Day 124

01/11/2009

Having decided the Hunter Valley is good for wine and a few beers, and already having purchased as much as we can reasonably drink in our remaing time in Oz, we opted for a lazy day. Cooked breakfast, a bit of reading, washing some clothes and planning our remaining time here.

Later we sat by the pool and tried to store up enough warmth to see us through to next April.

Tomorrow we hand the rented van back and that seems an appropriate point to compare a more modern van to our own.

Being of later vintage it has up to date safety features like airbags and improved crash protection. Driving comfort isn't as good as the seat is slightly too low to support the front of my legs and there are no armrests. Aircon is fitted but we have never used it. Ventilation is not so good due to wind noise when the side windows are opened and no quarter lights, which seem to reduce the buffeting.

Engine is more powerful and more economical and combined with the 5 speed gearbox gives much more overlap of gears.

Layout overall isn't as good as our van. No access from front to rear (the engine is in the way) and a downstairs bed which needs assembling each night. The hightop gives useful storage space but at the expense of less stabillity on the road. And it won't fit in a shipping container.

The equipment fitted is mostly an improvment - larger sink and bigger fridge but the cooker is not as controlable. The fridge is 12 volt or mains, but being of a more efficient design will run for some time on the second battery (24 hours was no problem).

Having a mains hookup is a plus as we have a toaster and microwave (used once) and it will charge the second battery so we can stop for several days.

Ground clearance is not good so there would have been some underbody damage on the Kazachstan "roads". Tyres are inevitably road biased so would have needed swapping.

I don't know what it costs to buy a van like this but it has been good for three and a half weeks around Australia, but wouldn't be a good choice for an extended overland trip.

Town Cessnock