Stopover near Bokod in Hungary

It is 04:00 at night when we set up our roof tent in Bokod. Before that we have crossed half of Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. After four hours of sleep, the first rays of sunlight wake us up around 08:00, heating up the roof tent. We get ready and set out on the only a few meters wide way to the “floating” village of the Bokodi lake.

Here, a couple has been working for 10 years to make the former fishing village, whose houses are built on stilts in the lake, more attractive and visible to tourists. They invite us to their house, or more precisely, their roof terrace and make us a fresh coffee. That was a good stop!

The hot springs of Loutra Pozar

Around 11 o’clock in Hungary it was all hands on board, Ralfi wants to go to Greece. With our next destination in mind, we continued our journey towards Loutra Pozar. Still in the same evening we wanted to cross the Greek border, in order to start the next morning with a bath in the hot springs. At about 1:00 a.m., after what felt like an endless and tiring drive, we actually reached our destination. Although the last 1 1/2 hours of driving through mountain roads made our adrenaline shoot up once again, we were glad when we finally found a nice spot and pitched our tent. Listening to the soothing sound of water, we and our dogs all quickly fell asleep.

The next morning we quickly exchanged our sleeping clothes for bathing outfits to dive into the hot springs. A bath in the middle of nature, surrounded by forest, stone and birdsong, can there be a more beautiful start to the day? We treated ourselves to another frappé and fed cute little street dogs before continuing our journey.

Salt pans of Pydna near Katerini

Upon our arrival in Katerini, our first stop was Tsipouro Meze. In this form of lunch, you order the Greek pomace brandy Tsipouro and receive various delicacies of Greek cuisine.

For digestion and a little nap, we then drove to the salt pans of Pydna. Parts of the salt pans are freely accessible and bathing in the brine is allowed at a designated spot. The high salt content means that one is carried more in the water than in normal bathing water. In addition, the salt bath is good against skin impurities, mosquito bites and supposedly good against joint ailments.

For the first time we could drive with our “Ralfi” directly to the beach. We unfolded the awning (Quick Pitch Awning) and rested a little in the fresh sea breeze. Truffle and Pelle sniffed the Aegean sea air for the first time.

Such a beach day and sea air can make quite hungry, so we decided to go to the tavern “The Koutouki Nikolas” (Το Κουτούκι του Νικόλα) for dinner. It is one of Daniel’s favorite restaurants, so the anticipation was huge. After 5 years of abstinence, it was back to Snow White salad and deep fried pork. We discovered that the peperonis were actually VERY spicy and enjoyed our first Greek wine. Without Autan, however, the evening would have been only half as nice.

On the way there for dinner, we had already noticed a beautiful place on the beach and campers who were already there. The app park4night helped us once again to find a beautiful place to camp “wild”. It followed our first night on the beach, with the sound of the sea and a magnificent view of Mount Olympus and its shining nearby cities.

Over our coffee the next morning we met Stelios. A nice older Greek man who just came from his night shift and wanted to enjoy the sunrise. We got to talking and exchanged ideas about the working conditions in Greece and Germany, among other things.

Offroad to Mount Olympus

After both the excavation sites at Dion and the mountain village of Pantaleimonas were overrun by groups of students and spoiled our mood properly, we decided on the spot rather to go to Mount Olympus. Here we should have our peace and at the same time we can test what our Ralfi can do. Before we went to the top, we visited the crystal clear waterfall Orlias. Surrounded by frogs and tadpoles we dipped our 12 feet into the cold mountain water.

After cooling down, it was time for Ralfi and Daniel to get to work. While Michelle cleared the path of sharp stones and hanging branches, Daniel drove our Ralfi safely on unpaved gravel roads towards “Koromilia Refuge Olympus”. At the top we met a bachelor party and thus got to know a troop of funny young men from Israel. We offered them all a chilled beer and exchanged some stories. It was a great encounter!

If this is not paradise, where is it?

Gallaria

When Daniel was last in Greece in 2017, a bar was just built in the old train tunnel on the beach of Pantaleimonas. Years before even the Orient Express passed through this tunnel, today exactly in the same place you can find an industrial bar with charm and pretty good cocktails. We tried our way through the cocktail menu, were spoiled with strawberries and pears and found new friends here as well. But it wasn’t just us, our dogs got found new buddies as well. Dear John Ziakas, thank you for the warm evening and the tequila. We like to follow your guitar skills on Instagram and on our next trip to Greece we will definitely enjoy your hospitality again. Last but not least, we were allowed to pitch our tent in the parking lot, perfect!

The next morning should start a little relaxed before the onward journey. We took two loungers on the beach and enjoyed a frappé. Just let the soul dangle before the next longer distance waiting for us.

What was to follow after this harmonious morning was anything but relaxed. Michelle had considered a beautiful route from Pantaleimonas to Paralia Agii Saranta. It should go far from the Google Maps navigation, rather directly along the coast. Let’s put it this way, that we are still alive today and writing this report, seems like a miracle. Through a kilometer-long unsecured construction site in serpentine form, over sharp rocky paths, to overgrown paths on the cliff, in the middle of Nowhere. This was off-road experience at its finest, and Daniel once again demonstrated his driving skills through sweat. We definitely had a very dear guardian angel at our side. Thanks Ralfi, you still take care of your „Himbeertonis“.

The beach was beautiful, but how should this adventurous story end differently than that nothing had opened on the gorgeous beach, but we were hungry, thirsty and exhausted from the day. So it was to go back a bit and look for another place with restoration.

Chorefto

So we ended up unexpectedly and unplanned in Chorefto. The village has a really very nice campsite, which apparently also has glamping tents in high season. Unfortunately, not in low season and so we decided to rather stay near the ports construction site – once again – directly on the sea.

Of course, in the place one thing was more important than anything else: Food. There were plenty of restaurants and bars. Unfortunately, also at least as many, if not more, street dogs. Accordingly, we chose our restaurant based on the criterion of where the street dogs have the hardest time getting to. This way we landed at Petros o Sogabros. The ambience was fantastic, the service good, the seafood as well, but the street dogs still kept us a bit on our toes. All in all, however, a successful evening.

Damouchari

Just as beautiful as its name, is the place itself. Damouchari must have been born out of a dream. Picturesque alleys lead over terraces down to the harbor basin framed by large stones. On the other side of the village there is a wide white pebble beach. By the way, it was a filming location of the movie musical “Mamma Mia”.

We reached Damouchari early in the morning and enjoyed a delicious breakfast on the terrace of the family led Victoria Café. Here we met a lady from Brighton who has been returning to this place again and again for 12 years. We received numerous tips, including the recommendation to visit Fakistra Beach, which is known for its extraordinary beauty.

One breakfast turned into 2 nights in the room where Romy Schneider stayed when she visited Damouchari. Yes, this was not a joke at this point. We decided to stop at Guesthouse Ghermaniko to enjoy this dreamlike place even longer. Unsuspectingly, to our surprise, we ended up in Romy Schneider’s room, which was also beautifully, very purist but stylishly furnished. The guesthouse also belongs to the owner family of the Victoria Café and is absolutely recommended.

Many experiences and adventures followed, and in just a few days and in what is actually a very small place. Michelle received a private yoga lesson in the olive grove with Katerina, the owner of the inn. We met a new Landi friend in the owner of the Damouchari Hotel and chose our dinner ourselves in the kitchen of the Damouchari Hotel from pots on the stove. And we had dinner together with a trusting fox.

Fakistra

During our stay in Damouchari we visited Fakistra and Milopotamos beaches during the day. The way to Fakistra beach was stony and heavy. Heavy was especially Truffle on Daniel’s arm. Being a brave bullipapa, he carried our back-sick Truffle all the way down and later back up again. No idea where Daniel could take the strength from, only love can make such things possible.

However, the effort had been worth it in every case. Here again we found a paradise on earth, with impressive rocks, beautiful clear blue water, green trees and in addition a waterfall. If you like beaches, you will love this bay! You can’t see it on Trüffel in the photo, but he also enjoyed the beach day.

The beach caves of Milopotamos

The next day, the next beach followed. Not quite as paradisiacal, but also really beautiful. Not least because of its caves and rock breakthroughs.

At Milopotamos Beach we explored the caves, which are accessible only from the sea. The water and the entering light from the cave entrance bathes the caves in a blueish light. The water can sometimes make awkward noises, which can be pretty scary at times.

Our way led us further to Melania Beach, where unfortunately everything was still closed due to the season. Just like other beaches on our route. Nevertheless, we got a frappé from the extremely friendly hostess at a taverna that was actually closed and considered a plan B.

The harbor of Katigiorgis

This evening we found our pitch in the harbour of Katigiorgis. In the evening we visited Taverna Areti and were treated with mixed seafood and fish specialties. When we asked the waiter, if we could have a tsipouro „to go“ we received a cup full of ice cubes, two bottles of the clear spirit on the house and took off to our car, right across the bay. Back at the car, we backuped photos and videos, developed a few shots and watched the sun go down with our tsipouro in hand. During the night, there was a light cool breeze, cooling our tent. We slept very well.

Trikeri – the southernmost point of the Pelion Peninsula

The southernmost town of the Pelion Peninsula: Kiriaki near Trikeri. We arrived before noon, went to this beautiful town and explored the alleys, the shipyard and the backyards. Around 12pm we sat down at Manola’s taverna right by the harbor. What a beautiful, quiet day. The appetizers had just arrived when a stray cat caught Pelle’s attention. This little bad bastard broke loose along with his leash and chased the cat. We ran after him yelling “Pelle, Pelle!” but eventually he was out of sight. Thank God the cat escaped and Pelle returned to us in one of the streets. I almost had a heart attack! When we got back to our table, the whole town had gathered there. Everyone heard the crazy German tourists calling all over the village for their dog. But everyone was friendly and many asked if our dog was okay and if everything was fine, even when we were on our way back to the car later.

We ate the best fresh lobster at Manolas and then went back to the car. We set up our photovoltaic array, loaded our gear and went for a swim until thick clouds rolled in on the other side of the bay. We folded up the awning and headed back into town to Manola’s taverna – just in time before it started raining. An hour later, a thunderstorm started and it seemed impossible to return to the car without getting completely soaked. But the friendly Manolas jumped in and offered to drive us in his car across town back to our “Ralfi”. Until 3:00 am we slept on the driver’s seats, then the wind dropped and we put up our tent to be able to sleep properly for at least 4 hours. Thank you Manolas for this great day and your great seafood!

We slowly leave Pelion towards the west coast

One thing we can say now: The east coast is widely underestimated. Everyone praises and recommends the islands and the west, but what they tend to forget is how crowded it can get there. We prefer the (somewhat) more secret corners of this world and Pelion alone is worth a trip.

Continuing our journey the next day, we first stop in the small fishing village of Kóttes to have a real Greek coffee in the taverna Ψαροταβερνα Τσέτα. The old couple was very happy to see our two dogs and our visit. Although we could not communicate properly, it was a cordial meeting. At noon or in the evening there should also be delicious fish and seafood in the taverna, too bad that we do not have infinite time.

Our goals for the day were to take a shower and do laundry for the first time. So we needed a campsite that allowed both and was also on our way to the west coast. After extensive research, we decided on the Sikia campsite in the village of Kato Gatzea. Our way led us to the beautiful pebble beach Παραλία Ραζή, which was surrounded by shady trees. One look was enough and the decision was made, this is where we will make a quick stop, have a beer, unwind and maybe catch up on some sleep. This would also be a wonderful place to stand free, unfortunately we would have been out of fresh underpants. Just a stone’s throw away, we fortified ourselves with a tsipouro meze at Marabu Taverna and got to enjoy some of the best gavros on our trip. For all non-Greeks among us, these are deep-fried anchovies.

The campsite Sikia was surprisingly full. We were no longer used to that, where we were almost the only tourists far and wide everywhere else. Nevertheless, it was really nice and we could quickly understand why there has been so much going on. The clear majority of the pitches had direct sea views due to the terrace structure of the campsite and old olive trees were everywhere. On the day not only our laundry hung on the line, but also we relaxed for the first time in our hammock. In the evening we went to the tavern on the beach. The ambience was excellent, the eggplant salad, however, unfortunately not. The evening ended in a beach bar one campsite away with very good cocktails, which were prepared with dedication. Only the bar-cat Oliver did not have such a nice evening, as usual, due to our terror-pets.

Wild camping like in the adventure novel “A Winter at the Indian Creek” – only in warm

Our next goal for the day was to get as far west as possible. That is, to make a good distance. For refreshment we set ourselves a stopover at the restaurant Anabrysoúla. This restaurant is an absolute recommendation from our side. And if you like to eat trout, you can also enjoy a little adventure. If you want to eat a trout, you have to fish it out of the restaurant’s own trout pond. We preferred to stay with our Tsipouro Meze and watch the spectacle at the next table. Not far from the restaurant is a charming spot for all photographers among you. The stone bridge with its waterfalls of Palaiokarya. The very brave can also cross the lower waterfall on foot over a kind of masonry, but here water shoes are recommended.

We crossed the spectacular Mesochora Dam, but due to permitting difficulties it has never been put into operation since 2001. A classic multi-million dollar construction sin, but with beautiful blue lakes.

After a small off-road adventure through the riverbed, our campsite should be a little wilder and more natural this evening. We set up our tent right next to the river Acheloos. Here it was just us, bees, fish and the last rays of sunlight falling over the nearby mountain ranges into the valley. In places like this, you get a faint sense of what the word freedom can actually mean.

Koronisia and its lagoon

In the west of Greece, however, not only the coast was waiting for us. Michelle had picked out three spots that she really wanted to visit besides the coast. One of these spots was Koronisia, a kind of island in the Ambracian Gulf, which is only connected to the mainland by two narrow roads. Waiting for us were turtles, lots of snakes, romantic blue fishing huts, abandoned wooden boats and, unfortunately, once again a lot of street cats and a few hostile street dogs. We would have liked to stay longer, but due to the circumstances it was then only enough for an unrelaxed but very tasty meal at Γαρ Οίδα. Nevertheless, the fried cuttlefish and the bean salad on the menu are highly recommended.

Red clay site in Kokkinopilos – a rare geological phenomenon

In the middle of the otherwise inconspicuous surroundings of Kokkinopilos, a natural wonder occurs. Out of nowhere, you land in desert-like fields of red clay. It feels like being on another planet, are we suddenly on Mars? The area is not huge, but if you like it unusual, this is the place for you. The perfect ambience for offroading and photo shootings. A bit further north, the next highlight awaits: an old Roman aqueduct. Unfortunately, both are no spots to stay overnight, because high fines of 300€ can follow.

The kayak lake Zirou

However, the perfect next site is not too long in coming. At Zirou Lake, Loukas has realized his dream of a life as a dropout. After studying business and an unhappy job in a company, he now does what he is good at and fills him with pure joy: He runs his own kayak rental business. We hit it off right away with Loukas and the rest of the team and were allowed to stay overnight on his premises. In return we kept an eye on his boats, fair deal I would say. Daniel got a paddle, life jacket and kayak that very evening so he could enjoy the sunrise over the lake during a quiet kayak tour in the early morning hours. Dear Loukas, we wish you continued good luck and above all success in realizing your dream of living “into the wild“.

I almost forgot to mention something extremely important and fabulous. As dusk began to fall, we noticed that we were surrounded by an extraordinary shimmering and blinking. We were virtually standing in the middle of a sea of fireflies. A breathtakingly beautiful sight.

Free standing near Igoumenitsa

The harbor town of Igoumenitsa is probably known to most people because of its ferry connections. We find our place away from the traffic and harbor bustle in a bay called “Corfu Beach”. From the satellite pictures on Google we had hoped to be able to drive maybe completely on the beach, but unfortunately this was not possible – at least not without AT tires and their resistance to sharp-edged and pointed stones. Thanks to the additional ground clearance provided by the air suspension, however, we managed to get one “floor” lower to the water.

We park our Landi so that we can look out of the tent in the direction of the island of Corfu. In the evening we cook behind the car and are awakened at night from time to time by the roar of the ship’s diesel of the ferries passing in the far distance.

Albania

Albania has always been on our bucket list of trips so far. So if we are already in the vicinity, why should we not drive straight past and use the way back for a first visit?

In Butrint we cross over with a kind of raft that is pulled through the water by a chain drive. A bit adventurous.

After the much too short raft crossing, we bought the most delicious strawberries in the world from a street vendor and refueled at a very helpful Albanian, who gave us valuable tips. We should change money in restaurants rather than get cash at ATM machines, because they would charge a very bad exchange rate. Also, we should rather not drive up the coastal road as planned, but explore the inland and the mountains of Albania, as the coast would not represent the true Albania, but would be very touristy. Although we followed his advice regarding the money exchange, but unfortunately not the advice with the coastal road. We had a coffee and a latte in a street coffee of Ksamil and enjoyed the urban hustle and bustle around us before we went to the Musselhouse.

What awaited us here we had not guessed, it was a dreamlike place. We ordered white wine, fresh oysters and several varieties of moules. Never before had we received such creatively arranged oysters and never before had we been able to watch crab fights and schools of fish while eating mussels. The experience was rounded off by outstandingly good service and a nice and honest conversation with our waiter, who told us about the living conditions in Albania.

Everything that then waited for us between the Musselhouse and the campsite Kamping Pa Emer was worse than the gas station attendant let us fear. Although there were as hoped beautiful bays and beaches, but built with not exactly appealing hotel facilities and paved with sun loungers. Too bad coast of Albania, you could be so beautiful.

When we felt like we had reached the edge of the earth’s disk and briefly felt like we were in the back streets of Mombasa, we finally reached the campsite we were aiming for. Again, everyone was incredibly friendly and the site was natural and beautiful. Our campsite had its own beach access and the sea was so shallow for meters that it felt like you could wade through the warm water all the way to the horizon. Our highlight was the sunset over the restaurant of the campsite, which is accessible only via a long wooden walkway.

When the waiter asked us in the evening whether it was our first time in Albania and whether we would like it, I had to think briefly whether I was really telling him the truth and then I did: “The people are all very open-minded and friendly. Half of the coast is beautiful, great nature, the other half consists of the building sins of large hotel resorts and tourist strongholds.” He smirked and said that the coast was not necessarily a good representative of Albania. The true Albania would be found inland and in the mountains. We had heard that before.

He may well be right. But as much as we would have liked to visit Teth, Shkodra and the Komman on our own Albanian vacation: If you dear Albanians don’t manage to avoid at least one serious to fatal accident per hour due to your driving style, we won’t be coming back anytime soon. This is not a vacation for us. We can still laugh about farmers who drive goats or turkeys across the highway with a stick, but if, as a matter of course, despite oncoming traffic is deliberately swerved to overtake, then you can live it out without us.

Despite the adventurous to dangerous traffic behavior, we leave Albania, cross Bosnia and find our last campsite at Cape Karmenjak, near Premantura in Croatia. This is the site where our Croatia road trip along the Adriatic coast started in 2018. On the campsite Arena Stupice this travel report is created.

Our travel report “GREECE TRAVEL DOCUMENTARY | Offroad secrets along the coast: Pieria, Pelion, Damouchari, Fakistra, Trikeri” on Youtube

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Der Beitrag Offroading the coasts of Greece erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

In a previous article, we introduced you to different systems of transport boxes for car, motorhome, camping and off-road travel.

We ourselves rely on the Wolf Packs from Frontrunner for our off-road trips. But 8 black boxes that look the same are extremely impractical in everyday life. We constantly reach for the wrong box and only after opening one of the boxes do we realise that we have opened a clothes box instead of a cooking box.

To avoid this from happening and to make sure we reach for the right box, we have labelled our boxes. And we did this on all four sides, so that we don’t always have to turn the boxes around to see the labelling on just one of the sides.

So, do you just print out a small Dymo label saying “Cooking, cutlery, gas burner” four times? No, the small labels would be quite small, rigid in content and unintuitive.

Instead, we decided to print larger address labels (101mm x 54mm) with catchy symbols using our Dymo LabelWriter 550 *. Pictograms give us a quick overview of the contents of the boxes:

A pill symbol stands for medicines, a stylised dog for the accessories for our four-legged friends, a socket symbol for cables and chargers, a man and woman symbol stands for the clothing boxes and screwdrivers and spanners make the tool box recognisable.

The good thing about these thermal labels: The print is not smeared or affected by moisture and water. The labels are quite tough.

* All links marked with an asterisk are Amazon affiliate links. We receive a percentage of the purchases made through them. Our recommendations are nevertheless honest and sincere.

Der Beitrag Labelling boxes and crates for camping, motorhome, van, offroad and boat erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

The shelf is made of lightweight, black powder-coated aluminium. Thanks to the ribbed aluminium sheet, objects can be fastened to it with lashing straps.

There is room on the shelf for shoes, clothes or technical items, for example. In our case, we fastened our Powerstation to the shelf with a lashing strap. We use the remaining space on the shelf to store electrical appliances during the charging process.

The shelf is mounted on the threads to which the textile load compartment cover is normally screwed. In the centre of the tray, it has a distance of 65cm to the load compartment floor. The rack has a distance of 29cm to the roof lining.

Raised Boot Storage Rack for Land Rover Defender 2020

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Der Beitrag Raised Fixed Boot Storage Rack for New Defender 2020 erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

In 2020, the idea of off-road travel came to us. In our previous trips with the motorhome, the insulin was easy to keep cool at all times because the fridge ran on either 12 V, gas, or 230 V with “shore power” connected.

But what about power supply in our Land Rover Defender? When it comes to warmer climes, such as Greece? The good news is that anything is possible – even desert trips.

Energy-efficient and reliable cooler

Our outfitter “Offroad-Manufaktur” in Hamburg explained to us what is important for a good cooler in the vehicle:

• A cool box must be well insulated and lose little cold
• A cool box in the car should consume little energy
• The temperature should be finely and accurately adjustable
• When transporting medicines to be cooled, the cooler should be reliable

When it comes to these three disciplines, there is really no way around Engel compressor coolers. Enthusiasts rely on these units even in the most remote and warmest spots on earth. Their integrated oscillating compressors ensure that the units still cool reliably even at inclinations of 60°. Many a box has probably already passed the age of 30 years and continues to function perfectly; if defects do occur, the manufacturer promises spare parts for life. Of course, this has its price – but only the best for our insulin.

We chose the Engel MT35G-P compressor cooler with 32l capacity * because of its cooling properties and dimensions. 

Depending on the available power source, it can be operated with 12 volts, 24 volts or 230 volts. At the campsite, it can be operated with regular “shore power” and while driving with 12 V from the alternator. 

Engel SAWMT35F-G3-S Kühlbox MT35F-S 12/24/230 V mit Digitalthermometer*

• Spannung: 12/24/230 Volt
• Inhalt: 32 Liter

Amazon

Tip for saving energy: Do not operate your cooler empty. Fill the empty areas of your cooler with water bottles, beer cans or cold packs. This saves energy and the cold is retained for longer without the compressor having to work hard. By the way, this also applies to the fridge at home: a full fridge reduces the air volume and thus saves electricity.

So far so good. But what happens when we are off the grid for a longer period of time? An extraordinarily large power bank in the car and a solar panel connected to it can help.

Battery storage for electricity also “off-grid”

With a power station in the car, energy can be stored like in a large power bank. Such a station can, for example, charge while driving and simultaneously supply devices such as our cooler, batteries or smartphones with energy during the charging process.

We opted for a model with 720 watt-hour capacity: the EcoFlow RIVER Pro Power Station 720Wh *.

Explanation of the unit watt-hour (Wh) and the capacity of our system: With a capacity of 100Wh, I can operate a device that draws 100W of power for one hour. Our cooler draws a maximum of 32 W. With a capacity of 720 Wh, I can operate the cooler for 22.5 hours (720 Wh / 32 W). In reality, however, even longer, because once the cooler has cooled down at a temperature of +5°C, it may only run for 15 minutes (quarter of an hour) per hour to maintain the temperature. Of the 32 W consumption, only 8 W power consumption will then remain. At 8 W consumption, the cooler could therefore be operated for a full 90 hours. However, we have never tested this because we have never been without power for 90 hours. Of course, this all depends on the contents of the box and the ambient temperature. For us, 48 hours is enough.

This power station has more than enough output connections that can theoretically all be used simultaneously:

• 3 x USB-A (2 x 12 W (5 V; 2.4 A), 1 x 18 W (fast charging))
• 1x USB-C (100 W (5-20 V; 5 A)) 
• 3 x DC DC voltage (1x 13.6 V / 10 A / voltage regulated, 2 x DC5521 13.6 V / 3 A)
• 2x AC clean sine wave (230 V / 50 Hz (110 V / 60 Hz) | voltage regulated)

With regard to our cool box, however, only the 12V output is important. This is where we connect our cool box. No matter what we use to charge our Powerstation, whether with 12V or 230V, the Powerstation transforms the energy source and always delivers the required 12V to the cooler. So this solution is also something for lazy people like us, because we only have to take care of the power station, the cooler just stays connected.

Before we decided on our EcoFlow RIVER PRO Powerstation with 720 Wh * for reasons of price/performance and a good offer, we also had other alternatives on our minds. We have the feeling that the devices all serve their purpose, depending on the requirement. One user needs more connections or capacity, the next needs something completely different. If you are currently on the lookout, also take a look at the PowerDude 500 from Wattstunde * and the Jackery Explorer 1000 *.

Now, however, we don’t just want to supply our cool box with battery storage while on the road, but also need to charge smartphones, MacBooks or camera batteries from time to time. Thanks to the integrated inverter, this is no problem. The device produces a clean sine wave and thus also enables the charging and operation of particularly demanding and sensitive devices. However, with every connected consumer, the energy consumption also increases. So that our storage nevertheless does not empty so quickly, we can support with a foldable solar panel.

Self-sufficient power supply thanks to foldable solar panel

Our EcoFlow RIVER PRO Powerstation * can be charged with up to 200W of solar power. In full sunlight, the Powerstation should take 4 hours to charge, but we have not yet been able to test this. When choosing the solar panels, we opted for a space-saving folding system. This is not only easy to stow away, but can also be flexibly oriented towards the sun. Much better than a solar panel permanently installed on the roof, which we had initially preferred.

ECOFLOW 160W Solarpanels Faltbar Solarmodul für Delta & RIVER Serie Tragbare Powerstation, Photovoltaik Modul Solaranlage für...*

• Hocheffizientes Solarpanel: Mit dem Einsatz der Typ-N-Solartechnologie bei tragbaren Solarpanels haben wir die Messlatte mit einer...
• Einstellbar und vielseitig: Das EcoFlow NextGen 160 W Solarpanel ist mit einer von 30-60° einstellbaren Winkelhalterung und...

335,41 EUR

Amazon

Again, there were several products to choose from. Ultimately, the devices differ in the number of integrated modules, the IP class for waterproofness and the connection to the power station.

The Jackery SolarSaga 100 * solar panel then lost out to the Ecoflow 160W panel * because the latter offers IP67 protection instead of IP65, delivers 60 W more power due to more panel and comes directly with the MC4 connectors we need.

* All links marked with an asterisk are Amazon affiliate links. We receive a percentage of the purchases made through them. Our recommendations are nevertheless honest and sincere.

Der Beitrag Cooling insulin while travelling with camper vans and off-road vehicles – Diabetes goes Offroad erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

When we are travelling, we need electricity for various devices. Our cool box needs the most electricity, because it usually cools around the clock. We also charge the batteries of our devices in the evening: Our drone, cameras and other equipment also need electricity.

During the day, the alternator provides enough power for the cool box and also enough power for the smartphone and various batteries. But what happens if we stay somewhere for a longer period of time without the engine running?

There is not only one solution – it’s the mix that counts!

In order to always be somewhat self-sufficient, we want to be able to use the following energy sources:

• 12V from the vehicle’s alternator when the engine is running.
• Solar power when we are “off-grid” somewhere.
• 220V “shore power” where available
• Buffered energy from our lithium-ion battery storage system

This is the only way to ensure that our energy supply is always guaranteed, whether we are driving, standing, whether the sun is shining or not.

In addition, we wanted to use a system that allows simultaneous charging of the storage unit and delivery of electricity to other consumers. In technical jargon, this is called “through-charging”.

Powerstation with solar input and 230V sine converter

At the heart of all our considerations was the EcoFlow RIVER PRO Powerstation with 720 Wh *.
This box stores the energy generated by the vehicle as 12 V current, accepts charging current from solar panels or can also be charged at a normal 230 V socket at the campsite or somewhere in the restaurant. While the box is charging, you can simultaneously power other consumers such as camera batteries, smartphones or even the MacBook – and above all our cool box.

Our Engel M35GP cooler * consumes a maximum of 32 W. During daytime operation, once the box and its contents have cooled down, the energy consumption should be much lower, as the box does not run continuously, but only intermittently. With a storage capacity of 720 Wh and a consumption of 32 W, our cooler should last at least 22.5 hours – in reality even longer.

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The box has two normal 230 V sockets, as we know them from home. The device produces a “clean sine wave”, which means that even sensitive consumers such as laptops can cope with it. Each of the two sockets can supply a device with a maximum consumption of 600 W. This is easily enough for a MacBook. That’s easily enough for a MacBook, iPad, drone and camera batteries. There are enough sockets for them:

• 3 x USB-A (2 x 12 W (5 V; 2.4 A), 1 x 18 W (fast charging))
• 1x USB-C (100 W (5-20 V; 5 A))
• 3 x DC voltage (1x 13.6 V / 10 A / voltage regulated, 2 x DC5521 13.6 V / 3 A)
• 2x AC clean sine wave (230 V / 50 Hz (110 V / 60 Hz) | voltage regulated)

Theoretically, I can use all outputs of the box at the same time to operate or charge devices.

Before we decided on our EcoFlow RIVER PRO Powerstation with 720 Wh * for reasons of price/performance and a good offer, we also had other alternatives on our minds. We have the feeling that the devices all serve their purpose, depending on the requirement. One user needs more connections or capacity, the next needs something completely different. If you are currently on the lookout, also take a look at the PowerDude 500 from Wattstunde * and the Jackery Explorer 1000 *.

Fill up with sun – charging with solar power

Our EcoFlow RIVER PRO Powerstation * can be charged with up to 200W of solar power. In full sunlight, the Powerstation should take 4 hours to charge, but we have not yet been able to test this. When choosing the solar panels, we opted for a space-saving folding system. This is not only easy to stow away, but can also be flexibly oriented towards the sun. Much better than a solar panel permanently installed on the roof, which we had initially preferred.

ECOFLOW 160W Solarpanels Faltbar Solarmodul für Delta & RIVER Serie Tragbare Powerstation, Photovoltaik Modul Solaranlage für...*

• Hocheffizientes Solarpanel: Mit dem Einsatz der Typ-N-Solartechnologie bei tragbaren Solarpanels haben wir die Messlatte mit einer...
• Einstellbar und vielseitig: Das EcoFlow NextGen 160 W Solarpanel ist mit einer von 30-60° einstellbaren Winkelhalterung und...

335,41 EUR

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Again, there were several products to choose from. Ultimately, the devices differ in the number of integrated modules, the IP class for waterproofness and the connection to the power station.

The Jackery SolarSaga 100 * solar panel then lost out to the Ecoflow 160W panel * because the latter offers IP67 protection instead of IP65, delivers 60 W more power due to more panel and comes directly with the MC4 connectors we need.

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* Bei allen Links, die mit dem Sternchen markiert sind, handelt es sich um Amazon Affiliate Links. Wir werden prozentual an den darüber getätigten Einkäufen beteiligt. Unsere Empfehlungen sind trotzdem ehrlich und aufrichtig.

Der Beitrag Off-road self-sufficient with solar power and battery storage erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

Quick Pitch Roof Tent

Aluminium hard-shell roof tent. Resistant to external forces, sheets can remain in the tent, fast pitching and folding, accessories can be attached to the tent frame.

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Quick 270° Awning

In just 20 seconds, this awning folds 270° around the car to provide shade in the sun and keep you dry when it rains.

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Tire repair set

A good tip: Practice beforehand

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Gardena Roll Fix water hose

Never use publicly accessible water hoses! Chances are good that someone else has already held it in a faeces tank.

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MAXTRAX MKII Mudboard

Sand not as load-bearing as you thought? Put the board in, drive out, done.

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Handheld radio unit

A real-time radio connection is useful. For example, when the co-driver keeps an eye on the ground clearance from outside.

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Engel Fridge MT35

What’s important when it comes to a cooling box? It should consume very low energy, should hold the temperature for a long time, should have temperature selection, should be able to use 12V/24V in the car or 220V landline. Here it is.

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EcoFlow RIVER Pro portable Power Station 720Wh

This device is a large lithium-ion battery with an inbuild 230V transformer and solar charge controller. It can power the cooler and our electronics, while or after charging via solar panel or the 12V generated by the car’s motor.

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ECOFLOW 160W portable Solar Panel

Connects with our powerstation and provides us with free energy, when staying off-grid.

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Double sleeping bag

Usable from temperatures around 5°C. Large enough for two persons and two small dogs. Fits perfectly into our Quick Pitch roof tent.

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Melamine camping tableware

We like the tablewares from “Moritz”. Light and indestructable, but fancy.

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Sofirn SP33 V3.0 LED 3500 Lumen flashlight

It’s light, small and bright as f***, but brightness can be adjusted to your needs. Can be charged via USB-C.

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TP-Link M7200 mobile network router

This little friend helps us to keep our connection to the internet everywhere in the world. We just insert a SIM-card, enter the cards pin and our M7200 spans its WiFi for all our devices, providing us with internetconnection even in the most remote albanian mountain areas.

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Der Beitrag Our Offroad-Travel gear: Roof tent, Defender and more erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.

How does one get the idea?

At the beginning of the Corona pandemic, we were longing for a way to travel flexibly and without much effort. Spontaneously pack a few things, go to a nice place, for example somewhere on the banks of the Weser, and then spend the evening there.

Land Rover was offering a test drive of the new Land Rover Defender at that time. You could rent it with a roof tent for a weekend. We were hooked – until we saw the price for this short adventure. Nevertheless, the idea remained in our minds. We liked the new Defender anyway, we had seen it rather by chance at a Jaguar dealer and were thrilled by the design. In our eyes, a contemporary successor to the original Defender had been designed.

In 2021, we were then on the road in Slovenia with the motorhome. Narrow mountain passes and hour-long descents are only little fun with 4.5 tonnes and 7m in length. Often the dimensions mean that you can’t visit some remote regions at all. Thus, large parts of the Triglav National Park remained hidden from us and we were also denied access to large parts of the Bohinj area. Some passages near Kobarid or in the vineyards in the north were possible – but with big sweat stains under our arms. Once again, we remembered our romantic idea of the 4×4 off-road vehicle with roof tent.

By the way, you can watch our travel report about Slovenia here on Youtube.

In Kobarid, at Camp Lazar, we met a couple from Munich one evening who were visiting Slovenia with a roof tent and Landi. We exchanged ideas and were now a bit more sure that we would like this kind of adventure. With the right vehicle, Albania tours, Greece road trips or an autumn in the French Maritime Alps seemed more real than with our RV. Someday we would fulfil this dream, we told ourselves. Sometime in a few years.

On 13 November 2021, my father Ralf died at the age of 65. He spent the first and last month of his retirement in the hospice. He used to say “life, that’s what happens while you are busily making other plans”. In the last weeks together, I talked a lot with him. Among other things, about the time when he drove off-road vehicles himself: Isuzu Trooper, Nissan Terrano. We exchanged ideas about the right tyres and equipment, technical features and some anecdotes that were nothing but fragments and nebulous memories from my childhood for me.

Aware that life can be short and some plans should not be postponed for too long, moreover in a kind of “quarter-life crisis” in which I emulated my father out of a search for comfort in various attitudes and interests, we ordered our Defender 110 in mid-January. On 4 February the time had come and we brought our white “Ralfi” home from Schwerin.

The right off-road and camping equipment – compromise vs. compromise

Our cherished motorhome cannot replace an off-road vehicle and neither can the Hymer be replaced by the Defender. We cannot expect the comfort of the motorhome in the off-road vehicle. We suddenly have to deal with things that are taken for granted in the motorhome: Fresh water, hot water, heating, cooling, sleeping arrangements. All these points can only be considered much more rudimentary, one could also say more purist, due to lack of space and weight. And that is fun. Compared to a motorhome, these are simply always compromises. But it is precisely this weighing up of compromises against each other to find the optimum compromise that is so much fun – and, unfortunately, also quickly hits the wallet.

Sleeping in the roof tent

A roof tent is needed. But a huge choice does not make the decision process any easier. Normal roof tents are the lightest, cheapest and take up less space on the vehicle roof. Hard-shell roof tents are expensive, quicker to erect and dismantle, often more fuel-efficient but above all more resistant to stripped branches and moisture.

Hybrid tents combine the advantages (and disadvantages) of both concepts. In the end, a certain laziness also led to the decision in favour of the hard-shell roof tent. The bedding can stay in the tent, you don’t have to move it around, you save space in the car and the set-up times are simply faster. At first we favoured the “Airlander Plus” or the “Alu-Cab 3.1” and then finally came to the “Quickpitch” aluminium hard-shell tent.

A big advantage here is the possibility of attaching equipment such as awnings, headlamps or sand boards directly to the tent frame. Even the attachment of solar panels is possible. The Quickpitch tent has one (!) continuous hinge for opening and is slightly cheaper than similar tents.

Keyword awning: With the 270° awning, Quickpitch offers an awning that can be attached to the tent and folded out 270° around the car. It doesn’t get any more convenient than this.

Tyres for off-road use

The smaller the rim, the more “rubber” the tyre may have. And the more rubber there is between the rim and the tyre, the tougher the tyre is. The standard 19″ rims have to go, instead we need off-road all-terrain tyres with winter properties (Alpine symbol). Already my father was a big fan of General tyres, reason enough for me to put my trust in this brand. Of course, the original Land Rover 18″ rims would be ideal, but at 320€ for a simple, no-frills steel rim (!) the fun stops for me. I’d rather go for the Dotz Kalahari for around 250€ and invest the money in good tyres instead.

Sitting, eating, drinking, living

There are great concepts where tables and chairs can be inserted into the roof rack when driving. Sounds great at first, if you can save cargo space in the vehicle. However, if you have to clean the furniture of brake dust and road dirt before each use, you quickly abandon this plan.

Space-saving aluminium chairs and a rollable aluminium tables are more practical – above all, we already have both in our RV-motorhome.

Water canisters on the roof look cool. In winter in the Alps, however, not a good idea. Much more practical is a water tank that can be installed between the front seats and the folded-down rear seat. The water is then at room temperature and does not unnecessarily increase the vehicle’s centre of gravity.

This is just the beginning

As you can see, there are endless questions to deal with as a newcomer and many more questions will follow. One thing is certain: we will embark on this adventure, this new way of travelling. We are looking forward to many travel stories on our blog, which were only made possible by our “Ralfi”. Stay tuned!

Der Beitrag 4×4 with the New Defender – our new way to travel erschien zuerst auf Pixelfriedhof.