Sardinia on Four Wheels: The Journey Begins
Two Months Through Spain, Sardinia, Italy, and France in a Swift Kontiki Grand Prix
By David Evans
The Great Escape… Almost
Every great adventure starts with a little chaos, and ours was no exception.
We travel in a Swift Kontiki Grand Prix, an 8.2-metre, six-berth motorhome that offers luxury, freedom, and — if you own one — a steady dose of drama.
After five months waiting for routine warranty repairs, the dealership called just three days before departure.
“Your drain’s blocked,” he said.
“It isn’t,” I replied. “It’s the valve — the one I mentioned two weeks ago.”
He disagreed. I drove down, proved my point, and left with a new problem — a waste valve that now wouldn’t close. Add a missing fly screen, no new bed slats, and the memory of five anxious months, and the countdown to launch was far from smooth. Still, the running lights worked — small victories count.
Kontiki Grand Prix – “Packed, repaired (only some), and finally on our way .”
Countdown to Departure
Forty-eight hours before departure, the van finally rolled back onto the drive.
Clothes packed, cupboards loaded, grandchildren Max (12) and Esme (10) bubbling with excitement — and the house locked down for two months away.
A few pre-flight checks:
- My son agreed to visit daily so the insurance stayed valid.
- I extended my own travel cover (Barclays charged £60 for the extra days).
- My wife’s StaySure policy already covered 90 days abroad — worth comparing.
- Both of us carried printed copies and Global Health Insurance Cards, free from the Post Office and essential for European travel.
Preparation – Paperwork & Equipment
At 4.5 tonnes and nearly 3 metres high with the air-con, the Kontiki isn’t exactly small — more a rolling apartment with opinions.
Before leaving, I double-checked European breakdown cover (most recovery firms won’t touch anything over 3.5 tonnes).
Once that was sorted, I began loading the essentials — and then some.
The Paperwork
- Driving licence, V5C, insurance documents, and passports
- European breakdown cover confirmation
- Holiday insurance and Global Health Cards
- Authorisation letter from the grandchildren’s parents — border officers do ask
The Safety Kit
- Hi-vis vests for all passengers
- Warning triangle with lights (soon to be electronic in the EU)
- Spare wheel, foam refill, and inflator
- Mosquito zapper — a sanity-saver in southern campsites
Power & Connectivity
- Electric hook-up leads, UK plug extension, and long extension for distant site points
- EU plug adapters (handy on ferries and older sites)
- HGV-grade satnav with height and weight alerts
- Laptop, iPad, iPhone, JBL speaker, all charging leads, spare batteries, TV remotes, Amazon Fire Stick, HDMI lead, earphones, and USBs
Kitchen & Cooking
The motorhome kitchen may be compact, but with the right setup it works beautifully — especially if you plan ahead for the heat.
- Air fryer with inner containers — perfect for quick, clean cooking, though in southern Europe it can get too hot inside the van, so most meals are best cooked outside.
“At 35°C, cooking inside a motorhome is like sitting in your own oven.” - Cadex gas hob and spare gas canister — ideal for al fresco cooking when the temperature climbs.
Note: many campsites only offer 6 amps; you’ll need at least 10 amps for the air fryer. - Gas bottles filled before departure — fittings vary across Europe.
- After last year’s LPG shortages, I had refillable gas tanks fitted — easy to top up at petrol stations and far cheaper than bottles.
- Cutery-Crockery-Microwave disher-Insert for Ninja-Egg boiler-Sandwich toaster-Low watt kettle
- There are strict rules on bringing meat and dairy back into the UK, so I keep it simple: spices, curry mixes, stir-fry sauces, cereals, and other long-life essentials for the duration.
- Lightweight packets beat tins every time when saving space and weight.
Lidl and Aldi are reliable across most of Europe (though not in Sardinia) — fresher and cheaper than home. Food and most goods in Sardinia tend to be 25% more expensive than mainland Italy, but you can still get wine cheaper than water of milk for the same amount. Lots of pasta burt soem items limited (curries etc) . Main food shops in Sardinia are Spar and Crai. Excellent fruit and honey from pop up stalls on the side of the road.
Branded items like Heinz and Kellogg’s, however, tend to cost more abroad.
Water & Fluids
- Long hose and assorted fittings
- Funnels – one for fresh water, others for everything else
- Flat plastic water carrier for top-ups
- Spare petrol or diesel container
- Screen wash, AdBlue, toilet chemicals, gloves, and wipes
Tools & Maintenance
- Tool-box with essentials
- Spare wing mirror (learnt the hard way – almost impossible to replace in Europe)
- Cleaning materials for interior and exterior
Outdoor Gear
- Groundsheet, chairs, and table
- Awning, extra guy ropes, and solar lights to mark them at night. Pegs. Sun screen or blanket andf fittings
- Portable air conditioning or fans
- Spare batteries, chargers, and portable speaker
- Ice making machine
Every inch of space was planned and every checklist ticked.
It’s not overpacking — it’s survival with style.
Internet Links
Staying connected on the road is easier than ever — but there are a few things worth knowing.
- O2 and most UK providers now cap European data at 50GB, even if your plan says “unlimited.”
Tesco Mobile, however, still offers unlimited data in Europe until at least 2026. - Many campsites provide Wi-Fi fast enough for Netflix or Amazon Prime, but if you want BBC iPlayer, ITVX or Channel 4, you’ll need to hotspot through your UK SIM.
- Downloading an eSIM is another great option for unlimited holiday data — though it won’t allow access to UK-only TV apps.
📱 Tip: use campsite Wi-Fi when it’s good, your UK SIM when it’s not, and keep an eSIM as a backup.
Medicine Cabinet
When you’re far from home, a well-stocked medicine kit is worth its weight in gold.
- First-aid travel kit
- Regular meds (keep prescription proof or NHS access)
- Butterfly stitches
- Paracetamol, antiseptic cream, and spray
- Itch cream for bites
- Mouthwash and cotton buds
- Spray-on “plastic skin”
- Antihistamines (check local restrictions)
- Imodium
- Mosquito repellents – Incognito, Jungle Formula, citronella oil and candles (outdoor use only)
- Ross Prickly Heat Ointment
💊 Medicines, vitamins, and supplements are far more expensive in Europe — €40 for 30 Omega-3 tablets isn’t unusual. Stock up before you go.
Why Sardinia?
Sardinia had lingered on my wish list for years — an island of contrasts, promising not just sunshine but space to breathe.
Unlike mainland resorts, it offers untamed landscapes and beaches that could rival the Caribbean.
Granite cliffs frame turquoise bays; pine forests hide winding roads made for exploration.
From the flamingo lagoons near Alghero to the pink-granite coves of the north, Sardinia’s wild interior and coastline made every kilometre worthwhile.
Campsite Strategy
Some travellers like the spontaneity of turning up and seeing what’s free.
I prefer a booked pitch, a solid electric hook-up, and a shower not shared with wildlife.
Eurocamp and Pitch-Up sites are generally reliable, though not always — as Sardinia later proved.
Reviews, maps, and Google Earth became my nightly reading before we left.
Road Planning & Tolls
We balanced scenic detours with motorway convenience.
French tolls can sting — €40 for a few hours isn’t unusual — but Spain has dropped most, and Sardinia has none.
Our return route from Genoa to Calais totalled around €160–€180 in tolls — steep, but worth the time saved.
We skipped the Mont Blanc Tunnel (€68) this year, winding west through the Côte d’Azur, over the Alps, through Burgundy and Champagne, before the final dash to Calais.
🚫 One rule: never sleep at service stations near Calais — reports of break-ins have risen. Rural sites just a few miles inland are safer. Check your van ( garages-overhead beds-wardrobes) before entering the tunnel area as it can be expensive if you have human cargo on board.
Spain to the Mediterranean
Our journey began on familiar tarmac — the M6 and M5 south from the Wirral to Devon — overnighting at Pottswood Touring Campsite.
The next morning, we reached Plymouth Ferry Port for the 15:45 sailing to Santander — a smooth 20-hour crossing that docks at 13:00 the next day, nearly a full day quicker than Portsmouth’s route.
To Sardinia
From Barcelona Port, we boarded a Grimaldi Lines overnight ferry to Porto Torres.
Landing early the next morning, we drove 35 km to Camping Village Laguna Blu, Alghero-Fertilia, for our first week on the island.
Then 240 km via SS131 → SS125 to Camping Village L’Ultima Spiaggia, Bari Sardo, for two glorious weeks.
Next came 90 km south to Tiliguerta Camping, Muravera, for another week, and finally 230 km north to Camping Village Isuledda, Cannigione — four and a half hours of pure island scenery.
Genoa to the Côte d’Azur
From Genoa, we followed the A10 → A8 (300 km, ~€50 in tolls) to Fréjus, staying at Camping Les Lauriers Roses.
Then 430 km inland via A8 → A51 → A43 to Family Camping Savoie, swapping salt air for mountain cool.
Burgundy, Champagne & Home
From Savoie, we drove 270 km to Camping de l’Arquebuse, Athée, then another 300 km to Camping de Châlons-en-Champagne — calm nights among the vineyards.
Finally, 280 km north to Camping St Louis, near Calais, before the 12 km hop to the Channel Tunnel (Le Shuttle) at Coquelles — our gateway home.
Back in Britain
Rolling off the train in Ashford, we made one final overnight stop at Lee Valley Camping & Caravan Park, then turned north for home via the M25, M1, M6, M58, and M53 — the Kontiki humming steadily toward the Wirral, 5,000 kilometres older, dustier, and packed with stories of beaches, ferries, and friends met along the way.
Up Next
As the Kontiki rolled back onto the Wirral, I couldn’t help but smile.
Two months on the road had brought more than miles — it had delivered stories, laughter, and a new respect for the beauty and variety of Europe.
Next stop: the Brittany Ferry to Spain, where the adventure truly begins — mountain roads, Mediterranean light, and the long drive south before crossing to Sardinia, the island that had waited on our wish list for far too long.