Things we love having in our van…

Whilst driving we decided to collect our thoughts and make some lists which might be useful (no affiliate links, but most available from Amazon):

1. Karcher window vac – we thought it was too big and we wouldn’t use it, but with the small blade attachment, it was brilliant in combating condensation. Yes, we could have used microfibre cloths, but then we would have a load of wet cloths to dry and add to the water vapour in the air! USB charging cable available from Amazon too.
2. 12v electric blanket – just great for taking the chill off the memory foam mattress topper before bed. A little luxury, though not as warm as a domestic mains unit, it does feel great.
3. Winnerwell stainless steel folding oven – a little bulky (about the size of an A4 ring binder when folded), but gave us options for cooking other than just using 2 rings on the hob, like pizza and ready made lasagna!
4. TV roof mount / desk mount for iPad – watching tv in bed or sat up, this little device was great and meant I didn’t have to balance it on my belly in bed!
5. Stainless steel off ground fire pit. Just a cheapo Amazon thing, but it was great to sit around the campfire with friends and it worked great, folding down into a pencil case sized bag after use. Our friends Pablo The Syncro loved it so much, we gave it to them with a promise they will send pictures of them using it on their adventure! We will order a new one as soon as we get home.
6. Vango Hampton DLX reclining / folding chairs – full size reclining camp chairs, which fold almost flat so they fit inside the roof in the pop top (we have removed the mattresses though) and are so comfortable and strong (rated at 140kgs, so even I can use them!). Coupled with a blanket, very cosy.
7. Magnetic hooks – brilliant in the van for hanging coats, dog leads etc. We have one each side of the rear view mirror to hang coats at night and 8 in the cabin for tea towels etc. These work better on bare metal or where the fabric coverings are thinnest.
8. Jetboil – although I sing the praises of the diesel cooker, it doesn’t heat up quickly or cool down fast, so for a quick cuppa it’s overkill. But with the Jetboil we can make a pot of tea in about 2 mins, without using the cooker. Brilliant.
9. Retractable washing line and 100kg magnetic hooks – made drying washing possible inside or outside the van, with a long sturdy line which was not going to fall down and could be clipped magnetically to the van and a lamp post, or wrapped around two trees.
10. Lithium batteries, Sterling B2B charger and 230W solar panel. Worked brilliantly and transformed our electrical system so much so that even with the heater, cooker, lights, electric blanket (12v) and chargers running at various times, we were able to park up without running the engine for 3 days at -15°C
11. Diesel cooker – worked faultlessly in all conditions, no mess, no fuss, no discernible fuel consumption
12. Diesel heater – life saver once we had the control unit replaced. Running it all night set low when sleeping in subzero temperatures, then all day on a medium setting when parked up or watching telly at night. Just brilliant.
13. Ok, latest new addition – Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser projector. Just brilliant, especially for watching rugby and movies. We have a cool screen that we made which hangs from a dowel using magnets, but you could just as easily hang a white sheet from the H bar or use the magnetic hook above, to make your own indoor / outdoor cinema. I would recommend having a decent power source to extend viewing time though, as it’s a little limited (either via USB plugged into inverter or a usb power pack rated above 42W, such as the INIU shown).