Our new ‘truck’ came in two parts – a 4wd chassis and cab from Italy
and a habitation ‘pod’ custom-built in China
and shipped in a container
to a commercial vehicle workshop near Lavenham, Suffolk,
where Simon, of Barrett-Lee Overland,
and his team united the two parts.
Further work involved creating a ‘crawl-through’ between the cab and the pod,
a sliding stair system for accessing the pod from the outside,
and a ladder at the back
to allow us to reach the solar panels on the roof of the pod.
Inside, the pod is clean and light.
When we finally got our hands on the finished vehicle,
I took it away for a few days – taking the opportunity to visit family (brother Vic and his wife Christine,
Mum,
sister Liz and niece Clare)
and friends (Paul, Sharon and Bertie
and Ronnie)
before putting it into temporary storage in a very large barn near Canterbury.
As with our previous vehicles, preparation has taken much longer than we had hoped. It gave us the chance to spend time in Barcelona with François, Danielle’s nephew and godson, his partner Lisane and their new baby, Nathan.
It also gave us the chance to enjoy another Christmas at home
and to watch yet another litter of foxes (conceived very publicly on our garden table!) grow up in our back garden.
En route encore!
Hello Paul and Danielle, after hearing about the design and special features of your truck it’s great to see it finally complete. Truly a home on wheels to make your journey more comfortable. Enjoy the start of your new trip!
Hi Danielle and Paul!
Congratulations on your new truck. It’s been a long journey to get here, but I’m certain that your trip will be wonderful. It’s great to see the final product of this impressive truck.
Also a great surprise to see a nice memory from our trip to Barcelona.
Stay safe, enjoy your trip and we love you!
Nathan, Liz and Frank.
What an immense achievement!
So much time and effort.
A beautiful beast.
Well worth it.
Happy travels lovelies, xxx
Hi Paul and Danielle.
Wow! Your new truck looks fantastic. What a great design. Wishing you a fabulous journey. Looking forward to hearing all about it. Safe travels. Lots of love, Denise xx
Bon voyage nos amies! Your vehicle is immense… in every sense!
Enjoy your travels and keep safe. We look forward to future installments.
Much love
Siân & Nick
Hello both,
This is so exciting! I’m so glad you made the most of last year and even more glad you’re on the road once more!
The truck looks brilliant. Looking forward to your next installment already.
Much love from us both,
Ally (& Kerry) xxxx
Great to hear from you. I wish you all the best for your new adventure and look forward to hearing about it from time to time. Your living pod is amazing and will be luxurious compared to your early vehicles but I still think you are incredibly brave to take on such a challenge.
Bonne route.
Hi Paul and Danielle. Great to see you back on the road. Have a wonderful trip and keep safe. I look forward to some exciting pics xx
Hi Paul and Danielle
So sorry that we didn’t see you before you left. We miss you!
Your truck looks amazing and I love your butterfly curtains Danielle 😂
How long will you be away this time? Where do you plan to be during the summer months? Maybe we could meet for a few days.
Hello from France ! What an amazing vehicle, you must be feeling “King of the Road”!! You started out at the right time (the winter in Southern Europe was miserable this year). Can’t wait to hear where you are going, where you are stopping, and see lots more photos…. Enjoy your epic adventure! Much love from Anna and Hugh
Hi Paul and Danielle
Very impressed by your truck, well done. No wonder it took time. Loved looking through photos of family and friends. Great pictures of Borough market and the fox family. Have a wonderful time and stay safe. Lots of love to you both.
Wow, Paul! What a fantastic truck. I am not envious at all…..no I am not! So glad you are on your travels again. Perhaps try not to go through Iran or Lebanon or we will all be worried for you.
Safe travels, fair winds and all that. Love to you, Julie