some things can never be replaced, so maybe time for a new direction…

It’s been a very long and painful 6 weeks since the fire brought an abrupt end to my 2015 european road trip, and with spring now slowly turning to summer, I really do miss being out and about in my vintage VW camper!

Happier times on my road trip in France
Happier times on my road trip in France

Fortunately there has been slow progress in regards to some of the insurance on the camper. Unfortunately I found out to my dismay, that I was underinsured in terms of the contents of the van and all the updates I had carried out to the bus. A big lesson to be learnt right there! Although it’s not all fully resolved yet, at least I now have some funds to begin the search for a replacement bus once again.

the worst photo I have ever taken
the worst photo I have ever taken

With a vintage VW camper you can never really replace like for like, regardless of how much available money you might have. Most buses are all fairly unique and very personal, so it’s a surprisingly difficult thing to do to try to find a ‘new’ camper especially on a bit of a reduced budget – nothing like a bit of a challenge!

not much left in the engine bay
not much left in the engine bay

One of the many irreplaceable items from the bus was it’s Canterbury Pitt interior, my home away from home when on the road. I had spent ages getting the interior sorted and how I wanted it to be. The recent fitting the Canterbury Pitt table which I had recently refurbished was the icing on the cake, even my wife loved this aspect of the camper!

the Canterbury Pitt table finished and back home in the camper
the Canterbury Pitt table finished and back home in the camper

Unfortunately, the fire was no respecter of all the time and effort that had gone into getting the interior resolved and finished…

the burnt out remnants of my Canterbury Pitt interior
the burnt out remnants of my Canterbury Pitt interior

The re-trimmed cab area of the camper was a great space to be in as you were driving around…

The front seats had been recovered along with all door cards and side panels
The front seats had been recovered along with all door cards and side panels

…but the fire soon spread to the front and destroyed all of that as well, once it had taken hold, there was just no stopping it despite the contents of two or three fire extinguishers! It took the attention of the French fire brigade to finally put out the flames!

not much left of the cab area!
not much left of the cab area!

However, by the time the French Fire brigade had arrived and managed to put out the flames, my 1965 VW camper was barely recognisable from it’s former condition!

the fire ravaged remains of my camper
the fire ravaged remains of my camper

However, despite all the emotional turmoil and distress of having to watch as my camper and all my belongings in my home on the road went up in flames and got destroyed, it’s now time to move forward and focus on sorting out finding a suitable replacement vintage VW Camper – let the search commence…

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