The Bad News

Although fantastic fun while it lasted, Rosie is effectively no more. Perhaps due to a fast water leak, we managed to crack the entire head just out of Venice. She is now sitting in Utrecht, Netherlands, at the house of Donna from dutchcampervans.com, who has been helpful as always. Rosie was towed all the way from the Volkswagen garage in Padova, Italy, who have been next to useless. Donna's mechanic aims to do a re-build of the engine and have it available for someone else to buy in the new year. We don't regret having Rosie at all, we wouldn't have seen plenty of far-flung places such as country Ireland and Scandinavia any other way, and besides, we can now say that we blew up a Combi! Trains and buses are now our means of transport, just to get around and see the highlights that we would otherwise have totally missed. Another trip at another time will see us fill in the gaps, although perhaps with a different type of vehicle :)

Our Big Red Bus Rosie

Liz and I have always wanted to do the stereotypical Aussies-in-a-combi thing, and that we did! Rosie the Big Red Bus is a German 1988 Volkswagen Transporter, custom converted by some guy in the Netherlands a few years back. She comes complete with a full set of manuals in both German and Dutch, two languages we have almost complete non-fluency in. Nevertheless, we have had a great time working out what opens and shuts, which buttons do what, and where you have to kick to make things work when they decide not to. She's certainly a bus with personality, and travelling around in her is an adventure in itself. The conversion from an empty van to camper van has been done very well. It is very clean and of high standard compared to all other VW conversions we have seen done. We purchased her from Donna at Dutch Campervans, in Utrecht, Netherlands. She has been extremely helpful and we would have no hesitation in recommending her to others.

Above: Now it just looks like a very ugly 1988 Transporter with an over-height roof. Above: But open the back and there's our house!

Everything that Opens and Shuts Trying to fit a kitchen, double bed, seating for four, a table, food storage, a fridge, and wardrobe space all into a vehicle originally designed to do none of this invariable involves things which convert. For one, the bed folds up into a chair for day-time use. It's at the back, so our heads are right at the rear. Under us is storage space for fold-up outdoor chairs and various tools and odds and ends. Under that is the engine (yes, at the back). There's storage space at the front and back of the high-top for clothes and random things, and also a big one under the rear seat.

Above: Bed closed, you can sit and eat at the table, relax in almost-comfort, or cook in the kitchen. Above: A few seconds later, there's a bed ready to crash on.

Technical Stuff Just in case anyone cares, here's the tech specs as far as we know (don't touch anything we don't understand): 1900cc carby petrol engine in the back - just about enough guts to keep us moving, but chews through fuel Water Cooled - like almost every other vehicle on the planet but not earlier Volkswagens. Boxer engine - like you find in a WRX, only without the speed, power, or performance. Still makes a great sound though. About 2.5m high with the high top - a pain to park in cities but I can just stand up inside. Gets about 500km off a tank of 55 litres. Not good but could be worse. Note to self - buy a diesel next time. Huge (50L) water tank and 12v pump Two batteries with automatic cutover relay Fridge which can run off 12v, 240v or gas Left-Hand Drive (fun in London!) Four forward speeds, thankfully all synchro Air vent in roof - have to remember to shut it before we drive off 240v electrical hook-up for when we are at a caravan site - this lets us run our second stereo, charge batteries, etc. Cool front passenger seat which rotates to face the rear, giving more space. Ebersprücher petrol heating system in the rear. Window locks, extra door padlocks and immobiliser key. Sony Tape Deck driving two horrible speakers at the front. Logitech computer speakers and sub at the rear. Aussie Flag stickers front and rear, and a large Aussie Flag just inside the sliding door.

Above: Liz flies along at high-speed (well, high for Rosie anyway) Above: It takes us about a minute to unpack when we get to a site. Most other people seem to take an hour.

Above: Preparing to cook up a storm with table and kitchen at the ready. Above: View from the rear with bed un-folded.

Things We Like About Her Compared to either camping in a tent or caravanning, it takes us very little time from parking to relaxing. It doesn't go very fast so you get a chance to see the world we are travelling through. It's huge so you never loose it in a parking lot. Makes a really loud cool sound, good for scaring passers-by. Amazingly reliable - has never failed to start first time. Built like a tank - scratches here and there, but it still just keeps going. Still small enough to see hard-to get places. We have been up some tricky mountain passes that anything bigger would not have made through. Not so wide that you can't drive safely on single-track roads. Confuses everyone (especially the Dutch) to come to terms with two Aussies in a German VW registered in Netherlands with Dutch plates.