a 3.8 square km large island. The ferry crossing from Amorgos in the morning only took 40 minutes. In addition, we were lucky that the crossing went well. Once again there were new corona regulations. Suddenly the self-tests for island hopping within a region would no longer be enough. The crew had mercy and took us away anyway. The sea shone turquoise and the light sand was wonderfully fine. Swimming in the sea was spectacular, Joshua also had a lot of fun bathing in it! The bay is bordered by a peninsula with a great rocky coast. A short walk on a beaten path along the coast on this peninsula was very worthwhile. We also discovered the small hidden Gala Beach, which is completely covered by rocks and only has a connection to the sea via a small, cave-like passage. September 27th, Iraklia The 17.6 square km Iraklia is a wonderful island for hiking, as most of the island is not developed at all. That’s why we unpacked our hiking boots today and walked on stony trails to the stalactite cave Agíou Ioánnou. We started in Panagía and followed the well-marked path no. 3. You have to cover approx. 2.6 km and a few metres in altitude. The beautiful views over the wild coast of Iraklia and all the Cyclades islands such as Naxos, Schinoussa, Koufonisia, Keros, Amorgos, Ios and Paros made up for the effort. Allegedly the cave labyrinth here extends over to Ios. Next to the Agíou Ioánnou cave there is another cave, and according to legend, that of the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon. Here he is said to have been outwitted by Odysseus. Upon entering the cave and seeing the massive rocks in semidarkness, you could really think that a cyclops is lying there and sleeping. AM

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SPOTLIGHT ON

ICELAND

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Photos from a recent group trip organised by @vanlife_iceland

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For those with travel plans already laid out, many had them abruptly cancelled time and time again throughout the pandemic. But as we come out of the other side, there are even more reasons we people are choosing to hit the road behind the wheel of a campervan. A location that needs no introduction, we took a look into what Iceland has on offer for the adventure vanlifer who is ready to get back out there to explore somewhere new this year.

Asa and Leo are experts when it comes to discovering hidden gems in the volcanic zones to stunning parkups along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. They are locals after all and run Vanlife Iceland, where they offer guided driving adventures on 7-day road trips. The itinerary is loosely packed with a focus on discovering stunning nature, and bringing people together again. “After a long pandemic I think we all need some social gatherings. It’s fun to meet new people and explore together. Share a beer in a hot spring or get help from friends when you’ve got a flat tire. Whatever it is, it’s more fun than travelling alone. We bring together like minded travellers and what we see is that they all become best friends within days.” Why not go and do it alone? With so much information online, trip and route planning is quite an easy task to undertake when you are considering planning your own trip. But what Vanlife Iceland is offering fills in the parts that can’t be planned. The thought of cruising through blackened landscapes in a convoy of vans sounds fantastic to us. We can imagine the vibe around camp as everyone rolls in, manoeuvring the vans so that everyone has the perfect pitch. Then the community spirit to become a part of

when cooking together in the evening. While group type organised trips are not for everyone, Vanlife Iceland is a great way for people who are new to the idea of vanlifing to jump into the action, and for those already with a van looking for a lower cost option than shipping their own vehicle over. “Few countries on this planet have the diversity that Iceland does, when it comes to magical landscapes. You get it all from majestic waterfalls, tall mountains, deep fjords, wide blue glaciers and even volcanic deserts. Driving a van means you’re as close to nature as you can possibly get.” The campsites scheduled for the tours are located in the most beautiful locations you could imagine. There is an emphasis on bonding as a group, but the day is left open for you to stare out at the scenery taking all the time you need to absorb the ambiance. Leo didn’t give us the exact location, but tells us about his favourite waterfall which you can park next to for the night. Then in the morning, use the refreshingly cold water for your coffee. We’re wondering, could it really get any better than that?

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Travelling from Spain, Iceland was a highlight for the Catalan Family Van Expedition . Nuria and David tell us about their maiden voyage of a recently completed bespoke van build, which they took to Iceland. “The IVECO Daily 4x4 is without doubt the best 4WD vehicle of its class. Everything comes pre-fitted from the factory, we didn’t modify anything mechanically. Most vans need many modifications to make it a real 4x4 van, to make it higher for example.” And there is only one way to see the side to Iceland that many don’t, which is by venturing out into the wild under your own steam. Not having had the time to spend long planning the trip, Nuria and her family only had a list of places they had to see. One thing was for sure though, they wanted to escape the crowds and get out to the highlands, the Westfjords and try to spot the Northern Lights. “We slept at the most magical and mystic places imaginable! I remember this one spot in the Highlands, literally in the middle of nowhere. I got out of the van first thing in the morning and I thought that it was kind of scary not hearing a single sound, complete silence, not even birds. It definitely was a bizarre feeling. But being able to wake up every day to such different landscapes, for us this is priceless.”

Having the ability to literally go anywhere in their self-contained 4x4 campervan, the family were prepared for the challenges that inevitably come up on such adventures. Weather in Iceland can be fierce, spontaneous and unpredictable. When exploring remote regions you should also stock up on additional supplies such as bottled water and food that does not need cooking. But even for those who are the most prepared, anything could be around that next corner. “I get goosebumps every time somebody mentions the road F622. David starts the day joking about this road being the most dangerous road in Iceland. Reviews say that this road, despite going through amazing landscapes with huge views, is dangerous, is narrow, you drive along sheer cliffs and it’s only appropriate for 4WD. But these are the same conditions you may find in many other roads in Iceland. What we didn’t know is that this particular road stops getting maintained at the end of August. Long story short, after 3 hours driving on this sketchy road, at one point the road literally disappeared, probably from the storm we had the previous week. Imagine trying to turn around a 7m long vehicle on a road that’s only 4m wide, with your entire family inside...” Find out what happened by watching the episode on their vlogs @familyvanexpedition AM

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Getting lost in wild landscapes @familyvanexpedition

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NO NEED TO FREEZE YOUR ASS OFF The temperature drops way below zero as I continue climbing the mountain pass. But here we are, parked up for another few days to enjoy the fresh snowfall. If you ask my partner and I what we love about camping out on these long and dark nights in the mountains, we won’t be excited describing how uncomfortable it is to go to the toilet at 3am, nor celebrating the layer of ice inside our camper each morning. It’s our fourth season ski camping, and we’ve decided that a night heater should be one of the little luxuries we finally install. Advertorial by Alex Brown and Autoterm UK

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The mobile chalet So here is the plan: source and install the most reliable, efficient heater into our Volkswagen van. We can not go another winter scrambling into our down sleeping bags at sunset, staying in the same clothes for days on end, or waking up with a thick layer of ice on the inside of our van. I think we paid our dues and we also have a new-born baby, who probably shouldn’t freeze on her first adventure to winter wonderland. I partnered up with Autoterm UK, who has one of the best heater system packages available on the market. Safety Given the nature of the project outlined in this install report, there are a number of safety issues that should be outlined. This is absolutely something that most people who are comfortable with a few basic power tools can achieve, but you will need to cut some serious holes into the body of your vehicle, prevent hazardous gases interning the cab, and make sure that any of the work doesn’t negatively impact your insurance or the integrity of the vehicle. For information regarding the best places to mount a heater to your specific vehicle, a quick search online will return you with the correct information. In this report, I am installing a heater to a 2007 Volkswagen model T5. But these heaters can be installed to nearly every vehicle. Autoterm UK has a very active Facebook group: Autoterm Planar Heaters UK . I will also be taking a fuel line from the main tank on the van. This is possible because both the van and the heater run on diesel. If your van runs on petrol, an additional jerry is the answer. Some of the top concerns I had while researching what heater was the appropriate for our needs included: • how to safely mount a heater and prevent

dangerous gases circulating the cab • both fuel and power efficiency of the heater when running, and the ability to use it at high altitude • manufacturer support for install and operation Built in Russia Autoterm UK are specialists who only supply the Planar heaters, sourced directly from the factory in Russia. There were two main things that stood out to me when I started to learn about the Planars, and why this would be the heater I should install to make my next ski trips the best ones yet. Firstly, these are built in Russia and are required to operate in crazy low temperatures. The Planar instantly sounded like a piece of seriously rugged gear that would easily heat my ass up while parked next to the ski piste. I didn’t even consider a cheap heater that I could get for around £150 online. Hardware built for somewhere like Siberia - that is what I am going to choose to rely on. Secondly, heater kits that Autoterm UK have packaged up include literally everything you need for a comprehensive install. I didn’t need to go to the store to buy any additional ducting, clips or clamps. The only things you will need additionally are the tools required to drill and cut, plus a pack of self-tapping metal screws. I am so excited and dreaming of the next time I will see sunrise in the mountains, from a warm and cosy van. Once the box of parts arrived I laid everything out to do a dry install in my living room. This really helped me to visualise the job ahead. I broke the work down into three stages: wiring loom install, heater mounting (incl drilling holes for the ducting), and fuel line plumbing.

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After having removed the seats in my van I could easily access the areas to start feeding the cables through existing holes on the van. The main power for the heater will be taken from the leisure battery under the driver seat and run under the carpet to underneath the passenger seat. Here it passes through the floor of the van and to where the heater will be mounted. Another cable for the heater control panel passes up the passenger side interior trim. I drill a little hole to poke the cables through, and mount the clip for the PU-27 digital controller. Leave the fuse out of the main power cable until the very end. I jack up the van, support with axle stands and chock the wheels. I’m doing this on my rented parking in Barcelona, and do not have much free space at all. Under the van The heater is going to be mounted outside, under the passenger seat (LHD). Even though we take the van off-road and the risk of damaging the unit is a little higher, although I am confident the plastic protection panels will suffice, it was more important to me to have the heater mounted outside for two reasons: to further decrease the risk of gases entering the cab in the event of a problem, and to save the space under the passenger seat. It is also where the heaters are installed at the VW factory on models that include one from new. Starting by removing all of the underneath plastic panels, it gives you access to the entire area where the heater and all of the other parts will be mounted. A harness for the heater clips into existing holes on the chassis and is then fastened down by two self tapping screws. Then, the main heater unit can be mounted loosely. Pass the heater electrical cables over the top and connect everything up.

Now it is time to mount the fuel pump. The best place for it is just behind the heater, where the distance from the pump to the heater is kept to a minimum. It needs to be mounted on a little angle to help bubbles escape. Cut and fit the tubing to connect the pump to the fuel inlet on the heater and tighten up the clips. Run the rest of the fuel line towards the fuel tank, tucking it under the framework of the van and zip tying it neatly out of the way. We will tap into the fuel tank after the heater is fully mounted. Next on the list is the combustion air pipe. If you are following the recommended install guide from Autoterm UK, then this will be mounted towards the front end of the van. Make sure that the pipe drops down gradually so that any moisture that builds up can freely trickle down and out, rather than back into the heater. As you will now see, the space quickly starts to fill up. Just keep things close together and as tidy as possible. It will help you spot any problems later on should they arise. As I cut and fit the exhaust and silencer, I found that the Air Conditioning piping was a bit different on my van and felt like it was right in the way. After checking things over with Autoterm UK on the Facebook group (I got a reply within an hour), I was able to continue confidently. All that was left now was to find a place for the cold and hot air ducting, and cut two pretty intimidating holes into the van. Cutting the body Cutting two massive holes in the body of the van wasn’t the part I was looking forward to the most. I measured countless times, to make sure the location

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I had selected was perfect. There had to be nothing in the way of the two 67mm holes, and leave enough space around them for proper fitting of the ducting and to be able to seal them fully around the edges. Having spent a little extra money on a professional hole cutting piece for my drill, made the job a lot more comfortable. The resulting holes were clean and made stress free. Be sure to remove all metal shavings as those left, will rust easily and cause problems later on. Paint the cut metal edges with a protector such as Hammerite. Once that is finally out of the way, the last thing to do is feed the air ducting through the holes and connect them to the heater. Be sure to run a bead of high temperature sealant to fill any gaps. Finish off the piping inside of the van with grills that cover the holes. I am really satisfied with the overall presentation of the parts, which blend into the overall OEM interior very well. Tighten up all mounting screws, clips and start to replace the plastic underneath panels. The fuel tank I needed help with the fuel tank due to the weight and size of it and because I did not have a trolley jack which would fit under the van to support the tank. Luckily enough the timing of my Dad coming to visit lined up, so it was fun to work on the van with him for a few hours on a morning in Barcelona. Lowering the fuel tank on the Volkswagen was quite straightforward, despite the weight of the tank. A top tip which I am glad to have followed is to tackle this part of the job with as near to an empty tank as possible. Once the tank is removed from the van, slide it out and disconnect all of the pipes and cables from

the clips. Keep a rag handy to mop up any spilt fuel. We are now needing to remove the fuel sender unit in order to drill a new hole in it, and insert a pipe where diesel can be drawn out for the heater. It really is best to jump online and find out the best way of doing this for your particular make and model of van. Be sure that the pipe pokes down as far as possible, but not right to the bottom of the sender unit. This will ensure that you won’t suck up all of the fuel in the tank accidentally; leaving you with a reserve to be able to start the engine. Power on After lifting the fuel tank back up into place, replacing all of the panels underneath and finally putting the fuse back into the power cable, it is time to power up the heater. After a few cycles of start-up, the fuel pump was primed and the first puff of white smoke came out of the exhaust. In the car park I powered the heater up to full for 15 or so minutes to make sure that everything got a good blow through. I can not even start to describe how great it felt to feel that hot air pumping out, filling up the space in my camper within minutes! The first trip Pulling up to a frozen camp ground in the Pyrenees was exciting. We set up the camper and left the down sleeping bags in the cupboard. Within minutes of firing up the heater we had a cosy space, where for the next week we would retreat to after days spent fly-fishing and hiking. Installing the heater is a game changer for our winter options, enabling us to really enjoy the vanlife year round. Find our full install guide for this project at advanturemagazine.com/diy AM

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Slacklining on the beach between vans. @yellowmellowvans

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