Who knew that at this stage of our lives we would be having a love affair – with an off road caravan.

Well, that is exactly what has happened since we took possession of the new T4 Rhapsody.

This is our first ‘real’ trip in the new van, a long haul to south west WA in winter to avoid the crowds and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful region.

The van so far has surpassed expectations. For a start, it follows behind the Ford Ranger like a well-behaved dog on a lead, regardless of the weather – and we have struck some fearsome winds on this trip.

And the set-up has been so easy on arrival at our overnight spot. Press the right buttons on the phone app and up went the roof, out came the awning and on went the lights. Even I could do it and I am not technical.

We took five days to cross the continent to arrive in beautiful Esperance where we are starting our WA adventure. But before we got here, we spent a week preparing and packing the van.

Packing was so easy because of the great storage space outside and within the van itself. A place for everything and everything in its place. Our choice to have an outdoor freezer has also paid off as it has given us the option of carrying more good quality produce for our remote camps.

And while I initially scoffed at the movable pantry, I must admit it has become one of my favourite features because of the convenience, how much it holds, and the fact that when it is not in use, we have extra bench space. Win, win, win.

The queen size bed, while in east west configuration, is very comfortable and allows for more room in the living area. We can watch the TV in comfort on the lounge seats with our feet up. And the newly designed table feature is an absolute winner as it is very stable but folds away neatly creating more space.

One more thing, we are so pleased we opted for both an outdoor and indoor kitchen, both of which we have used depending on weather and cooking smelly foods.

We are looking forward to many more years of happy travelling in Australia in this cleverly designed and versatile rig.