It’s HOT!!! We headed off early-ish to beat the heat, but by lunchtime the sun was blazing through the front window and it was pushing 50 degrees inside the van. I started feeling heat-stressed and dizzy, so we pulled into a shopping complex to cool down. We grabbed a Coke and sat at a pizza restaurant to take a closer look at our route.

The direction we were heading didn’t have many campgrounds, and for some reason, I’d been navigating us north of Prague. Turns out, heading south is much quieter. I really wanted to find somewhere to stop for a few days, to do some washing and avoid driving in the heat.

I found a campground about an hour’s drive away. From the photos, it looked promising. Trees, a lake, a breeze if we’re lucky, so we aimed for it,  expecting it would be full with the school holidays in full swing.

But OMG, the drive there was brutal. No shade, just a relentless sun beating down on the road and through the windows. It was unbearable. By the time we arrived, we were drenched in sweat and desperate for relief.

Thankfully, they had space, and even better, it was in the shade! The spot was a little sloped, but we got the levellers out and made it work. The shade and the lake view made the tilt totally worth it. We’re just lacking any breeze.

And the price? A bargain for Europe, just $25 NZD. Most places are twice that!

By this point, we were hot, sticky, and terribly bothered, so we put on our togs and headed straight down to the lake. The water was bliss. Cool, refreshing, and exactly what we needed. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too crowded for a Sunday, which made it even better.

After the swim, we felt human again and made a beeline for the showers. It was then I realised we hadn’t had a shower since Estonia!  Sure, we wash every day and we’ve had a few swims along the way, but nothing compares to standing under a steady stream of water and finally washing your hair. But strangely enough, you get used to not showering and it makes you wonder how necessary it actually is.

I opted for a cold shower and it was delightful. Van life really makes you appreciate the simple things. Shade, unlimited water, and a place to call home.

There is an outdoor restaurant on site here where a man is smoking meat. The smell alone was enough to stop us in our tracks. The meals looked amazing, so we had to try some. Mike ordered smoked pork steak and I ordered the pork ribs. Both were melt-in-your-mouth good and up there with some of the best BBQ I’ve had in the States. The smoking reminded me of the flavour of Dad’s smoked Kahawai. It was cheap, only $7NZD, so we’ll probably go there again tonight if he’s there.

I like how we are stumbling on the places only locals go to. Apart from the Italians we saw the other day, we haven’t seen any other nationalities other than locals. It makes the experience feel more genuine, like we’re getting a glimpse into everyday life, not just ticking off tourist spots.

After dinner we watched the sun set over the lake, and it was beautiful. Still hot though. It was 28 degrees at 8pm, and was still going to be 25 at midnight. According to the weather, we would be having a low of 17 degrees at 5am. Then the heat would return all over again. I guess we just have to learn to relax into it. Let the heat slow us down and take it easy.