Bertha

Bertha

After nearly a month I thought it was time for a review of our motorhome – Bertha.

She is a German (Burstner) body on a Ducato chassis, with a Fiat 2.3 litre diesel engine. A real European mix. Mechanically, puncture aside, she has performed well, particularly downhill where we can nearly keep up with other vehicles. Uphill she is slow. After nearly 2500 miles (the English have their own unique metric system) she is averaging 33 miles to the gallon, which probably only makes sense if you are aged over 50.

Internally we have discovered that over time she is shrinking in direct proportion to the amount we are expanding. The heating system is fantastic, the kitchen bench almost non existent and both the shower and toilet uncomfortably tight.

Our two main grizzles are:

1. The sound insulation at night, accentuated by the number of Spanish and Portuguese who have dogs that bark between 10pm and 3am.
2. Ben our navigator (satnav). It is a love hate relationship between Ben, Gretel and myself. To be fair to Gretel it is Ben that instigates most of the arguments. Roundabouts and narrow alleyways can be a nightmare. We already have two scratches due to Ben assuring me that we would fit, and we didn't. It becomes a bit scary when you find yourself in a maze of alleyways, not knowing if you are going to have to retrace your twists and turns in reverse.

Features of Ben we are most impressed with are:

1. The ability of the shower to convert to a drying room. This has been a lifesaver when you realise that we have only used one laundrette to date – lots of hand washing.
2. Good storage. Lots more than we need.