0:00:02 > 0:00:04'Today I'm in Wales, and I'm in absolute heaven. Why?
0:00:04 > 0:00:08'Because I'm at a huge campervan gathering.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:12I just love looking at all these other vans, it's so nice to see people
0:00:12 > 0:00:16loving their vehicles and see what other people are doing with their vehicles.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19'I get a serious case of campervan envy...'
0:00:19 > 0:00:20Let me go inside!
0:00:20 > 0:00:21Yes, jump in.
0:00:21 > 0:00:27I love this, I feel like I'm in the Waikiki Bar in Hawaii.
0:00:27 > 0:00:33'I'll be showing you the extreme lengths that some people go to to personalise their own vans,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37'and reveal how to make the best campervan curry using the freshest local ingredients.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:40And the reason I'm using lamb is because
0:00:40 > 0:00:42I'm in Wales. The country is famous for it.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46'And my van and I face the judges.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Initially, looking at it I'd say it's very, very nice.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08I've travelled just over 250 miles from the Lake District
0:01:08 > 0:01:13over the border into Wales and the small town of Caldicot.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17After a really long drive from the Lakes, I'm here in Monmouthshire in South Wales.
0:01:17 > 0:01:24I'm going to a festival, but not just any festival - this is a campervan festival.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Festivals like these are where the good, the bad, and the ugly from
0:01:28 > 0:01:33the campervan world come together to celebrate campervan culture.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I've set myself a challenge.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40I'm going to enter the van for the Show and Shine.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45Now that is the competition for the finest van in the festival.
0:01:45 > 0:01:51Having done nearly 2,500 miles without a wash - that's the van, not me -
0:01:51 > 0:01:58if I'm going to win this competition I'm going to have to get my rubber gloves on and get scrubbing.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00'This could well prove a challenge too far.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03'The festival, held in the shadow of Caldicot Castle,
0:02:03 > 0:02:08'is only in its third year but has already become hugely popular.'
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Ah here we go, this is it.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17'This year, a staggering 1,500 campervans have made the trip.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21'My van and I were in for some stiff competition.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Wow, look at these.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28This is the Show and Shine field, which hopefully we are going to be allowed onto tomorrow when I'm
0:02:28 > 0:02:34all polished up and looking lovely, if I'm to stand a chance of winning a prize.
0:02:34 > 0:02:40If you ever wanted proof of the campervan's popularity, then this is surely it.
0:02:41 > 0:02:48This place was extraordinary, like a campervan museum, with examples dating back over half a century.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51This is an early bay, looking very pretty.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53We've got T5s,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55nice T25.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59'The much sought-after early models built in the '50s and '60s
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'are known as splitties because they have a split windscreen.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'Some of them actually hinge outwards!
0:03:05 > 0:03:08'Then there are the bays, of which mine is a late model.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12'From here they evolved right up to the luxurious T5 model of today.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16'Finally, one of my absolute favourites, the rat look.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21'These are vans that are made to look old and tatty, complete with rust and faded paintwork.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I just love looking at all these other vans, it's so nice to see
0:03:24 > 0:03:27people loving their vehicles, and it's so nice to see
0:03:27 > 0:03:30what other people are doing with their vehicles.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32See how much people care for them
0:03:32 > 0:03:38and take time over them and look after them and make them what they are, which is classic vehicles.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I'm going to have to do some serious polishing if I'm going to stand a chance tomorrow.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45'But before I got the cleaning equipment out,
0:03:45 > 0:03:52'I found my camping spot, parked up, and headed off with one mission - to check out the competition.'
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Isn't this the coolest thing you've ever seen?
0:03:54 > 0:04:02It's two old VWs, backs cut off, stuck together to make a mobile dining room, I love it.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Wow, this is cosy.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Look at that.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Excellent. And you tow it behind your van,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17you can kip in that one, cook in this one.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24And this is another one of my favourites, simply because it just belongs in the age that
0:04:24 > 0:04:28it was born in, it looks like it hasn't changed a bit.
0:04:35 > 0:04:42'As well as being the height of retro chic, this van also has an ingenious cooking arrangement.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- The cooker is under the front seat? - Yes.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- That's intriguing.- Yes, even most of my friends don't even know it's there.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50- Could you show me how it works? - Sure.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55All you do is lift the seat up out of the way and drop it down,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and as you drop it down, if you've got your gas left on, it cuts the gas off.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'Wandering around, it was easy to understand how some owners become obsessed.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'But for many the campervan is simply a chance
0:05:05 > 0:05:08'to sample a lifestyle that few other vehicles can bring.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13'You get to drive and cherish these wonderful old vans, and the family can come too.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20'I'd seen enough great vans to realise how strong the competition was.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25'My trusty old van by comparison was looking a bit, well...tired.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27'If I was to stand any chance tomorrow,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31'I was going to have to give her a thorough clean.
0:05:31 > 0:05:37'I don't carry a Hoover in my campervan so it was onto my hands and knees with my dustpan and brush.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41'It's amazing what you pick up on a 2,000-mile tour around the country,
0:05:41 > 0:05:47'sand from all the beaches, dead insects, and, of course, crumbs from all the cooking I've done.
0:05:47 > 0:05:54'And boy, had I done a lot of cooking - from foraged mushrooms to fresh honeycomb,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'clawing out crabmeat,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01'to creating a super-sized frittata from a giant egg.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05'My campervan kitchen has been hard at work.'
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I would say that's just about perfect.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Oh, it's delicious.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'After an hour of elbow work, I'd got the van
0:06:17 > 0:06:20'back to the condition she was in when I bought her.'
0:06:20 > 0:06:26Dirty, dirty, dirty, it's amazing how much rubbish I've managed to accumulate.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28'But it was obvious parts of the interior hadn't
0:06:28 > 0:06:33'had a proper clean for decades, so I used a little campervan tip.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39'I mixed white wine with bicarb of soda to make a green cleaner that really cuts through the grime.'
0:06:39 > 0:06:43I wonder when the last time was
0:06:43 > 0:06:45this van saw
0:06:45 > 0:06:47a damp cloth?
0:06:47 > 0:06:52'With both my energy and the light fading, I went off in search of some food.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Cooking would trash my van again, so it was the perfect excuse.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59'Much as I like to cook, this was to be the first night off
0:06:59 > 0:07:03'on my journey, so I thought I'd have a celebratory curry.'
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I saw the sign. Cooking camper.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11- It's a bit of a compromise, because on one hand, it would be great to cook in the van.- Yes.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Obviously a bit limited for space, but if I was cooking in the van
0:07:14 > 0:07:16I couldn't use the van for pleasure.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19If you have a van, you want to do more than just work in your van.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24- You want to go surfing in your van, sleep, have pleasure trips. - Can I have a look?- Of course.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25Very nice.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Do you use it as everyday vehicle, then?
0:07:29 > 0:07:36It gets used 365 days of the year, because apart from doing shows, I have a lunchtime delivery round
0:07:36 > 0:07:41- which I do. So snow, ice, it gets a day off on Christmas Day.- Right.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43But yes, it's every single day.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47How many people do you feed, do you think, in a day at a festival like this?
0:07:47 > 0:07:53In a day at a festival like this I will probably feed...
0:07:53 > 0:07:55anywhere between 100 and 200 people.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- How do you do it? - I have to prep at home.- Yes.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Things like onions, chop them all the night before in the plastic tubs into the cool boxes.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05It's planning, that's all it is, really.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08OK. Oh, look, it looks like you might have some customers.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Hello, guys.
0:08:10 > 0:08:16I bow down to the superior cooking and organisational abilities of this man.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21- Can I give you a hand? - Well, if you're offering to help, far be it for me to say no.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- Just grab yourself some gloves. - Yes, OK.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27For the next batch of the vegetable curry, just some potatoes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- Righty-ho.- Need chopping up.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Like me, Steve isn't a trained chef, but has successfully been cooking
0:08:35 > 0:08:37out of his campervan for the past three years
0:08:37 > 0:08:44using locally-sourced produce, and his food smelt so good that it really got my creative juices going.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47I've had an idea that I would like to make
0:08:47 > 0:08:51a lamb rogan josh with lots of fresh tomatoes, onions.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53- Sounds good.- Get some Welsh lamb.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- What are you using for heat? - I've got chilli flakes.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Chilli flakes are great cos if you use chilli powder, everything gets coated in chilli
0:09:00 > 0:09:04and it hits your tongue straightaway, whereas if you use fresh chilli or chilli flakes
0:09:04 > 0:09:08you taste the meat, and if you're using Welsh lamb you want to taste the lamb and then you get the heat
0:09:08 > 0:09:10come through.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Great tip. So basically you're using local ingredients, fresh
0:09:13 > 0:09:19- ingredients, cooked with love out of the back of a camper.- Absolutely.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20On a glorious summer's day.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24- Is there a better way of earning a living?- Well done! - THEY LAUGH
0:09:24 > 0:09:28My congratulations to you on a really good lifestyle, it sounds great.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- Brilliant, it looks wonderful. - Chicken curry, rice, and lentil daal.- Thank you, I shall enjoy this.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- Enjoy your night off. - I'm going round the other side.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40'I headed off to enjoy my dinner in one of the last remaining patches of evening sunlight.'
0:09:40 > 0:09:45That's actually really good and, you know what, it's a relief. For once
0:09:45 > 0:09:50I haven't had to catch it, cook it, kill it, chase after it, go out in a boat to get it,
0:09:50 > 0:09:55pick it off the beach, rummage around in the mud, get up to here in
0:09:55 > 0:09:59dirt and grime, just go over there and enjoy great campervan food
0:09:59 > 0:10:02from someone else's campervan.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Perfect.
0:10:04 > 0:10:10'I finished my curry and had an early night, ready for judgment day tomorrow.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13'Still to come, will my van sweep the competition
0:10:13 > 0:10:20'aside and triumph in the Show and Shine? And I'll be showing you how to make the best campervan curry.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25'And will my special guest gave the thumbs up to my campervan curry creation?'
0:10:30 > 0:10:36'It was a busy day ahead, and it was competition time for my trusty van.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39'But I also had a curry to cook and needed some ingredients.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44'Luckily I'd been tipped off about the nearby town of Usk
0:10:44 > 0:10:48'had a farmers market where you could buy just about anything.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51'I only hoped they had Welsh lamb for my curry.'
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I've got my shopping list and I'm heading off to the farmers market
0:10:54 > 0:10:59to pick up some fresh ingredients for a very special festival curry.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06'The farmers market really was as good as I'd been told.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09'The range of produce was staggering, there was everything
0:11:09 > 0:11:12'from locally-grown veggies to locally-produced salami,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16'and even a stall selling Welsh wine - of all things!'
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Can I try some of the dry? Is that all right?- Yes.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Well, funnily enough the first thing I found at the farmers market is alcohol-based,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26but only a little soupcon.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31That's lovely, I'll take a case.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33That's what I like to hear.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Thank you. I've got myself some Welsh cider,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Welsh perry, which is very nice,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and some Welsh wine.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Looks delicious.
0:11:52 > 0:11:59Guinea fowl. They look wonderful, but probably not very easy to cook in a camper van.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02'All very nice, but it was curry ingredients I needed.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06'Luckily, the next stall was a great help.'
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Mango pickle, that looks beautiful.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10All homemade.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15'I picked up some garam masala and sugar-coated fennel seeds. I was on a roll.'
0:12:15 > 0:12:18I've spotted the veg man.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23'The secret to making the best rogan josh is by using stacks of tomatoes.'
0:12:23 > 0:12:25That many tomatoes.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30That's the way to measure tomatoes, like that.
0:12:30 > 0:12:37'I was going to make a lamb rogan josh because I know the local Welsh lamb enjoys an excellent reputation,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40'so when I spied the organic meat stall, my heart leapt.'
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Aha, lamb! My main ingredient.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- Hello.- Hello.- How are you?
0:12:45 > 0:12:50- I'm fine, thank you.- Good. I'm glad I found you because I'm looking for some diced lamb to make a curry.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53That's 350g.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55OK. Now, tell me about your lamb.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- How far have you travelled to get here?- About 20 miles.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01So I wouldn't be able to get any more local than this.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03- I don't think so. - That's great, OK.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08'Job done, it was time to hit the road.'
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I pretty much got everything I need
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so it's back to the festival.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18'But there was one thing I'd managed to sneak into my shopping bag without the camera crew seeing,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22'and something I certainly wouldn't be able to make myself in the van.'
0:13:22 > 0:13:24One thing about campervan living,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26you've got no oven,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30so you'll have to wave goodbye to those baked goods.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Unless, of course...
0:13:33 > 0:13:36you find them at a place like this.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41And I tell you something, there's absolutely no way
0:13:41 > 0:13:46I'm taking any chances with this in the fridge as I drive along.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52That's a proper taste of summer.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'There was no time to waste - the van still wasn't as clean
0:14:01 > 0:14:05'as I'd like and the start of the Show and Shine was looming.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Let's get on with it.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17'I'd brushed out and polished the interior last night, now it was time to wash the paintwork.'
0:14:20 > 0:14:24'But because I was on my own, unlike the other campervanners,
0:14:24 > 0:14:29'I didn't have my usual army of family and friends to help me. I needed to call in some backup.'
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I've seen the competition,
0:14:37 > 0:14:42and my kind of amateur Sunday afternoon cleaning efforts
0:14:42 > 0:14:44I don't think are going to be enough.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48'So I called in the cavalry for a bit of extra elbow grease.'
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Thank goodness for that, I've got a bit of help.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- How's it going?- Glad you could make it.- That's all right, no bother.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58A bit grubby, I'll do all the paintwork. I don't know if you
0:14:58 > 0:15:00- can help me get the wheels tidied up.- Yes.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05Also on the front there's loads of insect spots, I could do with getting those off if possible.
0:15:05 > 0:15:11'After 2,000 miles on the road, my van had taken a bashing, and I didn't want to let it down.'
0:15:12 > 0:15:15What do you think, are you going to be able to get something done with it?
0:15:15 > 0:15:18We'll sort something out, I'm sure we will.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22That's looking amazing, nice work!
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Maybe I stand a chance after all.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31'The joy of this competition is that it's all in the spirit of good campervan fun.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34'Everybody who enters gets to vote on the other vans,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38'judging them on bodywork, interior, and overall condition.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:42All the vans are separated into categories, and I'm here with the late bays.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49And I'm the first to arrive so if I'm the only entrant, I'll win!
0:15:49 > 0:15:51This is looking good.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57'With the scent of victory in my nostrils, I felt spurred on to give the van one last polish.'
0:16:00 > 0:16:07It would be awful, wouldn't it, to be first...out of one.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10At least first out of two would be good enough,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13but what's going to happen is some beautiful van
0:16:13 > 0:16:17is going to rock up next to me and it'll be second out of two.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22'By now, the Show and Shine contestants were pouring onto the field.
0:16:22 > 0:16:29'Another late bay did show up in my category, a very rare model with a caravan grafted onto the back of it.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32'But I remained confident that my original interior
0:16:32 > 0:16:36'and immaculate paintwork would wow my fellow van owners.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'I was beginning to think I had this competition in the bag,
0:16:39 > 0:16:44'but then along came a beautifully-restored camper,
0:16:44 > 0:16:49'and even worse, it had a breathtaking interior.'
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Looks like the competition's turned up, which is a bit disappointing
0:16:52 > 0:16:55because they're really quite good, and I was really hoping to win.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00But part of this competition is that everybody gets to judge everybody else's vans, and that means that
0:17:00 > 0:17:04I can go and have a rummage around in all these beautiful campers.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09# Every day I get confused
0:17:09 > 0:17:12# Get on the bus that takes me to you
0:17:12 > 0:17:15# Too much, magic bus
0:17:15 > 0:17:17# I'm so nervous I just sit and smile
0:17:17 > 0:17:20# Too much, magic bus
0:17:20 > 0:17:22# House is only another mile
0:17:22 > 0:17:25# Too much, magic bus... #
0:17:25 > 0:17:27To say that I'm enjoying myself today would be
0:17:27 > 0:17:30a massive understatement, I'm absolutely loving this.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I love seeing all these vans.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36To people who don't know anything about the scene it might be hard to understand why
0:17:36 > 0:17:44I get so excited about campervans, but I'm going to show you something that will show you exactly why.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Hello.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I've come to talk to you about your lovely van.
0:17:48 > 0:17:55Thank you. The tiki van. Less than 15 in the world with a high top,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59DIY interior, bamboo, very cheap.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I like it. And this is what you would call rat look, isn't it?
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Rat look, yes.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Rough, rough,
0:18:07 > 0:18:12- just about road legal, and that's the idea.- Do you get pulled over a bit?
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Yes, to ask me questions about it.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- Really?- Yes, yes. - Let me go inside.- Yes, jump in.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23I love this, because you sit in here and you're taken to somewhere completely distant.
0:18:23 > 0:18:31I could be in Hawaii now. It's raining outside and I feel like I'm in the Waikiki bar
0:18:31 > 0:18:35in Hawaii and the world is a beautiful, beautiful place.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37It doesn't get much better.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Look at that, real pineapples.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44How about that for accessorising, you don't get that with a normal car.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45What do your family think about it?
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Love it, love it, adore it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- Do you camp in it? - Yes. We sleep in it, cook in it.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52How are you feeling about today?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- Confident.- You're among friends here, aren't you?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Yes. They don't fix anything for me.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03After seeing Jason Cooper's extraordinary Hawaiian interior,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08it struck me I hadn't done enough styling to make my van stand out.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13Just enough time then to make some last-minute adjustments and bring out my trump card.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16What's more stylish than a classic 70s toy?
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Well, there's not a lot more I can do here, I've got my Stylophone,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23original Rolf Harris...
0:19:23 > 0:19:25STYLOPHONE BUZZES TUNEFULLY
0:19:25 > 0:19:291930s Touring England game,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32some melamine, a bit of foodie stuff, my cooler,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35and there's even a campervan hot water bottle in the boot.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39So it's time for me to go and do my bit and do some judging.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44'My style touches seem to do the trick, pretty soon admirers were
0:19:44 > 0:19:46'flocking to come and see how it should be done.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:50I'm judging the vans,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54but to be honest with you, I just go for the vans I really like.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Some of them obviously in better condition than others, some of them
0:19:59 > 0:20:01are really groovy, some with really good paint jobs.
0:20:01 > 0:20:08This one is beautiful, looks like it just came out of the showroom,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11so that will probably get my vote.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13This one
0:20:13 > 0:20:17is, like, covered in tarmac.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21'I thought I'd better seek some clarity about what I should be looking for from head judge and
0:20:21 > 0:20:26'campervan guru Ricky, and get some reassurance about my own van.'
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Come and have a look at my bus.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29- Love to. - Tell me what you think of this.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32What I want to know is with the secrets of judging criteria, what
0:20:32 > 0:20:36people are looking for in vans, and how you'd view my van.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Well, initially looking at it, I'd say it's very, very nice.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Trouble is over the years people have used these vans and they've
0:20:43 > 0:20:48deteriorated, ripped out the original interior, modified them, done them, maybe redone them
0:20:48 > 0:20:52the way they want them as opposed to factory spec, so it detracts from the originality.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56So the fact that I've got the original interior will count well for me.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Absolutely, big bonus.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Some people don't want all that clutter, they want a bed and somewhere to chuck their
0:21:02 > 0:21:06bikes and surfboard and all the rest of it, not interested in cooking and all that kind of stuff.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11Depends what you want to use it for, but that looks like a very nice van, I've got to say.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14With my judge's hat on, I went on viewing.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19The next van was the epitome of high-tech luxury camping.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22I love the splitty, I love them, but I just couldn't live with them.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25I'm into the modern vehicle, you know, I like it.
0:21:25 > 0:21:31You get in it and it starts, so I bought a panel van from a builder and it was the right spec.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33The only thing wrong with it, wrong colour,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36so I decided, right, I've got a budget, so I went for it.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Painted it the colour I wanted, saw an Audi TT with burnt orange leather, did that,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44repainted it, did the black over the top a little bit different.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Fitted it all out, wired it all up and knew that I wanted a big TV because my
0:21:47 > 0:21:51daughter said if we're having a new van and you sell the old one, I want a TV in it.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55- So I put the biggest TV you can get in it.- How big is that screen?- 19.
0:21:55 > 0:22:0119 inches, so your van has got a 19-inch monitor and a DVD player?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04When we pick them up from nursery they go "TV, TV!" Then I try and
0:22:04 > 0:22:07get them out and my two-year-old won't get out.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10You've obviously lavished time, love, and attention on this van.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14There's a lot of labour on my side, which obviously you can't take into account because
0:22:14 > 0:22:20that's partly me doing it, but cost-wise, I've spent near £30,000. I like keeping busy doing it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25I enjoyed building it. I did it all in six months, and I like that, project-managing it.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28I'm into Mk2 Golfs and big flashy wheels and stuff,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and the wife's into camping, but likes smart vehicles.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34So the deal is as long it's got TV, pop-top, and a bed in it and cooking,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37I can do I want with it.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Well, judging's over and they are about to announce the winner.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51I don't know how I've done, fingers crossed, but there's some really stiff competition here.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57We'll start off with the club display...
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'The awards ceremony is the high point of any festival, it's a pat on the back
0:23:00 > 0:23:06'for all the hard work owners put into their vans, and I was itching to get my hands on a trophy.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:13Moving on to late bays, in second place, Martin Dorey with the red and white bay.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14'Second place!'
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Thank you, sir. Cheers.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20'Suddenly all the hard work and the money I'd paid to the valet seemed worth it.'
0:23:20 > 0:23:25At the moment Martin's travelling all around the country cooking, he's gone mad and is doing it in a Bay.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27What's wrong with that?
0:23:27 > 0:23:33- We're just surprised you're getting everywhere you're meant to be! - 2,500 miles and no breakdowns, yay!
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Yay, excellent.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- Well done, Martin.- Thank you.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46'No time to rest on my laurels, I still had a dinner to prepare.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50'It was time to start cooking my campervan rogan josh.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Well, I've had a great day, I've really enjoyed the competition.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59I won a prize, how about that?
0:23:59 > 0:24:04But now I've got to focus on cooking, I'm going to cook a lamb curry for a very important guest,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09and he's going to be quite hard to please, I think, so I've got to get on and sort my spices.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13'My mystery guest was Steve, the campervan man who had cooked for me
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'yesterday, and whose chicken curry had really impressed me.'
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I'm making him a lamb curry
0:24:19 > 0:24:22as a return favour.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23The only thing is,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25his curry was really good.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'I'm preparing the classic curry base of fried garlic,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33'ginger, and onions, into which I'll throw my dried spices.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38'But the key to the rogan sauce is lots of fresh tomatoes from the farmers market.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43'First off I sealed the lamb by frying it in vegetable oil.'
0:24:43 > 0:24:49The reason I'm using lamb is because I'm in Wales, the country is famous for it.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54And this lamb is organic, and it's been reared only about ten miles away.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59So it's as local and as fresh as I could possibly hope for.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03'After removing the sealed lamb pieces, I stir-fried the onion, garlic and ginger
0:25:03 > 0:25:11'until they were soft, along with my spices - garam masala, turmeric, ground coriander and chilli.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16'After adding the local lamb and tomatoes, I let it cook for an hour,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20'which gave me just enough time to make my chapatis.
0:25:22 > 0:25:28'I added some water, oil, and salt to wholemeal flour, and kneaded the dough.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31'Then I pressed them flat and cooked them in a hot frying pan.'
0:25:31 > 0:25:36I've decided not to serve rice with my curry tonight, I decided to do something
0:25:36 > 0:25:40very simple and that's chapatis, because I've always got flour,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42oil and water on board the van.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48'My lamb rogan josh smelt and looked great, and in an effort to boost my five-a-day and as
0:25:48 > 0:25:53'a special surprise ingredient, I added some local spinach for the last few minutes of cooking.'
0:25:54 > 0:25:57- Anybody home?- Hello.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- Good to see you. - Are you all right?- Yes, not too bad.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01- How's your day been?- Busy.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06- I'm just about ready to plate up so do you want to take a seat? I'll bring it out.- I'd love to.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07So it's local lamb,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11local spinach.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14That's great, it's in season at the moment and it's delicious.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Yes, it's organic stuff we picked up from the farmer's market.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22'My campervan rogan josh was the first curry I'd made on my trip.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26'The tomatoes and lamb juices had reduced to a thick spicy sauce
0:26:26 > 0:26:30'tempered by a dollop of sour cream and my home-made chapatis.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33'But would my discerning guest be impressed?'
0:26:33 > 0:26:34Oh, that's lovely.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37I used the chilli flakes rather than powder, yes,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40thanks to your advice.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- It's beautiful. - Because you can taste the meat.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45- You can.- You get the lamb.- Yes.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I always think it's a shame when you have a curry and you
0:26:48 > 0:26:52can't taste the individual ingredients that are in there.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I've also got some Welsh cider.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Lovely, cos it's not just Somerset that makes cider.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59No, apparently.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01The Welsh make very fine cider as well.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04They do. Apples are very Welsh.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07- Are they?- Years gone by, every, every Welsh house had an apple tree in the garden.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11- Is it the right accompaniment to curry?- Well, it's refreshing.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Because it's dry and crisp, it's lovely.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Last night, I had my first night off cooking in a long time.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21- Is this the first night you've had off cooking for a while? - It is, yes.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26And it's so nice to eat something that I've not cooked
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and that I've not had to go to a restaurant to pay for,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33which is lovely. I don't get cooked for very often.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36'What a wonderful weekend.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39'I may not have ventured far from this muddy field in the middle of
0:27:39 > 0:27:43'Wales, but I've had the chance to show off my new van to some fellow enthusiasts.
0:27:43 > 0:27:49'I cooked my first ever campervan curry, and to top it all I'd even won a prize.'
0:27:52 > 0:27:57'Next time - the final leg of my 2,500-mile trek around the UK
0:27:57 > 0:28:00'takes me to Pembrokeshire and the beautiful Welsh coast.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04'I get the whole family involved for the final stretch.'
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- That's the way we like it, isn't it?- Yes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09'Burgers and homemade campervan chutney.'
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Wow, that's massive!
0:28:12 > 0:28:14'I make a cordial out of foraged flowers,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19'but just five miles from the finish line, face my biggest disaster yet.'
0:28:19 > 0:28:22What do you reckon?
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Truck, it will have to be on a truck.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:31 > 0:28:35E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk