ZigZag Wanderer

1st March 2026

Procrastination is the word…

… or is the word ‘planning’? Or maybe I just can’t be arsed at the moment?

Whatever, progress is slow on the van, but I am starting to get my head around a few of the perceived problems with the build.

Mainly, the measurements.

Y’see, because we deliberately chose to go with a fairly short (5.4m) base vehicle, and because we want a big bed (that’s non-negotiable), we have to strike a careful balance to ensure everything works. The bed will have a king-size mattress, meaning it will be six feet six inches long when extended, by five feet wide. Due to it extending lengthways – along the van – it will have to be such a height as to sit on the top of the kitchen furniture for support on the driver’s side, so the height of both will determine the height of the other.

I could build the kitchen unit to the standard domestic height, and that’s still a possibility, but I’m currently planning on going slightly (maybe three inches) lower. Not so low as to make it uncomfortable to cook, wash up etc, but aiding slightly in clambering on and off the bed. There will be a box (with cushion on top) which can be moved around the floor to be used as a footstool and alternatively as a step for bed access, but every inch lower will help.

I also need to ensure that there is enough of a ‘void’ at the bottom of the kitchen unit to permit heater ducting to be run through, so the plinth can’t be any lower than the diameter of the duct.

There will be a (approx 20in wide) seat facing across the van, between the fixed part of the bed and the kitchen unit, and opposite, a longer bench seat, also facing across, and encroaching on the sliding door opening (terminating just below the end of the extended bed). These will also provide extra storage via lift-up lids and maybe a front access on the larger seat.

Going back to the bed, the width of the mattress, at 5′, will leave a shelf space on either side of approx. six inches into which USB chargers will be incorporated, and will be a handy spot for Kindles or cuppas!

Speaking of the latter, the van will be effectively gasless, so that brew will either be made on an induction hob, or if we’re in a hurry, the Jetboil (cheating slightly on the ‘gasless’ bit, maybe, but small sealed backpacking canisters don’t count, and let’s face it, only a fool wouldn’t employ some redundancy in the cooking department, as we do already).

Anyway, digressions aside, the ordering of parts and tools (mainly tools at the mo) continues, and I have indulged myself with a few choice items that I have denied myself up to now, on the grounds that I could manage without. Happily, I can now buy them, as I have an excuse! So, residing in the workshop now are such gems as a biscuit cutter, a track saw, and a rather nicely made pocket hole jig (and several sundry other little helpers).

Furthermore, the patio table has beened topped (temporarily) with a large sheet of recycled ply, to act as a cutting bench – for the track saw in the main. It’d be nice to have it in the workshop, but there just isn’t room, so I’ll have to dodge the showers. Fingers crossed for some settled weather…

One fairly major piece has been ordered for the van; a Nomadic Ark roof fan, and should fetch up in a couple of days. This brings with it both positivity and terror, as it means I’m going to cut a ruddy great hole in the roof of the van. No, it shouldn’t be a problem, I know, but the thought of sawing lumps out of it is more than mildly disconcerting. Small positive steps though.

I’ll be ordering four windows very soon (more hacking lumps out of steel, eek), a solar panel and gland (not too invasive, but a few more piercings) and a mifi antenna (yet another hole…).

Still, when that’s all done, the outside of the van will be pretty much done. Just the small matter of fitting out the inside, then. Easy 😳

There is one other positive too, and it’s something that has been holding me back, up to now (psychologically as well as physically/logistically). We sold the Alphard camper! The thing is, it’s just been getting in the way for far too long, so when it’s finally off the driveway in a few days – all being well – I can crack on without having to do major three-vehicle shuffles every time I want to get on with things. It’s such a weight off my mind (and a five metre lump of weight off the drive), and brings the added bonus of somewhat replenishing the rapidly-diminishing funds.

That’s it for now. Hopefully, there’ll be a more positive update soon, after the project gets up and running in earnest.

Keep on Wandering.