Rubi

Location: Rubi lives in the Normanby area of Dunedin which is approx. 34km (35 mins drive) from Dunedin airport and about 6km (12 mins drive) from the city centre. Rubi may also be able to be brought to a convenient location for pick-up/drop-off by arrangement.

In The Cab: 3 seats up front (all with 3-point seat belts); reversing camera; stereo with bluetooth pairing

Kitchen Area: The interior height is 1.85m so most people can comfortably stand up and in terms of cooking and dining, Rubi has a built-in 3-burner gas stove as well as large sink with a cover to increase worktop space and a gorgeous goose-neck tap. There’s a 25 litre fridge and loads of storage and kitchen equipment including cutlery, crockery, glasses and mugs; utensils, pans, mixing/serving bowls, sieve, kettle and coffee pot; and pantry basics such as spices; coffee, tea, sugar, oil, salt and pepper. There are also reusable shopping and cooler bags for grocery shopping.

Living/Dining/Sleeping Area: Rubi has two comfy bench seats and a removable swivel table for enjoying meals with a view. Once assembled, Rubi has a king-size bed (1.67m x 2.03m) with additional mattress topper… what a luxury! With the integrated blinds and flyscreens in the installed windows and the fabric blinds for the sliding and rear doors - as well as the roof fan for ventilation - you can be sure of a great night’s sleep! Note: we list bedding and towels as Extras at the booking stage in case guests prefer to bring their own. There are storage areas overhead and under the bed. And you can also enjoy books, games and create a beautiful ambience with the remote-controlled LED lights.

Water Facilities: Like all Quirky Campers in NZ, Rubi is certified self-contained – in this case for 3 people. There are 40 litre fresh and grey water tanks and electric pump tap and sink in the kitchen area. The fixed toilet is stored in a bench seat unit up front and you simply lift the lid for use.

Electrical/Lighting and Audio Equipment: Rubi has a leisure battery setup (120Ah) with 440W solar recharging which provides plenty of USB charging ports for phones and other devices. For the warmer months, Rubi has a 12v roof fan to circulate and for the cooler months Rubi has a heater.

Type of Heating: Diesel heater

Outside: Rubi has optional extras including camping chairs and outdoor table.

Conversion Story:  Having owned and rented campervans in the UK, Australia and New Zealand it was always a dream to build my own. Owning an identical van for work had me regularly thinking how great they would be as a camper with plenty of space and easy driving. An automatic popped up for sale and I made the leap to make the dream reality. Having researched for months I had a reasonable idea of the result I wanted and with the advice of fellow camper builders and family I began the build. Years of agriculture, furniture repairs and plenty of optimism fuelled the process to have Rubi ready for adventures. Having owned smaller campervans without standing height or enough bed space to stretch out I was determined on a build that didn´t restrict those with height. The result is a king size bed with standing height for nearly all. Each process was a learning curve from installing windows to building cabinets. Being in Spain during winter I wanted a van suited for the winter travellers and added wool insulation throughout and a diesel heater making for a warm welcome whenever you step inside. Travelling and sleeping in a van I created was a totally different experience, having owned a variety of vehicles I rarely get attached, however, Rubi has been a labour of love! I am certain this won´t be my last campervan build having thoroughly enjoyed the process whilst learning many skills along the way. - Hayden