Seven action packed days on the #Bristanbul challenge

Rather than steal all the glory for this performance I should of course acknowledge that the extra insulation in the Bailey Alu-Tech design did mean the heat produced was retained very efficiently inside the vehicles.

My hopes of travelling to warmer climates on this year’s Bristol to the Bosphorus challenge and swapping my duffle coat for the Bermuda shorts have already been slightly dashed with unexpected weather. Now writing from the Sahil Kamp at Istanbul in Turkey, I am looking out over the Black Sea and reflecting on the trip so far.

Similar to last year’s Arctic Adventure, I have been keen to share the load of the considerable amount of towing time but here the pine forests of Scandinavia have been replaced with the mountains and valleys of the former Yugoslav republics, Albania and Greece.

Getting behind the wheel and towing around downtown Tirana in a Thunderstorm and with a distinct lack of road markings (maybe they had been washed away) was suitable preparation for the journey into Istanbul.

My role in the team so far aside from the driving seems to have focused on the washing up which with 11 of us is no small matter.

I was also the first to shower in one of the vehicles (up to that point the team where using site facilities), as the provider of Truma Combi heating system I could hardly let someone else take the lead.

I feel thrilled to have been a part of this journey and offered the chance to excite the team with our air conditioning system and both of our brands of motor mover. For me, it is seven countries in seven days and once we reach Istanbul and look out over the Bosphorus towards Asia I may even get the chance to treat the team to a glass of ice cold Raki to wash down their Turkish kebab!

I have had a working relationship with Bailey of Bristol for over sixteen years now and in that time I have been involved in countless projects and new product designs.

I value the partnership and hope it sets a high bar for a strong supplier/customer relationship, with the key to this success being co-operation and understanding of what the goals are for the caravan or motorhome owner.

My discussions with the team start very early in upcoming projects to heat, cool and move the vast range of Bailey caravans and motorhomes and we test each of our ideas to ensure the best performance possible is achieved.

It is in both my DNA and Truma’s company values for staff to not only to use motorhomes and caravans during the warm summer months, but to get stuck in on the more adventurous & exhilarating trips which put our products to the test.