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After sleeping over our jet-lag in Auckland, we headed to the Spaceships depot, to pick up our new home for the upcoming month. A white Toyota minivan transformed to a campervan. Our spaceship was named Styx - after the Greek mythological river separating between the world of the dead and the living - but we had a lot of adventures despite the strange name of our vehicle. But let's get back to the car.
As for every parent, the safety of our kid comes first. We were pleased to receive the child seat that was in excellent condition, spacious, and for my biggest satisfaction could be placed facing rearward. Our boy was 13 months old and could comfortably sit and play in the seat. Success.
Sleeping arrangements in the campervan
And how about the sleeping arrangements? The back of the camper transforms into a cozy double bed after removing the baby seat, folding the back seats and setting up a small extension. After the first days, it took only a couple of minutes to set up the bed or reattach the baby seat. It was a comfy sleeping place for the three of us. The sleeping place is surrounded by curtains that block all the windows and the front of the car giving us privacy and making the back darker. Above the bed, there was a LED light which was essential during the evenings when the little one still wanted to read or play.
Road trip stop: playtime for the little one
Campervan fit-out: full of surprises
What else was in the car? Under the bed, there was a spacious and lockable box to store our luggage. After the first surprise, we managed to fit our big suitcase and even two smaller backpacks too. We store in it items we didn't use every day. The small fridge and the storage of the kitchen utensils and cooker were under the front of the bed, as well as two USB chargers. Katalin loved the cooking equipment and prepared delicious meals at the back of the car even on the rainy days.
Will the stroller and backpacks fit?
Next, to the bed, we could still fit our stroller and backpack carrier, not to mention the camping table and chairs we rented as extras. We were content how well everything fit into our Spaceship.
We spent May travelling across both islands, departing from Auckland and returning Styx at Christchurch. Earlier, we were warned that the fall weather would be cold and rainy, and even though we had two nights with below zero, the rest were pleasant and warm enough to spend in the camper.
Conclusion
If you are hesitant about renting a campervan versus an RV, take the smaller. Besides the smaller fuel consumption, easier parking and cheaper ferry tickets, they aren't restricted from narrower and curvy roads. One of these locations was the amazing arches in Karamea where RVs weren't allowed. Some roads in the south were too narrow for big cars and they led to truly amazing beaches. Would you miss the sights like these just to have your own toilet? :)
Lovely autumn day in New Zealand: perfect road trip weather
Baby's first New Zealand sunset
New Zealand is awesome, even on a not so sunny day
This blog post was created by the travel bloggers from Our Life, Our Travel when they spend one month with a toddler in a Spaceships campervan. Their story is the perfect inspiration for all (future) parents. It shows how easy it is to travel by campervan with a baby.