So, like many Bongos, my roof tent fixing strip was starting to become detached from the roof shell. The tent is secured with a series of screw fixings holding the edging strips inside the roof shell, and these screw into an inserted nut in a socket in the roof itself. Except over time, with the weight of the tent pulling, especially in windy conditions, these fixings start to detach, usually by pulling the metal nut from the socket in the plastic roof. As they loosen further, a gap appears at the top of the tent, and more strain is placed on fewer fixings, so more likely to lead to an eventual catastrophy!
Not good!!
Gorilla 5 minute set epoxy to the rescue!
I had tried a fix before, using an epoxy glue, however I needed to have another go, so I bought Gorilla Epoxy, which claims to set in 5 minutes, and is ideal for “the toughest jobs on planet Earth”!! I mixed up a small batch, part-raised the roof, and crawled inside to see if I might get to the fixings. I concentrated on one side to begin with, and using a lollipop stick, I carefully pushed some glue into the sockets on the roof shell, or as much as I could, as this was extremely awkward to reach. Working quickly, concious of the time before setting, I pushed the fixings back into their sockets, then wedged the roof up on one side using a telescopic walking pole. I used the weight of the roof to put pressure on the joint, which made the roof lie at a strange angle for a time, but it was only until I thought the glue was starting to set, so I took a chance.
After 10 minutes or so, and mixing up a further small batch of the two-part glue, I carefully released the walking pole…..everything stayed put! I now worked the glue into the other side’s fixing sockets, and repeated the wedging operation with the pole. From outside the roof looked alarmingly over to one side, but there wasn’t any damage to anything, and this was using gravity to force the joint together, forming a better fusion with metal and epoxy. Another 10 minute wait, and I gently eased off the pole to see the result….perfect!! I replaced the pole, and used a second one to re-pressure the first repair, and left both for a further hour, just to be sure everything was set.
Brilliant! All fixed, no gaps, and much piece of mind.
I released both makeshift props, and, voila!! A much improved roof tent, with no gaps above the rail on either side.
So, never fear, if your roof tent is starting to part company with the roof shell, get hold of some Gorilla Glue Epoxy, and a couple of adjustable props like my walking poles ( which are ideally suited, as not only can they be adjusted, but the tip fits into the screw head, keeping it from sliding around top end, and the rubber grip sticks well to the roof board!) and have a go. The first time I repaired the tent, I had the roof all the way up. This part-way up position was much better, and although access is a bit awkward, it allows for the weight of the roof shell to pressurise the repair.
Another wee job off the list, ready for some post-lockdown adventures!!
Nice taught canvas, now reproofed, ready to go.
One last tent related job was a quick spray with some reproofing agent, in this case fabsil, as the canvas had started to “wet out”, meaning the inside becomes damp with exposure to prolonged heavy rain. A liberal spray and wipe with the tent reproofing agent, repeated for good measure, should see us through another season or two.
Have Bongo, will travel, right? Well….not recently, we haven’t! But the strange thing is, even stood parked in the driveway, Ali Bongo is capable of putting a smile on my face. In a few short years, the adventures we have shared, the incredible sights we have seen, the places we have visited. This, and the sheer “grin factor” that starting that old diesel up, and setting off, even to the shops gives me makes the Bongo a happy place, a safe haven in the strange world we inhabit these days.
Of course, what I want to be doing is setting off on another adventure – we had several spring trips lined up, what with the newly fitted diesel heater to keep us toasty. We had planned to visit the Inner Hebrides, an island hopping adventure via Arran and onwards west. We never did get to drive the full loop of the North east 250, and the area around Kirkudbright is just beautiful in the spring time. All on hold these last few months, due to our visitor from foreign shores! The inevitable lockdown and restrictions this brings won’t last for ever….it just feels that way!
Two big highlights from last year with the Bongo were meeting fellow owners at the Scottish Summer Bash in Cannich, and of course driving the North Coast 500 route in the autumn, taking a leisurely 6 days to complete the loop and get home. The incredible scenery on offer in our country, and the warmth of fellow owners, have really helped to get me hooked on Bongo life, and whatever the future holds, I hope to have a Bongo in my life for many years to come.
I suppose the ease of driving an automatic, with a high vantage point, light, agile steering, the wheels pushed out near each corner making a stable and comfortable drive, and the compact footprint means you can go, and turn round, just about anywhere! You will never win any drag races in a diesel Bongo, but with a gentle right foot, you can get over 30mpg, and rarely almost 35mpg, giving you about a 400 mile range for your tank. It’s not about getting anywhere quickly anyway. The Bongo is all about what’s round the next corner, and affording you a great view of the scenery as well as the road ahead,and behind, thanks to the amount of glass all around.
After a while, you begin to take for granted the stuff other campervan owners look on with envy – an electric pop-top, for instance!! Sheer decadence, just lean back behind you and press that button on the roof before you get out, and watch the envious eyes swivel towards the beeping miracle that is the Bongo roof tent! The internal space afforded by the compromise of a mid-mounted engine too is not to be forgotten, meaning almost the space of a much bigger van (VWs!) in a much smaller footprint. If anywhere is lacking, perhaps you could argue for a bit more width in the cabin, which would aid hugely when converting, but that would then entail driving a vehicle that was wider than comfortable in a standard car parking space.
The Bongo life is all about the art of compromise anyway, as covered in other posts here. Life is as uncluttered as you choose to make it. If getting up to the smell of frying bacon, ice cold milk on your cereal, and water literally on-tap are important to you, then the sacrifice of a bit of elbow room must be made. If lying spreadeagled over a nice wide bed, and ease of packing/unpacking are important (they are to me), then you can’t have all mod cons, there simply isn’t the room. The main thing is, YOU choose, and you can tailor this clever vehicle to your needs and tastes. Now, what could be better than that?
What has really helped in this Lockdown, over the long days and weeks that we have been unable to get out exploring, is the happy, comfortable space in the Bongo, even in the driveway. I have spent quite a few weekend nights camping out, in my driveway, but always in my happy place, and with the blinds closed, a few drinks, and excellent free wi-fi, well, you could be absolutely anywhere! Something never in doubt was that Ali Bongo was remaining in my ownership. I have seen a few up for sale over the last few months, and although people in hardship, sadly have to make choices, I am fortunate to be able to keep Ali, and spend the time doing all the little jobs that, frankly, would have got left while actually able to use him. The fresh undersealing, the new fog lights, the deep clean and valet, all the tinkering, is actually a blessing.
So, don’t be too downhearted, and don’t dwell on the negatives if you can. Try and keep looking forward to better times, to regaining our right to roam, and to finding out what’s round that next corner – Bongo style!
It’s a very true saying, “sometimes you don’t know how fortunate you really are”, and as far as my wee Bongo goes, I really did strike it lucky in so many ways. The engine has proved very reliable, and although a few of the rusting pipes underneath needed replacing, other than maintenance, under the seats has been very trustworthy. The interior and controls had been looked after up to a point, however I got the opportunity to replace my door cards and rear panels (thank you, Kath!) and with some elbow grease, new carpets and some electrical extras the interior is great too. Bodywork was, well, pretty good for it’s age, and after some minor surgery and a new front crossmember, wheel arches and sills, a fresh coat of paint and all is looking good.
But the biggest single item that I am so grateful for is my full-width rock’n’roll bed. I am now fairly sure that the original importer must have specified the bed, full insulated flooring, and I found evidence of a small front conversion, fixings in the flooring, plus some wiring changes to utilise the leisure battery with extra 12v sockets and split circuits. Fast forward to when I took ownership, and the bed was a bit shabby, the covers faded and worn, and the frame in need of some repainting. That and the gaps down the sides, which were covered in a layer of several years’ worth of…well, who knows! I decided to strip the boards off, clean and paint, and see if I could make the thing look more integrated. This has been an ongoing project of several stages, and this week saw it completed…for now!
So, I’m going to go through what I bought, what’s been done, what works and what I wish it had. I know most who have this style of bed have a side conversion, and all mod con’s, but I think you will see that I really lack for none of the home comforts, and have compromised on fitted units to have the versatility of space.
When we looked at the Bongo, and the previous owner demonstrated the bed sliding out, I though it looked great, if in need of a bit of TLC. 3″ thick memory foam mattress / cushions, in four sections, held on with seat belt material which velcro’ed closed. The seat frame is a massively strong affair, with a 50mm box frame spine, and heavy duty 25mm box frame for the sliding part. This alone is an engineering marvel, with filing cabinet-style three section sliding runners connected to the front part, so that as it is pulled out it slides smoothly, bringing the two seat back sections out and down to form the bed. Flattening completely takes a bit of effort, but this turned out to be due to the clever fitment of a gas strut, which assists in overcoming the weight of the structure and the drag of the sliding part to start the procedure of re-folding. All you need to do is tug on one or other of the straps each side at the hinge, and up she comes – brilliant! I doubt very much if I would have paid for such an elaborate affair, and most I have seen available now don’t have this sliding structure, just a couple of box frames with a hinge at the top. The foam mattress itself is likely several hundred pounds’ worth. And, the whole thing is finished by the integrated storage underneath – a full length box, with drop-down doors, in heavy plywood, roughly 1100mm wide, 200mm high and around 1200mm long. A massive space that is used to store the stove, tables, chairs, awning, collapsible basin, food, toolkit, hookup cable….and it keeps swallowing up any wee thing you are looking for a space for! A slightly higher area under the rear seat part gives another small shelved compartment, about 1100 x 100 x 250mm, ideal for tins, packets, spare gas etc. Very clever.
The rock’n’roll bed as I bought it
My first task after a good clean of everything, was to integrate the bed a bit more. Meantime, a wee bonus, on investigating what was under the almost waterproof covers on the front seats and bed, I discovered some very faded, but nicer tartan cloth. This would do for our first few trips away, and as they unzipped, they were washed and refitted. The foam of the cushions was in great condition, so if everything worked out, perhaps I could get it recovered? By the second trip away, I had worked out how to box in the sides of the bed frame, closing the gap to the side panels and making the whole thing look more “meant”. Fitting board to the shape of the panelling was a challenge, but once I got those front parts filled in, I could see how to close the sides over. Some carpet, some MDF, some Dexion angle and a lot of sawing and glueing later, and I had a more integrated look.
Stage one, integration by fitting infill panels and carpet. The lighting got changed recently to concealed type.
After a few trips away, we were really getting to enjoy using our new campervan. The “bed up, bed down” faff was becoming easier as we became more seasoned to using it. It was time to invest a bit, and new covers on the mattress sections were next. I found a fantastically talented upholsterer near us in Kilmarnock, who did campervan stuff, recovered suites, car seats, you name it, they could do it! I took a trip over, and spoke to Kenny, the top guy at KA-Tech, https://katech.org.uk/, and he helped us pick fireproof material, and quoted us a fair price. He even made up some snap stud straps to hold the cushions in place, which I just recently fitted! Now we were starting to look like a much swankier campervan – new carpets fitted in the back, bed integrated, and new covers. Very swish! I would recommend anyone to talk to Kenny for seat recovering, including the front seats. He does leather repairs and recovering too. Top guy!
Next stage, nice new covers. Note, front panel to cover frame, my idea!
More use of the van and more time to plan and perfect! Our NC500 trip, with 6 nights away in 6 different locations was brilliant. The Bongo performed well, and we became more practised at setting up and striking camp too. As everybody knows though, you can’t have too much storage, and one frustration about the design of the bed was the amount of “dead” space in the frame, above the storage box part, and within the folded seat back part too. There were lots of oily bits in here too, the working and sliding parts, plus the main frame where the seat belt buckles and middle belt are attached , but there seemed to be some useful space, and I spent many hours trying to work out a plan to use it. When the van went for respraying, I stripped the panels and bed boards in the rear, and this gave me a better look at how it worked again. I left the boards loose when Ali came back from painting, and kept looking and planning, until I had my design at last.
Firstly, I had to cover over the oily bits. No point in trying to store stuff if when you bring it out, it’s covered in grease and oil. Then, I needed access. I devised a method of hingeing the forward facing seat back, and how to close it. I set to work with what I had around – this was during Lockdown, and access to material was not great. luckily I am a complete magpie, and had MDF left from the boarding in of the sides. I used some scrap timber, and some sections of aluminium stair nosing to make guards for the sliding rail mechanism. This was tricky, as I needed to figure out how to cover moving parts, but still allow them to work! I then made sides and a front from my MDF to close the middle section off from the sliding rails completely. So now, I had a tray area, roughly 100mm deep, but 800mm wide and about 600mm long. I sanded everything down and painted with woodstain – something I already had too, other wise some satin black wood paint would have been the preferred option. The boards from the bed frame got sanded as well, as the underside had never been sealed and was a bit “hairy”. I made the concession of ordering up some countersunk set screws to refit these, originally bolted on with roofing bolts, which looked a bit shoddy and could catch on the cushions.
Tray completed, oily bits covered, starting to come together! Note side panels to integrate bed better.
The last few pieces of the puzzle now, how to hinge the seat back for access to all this space, and how to close it. I worked out the hinge part easily enough, and set to work fitting hinges to the bottom frame rail of the seat back. The panel would have to hinge forwards and down, it wouldn’t really work any other direction, and would be in the way for putting stuff in and out otherwise. For closing, I used a couple of flush fit cupboard door latches, fitted to latch on the top rail of the frame. After I was happy with the mechanism, everything got a coat or two of the woodstain. Not the perfect finish, as the boards had originally been painted satin black, but they needed a freshen up, and this was all I had. The end result is a kind of “distressed” finish, but it’s under the cushions anyway.
The access panel / seat back. Hinges fitted and latches too. waiting for the screws to arrive.
Also part of this latest reworking is the new grey straps fitting to hold the cushions in place while driving. I already had these, but now I had decided to remove the middle seat belt ( highly unlikely to have rear passengers anyway, but still have the two factory belts) to improve access to my new cubby, I needed to do something. So, I drilled and tapped the frame to hold the snappers, and fitted the straps, two on the forward facing part, and just one on the rear facing part of the seat. All seems to work nicely, and the forward cushion has to be removed to allow access to the newly formed storage anyway.
Another little job needing done was some way of keeping the cushion on the rear part of the bed, the narrow section facing the rear window. I had also thought before about a headboard for the bed. So, fulfilling both functions, using a floating shelf we had spare from a redecorating of a bedroom and a bit of dexion, I fashioned a headboard. It actually turned out really well, and means I can now travel with my storage boxes on this back shelf without tying them down. I can use a fitted sheet over the cushions to keep everything clean, and the whole thing is very comfortable indeed, as I tested it out on another Lockdown campout!
My new headboardKitchen storage boxes, and water container stored on the rear shelf. Perfect!
So, how much use is the new storage? Well, I can store a heavy thermal blanket, four pillows, double sheet, a mummy sleeping bag and all the window thermal screens in there, space I didn’t have before, and easily accessed through the seat back. I’m pleased with how it has worked out.
Bag with four pillows in, room to spare. Straps fixed to frame, snap studs on upper frame rail.Finished. The screws arrived finally, all buttoned up and ready to go….someday.
On the journey of development and living with my Bongo, this has been something I have thought about and redesigned from the first. The original work and expense was that of the first owner who imported a cracking Bongo, and fitted the full width bed. I am so grateful that they did, as I doubt if I would ever have thought it worth doing, and would probably gone for the more common side conversion which would really make the van only comfortable for solo trips. A few pounds for timber and fixings, some leftover fabric, some extra carpet, and a couple of new latches and hinges has made the bed much more usable, given me some handy new storage, and has made the Bongo that bit more “our” Bongo. They are all unique, each having different interiors and each owner having different tastes and priorities. That is what makes them so special!
Now, what to get up to next during the Lockdown…..
The combination is perfect – possibly my favourite place to be, and travelling in my favourite vehicle, and the beautiful island of Arran never disappoints. Currently sitting in the driveway, I am daydreaming of better times, and last year when I took Ali Bongo over the Firth of Clyde for a couple of days on Arran.
Relaxation dead ahead!
In many ways, the Bongo is ideally suited to exploring Arran, or anywhere in the Highlands and Islands, really. They are compact, making travel by ferry no more expensive than taking the family car. They are agile, and negotiating the narrow, winding, hilly routes round the island are a breeze. And of course, you have your accomodation with you! So you can explore and either park up discretely at the many quiet car parks and lay-bys ( obviously careful not to be a nuisance to locals and other road users) or make use of the excellent campsites around the island, for a few pounds get access to electric hookup, showers and toilets, and often shop supplying essentials. A trip round the coastal road of some 55 miles takes only a few hours, gives you a feel for the island and the variety of scenery available.
There are campsites all around the island – Glen Rosa, near Brodick, Middleton’s in Lamlash, Kildonan, Machrie and Lochranza at the top of the west side. All are quiet and offer the facilities you would look for, with Middleton’s being close enough to the village of Lamlash that you can walk in for shops, cafes and soaking up the island vibe.
Waiting to board the ferry in Ardrossan
I am extremely fortunate that I live only a couple of miles from the ferry terminal, which is in Ardrossan. This has allowed me to take the voyage to Arran many times, and I enjoy wild camping on the remote hills of the north end of the island. Some of the best hillwalking in Scotland can be found here, with some rugged wee mountains, not quite making the Munro requirements of 3000ft, but there are four Corbetts to climb, and their steep and rocky slopes start pretty much from sea level, so you know you have climbed the 2800 feet of some for sure!
The crossing takes around 50 minutes, time enough to walk the deck, taking in the views of Ardrossan and the Three Towns as you leave the mainland, and the ever closer island, with the port of Brodick slowly getting bigger off the bow. Views of the mountainous north end are stunning in good weather, and the hills seem to beckon the keen walker. We dock in Brodick, and as the cars, vans and trucks make their way up the rampway and queue patiently to exit the port either left, south, to Lamlash, or right, north, through Brodick and on to the northern end or past the village and catch the String Road across the island’s “waist” to Blackwaterfoot and Machrie. I turned left, and headed to Lamlash, over the steep hill between the island’s two biggest settlements, then over the crest and winding down toward the sea again at Lamlash, with views over it’s bay to Holy Isle.
Holy Isle, Lamlash Bay, from the hillside above the north end of the village.
I had booked in to the excellent Middleton’s campsite, and was shown to a large and level pitch with hookup, ideally not too far or too close to the toilet blocks. On this occasion I made this my first night’s base, but have stayed at all of the sites on the island, and the welcomes are warm and sincere, the facilities are well kept, and I would say the owners make every effort to ensure you enjoy your stay on the island, often offering advice, or ideas of daytrips etc. You will not be disappointed whichever you choose. I parked up, plugged in my hookup cable, got the fridge set up, and headed off to the local Co-Op, about a 15 minute walk. After I returned and stocked the fridge with salad…and cider…I set off for a walk toward the south point of the bay, King’s Cross Point. A decent old walk, certainly a couple of miles, but the views across the narrow sound to Holy Isle are glorious. There are remains of a Viking fort here, as well as more obvious and more recent evidence of gun emplacements and lookout posts, in ruins now but vital to keep the ships anchored in the bay safe during WW2. Lots of war history around the island, and I recommend a visit to the Museum in Brodick for some fascinating photos and detail. I headed back, feeling re-charged as the atmosphere of the island soaked in.
The southern sound, looking across to Holy Isle and it’s south end lighthouse
The following day I headed left, south, from the campsite entrance, following the coast road through Whiting Bay and on to the south end, where sits the small low lying isle of Pladda at Kildonnan. There are some gems of beaches here, white sands and stunning views back over the Firth of Clyde towards Ayr, and further to Culzean castle on a good day. The road twists and drops, then climbs as we traverse the gorges along the rocky coastline now, through sleepy hamlets like Lagg, with it’s pretty coaching inn and gardens, round and then heading back north again, this time on the west side of the island looking towards the Mull of Kintyre and Cambeltown, and very occasionally the Northern Irish coast is visible across the North Channel. Not today, however, as the hazy and sunshine obscured anything more than a few miles offshore. I arrived in the village of Blackwaterfoot, and stopped for a cuppa and a bite to eat from the local shop. Hard to beat some home baking, and there are plenty of artisan bakers and eateries around the island, brilliant!
Machrie Moor and the standing stones, with the northern hills in the background.
Further north is Machrie Moor and King’s Caves, two great spots for a wander, and there is a car park at the latter which allows you to explore both. The Moor and it’s standing stones are something to see, and there is a definite significance to the site chosen by our ancestors when they erected the huge stones. You can almost feel the weight of the ages as you walk among them. The Caves are reached by a trail through pine forest, down a steep path to the rocky shore, which becomes impassable at certain states of the tide, and a short walk on the pebble beach to the cave entrance. This cave, like many others in Scotland, is reputed to be the famous cave Bruce saw his spider climb, fail and climb again. It is certainly an atmospheric place, and the names of sailors and previous visitors carved into the soft sandstone rocks date for hundreds of years.
I regained the trail to the car park, and set off north once more, until reaching Lochranza and the campsite. The village itself is tiny, a few dozen houses, and the ferry terminal which allows onward passage to the Mull of Kintyre and the Inner hebridean islands, Islay and Jura, as well as Gigha and Colonsay. The short crossing is on a small double ended ferry during the summer months, with no real need to book if you aren’t in any rush, and you can queue and watch the small ship cross the narrow seaway and perhaps sample some home baking at the Sandwich Station cafe just across the road.
Lochranza castle
I have stayed here at the campsite many times, in small hiking tents, large family tents, and the Bongo. The site is next to the golf course, and the owner looks after both, always beavering away, always cheery. There is a very popular restaurant next to the campsite, however you will have to book days in advance, as the food is apparently superb….we never did get a table yet! Facilities on site are excellent, with a campers room, furnished with microwave, fridge and a drop-off point for anything you don’t want to carry that you feel someone else might be able to use, a great idea.
Another breathtaking sunset and views from the Postman’s Path looking north off the island
Lochranza is a great base for walking from, and you could easily leave your van pitched up here, catch the regular bus round the island back to Brodick for groceries, or just walk and explore. I have done both, and in fact the Arran Coastal walk can be completed leaving your base here and catching buses to the start and end of each day. Another great walk takes you over the hill on the northernmost end of Arran, the Postman’s Path, used traditionally to deliver mail, herd livestock and take supplies to one of the remote townships, deserted now, on the north east coast at Laggan. There were quite a few families lived here in days past, hardy souls living off the land on crofts, and this rugged and steep path is a shortcut over the hill, rather than around the shoreline. A solitary croft building, Laggan Cottage, still exists as a bothy here, and it can be seen from the mainland on sunny mornings, glinting white in the low sun. A short bus ride also takes you to North Glen Sannox, where the north faces of the Arran mountains beckon. A summer night summit camp here is just stunning.
North to Jura over the north Arran hills.
So much to see and do!
This trip is over all too soon, and work commitments mean I have to head back to Brodick to catch a ferry. This drive completed my circumnavigation of Arran, taking me the 23 miles or so back to Brodick, over the highest road to North Sannox, passing the Arran Distillery as you leave Lochranza, and giving I think the finest views of the Arran hills as you wind back down to Sannox village, on through Corrie and back to Brodick.
Young explorers setting up camp at Laggan Cottage
The contrast from mainland living is hard to describe, but the genuinely highland vibe Arran has is real, and only an hour on the ferry from mainland Scotland. This makes it very popular during the summer and school holidays, and with the Road Equivalent Tarriff reduced fares meaning you can take your Bongo over for around £50 return you can imagine it gets pretty busy. I therefore recommend booking campsites and ferries prior to setting off.
The Old Pier at Brodick
It feels like forever since I had the good fortune to visit my favourite island, and in current Lockdown it feels like it will be a long time before we are able to do so again. When we do, it will feel even more magical and precious a place, and I can’t wait to soak up the atmosphere and views, letting the magic of Arran fill the senses and recharge the batteries.
Red Deer stag on the golf course at Lochranza, campsite in the background
A compulsory trip to the excellent chippy at the pier before boarding for fish and chips, queueing before boarding at the new terminal recently opened, then it was back on board for the short sailing home again. My fish and chips tasted even better on the upper deck, sitting in the sunshine and thinking back on my most recent trip to “Scotland’s Holiday Isle”.
I hope to visit again soon, and whether that trip takes the form of a daytrip and hill walk, a camping trip, or another Bongo adventure, it will definitely be enjoyable and feel all the more precious this time too.
Hard day’s work, but very satisfying and I feel worth it!
My third day of the long weekend was spent with the outside of the Bongo getting the same treatment as the inside. I haven’t polished the van since getting it resprayed back in January, the weather not the best for getting the polish to behave, and then the incessant rains we had at the end of winter meant the opportunity to lavish some attention on the new coat hadn’t arisen. Until the best and driest April on record, of course, and the Lockdown meaning that the opportunity to get away in my beloved Bongo wasn’t an option. So, determined to make the weekend a positive experience instead of dwelling on the stay-at-home imposed, Ali got the valet of a lifetime!
Washing is a good place to start, my product of choice is Autoglym Pure Shampoo.
Starting with a wash, the first thing I do after gathering all the products I want to use, filling my bucket, unrolling the hose and bringing out the essential caravan step, is pre-treat the wheels and tyres with some wheel cleaner. Working round the van, I liberally spray each wheel with my trusty Autoglym Custom Wheel Cleaner. This cuts through the brake dust and road film deposits, loosening them off prior to washing. I take a medium sized detailing brush and a small jug of water to keep everything wet, and I brush at the tyre and wheel, dipping the brush in the water frequently as I go. Grit and dirt are the enemy, so it’s important not to scratch the wheels as you clean them, and I find the brush is the best way to get into everywhere. I now hose the dirt off each wheel and tyre (yes, I wash the tyres too!), and then hose the entire van, to loosen off any grit, bird droppings etc. If required, prior to brush cleaning the wheels, I would treat the leading edge of the bonnet, front bumper, door mirrors and windscreen with a dose of Traffic Film Remover (TFR), or the Meguiar’s All purpose Cleaner mentioned previously. This is to loosen off the squashed insects etc before hosing. So, back to the water part – hose thoroughly, from top to bottom, paying attention to inside the wheel arches, and loosen off as much grit and dirt as possible. This greatly reduces the chance of scratching your paintwork as you sponge. Now out comes my bucket, dosed with Pure Shampoo, and a good quality sponge or two ( as I downgrade my sponge with a new purchase, I keep the older one for the wheels and lower bodywork) I divide the Bongo into roughly three parts – the roof and windows – windows down to bumperline – bumpers to ground. I wash gently all round the top part, then hose this off before tackling the next third, and so on. All this does is to help prevent soap drying on the paintwork and glass, leaving water marks, as well as re-wetting the lower parts. If the bucket contents becomes dirty looking at all, then replenish before going on, to save dirt and grit scratching. Lastly, give the wheels a wee wash with the last of the soapy water, and hose everything down until there are no suds.
At this point, if the van wasn’t getting a proper polish, I leave drip dry for ten minutes, then with a couple of microfibre cloths and a bottle of Autoglym Rapid Detailer, I spray and dry with one cloth, buffing with another.
Brilliant stuff for keeping the shine between polishes, as used on the forecourts.
Up until today, this was the only after-wash treatment the van has had, however, today was different, so I just dried the paintwork off with microfibre towels prior to polishing. With my new paintwork, there was no need to use anything more abrasive than my Super Resin Polish, but in the past, to buff out fine scratches and marks I would use Autoglym Paintwork Restorer, which has more chalk in it and with persistence can lift most hazing and light scratches from your paintwork. It takes effort and time, but it does work. After this, you would polish with the Super Resin to restore some protective wax. Now, the Super Resin Polish is old school, requiring a bit of elbow grease, and the right conditions – for instance, don’t use it in bright sunlight as it gets difficult to buff up. My top tip here, if you are finding it difficult to both apply and to polish to a shine, is to dampen the applicator ( I use a microfibre covered sponge pad), and keep a wee misting spray of water handy, just lightly dampen the panel and immediately buff up. perfect!
My potion of choice, not the easiest to use, as it doesn’t like hot panelwork or sunny conditions, but great results!
It was getting quite sunny now, so I had to keep turning the van on the driveway to keep the panel I was working on in the shade. Tackling a panel at a time works best for me, and you really want the polish as thin as possible to ensure it will buff up. A damp applicator helps it spread more easily, and if it won’t buff out easily when dry, just lightly mist with your water spray and buff again. You shouldn’t have to lean too heavily when buffing off, and keep turning your cloth to a fresh side. Carry on round the entire van, a panel at a time, before proceeding to the next phase of the operation – applying a top coat.
Now, a top coat isn’t necessary, and you might not honestly see much improvement in the shine, but it isn’t too difficult to apply, and the smoothness of the panel once buffed up is incredible. Modern products all talk about a “ceramic finish”, and I won’t begin to try and understand how this actually works, but essentially the Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection is like a glaze coat, a protective shell, which in theory helps keep the polish you worked so hard applying stuck on the paint when next you wash it. It is also supposed to help reduce the effort required to remove insects etc subsequently….not sure how much, but I use it anyway! The application method is slightly different for this stuff, it is supposed to be left for at least 30 minutes to completely dry before buffing. Using a fresh applicator sponge, I spread very thinly and as evenly as possible over the entire van to window height, carefully avoiding any plastics, glass, or vinyl – this stuff leaves a white residue which I HATE to see after polishing!! So, take care round door handles and bumpers, rubbers etc, as it is a swine to remove the white marks without White Spirit or something equally horrible. On the plus side, I can coat the entire van in about 10 minutes, and buff off in about the same.
Protective glaze top coat once you have polished with the Super Resin Polish. careful of door rubbers etc!
The finishing touches are what makes the job I feel, and the whole thing isn’t done without cleaning the glass (guess what, Autoglym make a glass cleaner too, called Fast Glass!) and dressing the tyres. This takes only a few minutes, but just gives your beloved Bongo that forecourt look. I use a small sponge to apply sparingly the tyre dressing Autoglym, again), working round all four wheels, then going back over anywhere that has dried in too quickly and reapplying. Carefully buff off any excess from your nice clean wheels, and then lastly it’s the windows. Use another fresh microfibre cloth, and spray a couple of squirts on each window as you go, before immediately buffing off the whole window. You don’t need much of this stuff, and if you wash and clean the windows weekly you get months from a single bottle. This stuff is great on the inside too, but work on a grey day, not direct sunlight for the inside of the windows, especially the windscreen, or you end up with streaks.
A last once-over round the door closure areas, and you can now step back a few paces and admire your hard work!!
Job done, cuppa time!
And that’s it. There are no real shortcuts to a decent valet and detailing finish. try to work methodically, finish one job before tackling the next on the whole vehicle, and attention to the little details – I suppose that’s why they call it detailing, eh?
As I have said previously, there are a mind-boggling array of products available in your local auto shop or branch of Halfords. In the current Lockdown, I find myself turning to Ebay and Amazon for most things, but bear in mind there are postage costs on top of most items, so it pays to buy your items from one supplier and in the same order if you can. This reduces costs and the number of delivery drivers travelling around. I can’t warrant any of these products, or claim they are any better than other brands, but I have used them for a long time now, and every time I try something different, I keep coming back to the Autoglym brand.
To recap
Bodywork – Pure Shampoo, Super Resin Polish, Extra Gloss Protection. Top up between polishing with Rapid Detailer.
Inside wheel arches, pre-treatment of insects etc – Meguiar’s All Purpose.
Wheels and tyres – Custom Wheel Cleaner, All-Purpose Cleaner, finish with Instant tyre Dressing, not sprayed, on a sponge.
After sharing a few photos on the Bongo Owners’ Scotland facebook group, I was asked what different cleaning products I had used for the big 3-day valet. So, I will share my “trade secrets” here! There are about a million different products out there, from a thousand different brands, and some work better than others, in my humble opinion, however different folk have their own preferences, and I completely respect that.
DISCLAIMER!! Please, please, bear in mind I am NOT a professional car valeter, nor do I work for any supplier or manufacturer of any of the products used!! Experiment at your own risk, and bear in mind also that whatever “that stain” is on your upholstery might not shift! If you’re okay with that, then please read on!
Inside-Out
It might seem the wrong way round, but for a number of reasons I started with the interior, and finished with the exterior this time round. I wanted to really deep clean the blinds, headliner and upholstery so decided this would take a day or two to fully dry out, hence tackling it first. I started by stripping out the Dickie seats from the van. These were an Ebay purchase last year, unusual in that I have never seen any fitted with extra covers over the seat part, and they came with a cover that fits over the rear of the engine cover area. What a clever idea – these would prevent the seats and carpets getting dirty from your passengers’ feet, if they used the middle seats and hence the Dickie seats as footrests. Having a degree of success before, after some Youtube research, I mixed up a bucket of very hot water with a scoop of laundry detergent, mixing thoroughly to get the detergent in solution. I applied this with a small round microfibre sponge pad, the kind for applying car polish, being generous and wetting the seats well. Once this was soaked in for a few minutes, I gently scrubbed with a scrubbing brush, getting a good lather going, and watching the dirt come out! Seat pads and covers got the same treatment, and they were coming up a treat. Now I needed to get the detergent out, as it would make everything sticky and attract dirt quicker in the future if not rinsed out, so a good spray with the garden hose, until no foaming was visible. These now got hung in the sunshine which has been basically a constant over the Lockdown period, ironically.
Bucket of hot water and laundry detergent, sponge applicator and scrubbing brush! Note, Meguiars All-purpose cleaner for any stubborn greasy marks Front mats get the treatment too, all drying in the sun.
Next came the roller blinds in the rear, which were really showing their 25 years’ worth of grime, finger marks, cigarette stains, cooking, dogs’ noses, all leave their mark before I bought the van. I hadn’t really tackled them before, as I didn’t want to have to strip them out, a fiddly process involving stripping most of the interior (could have done this when I had the back stripped before!), but they really needed a good clean. So, I worked out how to carefully extend them beyond the tracks, securing them with luggage straps to the lowered bed, stuffed towels behind on the window surrounds, and got ready. For this job, the bucket got refilled with clean hot water and a new sponge pad – no scrubbing brush this time. I prepped the small steam cleaner my wife has for cleaning the oven. And brought out my trusty Autoglym Interior Shampoo bottle! I have used Autoglym products for about 35 years now, not the cheapest and not as popular as they once were among the car fraternity, as more trendy products (Angel Wax, Car Guys) appear, but the brand is still endorsed by Jaguar and Aston Martin, so it will do for me! I have also started using Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner D10101, buying in neat form and mixing up as required. This stuff is very versatile, neat it makes a good degreaser for engine work, or wheels, but in a 1 to 4 parts water is fine for interior on stubborn marks, both on plastic and fabric. These blinds were going to be CLEANED!
The before-pic. Note the grey-yellow staining up to near the top of each blind.
I sprayed on the Autoglym shampoo, soaking well, and waited impatiently. Now to agitate gently with the sponge pad, keeping rinsing in the bucket of clean water. At first, there didn’t appear to be much change, other than a bit of a lather, but as the soap died away it became clear that the bllinds were now not the original yellowy-grey, but an off-white with blue-grey patterns!! Brilliant! I worked away at all four windows, and on the sliding door blind I could get to both sides, and applied a dose of the Meguiar’s to a particularly greasy spot of what looked like part-rust and part-food. It didn’t go completely, but was invisible to anyone who didn’t know where to look, a vast improvement. I finished the job off with a liberal blast from the wee steam cleaner, to blow any last chemical and grime through the material, then gently dabbed the worst of the water off with my towels. I now left the blinds extended overnight to dry, and the results were very satisfying!
And dried the next day, completely different colour!
Between the Dickie seats and covers, front mats and the blinds, I had now spent over six hours cleaning today – enough for one day, I decided. Tomorrow, the rest of the interior!
Another big job I had been putting off was having a go at the headliner, which wasn’t too bad, for the most part, but had greasy marks from years of heads rubbing against it and grubby hand marks around the edges above the front doors. In the rear, above the rear windows was grubby, and the floor of the AFT was marked and abit tired looking too. The big worry was that the headlining was a one-piece construction, like most relatively modern cars, a sandwich of cloth, foam and insulation. From previous experience these can delaminate and bubble, looking horrendous, and I knew that if that happened I would have to replace the whole thing – a major job and expense, as well as something that would NOT go by post! I resolved to have a go anyway….
I used the same cleaning method as before, spraying the Interior Shampoo, sparingly this time, leaving a few minutes to work, then very gently using the microfibre sponge pad, I worked at the dirtiest bits, being careful not to get everything too wet this time in case the headlining came away. It was hard to see progress due to foaming, but when this was rinsed off, things were looking much better, although I would have to wait until it was dry to see the real difference. I replenished my bucket and worked through the back and roof floor as well. This last was at least a bit easier, as I could stand up to tackle it. Everything else had meant lying at some weird angles upside down!
Much improved! Visors had been removed for cleaning as well, used Meguiars All purpose here.Rear headliner and roof floor, much better! Plastics done with Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner and rinsed off.
Lastly I tackled the seats, and especially the driver’s seat, as they were looking a bit grubby too. I had cleaned them when I got the van, but being light grey, they were starting to get a wee bit dirty looking. On went the Autoglym Interior Shampoo again, liberally sprayed and left for 10 minutes. Then out came the clean hot water, microfibre sponge pad and the elbow grease! A couple of stubborn marks on the back of the driver’s seat required retreating, this time with the Meguiar’s, and came up great. Finally, the dashboard and door cards got a good scrub with the Meguiar’s as well, all except the fabric parts which got the Autoglym shampoo and sponge treatment. A full 8-hour day spent on the interior, but it was looking, and smelling, a whole lot sweeter!!
Nice and fresh, all we need is the Lockdown to end, and get out exploring!
So, two whole days work, just for the interior, and I would think most folk would dsay it wasn’t that dirty to begin with! But, it is very therapeutic, and satisfying, to see a well -used interior cleaning up. It is far from perfect, there are scratches and scrapes showing the 25 years of use and abuse the van have had. But, I quite like that. I enjoy looking round at a well – kept and cared – for interior and can accept the imperfections. I would be terrible with a brand new one!!
Autoglym Interior Shampoo – powerful, gentle cleaner, pleasant fragrance, the business on fabricsMeguiar’s All Purpose D101 cleaner – versatile and powerful, use diluted for interior plastics and stubborn stains
Very few chemicals used for different surfaces. Laundry detergent for the seats and covers, Autoglym Interior Shampoo for the blinds and seats, headliner and fabrics. And, Meguiar’s All Purpose cleaner for everything else – plastics and stubborn greasy stains. Plenty clean hot water, plenty towels to dab dry, some microfibre pads and cloths. Oh, and two days of your time, lol!
I will save the exterior for another post. Spoiler alert – Autoglym products feature heavily, as well as the elbow grease.
We are all in unprecedented times, unsure of the future, and when we might be able to experience something of the outdoors and our incredible countryside. While I am still working, and doing my small part in the ongoing crisis we all face, I am also daydreaming, and reminiscing of better times, which helps me get on with things for now and look to another adventure soon. Reflecting on some of the trips we have made, places we visited and where we would go back to, and I thought I might share one or two here. I will start with one of the first Bongo adventures with Ali Bongo and my wife, in October of 2018, when we visited Solway View campsite near the village of Borgue in Kirkudbrightshire.
Fantastic spacious and well kept pitches on this beautifully maintained campsite, just a 15 minute drive from Kirkudbright
As the school October break approached, we were looking for somewhere to visit that we hadn’t been before, and I wanted to try out the Bongo on a fully serviced campsite pitch, plugged in to utilise the mains electricity for heating and boiling the kettle. I looked especially around the town of Kirkudbright, on the Solway Firth, a lovely wee town, with loads of interesting places to see along the coast, as well as being a bit quieter than the traditional holiday destinations north of us towards Loch Lomond and beyond. The crowds of folk who visit these popular spots at school holiday time just make it feel too busy, not relaxing, and the whole idea was to get away from it all, not go where “it all” was going too! Around a two hour drive for us, with some cracking scenery down the A713 through Dalmellington and on to Castle Douglas. I settled on a campsite new to us, Solway View farm campsite, near the tiny village of Borgue, about a 15 minute drive from Kirkudbright, so ideal. I booked us in for a night.
Quiet, spacious pitches, and views of the Solway, at Solway View!
Around £19 a night for two people, electric hookup and the van. No charge for awning, and every pitch has a picnic table and firepit! The owners really have thought of everything, and the attention to the little details is obvious. The shower block is spotless, heated, and very well appointed, with some of the best showers you will find. There are mops for the floor, hand dryers and soap. They also have hobbit houses for rent, a camp kitchen building with cookers and sinks, and even a frisbee golf course!! Excellent value, and just what we were looking for. We parked up, plugged in and got the kettle on!
Plenty of choice for walking and exploring right from the campsite.
After a cuppa, we decided to make use of the daylight and fine, if chilly weather and headed off through the campsite as suggested by the owner to find the paths along the shore front. We passed an ancient cemetary, which Lorraine enjoyed exploring, reading the dates and names and on to the woods nearer the shoreline, where signs marking the choices appeared. We headed for the water’s edge. What an incredible coastline, nothing like where we live, which has sandy beaches as well as rocky outcrops, but always open and usually gently sloping to the water. This was a rugged coast, with trees growing right to the shore, and looked like another country altogether.
We wandered for a couple of hours, then back to the warmth of the van for supper and an early night, the fresh air working it’s magic. It was frosty through the night, but our small electric heater kept the van comfortable, without getting too warm. It was still too, and we slept well, rising early for a breakfast muffin and cuppa, a shower then packing up to head off. I certainly could not fault the facilities at Solway View, and we have used it a few times since. Why not check it out? https://solwayviewholidays.co.uk/
Somewhere I had wanted to check out for many years was the fantastic castle at Caerlaverock, near Dumfries, striking in it’s design being basically three sided, and as it was another sunny day, we headed up to Dumfries after exploring the town of Kirkudbright for an hour. The drive was pleasant along the A75, past Castle Douglas again and on to Dumfries. The biggest town in the area, it was a bit busier, but we found our way easily enough, taking the road past the hospital and University campus on the B725 and on to Caerlaverock Reserve. There is a large car park here, with a sign showing that campervans and motorhomes are welcome to use it, provided they park with courtesy to allow others to use it too. Most refreshing attitude from D&G Council!
Looking west over the tidal marshes, so peaceful
We wandered the few miles from this car park to the castle itself, and as we had a few hours before it closed, we elected to pay for entry. It was well worth the few pounds entry fee, the castle is unlike any you will ever see, such a strange shape, and pretty well preserved, with some roof restoration, and access to upper levels in some parts. A sprawling complex jumble of added-on later buildings within the original three sided main wall. There was an earlier castle nearby, from over 900 years ago lies just through the trees a few hundred metres away from the impressive moated “new” castle, earliest parts of which date from the 1200s. We wandered around, then walked round the outside of the moat, getting the scale of the place, it’s fortifications and how it must have looked in it’s heyday. We had a quick look round the visitor centre as well, which has a historic guide to the castle’s development through time, it’s contribution in the wars between Scotland and England, and history of the local area.
Massive walls, earthwork fortifications and moated, Caerlaverock castle is impressiveFront view of the triangular castle giving some idea of scale.
We walked back to the van, taking in the scenery along the path. There were people about, but it wasn’t by any means busy, and made us feel we had made the right choice to visit this are, and not northward. We are so lucky living where we do that the choice of north or south gives us all the options within a two hour drive in either direction.
View from behind the moat and the longest side of the castle, the “point” and entrance furthest away.
We stopped again in Dumfries at the riverside car park, reluctant to head home just yet, and the recent rains had the river Nith high and noisy over the weirs, drowning out the traffic noise in the town around us. We brewed up and watched the world go by, before heading north up the A76 and the Nith valley toward Kilmarnock and North Ayrshire again. Dumfries is around 70 miles away, and this main Trunk Route is wide and smooth, making the drive home quite relaxing too. Life never seems too stressful in the Bongo, with the combination of the automatic gearbox, the low revving diesel engine and the high viewpoint and driving position, it doesn’t lend itself to hurrying along at all. It had been a successful trip, with another superb campsite to add to the list of places we enjoy visiting. The weather had been kind as well, a bit chilly, but dry and sunny, perfect walking weather.
A brilliant Bongo Adventure!
The harbour in KirkudbrightDumfries and the river Nith. Ali Bongo is in this picture, can you spot him?
I know we are all suffering withdrawals right now from not being able to enjoy the great outdoors, but it won’t be forever, we will get through this, and it makes things a wee bit easier to bear looking back at adventures past, and planning new ones for the future.
Bongo life at it’s best, sunshine, quiet, scenery, the best of company.
Whether it’s summer or winter, for one night, or a week away, campsite or wild, there are some modifications and life hacks that make living with the Bongo, for me, just a wee bit more comfortable. Some are covered in depth in previous posts. No doubt, this year will see some more! However, I thought I would list my current top 12 here. It would be interesting to see if anyone shares some of these, or has their own list.
So, here goes….
Rock n Roll bed
Full width, making a standard double bed size. Memory foam mattress. Big king size sleeping bags and fluffy pillows, bliss!!
It’s all about getting a good night’s sleep, after all. You can argue about everything else you can do with your Bongo, but when it comes right down to it, if you can’t sleep comfortably, then it’s more of a day van than a campervan. We like going away together, so we need to sleep two people, in comfort, and the full width is perfect. That, and the fact that in seconds, it all folds away to give you back the space, and a comfy three-seater couch. It came with the van, so we have no experience of anything else, but it is fantastic!
Diesel night heater
Chinese made 3kw diesel heater, even with add-ons, less than £150, for a toasty van, anytime. Bargain!
Next would be one of my latest additions, and covered in detail elsewhere, but for the price of a couple of tyres, to be able to have more heat than you can deal with even with a few windows open is just awesome! Sure, you get the noise of the fan blowing, a bit like a hairdryer noise, or the car heater on high, but I can live with that, and when the temperature comes up, you can turn it down to a lower setting, where it is much quieter, and still keeps you toasty. being able to use the van off-grid, but not be sitting wrapped up in outdoor layers to stay warm, is luxury. Sitting in t shirt and socks, drying off your wet gear, and leaving a window or two open to reduce condensation, then when packing up in the morning, crank up the heater, open all the windows in the back, and watch the windows clear before you set off, with out wiping down!
Split charger, mains charger, and circuit swaps
Intelligent charger, wired to a changeover switch, tops up both batteries, and regulates to prevent over charging
This little gizmo is also described in another post, but essentially, a smart charger for your leisure and vehicle batteries, which senses battery condition and regulates charge to prevent over charging. Another Chinese Ebay find, around £20, and when hooked up to the mains, means I can use the battery power knowing it is being topped up at the same time. The silver thing in the photo is a changeover switch I fitted, to allow choice between batteries, although I can charge via the vehicle battery once it is at a high enough voltage via my split charge circuit.
Split charge relay, simple to fit, means leisure battery is now charged when the engine battery voltage comes up.
After sorting out the charging side of the battery power, another worthwhile change to standard is a circuit swap loom. This is a custom made loom with fusebox and instructions, available from Ebay, but other sources as well. Essentially, all “leisure” circuits – interior lighting, central locking, 12v sockets, blinds – are now fed from your leisure battery, so if you are parked up without charging, using these circuits isn’t using valuable battery power you will need when you want to start the engine again! Not expensive, simple enough to fit and make the wiring changes at the vehicle fusebox, and complete peace of mind!
Mains electric hookup, on the cheap!
Mains hookup socket, stows behind header tank. No holes in the van!
Also covered in previous post is the mains hookup. A simple installation, but it does what is required, allowing me to connect to shore power at campsites. a compact single socket and circuit breaker box sits neatly in the passenger footwell, and plugged into this is a four-way extension, which clips onto the back of the drivers seat. This provides power in the rear for kettle, phone chargers, and a small electric heater for cold weather camping should you need it. Basically, what you would use in a tent. completes the mains and charging circuits, making the van usable in any circumstance.
Swivel passenger seat
Passenger seat swung round to face the rear, opens the van up making it more usable
Not cheap, but what a clever gadget the New dawn Conversion Bongo swivel seat is! New dawn modify your existing seat, chopping, welding and adapting to type-approved designs, ensuring you are still safe in an accident and covered for insurance purposes. I would urge everyone to consider doing this, if they travel with a companion, as it is much better to sit facing each other, than side by side, for any conversation. There is a driver’s seat version too, and for families this might be worth doing as well. Nearly £300 to do each seat, but I reckon it’s worth it for the way it opens up the back of the van.
Indoor loo!
Bedroom and bathroom are both in this photo! Can you spot the bog?
An essential bit of kit, borrowed from my camping trips and makes staying in the van just so much more “convenient”!! A collapsible water container, folds up to nothing, lightweight, but easily accomodates your night time “usage”, meaning you don’t need to traipse to the toilet block in the night, or step outside the van, in the rain! Slip it into your wask bag in the morning when you head to the showers and discreetly empty and rinse. Less than a fiver, and worth every “penny spent”!!
Dehydrated food, ready meals
Ready meal in a pouch, just bung it in a pot with water and place on the stove to heat it through in 10 minutes.No washing up, eat from the pouch!
Also posted previously, but just such a handy idea. Treat your van as a tent, not a house, and look at convenient ways of feeding yourself, with no washing up and minimal prep. There are the dehydrated meals, developed for expedition use, so lightweight, really tasty and filling, huge variety of meal sizes and content, available online or from your local camping shop. And, the “wet” meals, handy portions of all your favourites in a foil pouch. Just pop in a pot of water and heat through on the stove, tear open and eat from the pouch. at around £4 – £6 a meal, when you weigh cost against convenience and how compact and versatile they are, I feel it’s a no-brainer when you are away. Obviously, eat fresh when you can, fruit, salad, bread etc can supplement your diet. Eat out too, let someone else wash up! But please give these a try, you won’t regret it!
File boxes repurposed
Portable file storage boxes, it turns out, are perfect kitchen boxes for Bongos! Two file boxes plus a 10 litre water container fit perfectly across the back of the seat, accessible from outside or inside.
Not much explanation needed here, just had an inspired idea to use these two file boxes for all our kitchen kit – pots, kettle, glasses, cups, tea, coffee, etc, all lives in one box. Spare gas, kitchen roll, electric kettle, tea towels and washing liquid, plus utensils in the other. Room for the odd pack of biscuits too! I spent a bit of time looking for something that would fit, and had bought a couple of boxes with snap on lids, but they weren’t fitting while travelling. These sit perfectly on the narrow back part of the rock n roll bed at the tailgate, out of site of the driver behind the seat back. A travel throw rug covers them up, and a luggage tiedown strap secures them and the heavy water container in place. In good weather, I can access from the tailgate, and use the lid for the under bed storage as a shelf to brew up on. When using from inside, they can be accessed over the seat back. Another use is as a shelf for the kettle, as they fit perfectly on the flipped dickie seat, behind the driver’s seat and right below my four-way socket. You can usually spot the kettle perched on here in the interior shots of the van. The other sits nicely on the seat of the driver’s side, being narrow enough it doesn’t touch the steering wheel. They just work brilliantly, and you can even use one outside as a makeshift coffee table!
Decathlon camping table / AFT storage shelf
Adapted picnic table, cost £12 in Decathlon. Removed the legs and chopped them down to a usable height. Useful storage addition in the AFT.
Another simple hack, already had one of these wee tables from Decathlon, the outdoor sports retailer, and knew that it would fit in the front of the pop top, above the cab, allowing for the floor to be lifted and lowered unhindered. But, it was a bit high to be usable, so I bought another one, and drilled out the rivets, cut a bit off the legs making it tall enough for holdalls to fit underneath, allows our bedding to be stored up here during the day, keeping the van free of clutter. free space either side of the legs fits my water container, with the tap over the edge to be used in place, and on the other side… Doritos, of course, or usually the small fridge we have sits here out the way. An eye level fridge, sheer decadence!
Subcold silent run mini fridge
A gift from my Dad, a brilliant little quality fridge, really cold, and almost silent running, so doesn’t keep you awake.
Worth mentioning, a convenience or luxury item for us, as we use powdered milk, but in summer for keeping salad crisp and the ciders chilled, this compact fridge works a treat! Not the cheapest at around £45 for this 6 litre model, but the silent fan is worth the extra tenner or so. Can be used on mains or 12v, so stick a sandwich in there for your journey, and the ciders when you pitch up. Not always used or taken, but if on a longer trip then a must, for the sheer luxury value.
Sun canopy / awning
Khayam sun canopy awning, cheap, lightweight, compact, waterproof shelter from sun and rain alike
Lastly a mention of the canopy I have currently. The more sharp-eyed will spot a different awning in some photos. This is a sturdy SunnKamp caravan awning which came with Ali Bongo when we got him. It has zip-on sides, and rolls into a long bag, which itself slips into the awning rail, simply unzip, unroll and extend the legs. But, it is bulky, being the full length of the van side even when rolled away, so it gets in the way inside when travelling. So, I bought the Khayam lightweight one I had seen another Bongonaut using. Pretty cheap at £80, and the same size when erected as the Sunnkamp, however it rolls away into a hiking tent-sized bag and only weighs about 5kg. It fits underneath the bed in the storage there, so we always have it with us if needed. it gives you a dry area next to the van, and in warm weather you can sit in the shade provided. Again, not essential, but a great luxury addition to your kit.
So, that is a list of the main items I feel make using the Bongo that bit more comfortable. They are not all essentials, but it is important sometimes to have a luxury or two on your trip, and if it gives you pleasure and is useful, then why not? It is a compromise at all times between every convenience, and saving space and weight where you can.Storage solutions make a huge difference to Bongo life, and I am quite pleased that I found the boxes which fit and hold what I need to bring. The budget wiring and modifications are not essential either, but we like using campsites at times, so it is sensible to be using the mains electric where possible, for heating water, and the van, plus why not charge up your batteries for the road ahead? There are a load of other little convenience items and changes made, and some still in the pipeline, but it is, as always, a test bed for ideas, and some die off after first use, some stay to replace the previous version.
Looking forward to another season of trips, and ideas, ahead! Happy trails!!
Totally frustrated with the weather doing it’s usual, and the long range forecast dry spell arriving inconveniently two days early, I was in a foul mood by Saturday morning. This was compounded by the postponement of all the rugby, both international and domestic. So, not only was I not required to referee, I couldn’t even watch the scheduled Scotland v Wales match. With blustery winds and heavy showers, nothing was going to get done to Ali Bongo this weekend, again! I went to the gym and participated in the Saturday Bootcamp, a great blowout, but not really a substitute for rugby! I had planned a trip in the Bongo, but the weather was absolutely foul. Lorraine asked if I wasn’t going away as planned, and I thought – let’s just do it!! It didn’t take much organising, as everything is kept in two portable file boxes – the kitchen kit, spare gas, utensils, kettle etc – and I filled the water container and strapped the boxes in to their place at the rear of the rock n roll bed next to the tailgate. This works well, the stuff is accessible from the tailgate, but you only have to reach across from the seat to access anything. I chucked a sleeping bag and a couple of pillows (a necessity, anything less is just miserable!) in a holdall, a change of clothes and some washkit in a daysack, and set off via the filling station.
Left turn for Newton Stewart in Straiton village, new territory for me
I had a rough plan, which was to head south as far as Dalmellington, then take the B-road to Straiton, and from there head into the Galloway Forest Park in the direction of Newton Stewart. This would leave plenty of scope for exploring the lochsides and forest trails in the Dark Sky park, and I was starting to feel more relaxed, as Ali pottered along the narrow road. The Bongo is really in it’s element on these types of roads, being quite narrow you can weave between the potholes usually – not always! – and the auto box makes it so easy to just doddle along, very therapeutic! I got as far as the entrance to the Forest Drive, where the road crosses the river Stinchar, and turned in.
Near the entrance to the Forest drive, beautiful scenery, and a nice wee picnic stop, in better weather.
As I headed further off the road and into the park on the dirt road, the scenery opened up to reveal a delightful wee picnic spot next to the burn, not too far from the car park at the start of the Drive. I carried on, keen to see what was ahead on the increasingly rutted and potholed track. There were what looked like recent tyre tracks though, and no gate to keep you out of anywhere that the Forestry Commission wanted private, so I pressed on. There had obviously been a fair bit of forestry activity, and the hillsides were quite barren looking, new growth starting in places, stumps in others, but that is the nature of it, the trees are a crop, after all, and we shouldn’t forget that the parks are managed and maintained primarily for harvesting and growing trees. Continuing along the trail, above Loch Riecawr, I reached a childs’ play park on a grassy rise, with stunning views over the loch. We are so lucky in Scotland, and especially in Ayrshire, to have such a profusion of little lochs and winding burns, and this area was no exception, and what with the heavy rains over the winter, there was water everywhere! As I dropped back down along the front of the dam, I could see the water lapping over the lip, and adding to what was being released into the torrent which would become the Water of Girvan further downhill. The rutted track was considerably less well travelled now, but I was in no hurry, and my curiosity had me wanting to see where I would end up. I could always turn back, couldn’t I?
Certainly no shortage of water in Scotland! My winding track was taking me toward another loch.
Now, I have to admit, that although I had no real plan, I had thought I was heading in the rough direction of Newton Stewart, toward Glen Trool and Loch Trool, where there were loads of stopping spots and trails to explore. My odometer was telling me I had now covered about 8 miles since leaving the road, and although I couldn’t get a phone signal, so my maps wouldn’t update, well, I couldn’t really get lost, could I? All I had to do was keep following the track, and eventually I would end up back out at the main road again, right? It seems the Forestry Commission had other ideas with the Forest Drive! Not only did it not head back to the road to Newton Stewart, it became considerably more rutted and pothole-strewn! I was threading my way between the largest and deepest ones, when I noticed a light behind me: a couple of big quad bikes, out for a blast round the forest tracks. I pulled in as I approached a small area off the track, and they peeped and waved as they sped off. At least someone else was out and about!
Huge waterfall pouring water off the hills and into Loch Doon ( I found out later!)
This was more evident soon after, as I rounded a corner the trail dropped again toward a huge body of water, and after a fork in the road, I found myself at the head of the loch, where an impressive waterfall, some 30 metres wide and stepping down over 3 or 4 metres in height rumbled, and just before I drove over a small bridge I passed a big van, an Auto Sleeper-type, with another older home-conversion van just 100 metres along. I carried on following the trail, which was now more and more rutted, to a fork. I took the branch uphill, and after about a mile or so, reached the point where my nerves got the better of me – nothing other than forestry equipment had passed this way in a long, long time! I gingerly turned around and headed back downhill. let’s try the other road. I followed this along about a mile and a half, and found the same – huge ruts full of standing water, stacks of logs, and mud. This time there wasn’t anywhere to turn around, so I had the added excitement of reversing about 500 metres to somewhere that I felt the van wouldn’t get stuck while I turned around. I headed back to what had looked like a promising spot just at the fork in the trail. I arrived and gave it a better look. This would do! It was now getting close to dinner time, and as I had no idea really where I was, other than roughly in the Forest Park somewhere, I thought I would settle here, in the shelter of the trees, with a view of the loch head.
Room with a view! Shelter from the worst of the wind and rain, and overlooking the loch.
There were signs of previous visits, unfortunately, in the form of a fire pit strewn with empty cans of soft drinks. This baffles me completely. You obviously drove here, and sat to enjoy the scenery. And yet you think leaving your junk behind is acceptable?? I always make a point of carrying everything out with me, whether in the Bongo or hiking. “Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints(tyre tracks)” is a good motto. I stuck the roof up for now ( I later took it down as the wind seemed to change direction, and I didn’t want to have to do it during the night), fired up the diesel heater and put the kettle on. This was soon a very cosy place to sit, and while I prepared a ready-meal – Summit to Eat’s chicken tikka and rice, delicious! – a procession of three cars drove by heading where I had made a long reverse to get out. Needless to say, about 20 minutes later, the same cars crept by again! Nothing else came near until next morning, about 8 am, another couple of quads came past. They looked surprised to see the van parked up there, I guess not many are brave enough to venture this far from the main tarmac road.
Nice and warm with the heater cranked up, what a brilliant bit of kit!
I ate, watched a movie on my tablet, and turned in early, around 9pm. The rain battered down on my van roof, but I was snug inside with my diesel heater blowing hot air. In fact, even with a couple of windows open in the front, and the sliding door window open in the back ( it was facing away from the worst of the weather) it was lovely. What a brilliant bit of kit the heater is, for not too much money, and a bit of thought fitting, it was really coming into it’s own in this dreich weather! I slept, off and on, right through until 6:45am, which isn’t bad at all! Wakened a couple of times for the loo, most likely due to the torrential rain, and it was getting a bit chilly, but once in the sleeping bag again it was fine, and after all, if it got cold enough I could always fire up the heater!
This I did, around 7am, and got up ten minutes later when the van was toasty again. I put the bed away, got the kettle on, and took down the window thermal screens. These are a must, blacking out the windows in summer time, keeping the worst of the heat out on hot days, but helping to keep the heat in the van in cold weather. Definitely worth purchasing, mine are from Fuel Lagoon, and are made for the Bongo so fit the windows exactly. I drank my coffee and ate a delicious scotch egg. Ahh! This was sheer heaven! I made a second cuppa, and peered out through the rain.
Wet and wild out, cosy and comfy inside!Coffee, perfect start to the day!
So, all packed up, I fired up the engine, and headed back toward the waterfall and the trail head. The self-build van was away, but the newer van was still there, wiping down the windows of condensation ( my heater cleared mine!!) and the occupant waved as I passed and headed up the fork in the track I hadn’t used yesterday. On and on, along the side of this huge loch, until I arrived at a ruined castle keep, which had a Heritage Scotland sign proclaiming this was…. Castle Doon! I had managed to wind up back on the same side of the hills I had started out at in Dalmellington! I had a nosey round the castle, which according to the sign was moved stone by stone from it’s original location in the middle of what is now Loch Doon in the 1930s. Impressive!
Castle Doon, uniquely polygon in shape, and moved from a now submerged island when the loch level was raised for Hydro in the 1930s
I pottered along the water-side road, tarmac but still potholed, stopping to take a few photos here and there, but not for long as the rain kept up. It had really been a wet trip, but it was proving that the Bongo was still useable even when the weather isn’t great. The new heater made it very comfortable in the back sitting, and watching a movie, with no phone signal, can be very relaxing. I spent a bit of time this morning sitting just looking at the landscape and thinking very little.
Further on, I came to the Loch Doon campsite, all rows of hookup points, on a rise overlooking the loch. very nice, if a bit exposed when windy, but I guess that would keep the midges away in summer! After that comes the visitor centre, with the Osprey viewing hide, carparks and the road gets a bit better.
One last look up the loch.
I drove on to where the road meets the main A713 again, just south of Dalmellington along the gorge, turned left, due north , for home. I contemplated my trip. The weather hadn’t been in any way conducive to a trip away in the countryside. I had ended up a bit lost in the maze of forest trails in the Galloway Forest Park, no clue where I was or how to get out again. I was on my own with no phone signal. I had been down some pretty hairy tracks, bottoming out the van in places it was so rutted, and risked getting stuck in the mud a couple of times too. Ali Bongo had tackled everything I had asked of him. I had been warm and dry, comfortable, well fed, used the en-suite facilities through the night ( details with-held due to modesty!), and seen some really wild, rugged and beautiful parts of South Ayrshire for the first time. All of this, on about £20 worth of fuel, and in less than 24 hours. I had covered less than 100 miles after all the time driving, mostly very slowly, and even with what the heater used had bitten into the fuel tank to just below the 3/4s mark.
Ali Bongo is now washed again – he was plastered with mud and grit from the forest trails – everything replenished and other than re-filling the water container and throwing in the bedding and an overnight bag, ready for the road again! And, with no rugby next weekend either due to the current health scare, who knows where I might end up!
Somewhere out there is the dream vehicle, the absolute ultimate in vans, with street presence, stunning looks, mountains of power and sharp handling, with comfort and luxury in the cabin, and space and storage in abundance in the rear coupled with every luxury and gadget known to man. It has the ability to travel for vast distances without topup, and can be used in complete comfort off-grid for weeks at a time. It also appreciates in value each week, and five years of ownership will net you the price of an exotic Italian supercar……
Somewhere!
Perfect stopover spot, near Moffat.
So, until that Euro Millions win, with money no object and time to spend in search of perfection, I choose to compromise and live within my means, have fun learning to make do, enjoy upgrading and customising, and most of all explore the possibilities a wee bit of imagination and ingenuity can afford. In short, I choose a Bongo!
Bedding, clothes and water “on tap” live in the Auto Free Top over the cab. Shelf is a cut down Decathlon picnic table
Having a history of camping and caravanning, from motorcycle tours of Europe in my earlier years, to frame tents, trailer tents and touring caravans up to 18 foot twin axle monsters, from static caravans to ultra lightweight backpacking tents of less than 1kg, I have experienced, and moaned, about the whole spectrum! Touring with a large caravan is an example of having so much space that everything comes with you, turning the “just get up and go” slogan into a mockery – it used to take a couple of hours to set up on arrival, and all morning to pack it away! Valuable lessons were learnt the hard way with long distance walking, multi-day treks of the Speyside Way, West Highland Way and the East Highland Way. The last of these the most recent was the most enjoyable, I believe for the large part due solely to learning what to expect in the comfort, sleep and exertion aspects – a cramped, cold tent full of kit, no real sleep due to noises, cold, and sleeping on the ground, all with the sheer effort of walking for up to 11 hours in a single day carrying your food and supplies for the week on your back. It was the most enjoyable because I had learnt something of the compromises required. Five years earlier, walking the Speyside Way, with a cheap rucksack, sleeping bag and tent (which means heavier and less comfortable), carrying too many clothes, carrying TINS of food, just inconceivable now. I will admit that walking the Speyside Way was the toughest thing I have done, due to carrying too much and not being ready for the effort required, day after day, to complete a long distance walk. However, every second of it was worth it!!
Aviemore, the Speyside Way completed, 2015James, my eldest son, with me on the East Highland way April 2019
These experiences are invaluable in teaching you the hard way what to expect, and most importantly, what to leave behind! It IS worth investing in the best kit you can afford, when it means comfort and weight savings. But here too, I have had to compromise. It would be fantastic to spend over £1000 on the last word in lightweight tents. It would be awesome to have the best of £500 jackets. So, budget restraints do play a part, and it’s difficult to justify going overboard for kit used a couple of times a year., But, good quality kit, from big brands in the field, doesn’t cost that much more than the cheaper mainstream stuff, and if it lasts longer, fits better, works better, then it’s probably worth it.
Expeditions mean huge effort, and you can only eat what you carry. So, over the years, I have learnt that having good, tasty wholesome food can make the trip far more enjoyable and give you the morale boost you need when you are feeling tired and fed up. Luckily, there are some right clever folk out there who have already thought of this!! Polar expeditions, Everest treks, military, all need to carry what they eat, and need to eat well to keep them going. For the most part, they all use dehydrated rations, and for good reason. These clever foil pouches of food are no less than balanced “normal” food, cooked as usual, portioned up precisely, then dehydrated, removing all the moisture (weight) from it, but keeping in the flavours and nutritional values of the food, so that all you have to do is add boiling water, mix and wait for it to re-hydrate. The advantages are huge – it keeps basically for ever, but certainly for several years, and without the water it weighs significantly less, so a 600 calory meal weighs only 120 grams or so, and takes up practically no space.
Tasty! Summit to eat chicken fajita meal. Loads of varieties out there, great to have in the Bongo!
So all of this has a good deal of relevance to the Bongo. Obviously, it’s on the small side, certainly compared to T5 in long wheelbase mode, but I see this as a plus point. It goes places I couldn’t get in the family car, can three-point turn on a single track road, and can park in any town centre car park, provided there is 2.2 mtr headroom. A great compromise for on the road. Also, it isn’t by any stretch a sports car! But in practical terms, my old diesel will keep up with town traffic, and has enough roll-on acceleration to allow lane changes and overtaking on the motorway, plus will cruise at 70mph all day if I want to burn the extra fuel this involves (cruising at 50mph is probably 20% more economical), so I don’t feel cheated here either. I don’t have a four-ring hob, a 60 litre fridge-freezer, a wide screen tv and surround system. But, I can cook on my camping stove, I do have a travel fridge I use in summer for keeping the cider chilled, and I avoid the whole washing-up thing by using the afore-mentioned foil pouch meals for the most part, followed by a quick wet-wipe of the spoon – easy!! The electric Auto Free Top of the Bongo is the envy of most VW owners – I just love parking up on a campsite in my pitch and motoring up the roof! The extra headroom and storage is great, and although we haven’t slept up there, it does afford another option for sleeping and space for two adults. I like the compromise choice of having a full-width rock n roll bed in my van over a permament kitchen and storage, my personal choice and not one everyone is willing to compromise on. For the reasons explained previously, and the journey of discovery summarised here, I find the comfort and versatility of the space more important, and I am quite content in my smaller but very comfortable Bongo over something larger.
There are loads of modifications and tweaks you can make in the pursuit of extra comfort and luxury, and I am always looking for some little change I can make. This might be to the van, but it also might be to the kit I take. Anything that saves space, or affords extra storage or comfort, is always worth exploring. Swivel seats make a huge difference to how you enjoy the space in the back when camping. A drop-down table has become an absolute essential for me, and my diesel heater has transformed the winter Bongo experience, being used at every excuse! The cosmetics of my Bongo were important to me, and I have invested heavily in some smart new paintwork, rust repairs and reupholstered the interior – all my choice, and within my budget, but not for everyone, and in the great scheme of things doesn’t really improve the useability of the van. Personal choice.
Compromise is the key to it all, for me. I would like an absolutely pristine, brand new campervan. It should be quiet, powerful, economical, smart to look at. It must be great to drive, comfortable and spacious, with all mod-cons. That is what I would like! Firstly, I don’t believe the ideal van actually exists. Secondly, if it did and I found it, I would spend my life miserable because I couldn’t afford it. So, I bought an old Bongo, for a few thousand quid. I have spent a few thousand more, it’s true. But, my Bongo is uniquely my own interpretation of the art of compromise, a continually evolving test-bed for ideas and inovation, for customising and experiment. And, I love it!!
Ali Bongo's adventures 