Well I guess you could say the official beginning was arriving in Scotland early in June with a plan to find a van to convert. Luckily most of the family live in the Highlands in Scotland so having their support was a huge motivator in making this happen.
However I soon learnt there was a shortage of suitable vans in the UK due to everyone having the same idea. There was also a steep learning curve of understanding terms like Adblu, ULEZ and dpf filters that were totally unfamiliar to me after living in NZ. All to do with emissions regulations around all the cities in Europe and the UK.
Undaunted I began the hunt looking for a particular model that I knew would give me enough room for a small double bed across the back. I wanted it width ways to make the best use of the limited space in a van. I also wanted a medium length van with a high roof so I could stand up inside. It wasn't long before exactly what I wanted popped up with a dealer a few hours drive away.
So I became the proud owner of a 2016 Citroen Relay Van.
The Conversion
I won't go into too much details here but lets just say it was a steep learning curve. There were many problems to overcome like almost everything had to be ordered online and many suppliers would not deliver to the Highlands. Looking back a few jobs should have been left to the professionals like cutting and fitting windows.
However 8 weeks later with amazing help from my parents the video below shows a quick summary with the end result.
Have to mention my mum at 88 was still a wizard on the sewing machine doing the cushions and curtains.
Looks beautiful! Nice job!
You made the conversion look professional, it certainly looks great. Quite a step up from a little bit of boxing to house satellite dish parts in the back of your work van in NZ. I look forward to reading about your adventures south.
Phillip
Looking good! Love the colours of the woodwork and matching curtains. Katie's favourite!