Tea and coffee - essential in the UK

Looks good but those cup handles can get very, very hot.

Every trip is a learning experience; here we share hints and tips

Eating and Drinking

You'll be leaving behind many of your usual home appliances, like the oven, hand blender and food processor, as they're energy-intensive and take up too much precious space. You also have to make a very important choice on the cooker in the Van. To save space and have a hob that doubles up as a very very efficient heater (we tested it in near zero temperatures in Scotland) we opted for a Wallace cooker, and it has exceeded our expectations. 

It takes about 5 minutes to heat up, when we found it a good thing to keep the doors closed depending on wind direction to keep any initial fumes out. Once it's up and running, it's a breeze to rustle up a meal for two. We can cook toast on the cooker, inside a toasty bag (Tescos), it does require regular turning and time before you get acceptable toasted bread.

When it comes to washing up, the fewer pots and greasy pans, the better. One-pot meals are the way to go, saving on water, space, and effort. A good frying pan and one saucepan are all you need. It doesn't have to be fancy, but get the best you can afford. A lid is handy for steaming, speeding up cooking, and reducing lingering cooking smells in your bedroom. We've just upgraded to a Tefal Ingenio with removable handles, and it's been a game-changer. We were gifted a Ridge Monkey, but found it heavy and too large for two people, plus it filled up the washing-up bowl.

Avoid novelty campervan mugs. Your hot beverage will be lukewarm within 5 minutes, but they can start out with a dangerously hot handle. Instead, consider a thermos travel mug. YETI sells a Rambler insulated stackable mug with a lid, and there are many other options available. One thing to keep in mind if you have cup holders up front, is that whatever you get fits into them and doesnt hit the window.

On the subject of hot beverages, an electric kettle when on EHU (Electric Hook-Up) is a great addition. It saves the fumes every time you want a brew. We use the folding YudouTech Kettle, which boils in a couple of minutes. 

As we add more tips and learnings, we hope these will help you on your campervan journey. Safe travels and happy adventures! 🌟🚐

Coming up Soon .... Beds, bedding, toppers and bags.