Vanlife experiment

With thanks to Big Little Campers for this famil

Today I did some work! Which, of course, for a travel writer, means gadding off on holiday (sorry). But this one wasn’t without some tension, mild drama and anxiety - so, not your average downtime. My assignment was to write an account of campervanning for beginners, which I honestly thought I was. Turns out, back in 2009 (pre-blog) I did a week-long tour in a Britz van through Australia's Northern Territory, which included locking our hubs to bump along dirt tracks and plough through creeks with the water up to the top of our wheel-arches. Pretty vivid experience, you'd think - but I had quite forgotten. Lots of other stuff has happened since...

Anyway, instead of being part of a group, with guides, and sharing the driving duties with another writer, this time I was all on my own, so I reckon it counts. The van this time was a Toyota Hiace with a roof-top extension that made it a towering 2.7m high, lent to me by Big Little Campers. One of the partners of which is a family partner, to be transparent. That meant my pick-up was made convenient for me (only involving one bus and two ferries) and my introduction to the vehicle was probably a bit more casual than usual - though I do know they provide full support to their renters.

So it wasn't too long before I was off on my adventure, driving cautiously along familiar roads, even to the supermarket for some provisions, and then, gasp, onto the motorway. It was reassuring that my bulk made me noticeable to other drivers, and that handling it quickly became easy. I enjoyed sitting much higher than usual. At no stage did I get into car-mode, though - the sloshing of the watertank right behind me, and the rattle of cutlery in the drawer were constant reminders that this was a proper campervan.

My destination was modest - Shakespear Regional Park, just a bit to the north of the city - but the actual location was a novelty: a self-contained campsite. That is, only for campers and caravans that have all their own water, power and tanks. So when I had wound my way along to the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, all I had to do was pull on the handbrake, open the sliding door to the main body of the van and there I was, set up.

BLC calls this van the Big One, because its roof extension means it can sleep one person more than the Small One's two occupants. You'd have to be on good terms, though - it's amusing (and realistic) that the company recommends everyone has their own headphones and eyemask - and I was glad to have it all to myself.

Full disclosure, though: the Baby and family, experienced campers, were right next door, full of advice and reassurance.

Shakespear (named after the original farming family, hence no final -e) was new to me, and lovely: quiet, rural, wide sandy bay looking across to distant Rangitoto and the city beyond, hills behind, big old pohutukawa trees scattered over the site, which was far from crowded (apart from a remarkable number of pukeko/marsh hens). It's become a very warm summer, so the sea was inviting despite today’s cloud, and the afternoon passed pleasantly, finishing with a bbq and family chat.

Getting ready for bed I got fidgety, but entirely because of being a novice. The too-dim lights I didn't know had 3 settings. The flashing CO2 monitor was easily covered up. The noisy fridge can be turned off overnight. My phone would have been charged up if I had brought a cord with the right plug. And the reserve had a toilet block, to my relief, because I was a bit anxious about using the in-van loo - but turns out that was no big deal either.

And the bed was comfy, cosy and spacious (for one), and the night very dark and peaceful, with only cicadas and the occasional shrieking pukeko breaking the silence. Good start.