Our VW Westfalia Van Basics
After an email today, I realize that maybe it’s a bit foggy on how we live and what we do, which ties neatly into this theme.
Our marvelous caravan, Mork, is a newer VW mini-bus. You’ve seen the photos. What you can’t see clearly is our daily existence, as in how we live.
A short description: we have two front chairs that swivel around to face the ‘couch.’ Under the couch, the kitchen table hides away until we need it.
Which means we can use it as a kitchen/living room for 4-5 people. We have a sink with running water- the tank’s in the back (which has to be filled almost daily)- and depending on where we are (which country) we use it for cooking, cleaning and sometimes drinking.
The couch folds into a bed, on the ground* floor. There’s a second bed up top, which we get lifting the tent roof. We could sleep 4 people total, but we haven’t yet tried. No takers, ha.
The only things we’re missing: a toilet (aargh, for me) and constant electricity. We have a back up battery and the solar panels, but the panels are still unfamiliar territory for us. As in how or when they work, or why they don’t on certain days.
It’s extremely cozy, but it’s also comfortable. I love that if I want to go for a walk I just lock up the car and go. The toilet was a problem for me, up until our second day here.
Not unless you’re a female. The neighborhood is so well-lit, and so busy, that there aren’t any dark corners to find for relief.*
Two nights straight of no sleep and waiting for the hostel to go, my nerves were frayed.
One night our battery died, and when the panels weren’t working, and our computers had also gone kaput for the night, we had nothing better to do than play Backgammon (Armando’s an ace, I’m horrifically bad).
To make do with what we have, make the best of it and try to enjoy all of the moments. Even those dark toilet-less days. Grin.
In between all of these minor van-adjustment revelations we started meeting people. A lot of people. Our new neighbors.
I’ve never had such a warm welcome to a place as we’ve had in the past week.
Granted, it’s a quiet neighborhood and Mork is a bright turquiose blue. We speak English.
We clearly live in our van. Curiosity about us abounded, and people started approaching.
.JPG "Persian Food from our Neighbor")
He first offered us water, toilet (too late, we’d already found one, bummer) and the next morning he woke us with a gift of breakfast apples. We chat almost daily.
There’s Hilary, the A British woman who takes care of the neighborhood stray cats (Cihangir Cool for Cats). We saw her last night, hauling two tripods (cats with just three legs) to a new home across the city.
Then there’s the studentish fella, Abdurrahman, that we can’t pronounce either of his names, who was asking about the van. We were watching a movie. He asked if we wanted tea, and showed up an hour later with tea in a thermos, sugar and a bowl of popcorn on a tray for us.
Attila Capitan, the local homeless wino who keeps trying to convince me to sleep in his corner of the park with him (harmless) and that’s just naming a few.
Oops, sorry. Have to run- they’re going to ‘poison the hostel in ten minutes for bugs.’ Sounds serious. Ha. I’ll complete this later. Just know we are happy in our little neck of our new neighborhood.
A quick P.S. We would like to thank Karim (I really hope I’m spelling your name right) for the delicious dinner (pictured), the fruit and the conversations.
