The search continues.

My search for a camper led me to Portsmouth, where I had been told about a VW Autosleeper. 

I’ve never really seen autosleepers before, but from the outside I’ve always been a bit put off. Based on a T4, they don’t have the pretty look of a classic, and the longer wheel base with the high top roof means they aren’t the dinky little surf buses that I had always dreamt of. However, a good look inside the one for sale in Portsmouth has let me see the autosleepers in a whole new light. They still aren’t the pretty split screens that fill the posters, but they are a lot more practical. 

The van I had a look at was a trophy, which is the biggest of the VW autosleeper family. It has a small kitchen area, with an oven, hob, grill, sink and fridge all neatly packed away, alongside quite a decent amount of work surface. 

The bed is created from the long sofa on the driver’s side of the van, and a single forward facing seat that is sat next to the sliding door on the opposite side, and at the back of the van is a full shower room. This has been something that has really impressed me with these vans. The shower room consists of a wardrobe, a cassette toilet, a drop down sink and the whole ‘pod’ is completely waterproof, so a small showerhead means that you can have a proper shower in what essentially is a wet room. 

I’m still a bit unsure as to whether this is really what I want to go for. It’s a lot of money to spend for it not to be right. However, opening myself up to something outside of a classic has really got me thinking.