Van Conversion Basics
Thinking beyond the realms of our transit van life, this past month has been pretty hectic. With full-time jobs, family commitments, various obstacle runs and the big move (Charles moved in with me!) we’ve been run off our feet! Unfortunately that’s left little time for us both to play with BB and work on the van conversion. We managed to squeeze in one day together and Charles had a few days of toil built up. Our deadline was the summer bank holiday because we had plans to take BB for her first outing. That weekend away would be in Cornwall but before the jolly could begin we had a few urgent things to finish up. So we had to prioritise the van conversion basics.
Our Van Conversion Basics
First things first, we’d need power for a long weekend away. We’ve now got wires weaving throughout the van ready to connect to lights, the fridge and the sink further down the line. For now, the main thing is that it’s all wired up to a leisure battery which charges from the alternator. This means we’ve got an inverter that can power some of our more hefty bits of tech, like laptops. There’s also a 12V system for powering the smaller sockets like our phones.
Next, and thinking about it maybe this should have been the main priority… it was time to assemble a bed frame (van conversion basics 101). It’s a simple wooden frame for now. But we’ve got plans for storage and drawers but that can all come later. In the mean-time, the simple mechanism slides in and out. Bench by day and small double bed by night. The idea was to use a blow-up mattress but a pesky hole threw that plan into the wind. So instead throw on a few bits of old foam from our local climbing wall and a voila, time for bed! And look how comfy and homely it looks. We’re pretty chuffed with this temporary result. Although it is a little high — we haven’t worked out how to slim down the thickness of the foam yet! (Any tips anyone?).
Right behind the bed, we’ve also got access to the 12V sockets so easy overnight phone charging!
Then comes the nav system to help make finding a wild camping spot a bit easier. It’s mounted on the dash and tethered to 4G on our phones.
And a final bit of finesse with a new tow bar — always useful to have and you never know when you might need one.
Talking Plans for the Van
Aside from the hard labour we’ve been talking plans, when are we not? With so many ideas and decisions to firm up, it’s a constant dinner time conversation. Next on my list is to create some blinds and curtains to keep the light away while we snuggle up in the back. I made some temporary ones before our long weekend away using black Proplex (plastic) sheet. Technically it’s for floor protection but it’s super easy to cut and manipulate into shape.
Out First Van Conversion Road Trip
Planning aside, this month’s main van life event was our first adventure. We drove down to Cornwall, cruising along the motorway from our high vantage point in the van. With typical bank holiday traffic, progress was slow but we were excited, the radio was blaring and we were making the most of crawling traffic. A family in the neighbouring lane were tucking into a box of Krispy Kreme’s — “now that’s the way to handle bank holiday traffic” we said. Next thing we know traffic picks up again but sure enough we meet that same family a few minutes later. This time they wind down the window and lean out with the box of Krispy Kreme’s — “would you like one?”. Everyone laughs as we speed up, narrowly missing our chance for a doughnut on the motorway. Thanks guys, we appreciate it but maybe it would have been a messy affair!
Driving fun aside we spent our first night away in a National Trust car park. One of 4 vehicles there, in the middle of nowhere, it was a peaceful (albeit slightly windy) night. It was also our first dinner in the van — sophisticated cold meats, cheese, carrots and hummus. We were rocking the party van.
The next day we ventured to Tintagel and walked part of the stunning South West Coastal route with views like this:
It was hot, hot, hot so we loved being near the sea and even dunked our t-shirts before putting them on again to continue the walk. It was so refreshing for about 20 mins before it evaporated off again.
Getting into the Cornish holiday spirit we tried pastries and ate ice cream by the sea.
The next day would see us walk St. Michael’s Way — the British part of the Camino de Santiago. I recently posted about the experience here. If you like walking, some panoramic sea views and some traditional British countryside then I cannot recommend this hike enough!
As the end of our adventure drew to a close we drove off to the end of the UK, to Landsend in the hope of watching the sunset over the last of the British isles. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans throwing clouds all over the sky. We may not have seen the sunset but we watched the sky change colour and darken after exploring the rocky outcrop. With a calming atmosphere you do feel a bit like you’re at the end of the world so take your time to explore and find your own bit of Landsend. There’s also a family attraction and plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or rest up with a drink.
The next day we spent our last few hours wading through the sea, across the flooded causeway, to St. Michael’s Mount. Check out the post to read more.
Finally, last but not least follow Charles’ Instagram account @aatobb_uk to find out the technical nitty-gritty of the build. And while you’re there, admire the new logo — I’ve been putting my design degree to use for this sketchy representation. Hardly the van conversion basics we were supposed to be focusing on but a little fun.
As always, if you’ve got a van conversion story we would love to hear it. Comment below and tell us your van conversion basics — how did it start out, what went wrong, would you do it again? Get in touch here.
Originally posted on Sage Adventures travel & wellness lifestyle blog: www.sageadventres.co.uk.
