Getting used to freedom
Five months in a confined space
The idea of spending five months in a confined space with your nearest and dearest may seem a little crazy; prisoners get more room. But we weren’t really worried as we were both used to living out of a rucksack for months at a time. Once a backpacker, always a backpacker.
For a 5 month journey, we need plenty of storage space. Luckily, Rosie had lots of cupboards and spaces for stowing away all our essentials. One overhead cupboard became the library for touring guides, maps and books. Two cupboards for food provisions. A fourth cupboard for toiletries, first aid box and general stuff that didn’t have a specific home. I sorted our clothes into the four remaining cupboards. The wardrobe was used for a few ‘smart’ clothes in case we were invited to dinner by any rich motorhomers.
Motorhome kitchen
The cupboards in the kitchen area, which consisted of sink, oven, hob and fridge, had specially designed holders for crockery, something which had caused great excitement on first viewing. A shower room with cassette toilet, pull-down basin and a secret toilet roll-holder. Drawers with special cutlery holders and numerous nooks and crannies for extra bits and pieces, like washing powder, pegs and cleaning stuff. Finally, there were two large storage spaces under the seating area. These were used for games, shoes, fleeces, a tent and two sleeping bags. A portable TV, which we’d borrowed from my Dad, was stored under the table.
Luckily Rosie was designed for five people so we had a choice of sleeping arrangements. A cushioned bench along one side turned into a single bed (an optional extra should we have a row). Re-organising the dining table and seats made a double bed whilst a second double was above the driving cab. This was the one thing that had caused me a problem about travelling in a motorhome. We had been spoilt in Canada, where motorhomes are more like coaches. Huge RVs have satellite dishes, barbecues, separate lounges and bedrooms. Our rented six-berth had had a permanent double bed. We could leave the seating area in place and use the overhead bed as storage space.
In Rosie, if we were to avoid making up our bed every day for five months, we would have to sleep above the cab. This would mean me overcoming my claustrophobia, something Brinley assured me would not be a problem.
Early in May, jobless, house rented, essentials stored, oil checked and map ready, we started our journey.
