Campervan Diaries: The Beginning

We are buying a campervan! A Japanese imported Mazda Bongo to be precise. Oh, and by the way, neither of us drive.

Don’t fret, Coronavirus hasn’t turned us to a life of crime just yet. Ste is taking driving lessons with a fabulous driving instructor in Hebden Bridge, and now we’re just waiting for his driving test so we can get on the road, and breathe a bit.

At 17 I wasn’t able to drive because of my epilepsy but I never felt like I was missing out so when I was able to learn, I chose not to. I’m 40 now but I had a pesky seizure last year, out of the blue, which means I can’t learn just yet, now that I actually want to!

From a young age, campervans were always the wheels I’d admire gazing out of the window as we drove on the motorway. I’d tell myself, I’d have my own one day and park up on the moors and lay on the rooftop stargazing until I could see my breath in the cold night air. Nostalgic I know. But we all need to romanticise now and again, life gets tedious otherwise.

We’ve chatted for years about owning a van one day, especially with having a dog, but we never put any plans in place, mainly for financial reasons. Then life got a bit real with my dad’s Alzheimer’s, my health went a bit downhill and then Covid-19 happened and we got some perspective.

I love the outdoors, camping and generally getting back to basics so I know owning a campervan is a good match for us. Having the freedom to go away without having to plan much is a big appeal, and we love the history of the UK and want to discover more of it.

Like most people dreaming of van life we immediately thought of an older VW Transporter Campervan (original 60s/70s) but we decided to choose something newer that was still affordable but had the campervan charm.

After recommendations from friends and a LOT of research, we discovered the Mazda Bongo. We’re planning on buying a fresh import and converting as much as we can afford to begin with (rear kitchen, side bench/bed, electric hook up etc). Next year we’ll be adding a high pod roof, so we can stand up in it and make it more comfortable for travelling in.

So there we are! I wanted to start updating this space with our campervan progress as it will feature heavily on here over the coming years. My next post is on why we’re choosing a Bongo for our first van, including tips on choosing your van too. Stay tuned campers!