As well as an online writer, I'm a keen amateur folk musician.
I had my first starter / really cheap camper van last year.
It was great using it to go to lots of folk music festivals around the South of England.
During the week, I would go off and write in the laybys of Exmoor with the birds singing all around and wonderful views.
It was / is a 1993 hightop transit van conversion with a 2.5 litre diesel engine with a little gas kitchen and a little room with a portapotti.
Unfortunately, it needs double de clutching to get into second gear after a few miles (well I did say it was cheap) - but maybe the garage could fix that with spending a bit of money.
Making the bed up, which is amidships, is a bit of a pain and takes most of the van because it is a short wheel base vehicle.
I have to say that it hasn't ever let me down except for once when the alternator went mad and cooked the starter battery.
However, it only does 25 miles to the gallon or there abouts and with the cost of fuel now, I've decided to consider passing it on and perhaps looking for something more fuel economic.
So it has been with a dealer for touching up and sale for the last three weeks.
Problem is that I would like to go for a big vehicle with a fixed bed but that's expensive to use as a primary vehicle.
Going for a smaller vehicle means even less room that I currently have which isn't really enough.
To be honest, I don't know whether to stick with what I've got, cash in a load of savings and get something posh and luxurious or get a little sports car and do bed and breakfast which would also mean I could venture abroad more easily.
Today, I drove my wife's posh almost new car and learned how the other half live and it made my old vehicle seem very, well, old.
I wonder if there are any other camper van owners who are also writers or musicians and have used it to change their lives. Or even people who like the idea and would like to discuss the pros and cons.
If so, I would love to hear from you.
For more general discussion about options for escaping to a better life check out my earlier post and the interesting comments here:
Discussion about escaping to a better lifeUpdate - I've got my camper van back and am going to stick with it for a while. If I can run home made bio diesel in it, my costs would really come down. Time to find out more.
Bye for now
Rob
Recently, I visited a relative who has a bed and breakfast close to Southbourne Overcliff, Bournemouth and was amazed at the feeling of community that the scents and sounds that the Overcliff generates on a sunny morning.
Above all, it was the feeling of community, the smell of the grasses that are kept long because it is a special nature reserve site and the wonderful views across the beaches and the water that attracted me.
