Van – Europe – Ruth Hopkins
24 Squires Street, Liverpool, UK
I’m a freelance investigative journalist based in the UK. I have lived and worked all over the world and am a nomad at heart. I bought my van because I was hit hard by Brexit and decided to turn a terrible development into an adventure. So now I am exploring the UK in my Brexitbus. And loving it!
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Country: United Kingdom
Vehicle Info
I have a 2003 Citroen Relay converted campervan. It had 47K on the clock when I bought it (Feb 2022) and now it is around 55K. It is a 'winterised' van, so it is insulated and has a webasto diesel heater installed . I also have a fridge in the van, a shower set-up, a chemical toilet and two gas hobs to cook on. It is an entirely self-sufficient unit, perfect for off-grid living. The van has taps and water. I'm not sure how many litres the tank is, but it is easy to fill up. There are two solar panels on the roof which provide energy and thus far I have not had many issues. I will also provide a battery charger in the van, with which you can charge the battery should it run out. I have only had to use this once, during a stay in Scotland with no sun. I have 2 leisure batteries and an inverter to provide energy/electricity and the van also has a 12v system. The van does not have a hook-up for the mains but I will provide an electrical extension hub.
Vehicle Rules:
No cigarette smoking inside. No off-road adventures with the van. It can handle all sorts of terrain but off-road driving would probably damage it. I always drive the vehicle under 60 miles/100km an hour because that saves massively on fuel and it feels a lot safer. When you park up and leave vehicle (to go into town e.g.) please always apply the extra locks. Every door (sliding door, two front seats and back entrance) has an additional (to central locking) lock. I also have an air tag in the van.