We're 9 nights into a total of 42 nights in the camper van. We didn't realize how biblical that might turn out to be; it seems to be sort of our 40 days and 40 nights in Noah's Ark given all the rain. We are witnessing history as this is the rainiest November ever here! This has meant more time in the camper and less time hiking than we expected, unfortunately. We estimate that we're living in about 40 square feet, so maybe an occasional dose of cabin fever is likely under the circumstances?
Friends and family have asked us what the camper van setup is like. Here's some photos below to illustrate... These are NOT the photos that all the camper van companies put up on their sites. This is what it looks like when someone who owns, say, clothes and shoes, actually sets off in one of these things.
Lots of people come to NZ because of the Lord of the Rings movies. Living in a camper van lets you feel
even closer to a LOTR/hobbit experience. You get to feel like Gandalf in Bilbo's Shire house pretty much all the time! Except, not as cute, with zero art nouveau touches.
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| At a campground |
Dining: the layout for eating (note: Sam's smile is for a rare moment of non-rain, i.e., not the norm thus far....)
Kitchen--cold water sink, gas cooktop, mini fridge, storage for pots, pans, and utensils, and also for plates and glasses and clothes closet.
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| The whole kitchen in all its glory! |
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The gas-powered cooktop
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| Inside the fridge |
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The pots, pans, utensils, tea kettle, etc. below the sink
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| Dishes and other stuff crammed in where possible! |
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| The 'cupboard' and only place to put clothes |
Sleeping: you convert the eating area into a bed; the table becomes the platform under the seat cushions. It's surprisingly good for sleeping mainly because of the quiet and dark. There is a porta-potti that comes with the van so you don't have to get out in the raining night.
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| Sam gets ready for slumber |
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| What it looks like before you convert the bed back into an eating area. Our rental is a 2+1 meaning a child could sleep in the dark cave above the bed--it does extend out more than this (head injuries will be even more common in that setup) |
Bonus pics if you made it this far
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| Preparing to do some resistance band exercises in the van |
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| Sam workin' her muscles! |
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Sam with the week's worth of groceries we somehow fit in here!
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