Priya is a junior doctor in Bristol who works four days on, four days off. Her budget was tight, her parking space at the hospital was small, and she needed a vehicle that could handle city driving without feeling like she was piloting a bus. A full-size campervan was out of the question on both financial and practical grounds. After months of research, she concluded that a micro camper based on the VW Caddy Maxi was the sweet spot.
Little Van Co are one of a small number of UK converters who specialise in micro and mini campers. Their approach strips everything back to essentials. The Caddy conversion uses the rear half of the vehicle for a full-length single bed that is surprisingly comfortable for anyone under about five foot ten (Priya is five foot four, so it works perfectly). Beneath the bed platform are three pull-out drawers on heavy-duty runners for clothing, cooking gear, and general storage.
The kitchen lives in the tailgate. A hinged worktop folds out to create a cooking area with a portable gas stove and a 15L compressor fridge that runs from the leisure battery. There is no running water plumbed in. Instead, Priya uses a collapsible bowl and a 10-litre water container with a foot pump, both of which stow in a dedicated compartment. It is basic, but the simplicity is the point. There is nothing to go wrong and nothing that adds significant weight.
The real joy of the Caddy is that it does not feel like a campervan during the week. Priya drives it to the hospital every day, parks it in a normal space, and gets 45 miles to the gallon. On her days off, she throws in a sleeping bag and heads for the coast. She has driven it to the Highlands three times, across to West Wales more times than she can count, and took the ferry to Ireland last autumn. For under nine thousand pounds all-in, she reckons it is the best money she has ever spent.