Phil can’t resist the aroma (and taste) of homemade bread. Photography (and bakery) by Steve Jones
Veteran grey nomad Phil Crockart lists a few of the gizmos he wouldn’t be without on the open road
GPS
It is well worth the investment to purchase a decent GPS device. There is a specialised GPS for truckies that has bridge heights, fuel stops and high vehicle detours that are very useful when towing. WikiCamps also seconds as a low grade GPS. I have a backup GPS on my iPhone just in case.
Smart Phone
Not enough can be said for the amount of technology they cram into a mobile phone nowadays. Both android and Apple have some pretty smart applications that make travel a bunch easier … and you don’t have to be a wiz to use them! In my opinion, smart phones are a must-have for taking pictures, making movies, playing music, using apps … and even making phone calls!
Inverter
Inverters turn direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Word of warning. You will drain the main house battery if you have high wattage appliances running off the inverter, so be very careful what you connect. Also use the inverter within its wattage capabilities and make sure you buy a pure sine wave machine.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
This device applies the van brakes if it detects too much sideways movement of the van when travelling. It’s expensive if you get it fitted to an older van. If you are buying a new van, make sure it’s part of the deal. Some manufacturers are fitting ESC as part of the caravan package. A must-have lifesaver.
Induction cooktops
We have two of these beasties. One with adjustable wattage from 500W to 2000W and the other 800W. Yes it’s slower to cook at 500W but the device will work off the inverter or generator. You will need special cookware for these, we bought ours from Woolworths on special. If you want to spend a fortune on cookware watch out, they are just the same as the $20 variant. We have a large scanpan frypan (about$150) and some cheap pots. Food tastes the same.
Breadmaker
We purchased a breadmaker from Harvey Norman. Reason being that we paid $7 for a frozen loaf out in the sticks, a pack of four-loaf flour etc costs $10. It takes three hours to cook and works from the inverter. Nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. Fans It’s often not a practical thing to have the air-conditioner running, especially on a quiet night at a free camp. We have two small fans that do the job on a warm night. These are of a more expensive brand, however they draw a small amount of current and are very quiet. Enough said.
• What gizmo wouldn’t you be without on the road? Email us here to share your thoughts
