HI Kamil and Helena,
This is christine of TardisDeli. Use us for your home base in Vancouver and canada, stay here a while, use us for mailing address, and insurance address. For car insurance, Pablo & Anna got The General insurance when leaving Mexico, valid for USA and Canada (third party only, used a USA address of his friend).
Dont go crazy buying stuff, the less you carry the better (says me who considers a microwave in my L300 essential). But as a search n rescue instructor, here's my opinions .... yes everyone has opinions, so no-one needs to flame me, and especially no moderators to moderate my opinions.
The more obvious you are (lifts, snorkel, roof rack, big tires, lots of gear inside) the more you can NOT leave your vehicle (to go shopping, to go for hikes) for fear of people breaking-in or stealing the van. Remember, most break-in thefts are by people who only want $5 dollars of stuff to buy their next drug fix, so your vehicle is too tempting. One guy had to miss Machu Pichu because he did not want to leave his valuable vehicle alone for 5 days to get there and back.
Norway is similar to BC. I took the train way up Norway, looked just like northern alaska, dead grassy tundra for miles, I gave up at Tromso and took the train back. Bergen reminded me of middle coastal BC, and southern alaska coast, wet wet wet rain blowing sideways, but beautiful scenery and old fishing villages and fjords. Oslo very similar to Vancouver.
You can drive across Canada via the paved Trans Canada Highway, which runs straight across the bottom of Canada. It is open year round (you might stop for 1 or 2 days if bad snow storms coming, you must have a snowflake icon on the tire rating markings), otherwise you can drive the entire distance one way in a week or 2 without side trips (guys brag about doing it in 5 days). Alaska and Northern BC, and any mountain areas best from May 24 to September 15, as no snow on roads. 3 to 4 weeks for Vancouver to top of Alaska and Back, you will drive a lot, but much of the scenery is the same for miles (think Tromso and nothingness). To get to Vancouver Canada, you just drive the typical coastal highway route through south america, then Highway 101 through California (deserts lovely) and Oregon (ocean coast villages, or inland mountains) and Washington USA. Vancouver is one hour from the USA border. You'll see tons of the worlds best scenery, on paved roads, with no problems.
While travelling in USA and Canada, we park overnight in Walmart or other big stores (use their toilets, buy groceries), or boat launch ramps, or truck stops. But if you look like you're camping, the police might move you on, so "stealth van-camping" is best, you quietly park in a far corner of the lot, and don't cook, don't slam doors open while making beds etc ... you stop somewhere a few minutes away to set up for the night and close the curtains etc ... then drive a few minutes to the Walmart and slide over the centre console into the back, no doors slamming etc.
TIRES: Your tires are the same size as mine, I have BFG AT and I have used them for 5.5 years of L300 driving, and leading the herd of delicas on camping weekends. Do NOT go off the gravel forestry roads ALONE as you might get stuck and starve to death. Gravel Logging roads are in good condition by law, the forestry company must maintain the roads as part of the cost of the tree cutting license, or else the logging company will put a big gate over them to prevent people getting in and then doing a legal lawsuit to sue them for damages to their vehicle. Our roads are not like Russia.
MUST: small tire compressor with built in guage, tires can run "aired down" if you get stuck, you air down to between 15 to 25 psi (yes 15, short time in emergency) and this makes your tire print larger so more grip, then when you're out of danger re-inflate the tires (I run 38 to 40 psi on roads). Oh, Costco carries your tire size in BFG at the cheapest price.
Two spare tires, already on rims. Essential in north and south america, if not on paved roads, as our rocks are "younger' than australia and asia. Rocks breaks with sharper edges, so can pierce the sidewalls of tires, no repairable (too much pressure on the sidewalls). If your tire is too big for the spare tire rack underneath, you can carry it slightly deflated so it fits, then just top up with the compressor once it is on. I have a second tire I carry on the roof (rear) for off-road camping, do not fully inflate it if you will be in sunny areas as the heat can quickly raise it to 50 psi and burst it off the rim bead.
LIFT: TardisDeli has driven many logging roads, and NEVER needed a lift kit. Lift kits can weaken the vehicle (those Mitsubishi Engineer experts designed this beautiful vehicle, then you and your friends drink a few beer and suddenly think you know better than the highly trained team of engineers ... bad things happen with beer). Lift only needed if you you want to 'rock-crawl' (often with beer drinking) but that should only be done with friends able to pull your van out, and only if you want to go home without your vehicle when it is stuck in mud and marsh and rocks. Driving off the gravel road is VERY impolite, as it kills fragile plants and trees. From experience, we have pulled many delicas out of mud, it takes 2 delicas to pull one delica stuck in mud (only 1 delica needed for gravel road pulling). In Canada if there is no proper road, the reason is usually that the ground is too wet for safety, the road will sink, so don't drive it in your heavy vehicle. Pablo and Anna of Viajeros4x4x4 drove from Spain through Africa and South America and Vancouver, and Alaska with NO lift, and smaller tires than mine, and minimal gear, no problem.
MUST: A block heater, this you plug in at night if cold to keep the engine oil and coolant from freezing.
MUST: Bug screens for mosquitos, on the 2 front windows so you can sleep with them open in hot June to August weather, and the best screens are made in australia. You might want one (magnetic) for the sliding door.
Hi-lift jack, NO, it is the most dangerous piece of "safety gear", injures people as is very unstable (you see them on jeeps and landrovers, they look pretty) we took a course in them last year and even the experts fear them. INSTEAD, buy a second small delica jack so you can lift either the front or rear and put rocks or traction under the tires (shovel some rocks under). BETTER to create your personal system of expensive ropes and pulleys with protector pads around trees or rocks in a triangle shape, and learn knots. For ropes and knots, go to Master-Pull in Bellingham USA one hour from here, to buy superb rope at good prices, and they can teach you how to set up a system especially for your L300 (or in Australia go find a Land Rover expedition team to teach you). My rule is, if you drive alone, only drive in normal gear, then if you get stuck can go into 4WD high to get out, or 4WD low if badly stuck. Never drive through a puddle of water without walking it first yourself with a stick to see how deep it is. Australia sells sand tracks, metal pads to put in front of tires when stuck, get the kind that also work in mud (yup, when I was going via greyhound bus to alice springs Austrlia we got stuck in muddy soft sand on the side of the highway miles from anywhere, the driver had us get off the bus, remove our luggage and PUSH the bus out - true story). Most people never use their sand tracks (pretty) but if you need them to make you happy then buy in australia... look on I just say use a sharp shovel the dig around the tires and put rocks in front of tires. A winch is not practical on the L300, not strong enough to pull you out if mounted on the L300 front bambi bars; our undercarriage does not carry forward of the axle (your strongest front point to attach a tow rope to is around the axle, but be careful not to bend the axle); you could have a special rear bumper welded to attach a winch to. A respected expert on hi-lift styles:
http://www.overlandexpo.com/overland-te ... a-jac.html
MUST: 12 Volt works in any country in the world, but 12 volt is very small power, so an electric blanket or a heater just gets a little warm not hot, BUT the plug itself gets very hot. Do not use the dleica 12 volt plugs for any longer than a minute, as the wire is too small. Have a professional Boat installer put a proper marine grade 12 volt plug, with a proper wire, with its OWN expensive fuse, direct from the battery. My 12 volt kettle takes 30 minutes to boil a litre of water while driving, then I put it in the Thermos to use next morning for breakfast so we don't have to put the stove on in the damp morning. If you're in bear country, the only way to be safe is never cook or put food inside your vehicle, hmmmmm, how are you going to bring food ... so already your vehicle smells of food, now just be careful, never fry meat or strong smelling raw meats and fish where you are camping (if you must, do it at lunch stops near busy areas but not near your van), then just reheat food at night in campsite.
Inverter and Microwave lovely, no cooking dinner in the rain and mosquitos. But you need a 220 inverter for Australia, but a 110 volt output in North America, so maybe wait till you get here and have Jay install one. I just reheat food or open cans, in microwave, with engine running to help power the microwave, for 3 minutes to reheat, as less smell. While we drive, we have a small house type heater 500 watts, to dry out the back sleeping area from condensation. Also a small electric blanket warms the inside of the sleeping bags to reduce condensation from last nights breathing. Remember, each person emits half a litre of water each day/night so the van gets damp in cold or rainy weather.
Hot shower is handy, but we usually just stop at campgrounds in the day, or some laundromats, or some boat marinas, and use coin showers. Have NOT used our hot shower yet, but we sometimes take it with us camping, too complicated to find a place to shower. We tend to arrive at our camping area (free is best) by evening and then it is too cold to shower before dark.
Porta-Potty - MUST, especially for stealth camping.
http://www.dometic.com/239a3029-4645-45 ... 6818.fodoc. Get a small height, ie 25 cm to fit under your storage area, with 10 litre holding capacity, then just take the storage section on the bottom off, and tip into any toilet.
OTHER NEEDs? MUST: Water purifier; if you use a pump get one that is easy to clean, and you have a repair kit for. I use bleach or iodine also, and boil it too; VERY dangerous water diseases in Canada. Must: a SMALL axe, that you know how to sharpen properly, and a safety belt to carry on you for walks (for firewood, for emergency splints and shelter, for defense from animals). MUST waterproof matches; , and a magnesium spark and a sharp knife (defense, kindling, making shelter). MUST: paper maps (compass useless in much of northern canada due to iron deposits in the ground), someone already told you about the Backroad maps, superb (and good firestarter in emergency). MUST: good sleeping bags with hood, NEVER down feather, always manmade polyester (damp weather, damp breath at night). Good long underwear, 2 pairs for each of you, wear both in cold weather or at night, made of genuine silk underwear (get in asia), or merino wool in australia. Wool toque (hat) and neck cover, you lose up to 50 percent of your heat through your head and neck. Wool socks, if your back is cold, put on warm socks. Buy bear spray here, can't take over USA border.
From your list you posted: Dual batteries - essential, but ensure you have the second one isolated so can't accidentally drain it with interior lights or stereo, but can automatically charge also (Jay an expert at this, a few people have posted pictures of his system on the forum). Second fuel tank - yes, but I prefer portable containers in case of contamination or broken fuel pump). Rear air locker - we never needed, even in my 1991 L300 with no LSD Limited Slip Differential (I have LSD on my 1997 L300 but I don't think it makes a big difference, more important to know to drive and choose a good angle). Snorkel - too obvious for stealing vehicle, if you're in water above the hubs you should have walked in the water first to find how deep it is. Snorkel does make very noisy driving, you see if in your mirror, but engine runs cooler with more air forced in, do ensure no dirt or water can also get forced into engine). Bash plates - never needed them, people have installed the front one but it still does not cover all the fragile parts. Rock sliders - never needed, just dont go rock crawling, stick to the gravel roads and don't kill plants and trees. Eberspacher air heater - wow, luxury, Felix and Toni installed one with Jay's help; with that you can control the condensation from breathing; felix took out the rear heater/air conditioner unit and instlled the Eber there.
Fridge - yes, but we use a small portable cheap ($70) cooler we plug in while driving (plug into your new marine grade 12 volt plug, will melt the delica cigarette lighter wiring) it uses 5 amps per hour, so kills my single battery in 4 or 5 hours. Plan ahead the food so you Only open 2 or 3 times after parking so it stays cold ...
http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net ... -kool.html. I like this because I can fill it with cold river water, or bag of ice from the gas station, to keep food cold when we are parked for several days ... make sure all the motors are in the lid so that the base is fully waterproof from melting ice. In canada the rivers are cold year round from the melting snow in the mountains, so I just put cold water in the fridge (with all the food in plastic bags to prevent water parasites and disease. We looked at Engel, but $1000 to $1500 is way too expensive, and even the best used 1.5 amps per hour which will kill your battery in a day. So a small cheaper one is best, if it breaks (from getting too much road dust in the engine is the usual problem with the expensive ones) you buy another cheap one. After 2 days of camping we use canned food instead of fresh. I start with 2 milk containers - one is frozen so it still is good by the 3rd day -- go to a grocery store and have the manager put a carton of milk in the coldest freezer then come back in 3 hours to get it.
In South America, Chile, they have a huge delica factory, they import old L300 from Japan and convert them, Wall full of rebuilt engines etc. So you can get work done there cheap and good. Then here in Vancouver you have dozens of experts (not so cheap). Then BEFORE you do Alaska, don't worry everyone will have deli-meets in your honour and give you their opinions and help here ... Just ask Pablo, he left his van here alone for a while and when he came back dozens of owners had come and done modifications to his van, fortunately he liked everything that everyone had done. So, beware, never leave your van alone.
See you sometime. We'll take you for a Canoe trip. Cheers, Christine.
