In her kind recommendation to a prize for `The Versatile Blogger` which I ungratefully turned down, Jacqui, at French Village diaries mentioned that one of her unfulfilled ambitions was to own a VW camper, with a stripy elevating roof. Well, I can add dust and ashes to her head by saying that Kim and I owned exactly such a vehicle and even gave it away in its dotage when it was no longer drivable! Such a shame, I`ll bet that Ade could have restored it to its former glory. Is it worth enquiring, I wonder from the fellow who collected fire engines in Loubillé whether he still has its corpse in some dingy outbuilding?
As proof, I submit these shots of Katie Camper in all her glory of (comparative) youth. Let me take you on a tour of her ample accommodation.
The front two seats covered in a woolly tweed, simple dashboard with radio and big heater/air vent.
underneath is a CD radio and mike, doesn`t work in France of course.
Passing between the seats, one enters the rear of the camper. Behind the driver`s seat is the kitchen unit, with a wooden top which lifts up to reveal a little gas stove and a stainless sink. A cupboard underneath for stored food and the Calor bottle, a large drawer for cutlery. Opposite is a single rear-facing seat, which I adapted to cover a Porta-Potty. Behind that a bench seat with ample room for three passengers and behind that again a cushioned square over the engine, ideal for a dog or two. The rear seat folds up to form a huge and comfy bed with the cushioned square, and two stretcher-like single beds can be unrolled from above. A table can be clipped between the rear three seats.Two large, hinged doors at the front, one sliding door at the side, and upward-opening hatch at the back and a similar one giving access to the air-cooled. VW Beetle-type 1600cc horizontally- opposed engine.
It had its draw-backs of course. The heating was inadequate in the winter,and the engine was not exactly powerful for a heavy vehicle. The braking was not efficient if you are used to modern, power-assisted systems. But it felt safe and solid right from the start and if it did not accelerate swiftly, it kept on increasing with a feeling rather like a railway train to a surprisingly high top speed. And to do its job as a magic carpet for two people there was nothing like it! We kept it fully stocked and equipped with tinned food, cereal, boxed and dried milk etc, and if you decided to go away for a weekend, you could put your pyjamas and wash-gear in a bag, get in, start up and just go. Great for spur of the minute decisions. Or as a day-picnic vehicle it had no competitor. We even used it to do my job as Claims Inspector for the CIS, to the surprise of some clients. Kim liked to come with me for a day out and we visited almost every town and village in Devon and Cornwall and had the facility of a brew-up if the driving became tiring.
Of course, we also used it for holidays both in Britain and in France. In Britain, we begrudged paying for campsites and the complete autonomy of the camper enabled us to `fly camp` without any problem. We would choose a quiet lay-by somewhere and bed down quietly. We were never once moved on by Police or land-owners and if we had have been, it would have been the work of a moment to start up and drive off!
I remember one out of season camp near Huelgoat in Brittany. We tried to use the camp-site but it was locked and deserted. No problem, we parked in the wooded entry-lane and used their water tap to replenish supplies. We woke up next morning to see a red squirrel playing in the trees nearby...
After many years of use we found ourselves using the VW less and less, as the French house was then supplying our holiday needs. The van was handy for transferring goods to it, of course, once we carried a complete set of second-hand kitchen cupboards! In the end the poor thing became tired and in need of an engine overhaul. I suggested swapping it in but Kim would not hear of it. In the end, we drove it down to Mort Limouzin, where it served for several years as a spare bedroom, parked in the hangar for when we had a surplus of people staying!
A lovely vehicle, and we still miss it from time to time. I have felt a real pang writing this obituary. Rest in peace, Katie Camper or should it be rust in peace....
Bye for now, the dogs are whining to go out!
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