I'm going to jump in here..
I've got the same style of wanderlust, and always sit on the sofa dreaming of being sat in the van on the Western Isles whilst it's lagging down with rain. Something cathartic about it all, I guess.
Almost eight years ago I bought a VW T5 after trekking home from Austria on my bike in the lousiest weather you could imagine. I was overtaken by dry & comfortable people in T5 vans with their bike in the back..! It was a game changer for me.
We colloquially know the van as The Love Bus, and I still have it now as my 'main' car. I don't do that many miles and it's just so useful it's like a comfy pair of slippers by now.
I've camped in it up in Scotland, and fitted an Eberspacher blown air heater under the drivers seat to stave off hypothermia. I've cleared houses, moved anything from motorbikes to garden rubbish, white goods to pushbikes and more.
I really don't know how I'd feel about replacing it, it's just such a comfy all rounder.
I use a camp bed with a small homemade kitchen style unit that lifts in & out. It's fitted with a tailgate rather than twin doors, and providing it's not windy, I lift the cooking bit out & use the single gas ring from a small gas bottle. I have twin 5 litre water containers, one clean one for used, and a single pump style tap into a shallow bowl.
For overnighting, it's very adequate for a solo traveller (Mrs SBM wouldn't entertain it..) especially a solo traveller plus small dog...who barks at every leaf rustle, even at 4am...
The spec of the van is such that it's a car first & foremost, and a play van secondary. It's got five doors and a sunroof, and all the necessary electrical toys, mirrors, satnav etc and I love it's versatility.
I can't stand up in it, but dress adequately and stand outside for final adjustments. It has ambulance tint style rear windows, so just some window insulation that is fixed by magnets is fine.
It's a five cylinder turbo diesel with a six speed box and regularly turns out 35mpg plus, with a VEL of just over £200.
You'll never get the perfect compromise, rather like owning a Morgan, but for the odd occasions I pretend to be Bear Grylls it suits me just fine!!
