Moondance

Meet 'Moondance' our beloved VW campervan: a 1979 Westfalia left hand drive Californian import; colour - California beige.

♥

Sadly she is no longer ours. She was an impulse buy 10 years ago and we had 5 happy years with her. Our boys were 3 and 7 at the time and loved sleeping up top on the double bunk. We slept in the bottom double bed that could be made by putting back the seats. We took her to Glastonbury festival, France and Woolacoombe amongst other places. Doing the weekly shop in her was also great with all the floor space for bags.

She was in good condition when we bought her and the interior was immaculate and unchanged. Gas hob, hook-up, fab tiny wardrobe, even a wine bottle storage box next to the gear stick. 

Yes, she was a financial drain and gave us some scary moments: breaking down on the Avonmouth Bridge, Bristol; failing petrol gauge and indicators in France (we had to do hand signals). Yes, we couldn't afford her really - we took out a loan to buy her and even moved house for her (with a side drive). Yes, it was cramped with the 4 of us in living in her for a week. No, we wouldn't make such an extravagant impulse buy now. But, we don't regret buying her as she gave us some carefree times and wonderful memories.

In the end we found the maintenance of her too difficult and expensive for us. She really needed some serious work done on her to solve rusting wheel arches etc. and so she was snapped up by a dealer. I know she has been well restored.

I still love VW camper vans and my heart skips a beat when I see one on the road. 

You could say that camping and travelling in Moondance was our first taste of the simple life and living in a small space. 

We have talked about hiring a van and that may happen one day but for now I have my memories. 

California Dreamin' ...