We took delivery of our Bushlapa Bosluis (Bushlapa no 1426) fitted on the back of our Toyota Land Cruiser on 2 August 2018. The first trip with our new camper was driving it back home to Pretoria all the way for Bush Lapa Caravans in the Paarl.

Bushlapa did an excellent job and we are very pleased with the result.

We were very eager to test our new camping combination and booked a week-end at Bergenrivier near Bronkhorstspuit.  Bush camping at its best without the luxury of ablutions, water and electricity.  And the weather did not play along as well.  But that said, it was the ideal opportunity to test the Bosluis.

We thoroughly enjoyed the week-end and came back home with a list of smaller and some bigger alterations that we would like to make to our camper.

The first thing to go was the little plastic addis step at the back which is used to get in and out.  That did not work for us as it has a mind of its own and keep on moving around.  So back home I immediately started to plan something else.  At the end I designed an aluminium step that is permanently attached to the tow bar of the vehicle and that is followed up and locked against the door of the Bosluis.  At the campsite you simply fold it down and you have a sturdy ladder that does not move around.

We also bought a handle bar made by Thule and fixed it at the back of the Bosluis.  It can be folded away and locked when not in use.  This is also a great help in getting in and out of the Bosluis.

The second major improvement had to do with the geyser.  The geyser is stored loose in the bosluis.  Every time you want to use it, you need to take it out and hang it against the door above the compartment where the water tank is.  Then you must connect the cold and hot water pipes.  There are two hot water pipes, one that feeds the tap at the kitchen sink at the rear and another one that feeds the shower.  You are constantly busy switching pipes.  And if you don’t want to leave the doors open you have to disconnect everything and store it away.

After careful planning and measuring, and planning and measuring again, it was decided to install the geyser in the space next to the water tank.  To create enough space to accommodate the height of the geyser I had to move the water pump fitted to the top of the storage area to the side wall at the left.

I mounted the geyser on two drawer slides that is attached to an aluminium frame on the side wall.  A handle was fixed on die side of the geyser which is used to pull it out and push it back.

I used flexible pipes to make the cold and hot water connections to the geyser permanent.

With this way of connecting warm and cold water is delivered directly to the taps at the washbasin at the back without switching pipes.

For hot water to the shower I installed a tap at the right rear of the vehicle and connect it with a t-piece into the hot water pipe just before the tap at the kitchen side.  Just connect the shower hose and you have hot water at the shower as well.

To use the geyser is now as easy as to open the door, pull out the geyser and connect the gas pipe to a gas bottle and it works.  No more changing of pipes depending on where you need water.  When you need to pack up you disconnect the gas pipe and push the geyser back in and close the door.

I am considering linking the gas pipe for the geyser with that of the gas stove.  Then you need only one gas bottle to stay connected and working both.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Greetings

Pieter & Gerida

Landrovingafrica