When Jane Crawford set off on her maiden motorhome voyage in her Carado T135, she was joined by the dog and the cat, but not her husband, Mark. No offence was intended (or taken). After all, Mark has his own RV, and the couple’s independent travels allow them to enjoy their separate interests at their leisure.
With a shared love of RV adventuring, Jane and Mark have found the perfect solution to their individual preferences for life on the road – they each have their own motorhome.
And while they frequently meet up and do trips together, having their own self-contained home away from home does give them the freedom to shape their perfect trip every time.
The couple live in the countryside near Wānaka where Jane enjoys city breaks, while Mark prefers a variety of water sports, including wing foiling, paddle boarding and mountain biking.
“Mark’s work is quiet during October and November, so he often goes away for extended trips during that time; and when I have free time I sometimes fly in and out to join him,” says Jane.
“We’ve had some wonderful holidays like that over the years, but I also like my own space and the challenge of learning something new.”
Despite their shared travel experiences, the couple enjoy the best of both worlds, each having the ability to travel solo in the type of RV they prefer.
Mark has customised his Toyota van to allow him to easily access offroad and beach sites, and it’s perfectly set up to hold all his cherished water toys, as well as his e-bike.
“His van is amazing and very nifty to get around in,” says Jane. “However, I decided that even though we share many interests, and I often tagged along, I personally prefer city adventures, spending some time just walking my border terrier, Possum (who travels with me), and taking in some arts and culture.
“And at night I like to enjoy a hot shower, relax in comfort and watch movies. One day, the idea just came to me: ‘Why don’t I get my own campervan?’”
Research and results
Jane had some non-negotiables as a starting point. She was looking for a bit more comfort and space than the van offered, and wanted a well-designed kitchen, shower and toilet.
Although open to different configurations, as soon as she stepped inside the Carado T135, she knew instantly that it ticked all of her boxes. And more.
“The whole layout just worked for me. It felt really spacious and inviting, and it wasn’t until I saw the sleeping setup that I realised I didn’t want a dropdown or a bed I had to set up each day. The fixed corner double bed was perfect and left plenty of space for cupboards and a full-length wardrobe,” she says.
“Funnily enough, a friend had told me about a motorhome that she thought would be perfect for me, and it wasn’t until later we realised that it was the Carado T135. So, she was right!
“Also, while I was Googling reviews of ‘the best motorhomes to buy’, the Carado brand kept coming up with glowing references, so there are plenty of other happy owners out there, which is always reassuring.”
Try before you buy
Jane took advantage of the opportunity to rent the exact model she was looking at purchasing, and headed away for five days to Geraldine, Methven and surrounds on a test run.
“I didn’t venture too far from home, as I already knew I was confident and relaxed driving it, so I wanted to live in it and see how it functioned on a practical level.
“It was a definite success and having the opportunity to experience it in real-life conditions gave me the peace of mind that it worked across all aspects for me.”
The Carado T135 she purchased is an ex-rental from the Wilderness fleet. Jane was impressed when she looked at the service record to see how well the vehicle had been maintained. It was presented as almost new, and because she opted to try before buying, the first three days of her rental hire were refunded.
“When it comes to conversations with people around the fact that I set off by myself, people say, ‘you’re so brave’, but I don’t think it’s brave at all. In fact, it’s easy. I’m surprised there aren’t more women driving their own motorhomes.”
Plenty of space
Jane has created a personalised and stylish haven inside her Carado. She loves the comfortable French bed and the ‘cute’ workable kitchen, especially now she’s used to it.
Glass covers over the gas hob and sink maximise the available bench space, which she uses when prepping her meals. The fridge with freezer compartment runs on 240v, 12v and gas.
The Carado T135 punches well above its weight, delivering a surprisingly spacious feel, enhanced by the light-coloured interior and rotating pilot seats.
There’s ample storage throughout, and a clever interior door allows the toilet area to be kept as a dry space (perfect for changing in), even if you have just showered, delivering all the benefits of a much larger bathroom.
Thanks to the central heating system, adventures can be enjoyed in comfort year-round. This is also important to Jane as while she adores Wānaka, she says it does have some cold, grey weeks through winter, which is when she loves to get behind the wheel of her Carado and go in search of sunshine.
Sitting on a 140hp Fiat Ducato with a nine-speed automatic transmission, it’s sleek and straightforward to drive and more than capable of exploring popular RV destinations around the country.
“I’d never driven a motorhome before, so a compact vehicle was important to me,” says Jane. “This really doesn’t seem much different to driving a car and because of its size I can easily manoeuvre it.”
Fresh adventures
Planning both their individual and joint trips is equally enjoyable. While Jane and Mark often set out independently on travels geared around their own preferred goals and experiences, there’s also plenty of opportunity for joint interests to be indulged.
“We recently met up in Te Anau and explored the surrounding area together. Having two separate vehicles has been really good for our relationship. I’d highly recommend it,” says Jane.
When Jane began her market research, she came up with a list of everything she required and looked at many brands and models, but kept coming back to the Carado T135.
“It has everything I need, and at just under six metres in length, it’s also compact enough for city driving and convenient parking,” she says.
“Once I saw this setup, it seemed so right. It was very comfortable. Nothing matched it.”
For her first solo trip, Jane freedom-camped at Clyde where she met a lot of people, many of them doing the cycle trail.
Jane’s first city break was to Dunedin with her sister and brother-in-law. While her family members stayed in a motel, Jane parked outside on the roadside, perfectly legally, in her self-contained motorhome. On another trip, a friend brought her tent along, while another time Jane’s friend stayed in a cabin near her motorhome.
“I love Clyde and also really enjoyed a recent trip to Naseby with a friend. I enjoy all of my jaunts. It’s a great way to travel while remaining independent, and I’m looking forward to many more adventures.”
