If you’ve ever attended a CMCA Rally, there is a good chance you’ve had the pleasure of meeting solo traveller and Trakka Sandpiper owner, John Babb. It’s not unusual for a Trakka Family member to hold onto their campervan or motohome for many years… John for instance, took delivery in 2005 after upgrading from a Toyota Coaster. The Trakka Sandpiper was our second ever coach-built motorhome we produced and the flagship of its time. Based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cab chassis, it featured corner kitchen, large lounge and a combined shower/bath. Back then our coach-built motorhomes came standard as 4 berth with the ‘over cab bed’, or as they’re known now – Trakkaway Aero4. Ever wanted to know what a very well lived in camper looks like??We caught up with John at the Bathrust CMCA Rally to photograph how he travels and find out what he loved about his Trakka Sandpiper.

The best features are the lounges at the front where I have plenty of space for a few friends and the corner kitchen bench area. My least favourite would probably be the swivelling toilet.

It was tricky for John to pinpoint his most memorable place to travel to in Australia, but he narrowed it down to Southern parts of Western Australia – Albany, Esperance etc.

We caught up with John at the Bathurst CMCA Rally earlier this year and I had the privilege of a guided tour of a piece of John’s life on the road. I found it particularly intriguing (as a self proclaimed over-packer), seeing how John had fit his life into a compact space, personalised his camper with plenty of household gadgets and what sorts of items were deemed necessity and packed for full time traveller.

Below is a Trakka Sandpiper ad from the Wanderer Magazine July, 2006. For those attending the Canberra Rally in October, please check in with John for me (you’re guaranteed a good chuckle) and see how his ukulele classes are going!!

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