I always wanted to roam around in = Europe freely and I got to the conclusion that the only way to do it is to have a Camper = and that way you don't have the uncertainty of where and which train or bus to = use to the next town and when will they come and go, where and how to find a = suitable hotel that I will like and can leave my belongings and all the presents = and mementoes that I have hoarded up on the way, safely.  And all the = time to drag my bag all day on my back and walk and walk and crawl till you = drop.  No, no, no.  I am a practical man, I can't do such a stupid thing = like that, there has to be a better way.  Even if it has not been done = before in my tribe. 

One day as I was waking up, this camper = van came into my mind and did not leave me all day.  Although I have never = seen one before, I could imagine how I would make it out to be suitable and = practical in every way.  They did not have this Westy campers in South = Africa.  They had the vans but not in camper style.  So my mind made up itself. 

And years later when I got married, I = promised to my wife that we will go to Europe for a big tour in a camper van that we = will buy there and sell or leave as we depart. 

The following spring she started to = pester me about it.  She was here in the US and I was down in Africa.  I said = OK let's go.  She got there first, my nephew was waiting for her and took = her around a little.  Next day I got there, they waited for me at the = Frankfurt airport, we were taken to the hotel where she stayed - right in the = middle of the red light district - I was exhausted, later even more and we made arrangement with my nephew that we will look in the paper the next day = and see what there is on the market. 

The next day we went to see a couple of = junk that was not worth the print.  I wanted to spend less than four thousand = dollars.  These were all VW buses made into camping with some home = made boxes and horrible stuff.   And I was a neat Mercedes kind of = guy, looking at these concoctions.

Finally we found one that had a high = top, was had painted with brushes in two tone blue, was leaking oil profusely but had = a factory built kitchen and sink and fridge with gas stove.  There = was no top bed and the side cabinets were level with the bed or just slightly = higher and they were more like boxes with doors that would open from the top.  I took it for a drive with the owner and I must say it did = not mach my Mercedes in any way as a car.  But this bus had all that we = wanted for our vacation.  A home on wheels with an engine somewhere under the car.  It was offered for 3.5 thousand German Marks, I gave an offer = of mine for 2.5 thousand in cash and promised I will not come = back bothering him with all the faults after I bought it, but I will not offer one = more Mark for it.  There was a very short debate between the man and the wife = and they decided to make the deal the way I wanted.  We signed the = papers soon at their little flat and off we went with it into the German traffic, = following us was my nephew to the licensing place.  We had to pay an enormous = amount of money for license and insurance and the fitting of the plates.  = After that we were legal and on our way to ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.  =

Drove back to the hotel to check out, = said good bye to my nephew and headed south towards Heidelberg.  The car was = going fine, everything was working on it very well.  Mostly because they have a = compulsory test every year or so on all the safety devices and for rust = and oil dripping, tires, muffler, emission etc.  Very few old cars make it through.   This guy's dad was an airline pilot and practically = lived off his father and had a cheap life, a little like a modern hobo.  = He needed the money for his new project, a Mercedes diesel van that needed = to be fitted out with all the necessary cabinets and shower and all. 

After the first few hundred miles all = the oil was gone.  I poured in more and more.  We went to see an old = friend of mine in Nuremberg and there a mechanic suggested I should change the air = filter because for some reason the oil getting sucked in with the air and that = is why it is going away so rapidly.  After that it was a lot better.  = Once I noticed an AAA place with a repair facility.  Stopped and asked = them if they want to see why I loose so much oil.  They looked and found = one of the push rod tubes cracked. 

Advised me that it should not cost more = than two hundred dollars to fix.  We left and it stayed that way.  In = Hungary my brother who worked at a gas station gave me a few gallons of cheap = but good oil that lasted the next ten thousand miles. 

In time I really liked the van, we had = clean clothes every day, dressed as if we lived in the best hotels,  did = not drag all the stuff around all day other than the cameras, we loved to stop in = Greece for a swim in the warm waters near the shore, joining the locals, or = even in Turkey.  Never missed the airconditioner, never wanted to go any = faster, always felt safe sitting higher up and be able to observe the traffic in = front in anticipation, it was very practical for a horny Hungarian with a new = wife to stop at the drop of a hat and indulge, or just for a mountain of melons = where an old man was sitting on his bed in the sun listening to his radio and = selling the best, red, seedless sweetest melons in the Mediterranean and indulge in = that up to my ears. 

In Europe it is commonly acceptable = that you stop and sleep in your van anywhere that is decent to do.  Once a = policeman was pointing out a good place next to a nice park.  We only went to a = camping place once.  It was crowded and we did not even stay for the = night.  Only did the washing and had a bath.  It is cool to park in front = of the Versailles palace a hundred yards from the bedroom windows of Louis XIV = or under the Eiffel tower, next to the Vatican or at Check point Charlie in = Berlin, next to the Colosseum, drive up to Michelangelo Square in Florence and look = down on that almost ancient city loaded with art and tourists, and anywhere = and everywhere we wanted, or just park on the beach the farthermost point of = the Greek peninsula and sit down at the table that is being almost washed by = the waves in the sand order a calamari and watch the old fisherman fixing = his net and the other in a distance swinging an octopus to bang it's head to the = rocks while nearby the priests of the local church is having a heated argument = over good wine and something most important, or stop at the Acropolis, next = to the old and real Olympia stadium, sleep in the middle of king Leonidas' - = the man who made Odyssey famous - palace, drive across the Panama canal of = the ancient times; the Corinthian Channel, stop at the gates of Pompeii and Herculaneum, sit on the five thousand year old column of the palace of = Agamemnon the Greek king and look down on his small but most beautiful kingdom = where our history is, or just drive between the most prettiest houses you can = imagine in your mind that is in the south in Germany's Romantic Route, listen = to the music drink a bear with them drive on to the next, take a walk between = their houses that are loaded with the most beautiful geraniums under every = window, happy smiling  faces, shiny eyes, bouncing walks, - or go to = Venice and they make you park in the lot than you have to take a boat which = acts as a bus, to the St. Mark Square and there you really have to drag yourself = all day around since there is not even a bicycle in town, and one can sleep with = the thousands of solders with crosses six feet above their heads who died = for a noble cause in their belief although history writers may alter that = somewhat one day and their graves that is so well cared for today would be plowed = over and forest to grow, you would wonder if Mt. Vesuvius will blow the top while = you are passing it so close and you hope it does not until you gone, or how = about parking next to the bell tower of Pisa's huge cathedral that is leaning = quite a bit, or just stay in bed 'till two and go for a great late breakfast and = practice founding a dynasty all afternoon, then go for a great dinner at = a cozy little French restaurant where they keep on bringing works of art one = after the other, and you can leave it over there with some guys who you trust a little and go again or send your relatives to do the same. 

Here in the US I bought a burnt out ten = years old Westy, took me a year to fix it and I am using it every year for an = average of six thousand miles, last year was a little longer when we went up to the = Arctic Ocean and Alaska.  Air-cooled so it is more trustier than others, = takes a lot of beating yet be kind and gentle to it.  The kids call it = "Campy One" because at one time I was buying them to set up a rental business.  = I wanted to share the fun with the world.  Well it did not take off = and I now sell them. 

When the kids were real small they = could hide three of them in that side cabinet and not make a sound until I made them = laugh.  They thought this car is the best fun ever.  We used to go around = town between the houses and playing "getting lost" until we found a familiar = place and drove home.  We set out at a look out place with them and had = hot dogs there looking at the majestic Olympic Mountains at the Puget Sound with = their snow caps. 

It is always ready to go anywhere = without a plan.  Never asking for constant attention.  Always at our service.

In short this is the reason why I = personally love this vehicle.

Not to mention it is a daily driver, a = truck that has a top and things don't get wet in it, kind of a three in one that = takes up less space than a Volvo, and only needs one parking spot and one license = fee a year.

I maybe hard to please, but this thing = is a highly respectable member in our family. 

In the not so old times the family's = vehicle was the wagon with the horses and the horses were kept in high regard.  = That lasted for a few thousand years until now.  Today it is a car or a van.  The Mercedes is only a car, the camper is freedom, home, = safety, store, a reliable friend, and when I am behind the wheel I am on = vacation, I am young and in love.

Zoltan