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Fridges
 The
fridge is, perhaps, the single most important piece of equipment
- besides your van - that you will be taking with you and it's vital
to get it right. Most caravans come pre-fitted with fridge freezers
which can run on both gas and electric.
However, it does not
end there. Many long-term travellers find the fridges ridiculously
small for their needs and choose to get a second fridge or install
a totally new one. Tommy and Janice Smith from Brisbane didn't know
whether to laugh or cry when they saw the size of the fridge in
the secondhard caravan they bought.
"It was unbelievable,"
says Tommy. "These things are obviously designed for people going
away for the weekend. I think maybe manufacturers should start taking
into consideration the number of us out there who are travelling
pretty much full-time.
"We just had to get
a new fridge put in because it wasn't going to work for us. It cost
us a bit but we've probably made up for it now with the money we've
saved by being able to freeze the fish I catch, plus, of course,
there's the convenience of being able to do a big shop-up."
Alice McDonald from
Newcastle in New South Wales reminds all travellers that it takes
a fair while for a fridge to cool down and that they should get
it nice and cold before putting food in.
"Planning is the key,"
she says. "There's no point just throwing your meat and milk and
other bits and bobs a few minutes before you set off and then turning
it on. I know a few people who've been caught out like that. It
can take up to 12 hours for it to get properly chilled - and you
might even allow a bit longer if it's really hot outside or if you
keep opening and shutting the door."
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Which
Billy is best for
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When the sky is
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