Introducing Darwin - VW campervan

Introducing Darwin.................VW campervan T25

OK, random today introducing the other man in my life - he's in his early twenties - very handsome, very reliable (well, when he feels like it - we do know the local AA man by name now and he says hello when we see him out even at the supermarket) and a whole lot of fun. A lovely friend Dreamer had a wonderful colourful blanket made for him - and I've never gotten over the kindness - which I'm hoping to repay with a small surprise of my own which is almost finished (shhh!!)

He's a T25 VW camper conversion - he use to be a school mini-bus in Morayshire. He's blue and white - with a pop top lid where a small child can sleep - we've a double bed in him and an awning for him too. He's a bit of a luxury - but we use him quite alot for our adventures. He is used at the beach, in the garden, and off on the mainland for fun adventures camping or for having an adventure in the garden - eating our tea out there and having a little camp fire! The children don't think it too odd if I say I think we'll have tea in the garden today - well, they might, but its pretty normal for us to do silly things in this family.........

Having a picnic in the camper in the garden at home.

We got him on our local supermarket board as a lovely bargain - my daughter spotted him up there - and we've had him ever since. He is getting new curtains made at the moment (although I've been doing them for months) and he's slowly getting a bit of work done here and there when we can afford it. I've learnt alot about trying to cope with a vehicle which is a bit older - its interesting to know how to do a bit of this  type of thing, even if a bit challenging and frustrating sometimes!

Darwin in st andrews - in my granpas favourite spot where he use to keep his boat.

His name comes from my love of Darwin (Mr evolution) and the wild thornberries - a kids TV show where a family of naturalists go off around the world in their big camper with the kids and they adopt a monkey called Darwin who can talk. He's part biologist, part monkey (a bit like me!). I love having a campervan - always wanted one and was so lucky to get one for my 40th birthday a few years ago. We often take him out with the bikes and the dog and go for a nice blustery walk - then we make tea and toasties (cheese) in him and recharge our batteries, read books, do a bit of homework and just relax. I guess often, he's a little mobile kitchen we take to the beach!

Just what you need after a windy walk at the beach, a lovely toastie and a cup of tea!

He's very much a treat - we've to juggle things quite a bit to be able to keep him, but the work we do on him is helping keep him going and improving his value - he's a source of cheap family holidays and alot of fun to have here on the island so we can explore everywhere and enjoy it even in the bad weather - we often play the 'toss a coin game' when we take him out here - heads is left, tails is right - and end up at a beach dependant on which way the coins take us - alot of fun if you want a mystery tour!



After a nice lunch, we even get to wash up!

When you have a camper, you end up with alot of camper related gifts and crockery - which is lovely to make him feel like he's really special. When my brothers helped to move the polytunnel frame last month, they used darwin as the official polytunnel frame moving 'site hut' - kept them warm and cosy when they took breaks from working. He's definitely an all rounder, hooray for Darwin!