VAN TOUR 2009

IN THE EYES OF BRUCE

Hi my name is Bruce, I'm one of the many van's who went out on van tour Europe this year. I had 5 people this year, a great group but wasn't to sure what to think of them at first. When picking me up from the wicked campers depot they got me stuck against the wall and put a massive scratch down my side, the staff just laughed and had to drive me out themselves.

We started our 3 month trip down the west coast of France. Stopping in Paris first of cause. It was a very quick leg as we had to make it to Pamplona on the 5th of the running of the bulls. Which was amazing i might just add. I got to see all my mates (Wicked campers) at the campsite. All the people enjoyed it to, they kept going on about the free alcohol and breaky they got everyday. It was hot, the sun was shining and music played all day till the early hours of the morning.

Three days later everyone piled back into me and we headed for the coast of Portugal. The people had made friends with another wicked camper and we ended up traveling together through Portugal. To tell you the truth I didn't have to do much. the people would park me up in Lagos or where ever and spends lots of time sun bathing, drinking and partying, i sometimes joined in and played music for them, which they loved as my battery never run flat. Once we got to the south of Spain to a place called Tarifa, the People left me for 5 days as they went into Morocco.

I was very lonely but they had a blast.

We all loved traveling the south of Spain, camping grounds were cheap, the sun was out and the people were always laughing and joking with each other. We would met other vans and people on van tour and end up convoying together. They left me again in Barcelona as they flew to Ibiza, from what i heard it as expensive but incredible and no regrets.

After the peoples trip David Guetta was the sound track for the rest of van tour. We traveled through a tiny country called Andorra where everything was duty free, before heading into the south of France. The south of France was another highlight. The people frond a great spot for free camping along a beach just before Sete. More vans turned up and we ended up staying for a few days. The people spent their time sun bathing, eating, drinking and at night they would have bomb fires on the beach.

St-Tropez St-Tropez I felt very shabby here, there were Ferrari's, Porsche's, BMW's and Lamborghini's everywhere and every time i drove by they gave me the dirtiest of looks as if they were so much better than me. Monaco was the same and it didn't help that the people kept getting all gooey eyed over them.

Italy was breath taking with its cliff side villages and tiny roads, olive trees and Liguria's coast line (The Cinqu Terre walk is a great example of this). The drivers were crazy over there and i was luck my drivers were much nicer to me. We Stayed in Florence, Rome and Pompeii for a few nights before heading to Bari.

I was please to be off the roads for 10 days as the people left me here and traveled to Greece. Apparently they made lots of friends here and had the best times of their life (wish i was there with them). On their return only 3 made it back as the others had run out of money and flew back to London. I think they were secretly please as I was much lighter and they were saving on gas.

Croatia was stunning, the people met up with all there mates they had met in Greece, for more partying. I didn't recognise these vans but it didn't take long before we were racing along the high ways and pumping out the sounds. Montenegro was a nice romantic time for 2 of my drivers, we drove trough tiny villages, pasted beautiful mountains and free camped near lakes and rivers.

Durmitor National Park is a must see. We met up with our friends again at Lake Bled in Slovenia. it was starting to get colder now up in the mountains and the people spent lots more time in me, drinking and keeping warm.

We left all the vans again and drove through Auastia, Czech and into Germany. The people made new friends in Prague and we were back to 5 in the van, well until Berlin. In Berlin we parked at the side of a busy road and the craziness began all over again, people lost bets and had to run around me naked, doors were locked and they ended up hiding in bushes, beer cans everywhere funnels out......spews.

from that night on the boys were practising for the 100 club in Munich, i saw alot of disgusting things. The people were now running out of money so we spent a lot of nights sleeping at the side of roads, in car parks and trunk stops. Munich was fun, I got to see all my old wicked camper mates and i had a break from driving as everyone got drunk at the beer hall everyday and came back to the campsite for free alcohol and music, it was a bit like Pamplona all over again.

The people were all looking worn out by now, they needed showers, a proper bed, clean clothing, money, a job and house for when they got back to London. We headed back through Switzerland, Liechtenstein and into the Netherlands for one last party in Amsterdam. On our trip we experienced lots of ruins, castles, old villages, church, beaches, cliffs, mountains,people,traffic, alcohol, party's languages, cultures, sex, sun, sweat, laughs and crys.....one amazing summer, now its our turn :)