What earned its keep — and what sulked in a cupboard
There’s a point on a long road trip where the shiny gear and clever systems either step up… or reveal themselves as dead weight. This month made that crystal clear. A few things became absolute heroes. A few languished in the garage looking guilty. And one device walked off with the Top Gadget Award.
System of the month: Connectivity
No contest.
This month belonged to connectivity.
Between the Huawei and Beryl router combination, the Poynting aerial, the backup router, Pip’s Holafly eSIM, my Fonus physical SIM, and the stack of Orange Holiday cards, the whole digital skeleton of the trip performed like a champ. Not glamorous, but essential. It kept us online for planning, mapping, editing, uploading, and—let’s be honest—talking to ChatGPT.
The shocker?
We’re ploughing through 100GB every 10–14 days. Didn’t see that coming. Not complaining—just nursing the data plans like they’re fine wine.
Top 5 gadgets (Reverse order)
5. Soda-stream
Used every day. Pip gets her tonic, I get my cherry cola, and we avoid carrying heavy bottles around. Small footprint, big morale boost.
4. EcoFlow Delta Pro + River 2
The silent workforce. They sit there humming quietly, covering gaps, smoothing over campsite oddities, and keeping the motorhome ecosystem active. The Delta Pro handles the essential equipment, the River 2 powers the TV and charges our phones and tablets.
3. Kärcher Window Vac
Condensation assassin. Protects our rolling home from damp and keeps the mornings civilised. Has justified its space three times over.
2. Coffee Machine
Needs no explanation. Warmth. Comfort. Identity. If we ever lose it, we’d have to buy another, immediately.
1. Garmin Satnav — Top Gadget Award
Winner by a country mile.
100% accurate.
Reads GPS coordinates like a savant.
Calm, steady, and never passive-aggressive when we ignore it.
It has become the quiet, capable third member of the driving team.
The “Better Luck Next Month” List
(a.k.a. What didn’t get much love)
1. Instant Pot
Used once. Performed well. Then took the rest of the month off.
2. Kitchen Aid Stick Blender
Completely untouched. Probably sulking.
3. Kayak
Packed with optimism… defeated by a knee injury. Six major rivers and not a single dip. Stayed in the garage like an unused gym membership.
4. Nintendo Switch
Turns out leaving the dock at home was a mistake. Handheld mode doesn’t suit me, so it’s had a quiet month.
5. Awning
Not allowed on aires, not needed on the three sites we stayed on. A model of restraint.
Top Apps of the Month
1. Camping-Car Park
A total game changer. Reliable, bookable, pitch numbers visible. It’s become our first stop for every nomad decision.
2. Camera + Photoshop Mobile
Used daily. The workhorses behind our visual record.
3. ChatGPT
Now fully part of the team. Not even pretending otherwise.
4. PolarSteps
Used daily to chart our progress
5. My Lebara
Keeps us sober about data use. Not flashy, but necessary when you’re burning through gigabytes like kindling.
Special mention – Merlin – birdsong recognition
Brilliant… and slightly unsettling. The way it makes every bird in a 200-metre radius go quiet when it’s switched on is borderline supernatural.
Final Thought
Life on the road simplifies things. You quickly find out what earns its keep and what’s just along for the ride. This month’s list reflects exactly that: comfort, reliability, and anything that reduces faff rises to the top. Everything else can wait its turn.
