Latest blog posts

3rd September 2024 at 08:47 - Damian

With the batteries becoming increasingly unreliable, and with a battery upgrade to LiFePO4 so difficult, I decided to double the solar late last year.

This didn't help in winter or rainy days unfortunately.

It's difficult to accurately measure the capacity of batteries and so I installed a SmartShunt that was able to tell me exactly how much energy was flowing into and out of the system.

It turned out that one of the batteries was at 30% capacity and the other was 16%. Time to upgrade.

New solar panels added to the roof in September 2023. 400W in total.
New solar panels added to the roof in September 2023. 400W in total.
A Victron SmartShunt added to get an idea of the capacity of the AGM batteries.
A Victron SmartShunt added to get an idea of the capacity of the AGM batteries.

3rd September 2024 at 08:25 - Damian

When we first purchased the van in 2019 I put a 200W panel on the roof and an additional 100Ah AGM lead acid leisure battery under the passenger seat.

We were careful not to let the batteries discharge to less than 50% but living in the van full time around Europe took its toll and they began to lose their capacity five years on.

200Ah of battery plus 200W solar served us well and we were able to live off-grid for long periods of time. But by 2024 we were lucky to last 24 hours in winter.

200W solar panel on the roof of the van.
200W solar panel on the roof of the van.
The leisure batteries live under the passenger seat. This photo was taken on an absolutely scorching day in York in 2019. The cavity barely fits 2 x 100Ah batteries.
The leisure batteries live under the passenger seat. This photo was taken on an absolutely scorching day in York in 2019. The cavity barely fits 2 x 100Ah batteries.

30th August 2024 at 09:30 - Damian

I've heard multiple horror stories of people whose campervan's wiring and hydraulics was destroyed by mice and rats who found a home in the warmth of their engine bay.

We've never experienced this in the five years we've had ours but I've decided to add a bait block just in case. If anything it'll show the presence of rodents by way of nibble marks.

[edit: on advice from others I've removed this until such time as we have an issue as it will likely attract rodents with the scent]

A rat bait block inside a small plastic container with an access hole. Attached by a cable tie inside the engine bay.
A rat bait block inside a small plastic container with an access hole. Attached by a cable tie inside the engine bay.

24th August 2024 at 10:48 - Damian

Since returning to NZ we've been enjoying blobbing out watching TV and getting the house in order. It's also been great to be able to make baguettes, pizza, sauerkraut and home-cooked meals.

Next month we're planning to head south for around 15 weeks and explore in the campervan. Still in the planning stages but we have a couple of tramps locked in.

We'll be taking the bikes and leaving the kayak at home for this trip. In the New Year we'll return to the top of the South for kayaking.

A map of NZ with places we've been to in the campervan since returning in 2020.
A map of NZ with places we've been to in the campervan since returning in 2020.
A work in progress planning a 15 week road trip in the South Island.
A work in progress planning a 15 week road trip in the South Island.

20th August 2024 at 07:05 - Damian

Yay! Back in rainy NZ. Bus to Puhinui, train to Britomart and two buses to Northcote. It's been five weeks of public transport and we've loved (almost) every minute of it. Nice to not have to look at a map for this one

[edit: added costs overview]

Breakdown of costs (NZ$) for posterity: Total spent for 34 days was $18,700. Excluding flights was $440 per day. Flights $3.7k, Travel $2.1k, Accommodation $5.5k, Food/drink $6.0k, Other (activities/gifts/clothes/etc) $1.4k.
Breakdown of costs (NZ$) for posterity: Total spent for 34 days was $18,700. Excluding flights was $440 per day. Flights $3.7k, Travel $2.1k, Accommodation $5.5k, Food/drink $6.0k, Other (activities/gifts/clothes/etc) $1.4k.

19th August 2024 at 14:00 - Damian

Yesterday we left Portland in the early afternoon and arrived into Emeryville/San Francisco this morning. A nice uneventful train journey.

Today after we stowed our bags at the first hotel we stayed at we did a bit of shopping and went on one final walking tour. This one was of the "Barbary Coast"¹, a rough dockside area of the old city that's undergone many many changes over the years. Super interesting.

We're now at the airport and flying out at 2200.

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_

Sally demonstrating the size of the seats in coach class. They go back 45° and have leg rests that lever up. Lots of space between them but still pretty uncomfortable to try to sleep in.
Sally demonstrating the size of the seats in coach class. They go back 45° and have leg rests that lever up. Lots of space between them but still pretty uncomfortable to try to sleep in.
Portland Union Station.
Portland Union Station.
A rare breakfast for us. At The Mont just down the road from where we were staying. Eggs bene for me. Sally had breakfast burritos but I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of it.
A rare breakfast for us. At The Mont just down the road from where we were staying. Eggs bene for me. Sally had breakfast burritos but I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of it.

17th August 2024 at 16:13 - Damian

A short jaunt up the Columbia River to Multnomah Falls today. On the way back we spent two hours stopped on the motorway for what could only have been a fatal crash 😞

View of the Multnomah Falls from the bottom. It's only about a 30 minute walk to the top on a nicely paved walkway.
View of the Multnomah Falls from the bottom. It's only about a 30 minute walk to the top on a nicely paved walkway.

17th August 2024 at 15:00 - Damian

Portland has Benson Bubblers¹. Clean drinking water.

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_B

Sally demonstrating the local's trick to increasing flow by blocking two of the nozzles.
Sally demonstrating the local's trick to increasing flow by blocking two of the nozzles.

17th August 2024 at 03:21 - Damian

The food in Portland has been exceptional. We've not yet come across a dud. Last night we went to Apizza Scholls in the Hawthorn neighbourhood which is only 30 minutes walk from our Belmont location.

18
18" Margarita. See pint glass to the right for size. We could only eat half.

17th August 2024 at 02:59 - Damian

Today is our last full day in Portland 😞

Yesterday we did the 4-T Trail¹ which took us up a gondola and a 7km hike to Washington Park² where we visited the massive rose garden and Japanese garden.

1. 4t-trail.org/take-a-hike/4t-ma
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washingt

We don't really have an appreciation of roses but bees are great and this one was going bonkers collecting pollen.
We don't really have an appreciation of roses but bees are great and this one was going bonkers collecting pollen.
A bit of the forest trail between the top of the gondola and Washington Park.
A bit of the forest trail between the top of the gondola and Washington Park.
Bonsai tree in the Japanese Garden.
Bonsai tree in the Japanese Garden.
Us in the Japanese Garden.
Us in the Japanese Garden.

16th August 2024 at 03:03 - Damian

Yesterday we went on an introduction to Portland walking tour. So far Portland is my favourite place followed closely by Chicago.

The atrium of the Newmark Theatre.
The atrium of the Newmark Theatre.
Pho at Luc Lac Vietnamese.
Pho at Luc Lac Vietnamese.
A tasting flight at Rogue.
A tasting flight at Rogue.

16th August 2024 at 02:54 - Damian

We were pretty knackered when we arrived so went straight to our Airbnb in Belmont, got some washing done and only ventured a couple of minutes' walk from our digs.

Found a nice dive bar called Bare Bones and, later, a Greek restaurant called Bluto's that cooked over an open fire. Absolutely delicious and we'll likely eat here again before we leave.

Hummus.
Hummus.

16th August 2024 at 02:49 - Damian

We survived the longest leg of the train journey. We've found there's always some loud nutjob in coach class and this leg was no exception. Still, we made it and we're now enjoying exploring Portland!

A view of the Empire Builder train from the rear.
A view of the Empire Builder train from the rear.

13th August 2024 at 00:02 - Damian

Last night we re-boarded the Empire Builder train in St Paul Minneapolis on the trip from Chicago to Portland.

This leg is the longest of our trip at 1 day 11 hours with two nights to endure.

We've stocked up on snacks and will have the three course dinner onboard tonight.

A bleary stop at Fargo in the early hours of this morning.
A bleary stop at Fargo in the early hours of this morning.

12th August 2024 at 05:44 - Damian

Pull tabs. In the pub. Similar to our scratchies but it's a limited pool of cards and you can see which prizes have been claimed.

$2 cards. Pop open the back to see if you have any shamrocks. We didn't.
$2 cards. Pop open the back to see if you have any shamrocks. We didn't.
A perspex box of cards with a display showing which prizes have been won.
A perspex box of cards with a display showing which prizes have been won.

12th August 2024 at 01:07 - Damian

Playful sculpture beneath the Minneapolis City Hall.
Playful sculpture beneath the Minneapolis City Hall.

12th August 2024 at 01:05 - Damian

The Mississippi river had large waterfalls (larger than Niagara) downstream near St Paul when first discovered by explorers in the 1600s (it was a meeting place for local native tribes).

The bed is limestone over sandstone and so the falls rapidly erode and migrate upstream, losing height as they go. They were covered in concrete to stop further erosion after a catastrophic collapse in the late 1800s.

View upstream from the falls from the water power park.
View upstream from the falls from the water power park.
The concrete slope of the falls. Bigger than it looks in the photo.
The concrete slope of the falls. Bigger than it looks in the photo.

12th August 2024 at 00:44 - Damian

Yesterday we did a self-guided walking tour of the mill district of Minneapolis¹. Me navigating, Sally reading aloud.

Interesting history on this section of the Mississippi where a natural waterfall was harnessed to run first saw mills and later a massive flour milling industry.

1. bigboytravel.com/minnesota/min

A view of the old mills from the east bank.
A view of the old mills from the east bank.
The Gold Medal Flour mill. Beneath it is the bustling Saturday market.
The Gold Medal Flour mill. Beneath it is the bustling Saturday market.

12th August 2024 at 00:37 - Damian

We arrived in St Paul at around 2330 on Thursday night. 30 minutes delayed but fortunately we're staying at the Hyatt which is right next door to the station.

On Friday we took the green line light rail to Minneapolis. There we explored some of the Skyway system, the sculpture garden and visited a couple of pubs.

Although we didn't experience any dramas the light rail felt unsafe. One dodgy guy was wearing a balaclava!

Big blue rooster sculpture.
Big blue rooster sculpture.
Spoon bridge with cheery sculpture.
Spoon bridge with cheery sculpture.
Detroit-style pizza. Bit of a sloppy mess. I still prefer Napoli-style.
Detroit-style pizza. Bit of a sloppy mess. I still prefer Napoli-style.
Map of the Skyway system. Walkways between shops to keep people off the roads and in from the cold in winter. The world's longest at something like 10 miles.
Map of the Skyway system. Walkways between shops to keep people off the roads and in from the cold in winter. The world's longest at something like 10 miles.

9th August 2024 at 09:25 - Sally

See you later Chicago. What an amazing city, really enjoyed our time here.

Our favourite so far.

People in Yosemite/Boulder still winning friendliest prize though. Must be the hiking and fresh air.

Next up St Paul / Minneapolis - on the train now.

Maps and more

Link to map of NZ travels New Zealand 2021-
Link to map of European travels Europe 2019-2020
Link to map of Scandinavian travels Scandinavia 2017
Link to blog of our UK travels UK/Europe blog 2017-2020