As we decided to head out on this journey we asked ourselves what would be our ultimate mode of transport. Luckily, as Cameron is a mechanic, we had options available to us that otherwise would be too costly. Essentially, a fixer-upper was our target.

Other than cost, our main considerations were:

Dependability and availability of replacement parts across the border.
Automatic v. manual. We ended up with an automatic, acceptable in the reliable Toyota chassis, yet Cameron still dreams of a manual.
Fuel efficiency. We didn’t want an 8-cylinder gas guzzler or anything too large as we’d end up paying to lug extra weight around.
Storage for our kite gear. Would it be on top of the vehicle, inside or back in a trailer?
Comfort. This one came from my court, I did want a few elements of comfort as we’d be living in this vehicle for a long period of time! Comfort also included conversations around having a toilet/black water tank or having to rely solely on doing our business elsewhere.

The main contenders:

01. ’87 Toyota Vanwagon, pimped out with window tint. At the time, Cameron had this beauty in his possession. We considered an addition of a roof-top sleeper with gear storage in the back, or pulling a trailer for gear. We quickly decided to sell the Vanwagon as we wanted more space and didn’t think pulling a trailer would be easily maneuverable.

02. Cargo van for gear, while hauling a trailer to live in.

03. Class C RV. 20’ or less. Allows us to fit into most regular-sized parking spaces. Would be reasonable for gas mileage.

In the end, the Dolphin was the first RV we looked at and, although she needed a lot of work to be road-worthy in our eyes, she met all our criteria. Check here to see the work and love we put into getting the rig ready.