Pretty much their entire lives, Don and Marilyn Jessen have been living and breathing caravans.
The retired couple has written several popular books about these classic sleeper vans and their latest – More Retro Caravans – is out now.
Marilyn and Don Jessen Photo:
Don's parents Tek and Margaret founded the Liteweight Caravans company in 1946 - and he tells Karyn Hay he was, quite literally, born into the caravan life.
“I asked my mum when she was 90 whether I was actually conceived in a caravan - apparently I was.
“My first holiday was four months old. So yeah, caravans are my life."
A Princess caravan Photo: Supplied
When Marilyn met Don at 17, she realised loving him meant learning to love his caravans.
For her, the best part is the freedom of having your own little house on wheels.
“It’s just a great way to holiday in New Zealand. There's so many neat places to go. You take your little home on wheels with you, you've got everything that you like, you don't have to pack into a motel or out of a motel. You don't have to live in someone else's space. You've got your own space that goes with you.
“And yeah, and you get to visit all these wonderful places in New Zealand. “
Anglo Pullman caravan Photo: Supplied
Don and Marilyn have noticed a general upsurge of interest in caravanning life recently, but they say it's retro caravans that are really taking off.
“The retro caravan [trend] I think has also come in with the DIY thing because people are buying these old caravans, some of them in quite a state when they buy them, and they just renovate them from the floor up.
“They're looking at having to redo chassis, sometimes reskin the caravan, stripping everything in from the inside out, replacing it some the rebuilds are quite massive,” Marilyn says.
The interior of a Princess caravan Photo: Supplied
Although caravans offer freedom, there are some strict rules about facilities and where you can park up, Marilyn says.
“In terms of staying overnight, there are definite rules about where you can do that.
“If you're certified self-contained, that means you have to have a toilet on board and you have to have a sealed rubbish bin and you have to have wastewater tanks that are sealed as well.
“If you’ve got all the requirements for self-containment, then you can freedom camp in New Zealand and some of the councils have freedom camps available and different towns that you go to, some of the councils don't though.”
More Retro Carvans - book cover Photo: Supplied
Marilyn says she took to caravan life very quickly after marrying Don.
“We went on a few holidays in caravans and then before long, I was driving a car with a caravan on the back and we were delivering caravans around the country.
“So it just sort of grew from there. I worked in Liteweight Caravans for short time as well. But I just... I fell in love with the caravan lifestyle.
“It suits me to a tee. I'm a country girl I was raised on a farm. So my idea of holidaying is definitely not going to a city or anything like that. It's getting away from everything.”
There are many beautiful, peaceful places to camp in New Zealand and in a retro caravan, you're almost guaranteed to meet fellow travellers, Don and Marilyn say.
“One of the things in a retro caravan, you can almost guarantee you come into a camping ground and within half an hour you're making new friends.
“People come say hello, want to find out about your caravan. It's a great way of breaking the ice with people,” Marilyn says.
Related:
RV There Yet? Don and Marilyn Jessen (Nine to Noon)
Vintage and Retro Caravans Downunder (Summer Times)
A collection of images from the book Retro Caravans - Vantastic Kiwi Collections by Don Jessen
