So what is this all about………

Some Background!

Well you know what it is like, or perhaps you don’t!

Sometimes in life things just “happen for a reason”. This is one of Benita’s favourite expressions. Benita is my partner, and the person whose idea this all was, and the person that I will share this adventure with.

The detail of all of this will be documented elsewhere on the site. but the crux of the matter is/was good fortune, with the planets all lining up at the same time.

Last year we purchased a VW Camper Van, a rather smart T25, a lovely early 70’s Porsche Blue with wheels, seats and steering wheel from the same marque. A little work to make it a bit more quirky, as is our style and we were ready to hit the road. Why was that decision made – well, check out the blog post!

Well, that was in 2018 and camping was cancelled as I, Nigel was unwell and apart from a few days travelling back from Glasgow, via Lindisfarne and back home, after my Dad had spent a month roaming the UK visiting old friends and family in the T25, that was it for Camper van adventures in 2018.

The first planet must have taken up position on a cold Sunday afternoon in January 2019. I received an e-mail from a company from whom we had purchased many parts for the T25, they were holding a VW Weekend in June 2019 all for charity. This appealed to me as we had missed out on such things the previous year, I tentatively suggest this to Benita, (who to be fair prefers a higher degree of luxury than a camper offers), however a positive response was forthcoming. Tickets were immediately booked!

Fast forward to June 2019, said camper van was prepared for action and an awning purchased; after is was decided that room for a nocturnal toilet was required!

The big weekend was approaching and the dream of a balmy Summer weekend of camping with chilled glasses of something alcoholic and a barbecue, were replaced by chilling weather warnings of high winds, torrential rain and low temperatures. Deep inside I thought of suggesting a cancellation……………

Now Benita and I used to do a Radio Show on a Friday afternoon on Kennet Radio, and on the afternoon before we were to set off to the VW event our weather bulletins were full of doom and gloom. On our walk back home to pickup the camper and to set off I suggested that we stay at home in the dry; as the sun was shining at the time Benita to my surprise was happy to fire up the Camper and get going – the second planet was in line.

However on our drive towards Odiham in Hampshire and the event itself, the skies darkened and the windscreen wipers were called into play (at least they worked). On arrival the entry track to the event was already muddy and the rain insistent. We slid into the site and after driving around for. while, selected a place to park. It was two beers later before the rain ceased and awning erection could commence!

The evening was decidedly chilly, but the rain paused long enough to enable us to wander around the site and to check out everyone else’s campers. We looked at the old buses and the new T5’s, nothing really floated our boat for a potential replacement for the T25. Rain still on hold we took in some of the outdoor screening of Top Gun until it got too cold and we headed back to the van for a night cap and bed. I hasten to add that this event was in a field and there was no electricity and therefore no heating in the van!

After a night of the promised torrential rain and high winds, dawn broke to reveal a soggy campsite and an awning that was still standing…………which was a result.

We needed to leave the campsite during the day as I had arranged to meet someone to deliver something that I had sold on e-bay. We walked up to the area where the food vendors were to find some breakfast and noted that both the entry and exit tracks were now barely passable, and observed the event organisers trying to manage the situation, with what appeared to be limited success.

We took breakfast (which was delicious) back to the camper and I suggested that, rather than get bogged into the site that we head for home after leaving for my e-bay meet-up. Again Benita was happy to head back for the final night – the third planet clicks into place………..( a surprise to me…..).

So we slithered out of the site via the exit route (we both wished we had my trusty Land Rover Defender), and headed for my e-bay meet which was concluded successfully. On the way back to site we visited a fabulous Farm Shop and purchased very expensive but yummy food for our evening meal. The weather by now had temporarily come to its senses and the sun was shining, sufficiently warmth was generated to dry the track and to provide reasonable traction on our return to the campsite.

After a small sample of our farm shop purchases for a late lunch, we decided to check out the trade stands at the show before the weather decided to change its mind. The skies were indicating a changeable afternoon! It turned out that the trade stands were limited and it did not take long to see what was on offer, soon we decided to head back to the van for a glass of wine.

On leaving the main trade field we saw a smaller area where there were a few smaller trade stands and what appeared to be a Land Rover, but with a pop top which was unusual – it also had a visible “For Sale” sign………a diversion was in order! – well why wouldn’t you. Was this the fourth planet jostling for position.

The Land Rover was unusual to say the least, it had an Alu Cab roof conversion fitted with numerous other upgrades that were apparent from peering through the windows, a NATO towing jaw indicated a Military past?

We sought out the owner, a lovely guy called Tim Green who was running an eco-products stand at the show. Tim was more than pleased to show us around the vehicle which was an ex-Australian built military Land Rover know as a Perentie. More detail later but this Land Rover is unique in having a bespoke galvanised chassis and an Isuzu 3.9 litre engine, Wow!!!!

We returned to the camper and carried out a little research on these beasts via the inter web! Now very interested we decided to head back to the trade field for another look at the vehicle. Tim had packed up for the the day. and we just caught him before he left for the weekend. Fifth planet anyone…..

Tim was more than happy to show us around and explain the vehicle in more detail and explain the work that he had done since its import from Australia. Needless to say telephone numbers were swapped. A few days later we arranged a test drive.

The day soon arrived and I went out for a drive with Tim, the Isuzu engine was not as agricultural as I expected and pulled well, the vehicle wandered a little on the road but I guessed that this was partly due to the fact that the Isuzu engine was mounted further forward than the Land Rover unit and coupled with the weight of the Alu Cab on the roof, altered the centre of gravity. The cause could also be partly due to a tracking issue, we will see.

Benita was next to go out with Tim and she loved it, as I did. Benita could get into the Perentie much easier than she could get into my G4 Challenge Defender as my Land Rover has jacking sills which means that you cannot fit a side bar/step. The Perentie, despite being 2 inches taller than a regular 110, has a side step fitted. Do you need anymore planets? – No, of course not, an offer was put in and Benita agreed to buy the Perentie.

When we eventually got back to my home in Lymington we had talked about what we might like to do with the Perentie moving forward. We were talking about the purchase with my Dad when Benita suggested that we took the Perentie over the to USA for a Road Trip. I, in turn, suggested that we made it a lifetime experience and that we should visit all 48 USA contigious States on the journey. Hence the name of this web site and blog.

Subscribe and join us for the joys and no doubt pains of planning this fantastic journey, and to follow us in 2020 (and now I suspect 2021 & beyond) through the 48 mainland States in our gray Land Rover – no pun intended…………..