Time travel online

The wide range of caravan designs, plus the large number of manufacturers provides a bewildering array of options for the prospective purchaser. Fortunately many of those options can be ignored when the choice is whittled down to the few units that could meet your requirements. An example:- perhaps you are looking for a van with twin beds rather than a double bed; or you want a full height van rather than a pop-top; maybe you want a front kitchen rather than a side kitchen, etc. etc. My advice is directed towards selecting a caravan suitable for accommodating two people in modest comfort during a trip around Australia.

During the past ten years caravan design and manufacturing techniques have greatly improved, such that if you buy a ten year old secondhand caravan, it will be of modern design and be fitted out with the latest equipment.

Having been registered as roadworthy over the years it will pass all state design rules. The critical aspects for roadworthiness are the condition of wheel bearings, springs, brakes, exterior lights and turn signals, and the LP gas installation. These features will be examined by the inspector prior to registration in your name.

Comprehensive insurance is adviseable together with coverage by the state automobile organization for roadside service. The caravan will no doubt have electric brakes and your car will have to be fitted with a suitable towbar and an electric brake controller. Both of these items can be removed on completion of the trip.

There are three distinct types of caravans, each having its own benefits and drawbacks. The types are:- Pop-up or pop-top vans: Conventional full height vans or Camper-trailers. I have operated a conventional caravan and a pop-top van. My impressions of the camper-trailer are gained by reading caravan magazines, and from my own observations of them along the way.

When preparing for our first long van trip in 1983 I rang the local caravan hire company to see if I could rent a pop-top van. The proprietor asked why I wanted a pop-top van. "Because they have less wind resistance" I replied. "Fair enough" he said, "But if you reduce your towing speed from 80 kph down to 75 kph, the full size van will give you the same fuel economy. This is because the drag caused by the van increases by the square of your speed."

That caught me on the hop, and as I couldn't see any flaw in his argument, I agreed that a full size van would do us. He then added that he had an aging 16ft Viscount that would get us to Darwin and back without trouble. "I don't want to have you ringing me from Mt Isa or someplace at 3am on a Sunday morning, saying the van has broken down. I'll overhaul the old Viscount and I know it will handle the trip OK". A year later we rented the same van for our trip down the Darling river system, and the old girl served us proud, dirt roads and all.