Life on the Road in a Camper

Author:  Avery

​


​We’re not really big campers.  We have been camping with our friends in a cabin but that is totally different than camping in a camper van which we have been doing through New Zealand. 

​

---

Our life in a house is not much different than our life in the camper.  Our daily routine is pretty much the same.  In the morning we usually have cereal or toast for breakfast, get ready, turn the bed back into a couch and put all the luggage up on the upper bed.  Did you know that almost every day we drive for over 3 hours?  Our longest drive in the camper has been 6 and half hours!  Meghan and I usually read or play games or do school with Mom while Dad is driving.  When we eat dinner, there is usually a bar-b-que at our campsite so Dad cooks the meat there while Mom, Meghan and I get the other parts of dinner ready in the camper.  We have a table that hooks onto the couch where we eat.  At bedtime, we turn the couch into a bed, bring the luggage down, change, and Mom, Meghan and I read together.  Meghan and I sleep on the upper bed and Mom and Dad sleep on the couch that turns into a bed.

---

​Did you know it is a lot of work to take care of a camper?  We have to conserve water because we don’t have to fill it all the time or use up all the water we have. We have to empty the grey and black water at least every 2 days.  As soon as we get to a campsite we plug into the electricity so we have power for the lights and the water pump.  When we leave a campsite we have to remember to unplug it.  All the cupboards lock so they don’t open when we drive.  The plates and cups all have special holders so they don’t rattle and break.  We have worked hard to keep it clean daily.

---

​Campsites in New Zealand were different than what I thought they would be.  I thought the campsites would be surrounded by trees, the ground would be gravel and there would be camp fires but, there are kitchens, showers and playgrounds.  Most of them were like parking lots and only some of them were surrounded by trees.  My favourite campsite has been in Hokitika because there was a zipline at the playground.  It was really fast!  Meghan and I had a tonnes of fun!

---

​Some of my favourite things about this camper are the comfy beds and seats.  It’s sometimes cramped in the camper.  if I could change the campsites I would make it more private.  I’ve really enjoyed the camper and hope we can do it again.

---