Our Vehicle

Our beloved camper van, christened “Grandullona” by the kids, has taken us the length of South America this year, covering a distance of 25,000km. It has brought us to the end of the world in Ushuaia, through the majestic Andes Mountains, across the Argentine pampas and across the Altiplano in Bolivia at altitudes close to 5,000m above sea-level. It has brought us through the Peruvian desert, alongside the Pacific Ocean and through the Colombian jungle.

In a moment of complete madness, we bought the vehicle after finding an advert in a Facebook group for South American Overlander travellers. Perhaps it was our enthusiasm for the trip, or just plain naivety bordering on stupidity, but whatever the reason, we agreed to buy it from a French family who were completing a six-month trip themselves around the southern half of the continent. To make matters worse, as they were finishing their trip in mid-August and we would not arrive until mid-September, we would not get to see the vehicle in person prior to exchanging contracts and (the majority of) the funds.

The French family we purchased the camper van from could not have been nicer and more helpful to us, right from minute one until today. They have helped us understand so many things about the vehicle that we otherwise would have been completely lost. This extended to vehicle documentation which aided border crossings as we travelled north towards Colombia.

Myself and Laura come from a travelling background filled with rucksacks and hostels, and in more recent years AirBnB’s and car rentals. We have almost no experience travelling in camper vans, and even less in mechanical or DIY related activities. This has led to challenges along the route over the past year as we have grappled with the many complications that such a vehicle can throw up.

In terms of the vehicle itself, after collecting it at the airport in Santiago, we spent a couple of weeks “getting to know it” while staying at a park in the city. Weighing in at 3,500 kilograms and measuring over 7 metres long, it is not anything like what we were used to driving. The internal layout is both open and functional, belying it’s 22 years to give us more space and comfort than other more modern and costly vehicles we have seen allow. We have a decent sized kitchen, dining area and even a sofa. Our kids have a bunk-bed each while we sleep in a spacious area above the driver’s cabin. There is also pretty decent storage space dotted all throughout the vehicle.

When travelling, we manage close to 700 kilometres on a full tank, which again compares quite well to what we have seen in other vehicles here. If the roads are good, the travel is relatively quick and comfortable. If they are not, which is often the case here in South America, travel becomes more survival than joyful. Designed for smooth, asphalt European roads, the unpaved dirt roads here can prove really tricky for Grandullona as things move, rattle and shake throughout. Yet compared to the number of hours that we not travelling, such driving is an acceptable inconvenience for us and our vehicle.

A bonus of the vehicle has been the solar panels fitted on the roof. While I have not been able to confirm the exact capacity of these (they are about the size of two panels you might see on the roof of a house), they have charged every device and lit every light we have needed in the past 12 months.

An added bonus of the vehicle has been its reliability. We have not had a single roadside issue or anything that stopped us in our tracks. We have been proactive in this regard I will openly admit, with mechanical reviews every couple of months to identify and replace anything that could cause us problems. In addition, we have twice left the vehicle with specialist camper van mechanics who have fixed a variety of things in the living part of our vehicle.

But the real bonus of our new vehicle has been that it has become a real home for us. Versus a year ago, while we have lost bedrooms, a play room, bathrooms and a garden, we have gained a space that works for all our daily requirements. It is somewhere that feels comfortable, enjoyable and safe for us all, and somewhere that we feel truly happy.

Thanks you Grandullona🙏🙏🙏

Click here to read the “Education” blog post