-
It was whilst driving back down the M6, having just enjoyed the first big campervan trip with my girls that disaster struck. Our new pop up roof was brilliant, yet when it rained I still always faced a damp grey smelly carpet in the back of my van. I knew that I didn’t spill that much coffee, so a growing fear that something else was still going on took root. In that M6 storm, the wind left me fighting to stay in my lane, my having to steer sharply towards the lorries as they thundered past on my outside. Each time, in order to not get knocked off the road by the ensuing vacuum the lorries created, I had to judge the split second when I yanked the wheel 90 degrees back left. Couple this with near zero visibility from the water spray, the windscreen wipers unable to keep up, my girls gripping their seats in growing terror and water rising through the floor... I finally lost my nerve.
-
Eventually we got home in a rather soggy tired state, but knowing that I had a week before heading off on further travels, I realised I had to do something drastic to Nigella and quick.
The moment I finally saw the hundreds of rusting metal screws and empty drilled out holes piercing through the bottom chassis of the van I felt a mixture of horror and relief - I hadn’t imagined 11 months of Nigella’s damp interior! Danbury VW campervan conversions were never hailed as the best, but when Nigella’s interior had been fitted, so many unnecessary screws and holes had been plunged through her metalwork; leaving me in effect driving a sieve.
-
I got to work, ripping out the floor and trying to save pieces of the cabinets that were not moulded, rusted or warped.
-
I couldn’t quite believe the sorry state that Nigella’s interior was actually in, but I guess I never wanted to admit the reality to myself or anyone else. Too much pride, too much determination to take on Nigella and do all this on my own.
-
7 days of little sleep later and a newly sealed vinyl floor and fixed, painted cabinets emerged. I even spray painted all the interior panels, (and myself), bright red. As we set off back up the M6 on our next, fortunately very sunny trip north, I was shattered but ever so relieved that finally, with a sound, clean, dry van I could begin making my dreams of Nigella's lush woven willow interior come true.
It was whilst driving back down the M6, having just enjoyed the first big campervan trip with my girls that disaster struck. Our new pop up roof was brilliant, yet when it rained I still always faced a damp grey smelly carpet in the back of my van. I knew that I didn’t spill that much coffee, so a growing fear that something else was still going on took root. In that M6 storm, the wind left me fighting to stay in my lane, my having to steer sharply towards the lorries as they thundered past on my outside. Each time, in order to not get knocked off the road by the ensuing vacuum the lorries created, I had to judge the split second when I yanked the wheel 90 degrees back left. Couple this with near zero visibility from the water spray, the windscreen wipers unable to keep up, my girls gripping their seats in growing terror and water rising through the floor... I finally lost my nerve.
Eventually we got home in a rather soggy tired state, but knowing that I had a week before heading off on further travels, I realised I had to do something drastic to Nigella and quick. The moment I finally saw the hundreds of rusting metal screws and empty drilled out holes piercing through the bottom chassis of the van I felt a mixture of horror and relief - I hadn’t imagined 11 months of Nigella’s damp interior! Danbury VW campervan conversions were never hailed as the best, but when Nigella’s interior had been fitted, so many unnecessary screws and holes had been plunged through her metalwork; leaving me in effect driving a sieve.
I got to work, ripping out the floor and trying to save pieces of the cabinets that were not moulded, rusted or warped.
I couldn’t quite believe the sorry state that Nigella’s interior was actually in, but I guess I never wanted to admit the reality to myself or anyone else. Too much pride, too much determination to take on Nigella and do all this on my own.
7 days of little sleep later and a newly sealed vinyl floor and fixed, painted cabinets emerged. I even spray painted all the interior panels, (and myself), bright red. As we set off back up the M6 on our next, fortunately very sunny trip north, I was shattered but ever so relieved that finally, with a sound, clean, dry van I could begin making my dreams of Nigella's lush woven willow interior come true.