Well, with only 2 weeks left before departure it is time to start trying to cram all my gear into the van, it’s surprising how much stuff one person will need for a small trip like this.
As you can see, the basics include tools, fuel, spares and essentials like jump leads, booster pack and electric pump for the tyres, don’t want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flat battery or flat tyre.
There’s a mains hook up lead, awning tie down straps and ramps for the nights spent on proper campsites.
A good table is a necessity as there is nothing worse than trying to cook or eat off a wobbly table, there’s no chair in the pic as that’s not been delivered yet, after a recommendation from a friend, and trying one out in the shop I’ve gone for a high back Isabella Thor, very comfortable and supports your back really well.
Cooking will be taken care of by the twin burner inside the van or by a small folding BBQ, weather permitting, I’ve gone for the larger “906” CampinGaz bottles as these are readily available throughout Europe, albeit at a price premium. I carry 3 of these so as to make sure I don’t run out whilst in the wilderness.
It’s easy to take too much in the pots and pans department, so I’ve gone for one saucepan,one frying pan and a kettle, that’s as much as I can cope with really, and a toastier maker, one of the best inventions ever, if it fits between 2 slices of bread it can be toasted. Love it .
Next was to refit the bike rack as it’s a good possibility I’ll use the ole shove iron to run around towns and villages to save on the leg work, you get to cover a lot more distance than just walking 
The red and white marker board is a legal requirement in Italy and recommended in most other countries. For the ferry crossing the bike will be inside the van and the rack folded up, this is to keep it under 6 metres long, making it cheaper to use the ferry.
Another addition is the viewing platform on the roof, this is to the rear half behind the solar panels and is basically some Phenolic resin coated plywood as used on trailer floors screwed down onto the roof rails. This is to allow me to stand on the roof and take photos, hopefully getting a slightly better perspective on things. 
One benefit of having the solar panels and viewing platform is that they act as a second skin on the van, a bit like the safari roofs on old series land rovers, they provide an air gap so that in direct sunlight it insulates the roof a bit and when it rains you don’t get that annoying patter of the raindrops hitting the bare steel of the roof, well that’s the theory anyway…….
Ok, so next weekend will see me finish the packing and give the ole girl a wash down, ready for the run to catch the ferry on Sunday the 26th, fingers crossed that the weather stays good for the crossing.
Delscampertour 