Frida

We had the best adventure of our lives this summer in Frida. Our house had significant building work going on, so we had to move out, and Frida was our solution. We borrowed her initially for 6 weeks in June and July, and then because we missed her so much, again in late September. The pandemic allowed us to ‘work from home’ which became from Frida and local serviced offices when campsite Wi-Fi wasn’t enough. The children spent their summer learning from life in nature and around the country as we went from place to place, with a few zoom lessons thrown in when Wi-Fi allowed. It was an amazing interlude from life in Lewisham. Frida has ample room for a family of five (our children are 11, 9 and 6), more so in the summer months when long evenings outdoors at the campfire are the best thing ever and the whole campsite is our garden, but equally so as it got a little chillier: with her heater and cosy beds and sit down table for five, we enjoyed many dinners in when it was pitch black outside, including important nights streaming the footie. The in-van loo meant we could be self-sufficient for up to a couple of nights, provided there was a stand pipe around, so we tried all sorts of stops: pub car parks, motorhome-only fields, and super organised ‘holiday parks’ with all the bells and whistles. Our favourites were quiet, simple places in beauty spots, and because Frida has her own solar charging battery, we could come and go and leave very little trace. Frida is a dream to drive; she is lovely to handle even on quite tight roads (erm Yorkshire hairpins eek..) and gets going to a happy speedy trundle on the motorways and A roads. The only thing I would do next time is make a sticker for myself of her height and width in feet and metres, and stick it on the dash! We did get into a couple of awkward spots, but because she has a reversing camera, turning in the road is a breeze. Frida’s interiors are just stunning, and frankly have spoilt us - no other van compares now. Everything is bespoke made in wood and left unpainted, with beautiful curtains and cushions to soften it, and it makes a lovely warm and cosy environment. It feels like a cabin and not a van at all. Lindsay and David are parents too and have thought about all the storage you might possibly need, even down to little individual cabinets in the childrens’ bunks; but also practical things like hooks for wetsuits or soggy coats, shoe storage, a recycling bin, even a bedside table for your gin, and a single bed big enough for adult daytime naps. Last thing - David and Lindsay were always available from my initial query, when I chatted directly to Lindsay on the phone, right through to van drop-off and afterwards, for any concerns or questions we wanted to ask. Pulled over at a width barrier, David messaged me back with the width of the van. When we had a drainage issue, they messaged ideas to help, and offered to come and fix it for us if we couldn’t make it work (we could). We felt confident, through both trips, that we were very well looked after. Now we’re adjusting to life back on the ground, and can’t wait to hire Frida again, if we can’t buy our own van this year. England is a stunning place to holiday, and Frida and Quirky helped us see it up close. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Quirky experience.