Our first chance to get away and ‘field test’ our new van came a few weeks after we towed it back from the Supreme Dealership in Melbourne. Friends of ours have a permanent cabin at Buckanderra Holiday Park so after catching up with them at breakfast we decided to book a powered site there and spend a weekend with them.

Buckanderra Holiday Park is an easy two drive from home that provided an opportunity to get a bit of towing experience without too much of a challenge for that first trip away.

The holiday park itself is set on a large parcel of land on the south-western end of Lake Eucumbene. It is very picturesque even when the water level is low with low rolling hills surrounding it. The night sky is magnificent and sitting under the stars with cracking fire (in a fire tub), with good friends and a glass of red, is very good for the soul.

The van towed beautifully and the landcruiser didn’t miss a beat although it you really do notice the extra effort required when heading up a long hill. The fuel consumption is a real eye-opener but that’s the price you pay when towing a van and you’re not being realistic if you don’t expect that.

All in all it was a perfect first trip with the van. We had a very pleasant and relaxing time with our friends, tested many of the van’s features and got our first taste of hitching up, towing, setting up, living in, tearing down, towing and un-hitching. Looking forward to our next trip.