This is SUCH deja vu – in 2017 I asked if anyone wanted to drive my car to Spain if I paid the ferry and their flight back – now here we are 2026 and I’m offering my tent-on-wheels-plus-plus for Your Holiday Pleasure if you’ll take it to Reading, Berkshire.

Soon, ideally.

And you may well ask why I’m not doing it myself. This is such a long shot that I suspect I will be, but hey ho. The thing is the dogs – they adore the van, and I enjoy their company (and such security as is offered by 2 very timid dogs who would alert me to danger by scrambling under the bed rather than by barking) and all would be fab until the van was safely back in Reading and I had to get back to Spain. Flying with dogs, not an option. So the long drive up to the ferry at Santander, or the longer drive across France, would be a lonely business while they pined in care back in Spain.

That’s by the by, you want to know what your home from home is like. Mechanically, as reliable as a 20 year old workhorse can be. It’s been checked, and rechecked, and has a new timing belt, because I know I probably will end up driving it and I don’t want snags. Good tyres, a spare, and of course wheel-changing kit. The bed, should you choose to move stuff as well as camp along the way, lifts out of the way to reach packing-crate-suitable storage space beneath. (I personally need help to lift it, but can lower it single-handed.) There are webbing straps to clamp it upright if storage is more an issue than camping.

As a camper, oh definitely quirky. Full size comfortable double bed with quick-access baskets around the edge, nice place to sit at the back without breaking the law (in Spain you can park anywhere, but can only put out chairs and tables in designated camping areas) more storage over the cab. Nearly all bed or seat, frankly, but there’s just enough space to faff around or turn the table into a desk for the laptop (I teach English online. My pupils are riveted when I do it from the van). There’s a TV on a swivel mount behind the driver’s seat, and a Firestick (never worked out how to use it, I download stuff to watch on a USB stick and plug that into the back) but there IS a Firestick. Blackout blinds and fly netting look home-made but work.

Campsite preferred, for me – 30m campsite cable (UK with EU adaptor) gives you a multiple plug point in the kitchen – electric kettle, fan is likely going to be essential, cooler-box fridge, laptop, TV, phone charging, any other electrics you choose to take. There’s a tidy little emergency loo tucked in there for 3 am but otherwise campsites have lovely loos, showers, washing machines, which somebody else looks after and maintains.

Off-grid, there’s a small portable powerpack (which can be charged off mains, the lighter, or little portable solar panels) which can power the fridge, laptop, phone, (but not the kettle) (much bigger power packs are out there which will do the lot) plus a one plate gas camping doodab with gas cartridges and a suitable camping kettle. Stop in a French aire, make yourself lunch, have a coffee, that sort of thing. I’m trying to sound evocative here. The wall lights (3 double ones scattered about) work off the leisure battery, plus there are rechargeable lights of different types.

I chose not to have plumbed-in water or plumbed-in gas (KISS) so have drinking water with a USB-charged faucet, and haul along a 30L water bottle for the dogs, washing up (small collapsible sink), etc. Longer stops, out comes the camping carpet and lounger to set up outside. Last trip was Playa Granada for four days, to avoid the fireworks and general bang-bang fiesta happening in my home town, and it is pretty much fine-tuned to easiest possible camping now.

It is for sale, but UK registered vans in Spain, when they have to go back to the UK and can’t stay in Spain, not an easy sell. So it has to go to the UK, and frankly the sooner the better because Europe is going to get pretty crowded for July and August.

Thanks for reading and if you’re inspired, get in touch. All packed up and strapped up and ready to roll.