What: 85 westy, 1.9

Who: Streetsboro Foreign Auto, Streetsboro OH

When: 2.5 years ago 25000 miles

Problems: head gasket went bad after 18k mi. Looks like it just ripped.
otherwise it runs like a top

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Laycock [mailto:m.laycock@STRATH.AC.UK]
Sent: Friday, September 03, 1999 10:13 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Trip Glasgow to Strasbourg

At 2:00 pm -0700 2/9/99, Pete Cassidy wrote:
>Martin Laycock said:
>
>>Since I enjoy reading trip reports rather than fault reports here's mine.
>>
>>Our 82 2L air-cooled hi-top camper has just 'transported' us on a four
week
>>adventure down though Britain and across northern France to the Alsace
>>region. We went via the channel tunnel and stayed at about ten different
>>camp sights over the four weeks. One site for a week and others for one or
>>two nights.
>
>[snip]
>
>Sounds like an excellent trip, Martin. We're returning home to Ireland
>in January & are bringing our LHD Californian 88' Wolfsburg with us.
>It's good to hear that the 1.5 year-old liked the trip, as ours is 9mths
>old now. We're thinking of Rosslare-Fishguard-Dover (via Malvern & a few
>other nice spots). Thanks for the tip on the Michelin guide. I've heard
>also that dining at Les Routiers (truck stops) is the best for travellers.
>Is this true?

I have no personal experience of these stops but I suppose if you are on
the move and want a quick overnight with no frills then they will be fine.
Our problem is that now our daughter is nearly 5 yrs she 'needs' a swing
park and likes a swim. We also had to make some unplanned trips to some
theme parks while we were away just to keep her face straight. As your 1.5
year-old grows up be aware that their needs change very quickly! I now I
sound like some old fart but be warned. A 4 year-old having a  tantrum in a
camper is NO fun.

Good luck
Martin