After getting back from our amazing South Island trip in April last year, we decided that the two biggest issues with the caravan, were making and unmaking the bed each day, the Fresh and Grey water tanks being outside and having to be lugged about, and being small, having to be emptied and refilled often. .. so it was onto a Motorhome. Wee Rafe had done well. It was easy to tow, cheap to buy, warm as toast and very comfortable and didn’t miss a beat… fantastic.

Having been spoilt by all the nice things that come with a European van, the great insulation, double glazing, built in bug screens, hot water, heating, toilet shower etc etc, it was always going to be a European Motorhome.

We started looking in June last year on a gloomy Sunday afternoon and saw the Dethleffs out in Howick. The Globe 4 was the one but as we’d just started looking, we had to measure everything else we saw to that.. would we see something better?
After looking at seemingly zillions of them, all the English ones.. Autotrail, Autosleeper, Roller Team(Italian), Sprint, Burstners(German) and many others, we were convinced that the Globe 4 was the one. Build quality, Value for money and the floorplan suited us to the ground and its a pretty mean looking machine on the road too.

At that time, the $NZ was at an all time high, almost parity with the $OZ and the Euro was low so all the stars were lining up. Although were were originally looking at a smaller model than the Globe4, The Trend or the Sunlight, there were none in NZ to see and it was hard to visualise a smaller van once you’d been in something bigger. As an old mate of mine Colin Salt, said to me at the time.. with a purchase like this, get the one you really want as you’ll only regret it later… so we were all on .. (Thanks Colin!)

The Globe 4 .. Rafe had already been here as stock so we didn’t have to wait for it to come from Germany. All that had to be done was for the optional extras to be fitted taking 3 weeks. The TV’s, TV Satellite dome, 200w Solar panel, The Stereo with reversing camera, the awning was fitted in Germany, Extra House battery and a few other bits and bobs. That 3 weeks seemed to be the longest 3 weeks of my life !

In July, we picked it up and our first trip away was to Miranda Holiday Park having been there before several times in the caravan. It was fantastic.. Fish & Chips for lunch at Kaiaua, Cup of tea at Rays Rest and Miranda Holiday park for a hot swim.. brilliant!

We did have a few niggles but these were quickly fixed up within days when we got back to Auckland.

We have since done a trip around east cape and through the Bay of Plenty last Christmas, Several trips up north, Bay of Island Jazz festival, Several times to Coromandel and lots of little trips.. each time being slightly frustrated at not being ready to go home 🙂

Below are some Interior images of the van.

As Madam says, Our Hotel room on wheels 🙂