End of an Era

My brother phoned with sad news the other day - he has sold Fran the Van!

I have mentioned Fran in previous blogs but I feel it is fitting that she has a blog devoted just to her now she is gone. Back in 2006, my brother bought her in preparation for his European Tour. Fran was a white Ford Transit, with more rust than paint, she was shabby in the extreme and there wasn't a panel without some kind of damage. But like the famous quote 'you should never judge a book by its cover', Fran was so much more. Once the side door was pulled back with a shriek and a rattle Fran revealed her hidden beauty. Inside she was fully kitted out as a camper van, complete with porcelain sink, cooker and a proper double mattress on top of some amazing space saving storage.

I have been lucky enough to join Fran and my brother on many adventures and road trips. In the summer of 2007 I flew to Copenhagen to join Lenny for part of his tour of Europe. Fran got us from Denmark to Sweden, and across to Poland on the ferry before taking on the might of the Polish drivers and winning! Our journey continued down through Poland and Slovakia before Fran brought us to Hungary for the Zeiget Music Festival. I find that festivals are much more civilised when you have a van to cook your dinner in and make a cuppa whenever you choose - rock and roll! Fran may not have been as pretty as the Italian Camper next to us but she did us proud! Once I returned to Britain, Lenny and Fran continued their own little adventure before her repatriation due to her breaking down in glorious style in France or Germany.

Once the patch up job was complete, she continued to tour around the UK. She has been to Wales as a Surf Bus, she's been to London and she has even transported Little Wing and all their gear to a gig in Boroughbridge. And last summer she became host once more to four weary festival goers in Benicassim. I've already touched upon this disastrous event in an earlier blog. The Mistral wind blew in and a bizarre and random bush fire meant Paul Weller was whipped from the stage mid-set (and he was on cracking form) and the Kings of Leon cancelled! Without Fran the whole nightmare would have been even worse. Tents and belongings were being scattered by the wind but Fran stood the test of time. Not for us sleeping out in the wind and wondering if we would be blown away. Plus we could make tea on demand and sit at our camping table on our comfy chairs. The envious looks from less fortunate festival goers as they passed us by was priceless. If we'd been more savvy we could have set up a road side cafe - cup of tea and a baby wipe for just 2Euro!

It's fair to say, the Sunshine Siblings have had their fair share of fun in Fran the Van. But the time had to come, even our rose coloured specs could see that she was running out of lives. And so, the end of an era is here. I'm sure one of us will get a replacement camper at some point and the adventures and laughter will continue but do us a favour - if you see Fran, don't tell her!