Home Tour: Remodeled Anderson Township barn becomes gorgeous modern dream home

Read article : Home Tour: Remodeled Anderson Township barn becomes gorgeous modern dream home

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Jerry Whitney wasn’t looking to move, but he was looking for a clear route from his Anderson Township home to the airport on a day when interstate traffic was heavy. So he cut down Five Mile Road toward Kellogg Avenue.

“I didn’t want to miss my flight,” he said. “And then I saw this place and said, ‘Oh, my god, look at that barn.’ And then I saw a ‘for sale’ sign and Five Mile Creek behind it.”

He fell in love. When his wife of 14 years, Karen, saw it, she fell in love, too.

On Dec. 31, 2012, seven days after that first sighting, the Whitneys bought the 30-year-old horse barn and its seven acres at a 30 percent discount from a motivated seller. It cost them $300,000.

Fast forward 18 months and the Whitneys – who had no previous home construction experience – moved out of a 300-square-foot trailer on the property into a home like no other, a dream house they played a big role in designing and decorating.

The shock of the unexpected experience has worn off, but not the excitement and contentment they feel for their fully modern, energy-efficient barn house. Also still strong is their appreciation for their project partners – among them architect Marc McConnell, builder Paul Kapitula, Keidel Supply, A&S Lighting, Tate Builders Supply, Cooknee Cabinets, KBR Countertop Specialists, Home Depot, IKEA, The Container Store and Peoples First Savings Bank.

All these forces came together to produce a four-bedroom, three-bathroom showcase of modern architecture and engineering that surprisingly fits inside a big, old, round-top home originally built for horses.

Not only does the place run on a geothermal energy system that held down last summer’s utility bills to $90 per month, it is designed to be the Whitneys’ "forever home." The couple asked for and got what architects call “living in place” features that will allow the Whitneys, who are in their 60s, to stay in their home permanently.

The house’s hallways and doors are extra-wide. There’s a 4-foot-wide shaft just behind a door off the entry hall where an elevator to the second floor and its master bedroom can be installed if and when it is needed. Next to the shaft is a laundry room with a chute from the second floor. The master bathroom’s shower door is wide and wheelchair-accessible. Even the landscaping is designed to require minimal maintenance and no chemicals.

There are picture windows in every main room through which the Whitneys, for the rest of their lives, can watch the water rush down Five Mile Creek, lots of wildlife – deer, cardinals, doves, woodpeckers, nut hatches, tufted titmice and blue jays – and the moon and stars.

Take the Tour

The Whitneys – she’s from Bridgetown and is a University of Cincinnati graduate, he is from Lima, Ohio, and is a Xavier University graduate – wanted to retain the bones of the barn. And there’s no mistaking what it used to be when you turn off Five Mile Road onto their curved driveway. The house’s Quonset hut shape is enhanced by two second-floor dormers, a glassy grand entrance and the original cupola poking out at the roof’s center.

The barn’s industrial-strength foundation passed inspection with flying colors and was retained, but most of the interior – the stables, tack room and hayloft – was gutted to the arched laminated beams that support the rounded roof. To keep it water-tight during a 100-year flood, the entire house had to be raised 14½ inches.

Architect McConnell was so inspired by the place, Jerry Whitney said, that he sketched the floor plan in eight hours and then started marking off the layout with blue tape.

What strikes visitors upon entering the Whitneys’ home is its whiteness, its angular walls and windows, and its uncluttered, modern décor. Yet hints of the barn are there in the entry in the form of a frosted two-paneled sliding door that leads into the living room and a long, floating ledge made of chocolate walnut Jerry Whitney picked up on a one-day drive to Kansas City, Missouri, and back.

The Whitneys had hoped to repurpose two sliding wood doors in the old stable, but their condition was too poor.

“So we were in IKEA one day, and we saw those panels on some cabinets and said, ‘There’s our barn doors,’” said Jerry Whitney, a sales executive with a logistics software company.

The doors might leak a little heat, but the gas fireplace and heated, polished concrete floors keep the living room warm.

“My parents came here for two weeks in October, and they were so warm. My mother learned how to work the thermostat and kept it at 70 degrees. We practically had to kick them out,” joked Karen Whitney, a longtime physician’s assistant.

To the left of the entry hall and beyond the elevator shaft, laundry room and mechanicals closet are two bedrooms that share what the Whitneys call their “spa room.” The bathroom features sparkly, speckled gray quartz countertops, a dual-sink vanity with matching mirrors, a standalone soaking tub and a glassed-in shower with grass-like textured tile. Chrome is the metal of choice for the hardware and fixtures.

To be added to the “spa” features later this year is a fenced-in outdoor shower.

While family photographs in the bedroom at the front of the house stir memories, the bedroom in the back is filled with a mix of family-made art and heirlooms and images from vacations the couple and their four adult daughters have taken.

A glass door from the back bedroom leads to a covered concrete deck that stretches almost the entire length of the house. The deck faces Five Mile Creek and the woods of Withrow Nature Preserve and is accessible from the living and great rooms as well as the 2½-car garage.

Walking back to the entry hall, visitors pass a colorful Campari liqueur poster and a large portrait of an 11-year-old Jerry painted by the late College of Mount St. Joseph art instructor John Nartker.

Across the hall is a stairwell that reaches to the roof. It features a light oak staircase with stainless steel chords and rail and leads up to two more bedrooms, the kitchen and a beamed great room. The vaulted room includes a sectional couch and two stuffed chairs, a glassed-in wine closet, recessed lighting and one floor lamp, a 9-by-6 picture window, a gas fireplace, a big-screen television and a separate dining area with chandelier that faces the front yard.

The great room is where they wind down on weekends with wine and the Wall Street Journal or watch birds – on sunny or gray days.

“Even if it’s raining, we don’t care. With all these windows, it doesn’t matter,” Karen Whitney said.

Three bird feeders hang off the fully plumbed, second-story deck where the couple grills out with friends and watches the ever-running creek and forest.

The 30-foot-long deck is party central when the weather is nice, but the kitchen fills the bill in the winter. Stainless steel appliances, a long, two-tiered white quartz cooking and eating island and glossy white and textured gray European-style cabinets give the kitchen the modern feel Karen Whitney prefers.

“It’s a fun, fun, fun kitchen to cook in,” she said. “We hosted Thanksgiving last year, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to cook the meal. There’s so much space and convenience.”

To the side of the kitchen and overlooking the stairwell’s cathedral-shaped window is a quartz-topped desk that the couple uses as command central, to pay bills and handle other household business. 

Two bedrooms are situated down a hall behind the kitchen, but before them is an inviting, steel-railed spiral staircase. Karen Whitney uses the slanted-wall and naturally lighted bonus room – which has two large cubbyholes behind doors for storage –for yoga, Pilates and TRX workouts. The third floor’s balcony hovers over the kitchen and great room and provides an up-close view of a special light fixture suspended inside the windowed cupola.

“My parents gave us that,” she said of the brass and crystal chandelier. “It came out of the old Shubert Theatre in Cincinnati.” It lights up the great room like a stationary disco ball, her husband said.

A guest room with full bath and the master with bath and massive walk-in closet are back down the spiral staircase and below the bonus room. The couple outfitted their closet with a system purchased at the Container Store that holds all their clothes and accessories. There is no dresser or wardrobe in their room, just open space and a clear view from the bed of the backyard and the rising moon.

“It’s the most wonderful bed to sleep in, until you have to get up,” Karen Whitney said.

'We Took a Gamble on it'

The Whitneys had just remodeled their contemporary house on Little Dry Run Road, which sat on a half-acre and was what they thought they always wanted. Leaving it was far from their minds – until they spotted the old horse barn on Five Mile.

“We took a gamble on it,” said Jerry Whitney, whose experience rebuilding vintage cars equipped him with mechanical skills and gave him confidence they could build their own home.

“Our financial adviser said, ‘You guys are crazy if you don’t do it,’” he said. So they did, but not without sacrifice. Living in a trailer during the treacherous winter of 2013-14 and storing their belongings in a nearby 20-by-30-foot shipping container for 18 months weren’t the only challenges they faced.

“We’d never built a house before or made all the decisions we had to make, sometimes instantaneous ones like when your builder asks, ‘What do I do now?’ and you’ve got to have a decision right then,” he said.

“We turned it into an adventure that we could write a book about,” Jerry Whitney said. “Karen’s quote is, ‘We never thought we would live in a dream house, and now we own one.’ To go from a normal house to this is just amazing. I swear we were meant to be here.”

Chance to See the Whitneys’ House

The 2016 green living tours by the Cincinnati chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council includes the Whitney house on Sept. 17 ($15 for non-members). To join the Green Living Member Circle, click here. The group will tour a modern house in Northside on Jan. 16.

Orchard House, Tisbury Road, Fovant, Salisbury - 4 bed - Guide Price £750,000 - Humberts

Read article : Orchard House, Tisbury Road, Fovant, Salisbury - 4 bed - Guide Price £750,000 - Humberts

Bedrooms: 4

A traditional four bedroom stone village house offering fantastic accommodation with superb character and excellent proportions. Enjoying a delightful setting, with about an acre of gardens, ample parking, oak, double open bay garage and workshop.

Beautiful period house

Character 4 bedroom accommodation

Spacious and light interior

Oak open bay garage and workshop

Well maintained gardens and grounds

Charming streamside setting

In all about one acre

Orchard house is without doubt a perfect example of a traditional stone village house with beautiful mellow elevations and slate roof combining to create a classic façade. Add to this the prettiness factor of the setting, a small brook with bridge and rose covered arch to the front door and extensive, well established gardens and the property easily becomes one of the most desirable in the village.

The character continues to the interior, with much of the original stone exposed, along with beamed ceilings, latch doors and wonderful Inglenook fireplaces. ensuring that the house retains a lovely period feel. Offering superb entertaining space, the accommodation has a pleasing, sociable layout with spacious light rooms that flow from the central reception hall.

Beautifully presented in a relaxed, faintly contemporary country style that allows the features of the house to speak for themselves, complemented by the addition of oak floors, updated bath and shower rooms and a Rupert Williamson bespoke kitchen.

An impressive Inglenook fireplace with fitted woodburner, and original bread oven provides the most inviting welcome in the large Reception Hall, with the inner hall offering excellent fitted storage and cloakroom.

The Drawing Room is beautifully light, rising to full height with attractive beamed ceiling and double, glazed doors opening to the garden, making it a wonderful space in which to entertain in the summer with direct access to the paved terrace. A separate, generous Sitting Room with stone walls and further Inglenook fireplace creates a comfortable place in which to relax and retreat to in the winter months.

Opening from the Reception Hall, the exceptional Kitchen/Dining Room runs along the back of the house, with a bank of windows overlooking the garden and doors to a secluded courtyard. Hand fitted with a limed wood kitchen under granite worksurfaces, and carefully laid out to provide room for a substantial table and chairs as well as sofas and seats, the room forms the hub of this lovely family house. A separate Utility Room offers further storage and appliance space.

On the first floor the Master Bedroom enjoys lovely views of the garden, has built-in wardrobe cupboards and an en suite bathroom with modern suite including vanity unit and matching storage. Bedroom 2 has a large walk-in wardrobe and there are two further bedrooms and separate shower room.

OUTSIDE

A gravelled entrance drive provides ample private parking and leads to the oak, open fronted double bay garage with attached workshop with power connected.

The Gardens are extensive and well maintained, bounded by clipped hedging and with a paved terrace close to the house. Raised stone borders filled with herbaceous planting flank steps up to spacious lawns, with a curving gravelled path leading the eye up through the garden, interspersed with many specimen and ornamental trees providing height and interest and including a lovely mature walnut tree. A clipped Yew hedge, bisects the lawn and at the top of the plot there are some lovely village-scape views to be enjoyed; the lawns giving way to naturalistic planting for ease of maintenance and including a carpet of spring bulbs and flowers, plus orchard with fruit trees and soft fruit cage.

SITUATION

Set in the sought after village of Fovant in the heart of the rolling countryside of the Nadder Valley. The thriving community of Fovant offers a good local shop, post office, inn, doctors' surgery and church whilst Tisbury, approximately 3½ miles, has everyday shopping facilities, schools and a main line railway station for London Waterloo and the West Country.

Fovant is approximately mid-way between the hilltop market town of Shaftesbury and the Cathedral City of Salisbury with their more comprehensive shopping, educational, arts and recreational amenities. The area offers a variety of rural pursuits including walking, cycling and riding.

2016 Travel Lite 625 Super Lite Review

Read article : 2016 Travel Lite 625 Super Lite Review 

370 Shares

TCM reviews the half-ton targeted 2016 Travel Lite 625, a short or long bed hard side, non-slide, non-bath truck camper.  Can a camper small enough to fit inside a short bed tailgate actually be worth owning? According to Dustin Johns, President of Travel Lite, the reasons for building the 2016 Travel Lite 625 called him on the phone constantly.  When the625 debuted in Truck Camper Magazine in June of 2015, Dustin explained, “Our customers and dealers have wanted a half-ton short bed camper that would allow the tailgate to be kept up, offer plenty of interior room, and feature basic amenities including a stove, sink, and refrigerator.  I was asked to build this camper many, many times.”

Above: The Travel Lite 625 at D&H RV Center in Apex, North Carolina

From the repeated requests, the Travel Lite team designed a hard side truck camper that would fit inside of a 6.5-foot short bed truck with the tailgate closed.  Keeping the camper inside the tailgate would allow for towing without an extension hitch and provide the best possible turning radius for the rig.  Once lowered, the tailgate could then become a small deck for sitting or gear.

Perhaps the Travel Lite 625’s most impressive trick is its ability to work with short and long bed half-ton trucks.  It looks a bit odd mounted on a long bed, but the two feet of bonus truck bed storage is perfect for toys, gear, and water containers.

To keep the weight down, Travel Lite used the materials, construction approach, and design concepts of their best-selling 770 Super Lite model.  The 625 features the same overall profile, kiln-dried Banak wood from South America, and cabinetry netting as the 770.  Further eliminating weight, the 625 was designed without a bathroom, black tank, or grey tank.

Dustin reported the initial dry weight of the 625 at 1,285 pounds and gave the camper a $10,495 MSRP with standard build options; refrigerator, sink, stove, fresh water tank, converter, and manual Rieco-Titan jacks.  Clearly Dustin was looking to put a sizable dent in the half-ton truck camper marketplace.

Of course the path to half-ton truck camper paradise is paved with good intention truck camper designs that never caught on.  These campers were usually too heavy, too expensive, or too small to become a consistent seller in the marketplace.

The question is, will the Travel Lite 625 break through where so many others have failed, or end up in the half-ton truck camper bin of history?  It’s time to put the 625 under the microscope.

We photographed the 2016 Travel Lite 625 seen in this review at D&H RV Center in Apex, North Carolina.

Floor Plan Evaluation

As seems to be the trend of late, the Travel Lite 625 is infused with the ideas and lessons of the past five decades of truck camper design.  This is not a fancy SolidWorks modeled multi-slide with intricate cuts and exotic amenities.  You’ll find no CNC-routed curves or luxury appliances here.

What you will find is an firmly old-school, pencil-to-paper, saw-to-wood truck camper design that shoe-horns an impressive amount comfort and utility into a short bed half-ton compatible truck camper.  Shut the tailgate and that’s exactly what Travel Lite’s dealers and customers asked for.  As the saying goes, give them what they want.

Above: The large 4-foot sliding dinette window brings in a ton of light

Stepping into the 625, the careful design decisions are everywhere.  The main living space feels open and spacious with plenty of light from a dual-window entry door, two large windows in the dinette, and a cabover side window.  Kitchen and dinette cabinetry and storage are readily available and the overall level of materials feels solid and durable.

While we didn’t take precise measurements, it appears that half of the available kitchen counter top is taken up by the single-basin sink and two-burner cooktop.

The flip-up counter helps by adding about 25-percent more counter space, but it’s still a tight set-up for preparing anything other than the basics.

To put this into perspective, Angela and I are connoisseurs of culinary basics on the road.  Our coffee, tea, one-pot-meals, and endless PB&J sandwich preparations would all work fine between this kitchen set-up and dinette table.  Now our laptop-to-laptop work requirements would be seriously challenged, but that’s another topic.

The U-shape dinette in the 625 was designed to accommodate three to four adults (if they’re very good friends) around the table for meals, conversation, and cards.  In reality, the dinette seating, table, and available leg area is best for two adults.  With just two, there’s plenty of floor space for legs and feet underneath, and ample table room for two plates of food, and drinks.

If this were our camper, we would want a larger table, and a more stable table leg and/or wall attachment system.  There’s nothing worse at a restaurant than a table that moves when you put your dinner plate or elbow on it.  With a single post, this table is fairly stable, but requires care not to bump it.  Naturally, one table leg is less weight than two, and a smaller table weighs less than a bigger one.  Compromises, compromises.

Above: The table and table leg are easy to remove for more room, or to make the dinette into a bed

Above: The porta-potti has a convenient storage compartment under the dinette

The dinette quickly makes into a 6-foot bed with the provided cushions.  This makes the 625 an ideal choice for the hunter or fisherman who wants to bring a friend for a weekend trip to that remote hunting ground or fish camp.

Above: The dinette makes into a 6-foot long bed

On the rear wall, the 625 features a 110-volt outlet and the thermostat.  While I don’t foresee this unit connected to shore power often, this outlet will be vital for charging computers, phones, and cameras while hooked up to AC or a portable generator.

Above: Standard on the 625 is a two-cubic foot refrigerator, which can be upgraded to the three-cubic foot size shown

The three-cubic foot, three-way refrigerator is ample for a camper this size.  In the past, campers targeting the short bed half-ton size and weight came primarily with ice boxes if they had cold-food provisions at all.  Having an actual three-cubic foot, three-way refrigerator is quite a luxury in this weight category and price.

Just below the refrigerator is a cabinet dedicated to a sealed enclosure for the 625’s single battery.  When I opened this cabinet, I was hoping to see storage, and found myself disappointed that this space was almost completely used.

I would look into moving this battery elsewhere.  My favorite go-to battery moving product is the Torklift International Hidden Power that places a battery inside a protected and sealed box under your truck.  With this modification, you could recapture this valuable storage space without losing the house battery.

Another option is changing to sealed AGM battery in this location.  You won’t gain your storage back, but you’ll likely gain more amp hours.  Then again, a bigger battery adds cost and weight.  When designing a camper for a half-ton short bed, trade-offs abound.

To the right of the refrigerator and battery cabinet is a large two-section cabinet and pull-out drawer.  With its immediate proximity to the kitchen and dinette, the drawer will likely be used for silverware, cooking utensils, and other kitchen items.

The large two-section cabinet is open season.  Some will use it for dry food, pots, and pans, while others will store clothing and camping gear.  We would at least attempt to use the cabinet over the sink for all dry food, cups, and plates, and use this space for a limited number of pots and pans, and then clothing and camping gear.  In truck camping, less is more.  In truck camping in a small camper, even less is even more.

Below the pull-out drawer is where you’ll find the stereo system, power converter, and fuse panel.  Having the stereo system and fuse panel easy to reach mid-ship makes sense.

The opening into the cabover is wide open and inviting with white-color LED lights perfectly placed for general lighting and reading.

Above: The cabover ceiling has a 110-volt outlet and provisions to add a 12-volt television

On the other hand, there’s not a single cabinet for clothing in the cabover.  Not one.  There is however a main LED area light, two smaller reading lights, a 110-volt outlet, and provisions to add a 12-volt television.  No cabover muss.  No cabover fuss.  That’s it.

 
Above: The overcab bed on the passenger’s side (left photo) the driver’s side (right photo)

In practice, I expect most folks will bring duffel bags for their clothing and keep the bags in the cabover when they’re not sleeping.  Duffel bags (or whatever cloth based luggage you prefer) are light weight and highly portable, especially compared to standard wood cabinetry.  Unless you just have to have your clothing folded up and put away, duffel bags make a lot of sense in a small camper like the 625.

Specifications

Specifications
Dry Weight	1,285 pounds
Wet Weight*	1,755 pounds
Floor Length	6’2″
Overall Length	10’10”
Width	78″
Interior Height	6’6″
Exterior Height	7’0″
Center of Gravity	29″
Truck Type	Long or Short Bed

At 1,285 pounds dry, the Travel Lite 625 is not the lightest weight hard side truck camper on the market, but it’s in the ballpark.

Travel Lite offers a range of options for the 625 including a solar panel system, electric remote-controlled Rieco-Titan jacks, roof rack, ladder, and an awning.

Above: Rieco-Titan manual jacks, cable television connection, shower power connection, and 110-volt outlet

Unfortunately, you could quickly defeat the concept of the light weight 625 if you add a lot of options.  Just the above mentioned list could add 150 pounds, or more.  In a camper where the design team opted for cabinet netting instead of cabinet doors, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Above: The Travel Lite 625 is 78-inches wide and 7-feet, 4-inches tall on the exterior

The 78-inch width of the Travel Lite 625 is 14-inches narrower than Travel Lite’s mid-size truck campers and 17-inches narrower than their largest models.  Obviously, every additional inch in length, width, and height on a truck camper adds weight.  For a camper targeting short-bed half-ton trucks, the 78-inch width strikes a good balance between interior space, and weight.

Above: The ceiling in the 625 is full height at 6.5 feet

One aspect of the 625 design that’s full-size is the interior height.  At 6.5 feet, standing in the Travel Lite is like standing in a much larger truck camper.  There’s plenty of headroom, even for tall folks like me.  That headroom helps give the 625 its roomy feel.

Above: The Travel Lite 625 on a long bed truck, photo courtesy of Travel Lite Campers

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the 625 is its long bed compatibility.  Mounted on a long bed truck, the 625 looks fairly ridiculous as it locates the unit two-feet inside of the truck bed.  To say this is an unusual rig aesthetic would be an understatement.  For many – us included – the immediate reaction was, “What the heck is Travel Lite thinking?”

long bed truck" width="800" height="539" />

Above: The Travel Lite 625 on a long bed truck, photo courtesy of Travel Lite Campers

Well, Travel Lite was thinking that the 625 is compatible with the widest possible number of truck bed lengths and payload capacities.  In short (no pun intended) the 625 is compatible with many half-ton trucks, all three-quarter and one-ton trucks, and works equally well with short bed or long beds.  Does it look funny on a long bed?  Absolutely!  But very few hard side truck campers have this kind of truck compatibility.

short bed tailgate closed" width="800" height="556" />

Above: The 625 on a short bed truck with the tail gate closed, photo courtesy of Travel Lite Campers

And we must recognize the point that mounting the 625 on a long bed allows for the remaining two-feet of bed space to be available for whatever the owner wants it for; bikes, water, gear, you name it.

Capacities

Capacities
Fresh	9 gallons
Grey	N/A
Black	N/A
Water Heater	6 gallons
Propane Tanks	20 pounds
Batteries	Optional

With nine gallons of fresh water, no grey tank, no black tank, and no inside bathroom, there’s not much to talk on the subject of the 625’s holding tanks.  Since you’ll likely only be using the fresh tank to wash hands, wash dishes, and brush teeth, the nine gallons could last upwards of a week, or more.

If you plan to scare the bears and use the outside shower, the nine gallons may only last you a couple days.

city water connection" width="800" height="534" />

Speaking of bears, I can hardly believe Travel Lite included a city water connection for the 650, but they did.  Without an inside shower, I can barely find a reason for this.  Maybe so those who enjoy flashing the wildlife take extended outside showers?  Hide your eyes Mother Nature.  Nothing to see here.

The single vertical 20-pound propane tank is absolutely perfect for the 625.  Not only are vertical tanks exchangeable at nearly every Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, and gas station from coast-to-coast, but a 20-pound capacity should last a long time in a camper this size, unless you’re camping in the seriously cold.

When camping with a single tank you always need to keep tabs on your usage.  When that tank runs out, there’s no second tank to change to.  If we had one tank, I would fill it long before empty, just like putting fuel in the truck.

Travel Lite lists the battery as optional on the 625.  You could connect the 625 to your truck’s battery and gain the space we talked about earlier, but that would not be our recommendation.  All it takes is one night of running the furnace in cold weather and you could be stranded with a dead truck battery.  Whether you get the built-in battery Travel Lite provides, or another battery storage solution, we definitely recommend a house camper battery.

Wet Weight Calculation

Using the standardized Truck Camper Magazine wet weight calculation, let’s run the numbers on the Travel Lite 625.

Base Dry Weight, plus single battery option

Travel Lite 625: dry weight, 1,285 pounds + 9 gallons fresh, 75.1 pounds + one battery, 65 pounds + 20-pound full propane tank, 20 pounds + stuff, 500 pounds = 1,945.1 pounds

Since we don’t foresee or recommend many options being added to the 625, we’re not going to run an optioned wet weight calculation.  As it is, the final wet weight of 1,945.1 pounds may shock some folks.

500 pounds of that weight is the standardized “stuff weight” that we add to each and every wet weight calculation in Truck Camper Magazine.  In a small camper with limited storage like the 625, 500 pounds of stuff weight is likely more than required.  If we subtract half of this stuff weight, we get a more realistic 1,695.1 pounds.

Truck Recommendations

To remain conservative, we are going to match the 625 with a 1,695.1 pound wet weight (250 pounds of stuff).  This may still be high, but we always play it safe when it comes to truck and camper matching.

For those who haven’t looked at too many payload stickers, it may come as a surprise to learn that many half-ton trucks don’t have 1,695.1 pounds of payload.  Many older half-ton trucks, or trucks with fancy packages and long option lists, have considerably less.  Do not assume that any half-ton truck has this kind of payload.  It might, but it might not.

That said, it would be a cinch to either locate or order a half-ton truck with 1,695.1 pounds of payload, or better.  If you approached your preferred local dealer and said, “I need no less than 1,700 pounds of payload in a half-ton truck” they should be able to work out the specifications you require, and locate or order the right truck without trouble.

You could also take those same specifications and find a used half-ton with enough payload.  New or used, always check the actual payload sticker (the yellow sticker inside the driver’s side door) on the actual truck before making a purchase.

If you are purchasing a new or new-to-you truck, it’s also worth considering buying even more truck.  Two years from now you may want a bigger camper.  Why not buy the right truck for that bigger camper now?  In trucks, you often don’t pay that much more to get a lot more payload.

The Verdict

Some truck campers are designed to wow the senses.  You walk in and they have a dance floor of interior space, a dinette ready for six, a refrigerator that could swallow a beer keg, and storage that could empty your attic.  You know you’re in one of these campers when the HDTV is almost as big as the one you have at home, and there’s a fireplace underneath it (almost kidding).

Where these campers “wow the senses”, the Travel Lite 625 “wows with common sense”.  From the very concept of the unit, to the way the camper was designed and built, everything about the 625 is a carefully considered compromise to create a hard-side unit that’s truly half-ton compatible.

Judged from this perspective, the 2016 Travel Lite 625 is a roaring success.  Yes, it’s chock full of compromises compared to the “wow the senses” models, but these compromises were the right ones to make the half-ton targeted size and weight.  The form, function, and comfort this camper offers half-ton truck owners – especially for the price – is very impressive.

In short, Travel Lite has built a truly half-ton compatible truck camper that’s worth owning.  Yes, you will still have to run the numbers to make sure the 625 will match your half-ton truck, but the chances are very high that it will.

If you’re in the half-ton truck camper market, and can live with the 625 list of compromises (tight kitchen, no bathroom, no grey tank, no cabover storage, etc.), this camper deserves to be on your list.  With the 625, Travel Lite has a serious half-ton ready contender.

Pros
Low weight and forward COG maximizes half-ton potential
Short and long bed truck ready
Tailgate closes on a 6.5-foot short bed truck
Excellent sense of interior space for a small camper
Good amount of kitchen and dinette area storage
Dinette makes into a 6-foot bed

Cons
Very tight kitchen area
Very limited 9-gallon fresh tank, no grey, no black
No bathroom, but features a porta-potti cabinet
Extremely tight kitchen counter space, but extension helps
Optional single battery takes up valuable interior storage
No storage in the cabover – pack your duffels

Model Information
2016 Travel Lite 625
MSRP: $10,495
Warranty: 1 year from time of purchase

Travel Lite, Inc.
71913 Country Road 23
New Paris, IN 46553

Phone: 574-831-3000
Request A Travel Lite 625 Brochure
Web: TravelLiteCampers.com

Quality, Customer Service, and Long-Term Reliability

Truck Camper Magazine inspects all reviewed truck campers for design, material, and quality issues and reports what we find.  However, since Truck Camper Magazine reviews only brand new truck campers, our reviews do not address long-term quality, customer service, or reliability.

To learn about a brand’s long-term quality, customer service, and reliability, Truck Camper Magazine recommends talking directly with truck camper owners at truck camper rallies and online via truck camper forums and truck camper owners groups.

Please be sure to balance your gathered feedback across multiple sources including direct correspondence with the truck camper manufacturers and your closest truck camper dealers.

If you are new to truck campers, start here.

Recommended for you

30 Ways To Upgrade Your Apartment On A Budget

Read article : 30 Ways To Upgrade Your Apartment On A Budget

So you’ve just moved into your first apartment on your own (or with roommates), and you seem to be baffled by how expensive everything is! Well don’t worry, because there are ways to upgrade your apartment on a budget. Sure, you pay electricity and internet.. and water..and heat. There is some serious budgeting needed in order to live comfortably. I also understand that you want to know more than just “put baking soda in your fridge to avoid it from stinking up.” So here are 15 great ways to upgrade your apartment while on a budget! Good luck!

*This article is in collaboration with Kayla Nannariello.

1. Use Command Hooks!

The most standard tool among students! Command hooks have a universal purpose, to make life easier. I have command hooks for clothes, I have command hooks for lights, I have command hooks for my whiteboard and anything else I want to hang. they can hold a lot of weight depending on the size of hooks you get. I have hooks for my keys, my umbrella, any dangling wires and even my night light! These little life and space savers not only make it easier to find stuff, but also make your place look so much cleaner and organized…something you definitely want to see when you come back from a long day of classes. This way you will have a place to put your keys instead of throwing them around and regretting it the next morning when you’re rushing around.

2. Use the free cups and bottles you get around campus fairs (housing fair, clubs and organizations fairs, career fair.)

Don’t just use them to drink; use them as pen stands, stands to hold your dish washing brush, fill them up with change that you don’t want in your wallet. I covered my cup with three layers of paper on the top and made a slit through the center and there you have it, your college piggy bank (you’re going to need that money for laundry and err..)
The bottles particularly, can be used to store pretty much anything. One of my bottles is filled up with paper clips. The other is in the fridge so I have cold water when I need it, and another one makes for an easy lime-juice dispenser.

3. Don’t hold back, get a huge trash can.

This is by far the most convenient thing I have done for myself in the apartment. We bought a 55 gallon trash can from Walmart and now we save on trash bags all the time…and the best part? We don’t have to take it out very often. If you want to budget and you’re lazy, this is a win-win. Moreover, these giant cans have a cover, so they don’t stink up the apartment even if you decide to dump food that’s days old because, come on, let’s face it, every college student forgets to throw away old food for a long time because they actually forgot or they’re just procrastinating.

4. Keep those twist ties you get with almost anything you buy.

You know when you buy a loaf of bread or something that has wound up wire over it? And you decide to throw it away? Don’t. These things can come in handy at any time in your apartment. Leaving for summer and don’t want to let the cutlery just lie around? Use this to wind up the spoons together and store them away. Phone charger too long for where its plugged in? Wind it up a bit and hold it together with this! Tape can make it sticky, very easily. Opened a pack of Doritos and want to save it for later? Don’t leave it open, use these!

5. Use an old or cheap blanket as a window blind.

I’m not kidding, some blankets at Walmart go for less than $8, and if you are renting an apartment, it’s highly unlikely that it will come with fancy blackout curtains. Get a blanket, and use command hooks to hang it up right around your window. Put two loops at the bottom corners so you can roll it up and hook it to the hooks on the top to make a blind, there you go! Cheap and easy blackout curtains to help you sleep in after that rough Friday night.

6. Use over-the-door hooks.

You don’t want to have to deal with putting 5 command hooks up when you know you need them there, and you want something that you can load up more than just the capacity of those sticky magicians. They’re cheap and there are so many options on Amazon. There are no restrictions for these and you do not need to do any work, just stick the hooks over the door so they hold on and hang away! In any case, most rental apartments will not allow you to drill holes and screw in hooks and this is the only alternative to get hooks as strong.

7. Get LED strip lighting for your apartment.

Ever get that feeling when you don’t want any lights on but also want to be able to see and move around your room? Here’s your solution, and it’s pretty cool. These lights go for anywhere between $15-$25, and they come in lengths up to 32 feet! You simply put them across the top of your room’s walls with command hooks (of course) or if the wall is flat enough then you can even use their built-in adhesive. They have a remote, and they are LEDs, so they’re barely using any electricity. They have brightness control and color changing capabilities for when you’re throwing that Saturday night party. It’s easy, cheap and will impress any guests. They can set the mood, become an ideal everyday light and even become party strobe lights.

8. When life gives you lemons, CLEAN!

You know how after you make a glass of lemonade, you throw out the squeezed lemon…right? Wrong. This is the perfect way to save yourself from over-spraying the kitchen with Febreze. Just throw that thing into the sink disposal, run it and run warm water as you do so. Crushed lemon will release a fresh aroma, much better than using any spray since it’s acidity will clean as well. Got a dirty or stinky microwave? Grab any microwavable mid-sized bowl and fill it halfway with water, cut a lemon in half and squeeze both halves only a little into the water, not all the way. Now dump them into the water and microwave for 3 minutes. Once it’s done, your microwave will smell fresh and will be much easier to clean!

9. Use a giant bowl of water to keep your room air from being too dry.

The weather gets dry and cold in the winter, which means we all start having dry hands, and feel really dehydrated. Our apartment heaters can be the culprit in this dry air problem. A simple solution is to take a large bowl, fill it with water and simply place it in your room. This works, and it works well. It will keep the air slightly humid and especially if you’re from a less cold region, you will be saved from terrible and painful dry skin. Save your money and don’t buy those heavy and space hogging humidifiers, do this instead!

10. Use Brita filters!

If you’re the kind that likes to drink bottled or filtered water, you’d be spending at least $4 a day or more than those who drink tap water. But what if I said you could drink filtered tap water? Look no further! If you don’t already know about Brita jugs and filters, you need to know. These things have filters built into them, so it’s as easy as filling up a jug by turning on the faucet. It even reminds you when to change a filter, and no its not every week, it’s around every 4 months.

11. Buy everything in bulk.

If you’re at Walmart and you love getting orange juice for that night, it is very likely that you will come back to get more. Instead, save yourself the trouble and the money…buy a giant jug of it, or even four jugs of it. Buying bigger packs saves more than you think, and you will have to make less trips, so there’s time and energy saved too! This applies to pretty much anything from frozen food to toilet paper. I would even recommend buying the large boxes of laundry detergent/pods. You’re not going to stop doing laundry, so you might as well stock up.

Using Amazon’s ‘dash buttons’ is a pretty neat way to be lazy too. Just press the button when you’re running low and there you have it, delivered supplies to your doorstep. They even have these things for Red bull and Gatorade cases, and they don’t cost anything extra. You get a discount on your first order that matches the amount you paid to get the button so that’s pretty neat and convenient.

12. Buy Windex, a lot of it.

This magical solution we all know is much more useful than you think it is. You can use it to clean counters, tables, wall stains, floor spills and pretty much anything that your apartment life can throw at you. Simply buy a refill after your first spray bottle. Fear not, Windex can even clean your stained bathroom mirror very easily so you can look good and feel fresh every morning!

13. Buy space-savers for literally everything.

I have one for snacks, one for stationery and one for cutlery. We also have one in the living room which helps when we simply leave our stuff out. There are sizes that fit on a table to keep small items and sizes that stand alone and can even be used as a bedside table or in my case, a place to keep the bowl of water so the air doesn’t get too dry!

14. Look into Mainstays products.

They make inexpensive household items such as the space-savers I mentioned. They also make furniture, so if you’re looking for a desk in your room, a chair, a comfortable chair to watch TV in, sheets, blankets and anything else you might need, they probably have it. Remember, most of these items are the cheapest when the semester starts and the large stores are having their sales. Most of my kitchen, including plates, cooking vessels and cutlery is from Mainstays, they have great deals and it’s definitely worth it.

15. Add some Throw Pillows!

Throw pillows are a great way to spruce up your apartment without spending too much     money. They come in millions of prints, so you’ll always be able to find ones that match your personal style and the look you’re going for!

16. Use decorative baskets as opposed to plastic storage bins.

Baskets are a great alternative to plastic storage bins. They act as decor but keep your things organized just as well! There are so many cute basket options out there whether you enjoy wired baskets, canvas, or woven ones and they come in all shapes and sizes to fit into whatever space you need!

17. Wall art makes a huge difference!

Dress up any boring drab walls you have in your apartment with some wall art. The possibilites here are endless! You can even buy just the prints or download prints from sites like Etsy and add your own frame.

18. Add slipcovers to your furniture.

Do you have an old beat up couch and can’t afford to buy a new one? No worries, just buy a slipcover. Slipcovers are awesome because they come in so many different colors and designs, and you can switch them out whenever you want a new look!

19. Make your space more inviting with picture frames.

Another cheap way to spruce up your apartment is to buy cute picture frames and fill them with your favorite pictures! It’s a great way to add a personal touch to your apartment. This will make your living space feel more cozy just like the home you grew up in!

20.  A rug.

If you don’t like your flooring, area rugs are a great way to cover it up. They come in so many different sizes that you’re bound to find one that will fit your space. A good rug can do wonders for an apartment by covering up any messed up flooring and making your apartment look bigger than it actually is.

21. Set out some candles.

They’re cheap, they smell good, and they act as decor. Candles have a great way of turning any drab apartment into an inviting atmosphere!

22. Decorate with artificial succulents.

Fake succulents are great because they require no maintenance. And unlike real plants, you don’t have to worry about replacing it when it dies.

23. Your table lamps can make a statement.

Instead of buying simple lamps for your end tables, get more interesting ones. Not only will they dress up the room, but they are bound to be a conversation starter.

24. Buy simple furniture.

When buying furniture, don’t buy anything crazy. Go for things that are neutral colors and won’t go out of style and can look timeless in any setting.

25. Choose the right comforter.

Your comforter can make or a break a room, and unless you are absolutely in love with a printed comforter, I wouldn’t buy it. Instead, go for a solid color, preferably a neutral. This way you aren’t limited on how you decorate your room. The solid color also gives the room a very clean feel.

26. Opt for placemats.

Placemats are a super cheap way to make your dining room or kitchen look instantly more put together.

27. Get a shower curtain.

Shower curtains take up the most room in a bathroom, so make sure yours is something that people won’t mind looking at. Resist the crazy printed ones and instead, go for a simple print that will dress up your bathroom and make it seem brighter and bigger.

28. Add a good throw blanket into the mix.

Throw blankets are great because they give a cozy feel to the room and it’s always great to have a blanket nearby, but they also work as decoration.

29. Add some mirrors to your walls.

Mirrors are amazing because they make the room look bigger and they tend to draw in people’s attention.

30. If you ever need anything for your apartment, always look it up Amazon first.

When I was setting up my apartment, there were many things I found that I didn’t even know would help me so much! For example, many of my sockets have a switch extension, so I can turn them off while I am not using them, without unplugging them. This is especially useful for behind the bed and under the desk sockets, since unplugging requires a lot of effort and plugging it back in is even worse…you might even have to move the entire piece of furniture. Power strips, USB adapters and anything you can think off, it’s probably cheaper on Amazon.

Do you have any other good ideas on ways to upgrade your apartment on a budget? Share in the comments below!

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Featured Image source:http: //homelk.com/apartments/cute-college-apartment-bedrooms-for-girls

Tags: apartment essentials, apartment hacks, things you need for your first apartment, upgrade your apartment, upgrade your apartment on a budget, ways to upgrade apartment

Viking's Myanmar Explorer - Day 7

Read article : Viking's Myanmar Explorer - Day 7

Embarking Viking Mandalay

Hello, Viking Mandalay! Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

ooday is an exciting day. For the first time since our Myanmar Explorerriver cruise tour with Viking River Cruises began in Bangkok, Thailand almost one week ago, we’re embarking our river cruise ship. In fact, we’ll join Viking Mandalayin its namesake port of Mandalay, Myanmar.

But first, we have to get there.

Our first stop after arrival in Mandalay: the gorgeous Mahamuni Paya. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

The one thing I’ve realized after spending nearly a week in Myanmar is that traffic here works on its own set of rules. I’m sure they have traffic laws, but enforcement must be sparse at best. Cars and trucks drive remarkably slowly due to the uneven pavement and the proliferation of cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians that clog major thoroughfares. This means that getting from Point A to Point Be can be a time-consuming activity.

Such was the case today. We checked out of the Areum Inle Lake Resortand boarded our coach at 9:45 a.m. in order to be back at Heho Airport for our flight to Mandalay at 12:55 p.m. Impressively, we’d need every bit of that time in order to make our flight.

elaborate gold leaf patterns. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="864" height="576" />

The pagoda is decorated in elaborate gold leaf patterns. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

The drive back to Heho took about two hours, with a 15 minute stop to collect our boxed lunches that we’d enjoy at the airport. At 30 minutes in duration, our flight isn’t long enough to have meal service, and there’s no time to stop along the way.

Heho Airport is a real experience. I wouldn’t call the airport filthy, but I wouldn’t call it clean, either. The toilet facilities are pretty grim by Western standards, and men can expect “the hole in the ground,” while women are treated to proper toilets.

Men are allowed to directly pay respects to Buddha … Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

… while women must do so outside. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Once again, we boarded an ATR-72 600 operated by Mann Yadanarpon Airlines. This time, seating wasn’t assigned, so you just took an empty seat as you boarded. Fortunately, this isn’t North America, so it’s not the free-for-all you might expect. Instead, boarding – which took place from the tarmac – was an orderly experience.

If Rudyard Kiplingromanticised Mandalay with his famous poem, the reality today is somewhat different. In fact, Mandalay is not at all what I expected; I expected a Yangon-style metropolis. My Rough Guide to Myanmarstates that Mandalay is “a faceless grid of congested streets,” and I’d say that’s accurate. It’s a city, to be sure, but a city that’s not quite ancient and not quite modern. Most buildings are a single story tall, or perhaps two, and have a ramshackle quality to them.

Full Moon Festival were well underway. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="864" height="576" />

At the Paya, celebrations for the Full Moon Festival were well underway. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Still, the appeal of Mandalay can be found in the numerous historic sites that are interspersed within the city. There are dozens of Pagodas and ceremonial stupas, plenty of Buddhist temples, and other relevant historic sites.

On our drive out to Amarapura, near where Viking Mandalayis berthed, we stopped at the fascinating Mahamuni Paya.

As if to illustrate how many pagodas and places of worship there are in Myanmar, Mahamuni doesn’t even appear in my guidebook. According to local legend, only five likenesses of Buddha were ever made during his lifetime. Two were in India, two were in “paradise,” and the fifth and final image is in Mahamuni here in Mandalay.

includes weaving silk, which must be given as an offering to Buddha before the next sunrise. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="683" height="1024" />

This includes weaving silk, which must be given as an offering to Buddha before the next sunrise. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

The entire complex was built in 1785, but a fire in 1884 nearly destroyed the entire complex, save for the image of Buddha. In 1996, the military government of Myanmar undertook extensive repairs and renovations to the complex, and today it is a major site of worship for locals and a source of curiosity for tourists.

Once again, it’s shoes-off-socks-off for our visit. I’m surprised at how much I am railing against this. I hate having dirty feet, and a few minutes of walking around barefoot here in Myanmar is enough to turn the soles of your feet jet black. We’re given moistened towelettes to clean our feet, but I suppose it’s something that, as a Westerner, I’m just not used to. I think some people embrace it, but I haven’t enjoyed it yet. Still – it is important to respect the local customs, and I always walk barefoot through the temple complexes, even if I despise it.

embarking Viking Mandalay. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="683" height="1024" />

At long last: embarking Viking Mandalay. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

What’s also interesting is the segregation between men and women. Men are allowed to go right up to Buddha to pay respects, but women must sit outside the room Buddha is contained within and pray there. They can watch the men via closed-circuit televisions that are placed above their heads, but cannot directly see Buddha.

There’s also a bizarrely tacky quality to some of this, as bright LED lights and coloured Christmas lights adorn aspects of the temples. I saw this in Indonesia as well, and it baffles me – the fascination with blinking red, blue and green lights that strobe madly, as if to proclaim Buddha as the God of Shabby Lighting.

Pandaw River Explorations and operated on long-term charter to Viking. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="864" height="576" />

Viking Mandalay is actually the Indochina Pandaw, owned by Pandaw River Explorations and operated on long-term charter to Viking. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Of course, part of this is due to the upcoming Full Moon Festival tomorrow. Tazaungdaingis held on the Full Moon in November to celebrate the end of the rainy season, and offerings are made to Buddha in many forms. At this pagoda, women are working furiously to weave silk robes for Buddha; these must be finished by sunrise this morning, and the women will work through the night to ensure it gets done.

By the sides of the road to Amarapura, women and children gather in long lines, waiting to stop vehicles to extract payment from drivers as offerings to Buddha. Drivers stop and hand over money. Incredibly, this money will actually make it to the Paya complex!. In Burma, great emphasis is placed on doing good deeds in this life, and offerings to Buddha are pretty high up there. In our “me-me-me” societies in the West, I think we could learn from that.

The Key To Room 307. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Tonight, we arrived at the beautiful Viking Mandalay just before sunset. It’s a gorgeous ship, fashioned after the classic steamers that used to ply the Irrawaddy River at the turn of the last century.

Unlike its European-based Viking Longships, Viking does not own Viking Mandalay. In fact, it’s real name isn’t Viking Mandalay at all; it’s Indochina Pandaw, a vessel built in 2009 in Vietnam and owned and operated by Pandaw River Explorations, a longtime player in the Southeast Asian river cruise market.

Welcome Home! Stateroom 307, in its standard configuration. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Legally, Viking can’t own and operate a vessel here without establishing a permanent presence in Myanmar – something that is complicated, if not impossible, under the current government regime. So like every other river cruise operator, Viking relies on long-term lease agreements from established river cruise lines to offer river journeys in Myanmar.

So if you’re expecting the Viking Longships here, don’t – you won’t see a single Longship. What you will get, however, is the same wonderful Viking standard of service you’ve come to expect, along with all the normal Viking amenities.

It may not be a Viking-owned ship, but Viking Mandalay has all the expected Viking swag … Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

… like the Viking Daily … Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

… and L’Occitane toiletries! Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Viking Mandalay – or Indochina Pandaw– is 170 feet long, with a beam (width) of 33 feet across the deck. The draft – the amount of the hull underneath the waterline – is just three feet; something that is needed to clear the often shallow sand banks that shift and change along the Irrawaddy.

She has a total of 38 staterooms, all of which are the same basic size and shape – with a few notable exceptions. 10 staterooms are located all the way forward on Main Deck, while 18 staterooms run from bow to stern on Upper Deck.

Staterooms are all essentially the same size, and are constructed from beautifully-polished wood. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

My stateroom – 307 – is a cozy affair on the forward, port-side portion of Upper Deck. Done completely in wood (real wood, no less!), it measures approximately 168 square feet. But don’t let its compact size distract you from how inviting it is. The entire ship oozes Gemütlichkeit – my favorite German word for which there is no direct English translation other than to say, “a feeling of coziness.”

Beds are typically positioned in the twin configuration, with one on either side of the room. These can be pushed together to make a queen-sized bed, though you will lose a little room space in the process. Travelling solo, I don’t feel any compulsion to push them together; in fact, I rather like the old berth-style aspect of the stateroom; a classic throwback to travel on the Irrawaddy in the days of Kipling and George Orwell.

A small desk is big enough for a laptop computer and several books, and the foot of the bed has some storage space for luggage. Note that there is no under-bed storage on Viking Mandalay. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Inside the stateroom, more wonderful surprises: two North American-style electrical outlets positioned near the beds, and one multi-voltage electrical outlet positioned above the desk that can accept North American, European and UK-type connections without the need for an adapter (though you’ll need a converter if you don’t have one on your device). This outlet has a switch that can be turned on or off.

Light switches and two of three power outlets in the room. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

There are three sets of lighting in each stateroom, all of which can be turned on with a series of brass, toggle-style switches that make a pleasant thunk!-sound when clicked into position. These lights turn on brass, nautical-style lamps mounted on the ceiling and wall, while brighter halogen-style lamps are situated over each bed. Two brass reading lights are also mounted on the bulkhead walls of the room, and are perfect for reading in bed.

The bathroom is compact but functional. An exhaust fan is available in the bathroom, but keep it turned off: It’s so powerful that it will suck the cold air out of your bedroom that is produced by the air conditioning unit.

The bathroom: compact but functional. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Tap water in the bathroom isn’t potable, so Viking has provided bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth. Should you run out, there’s an entire cabinet full of replacement bottled water under your sink.

The toilet is an older-style flush toilet and not a modern, shipboard vacu-flow toilet you might be used to. It works, and it is functional.

Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

The shower is a floodlit-affair that has clearly been refitted to Viking specifications, as the gleaming white tilework and American Standard showerhead look brand-new. But the colour temperature of the lights above the shower is significantly different from the off-orange lighting in the rest of the bathroom, which gives the shower an oddly illuminated look.

The only thing I’m not a fan of in my stateroom is the oddly-illuminated shower. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Still, you’ll be pleased to find the same French-milled L’Occitanetoiletries that are found on the Viking Longships, along with the same stationery and pen, the same design and paper stock for the Viking Dailyprogram, and the same thoughtful Viking touches throughout. Have a paperback with you? Leave it on the desk and a Viking River Cruises bookmark will magically appear inside.

colonial appearance takes on a new hue. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders" width="864" height="576" />

Out on deck, Viking Mandalay’s gorgeous, colonial appearance takes on a new hue. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Hotel Manager Dominik … Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

… and our Captain and crew welcome us onboard! Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Also, as a point of reference, the air conditioning unit is more than powerful enough to keep your stateroom at a soothing temperature, even during the heat of the day. This wasn’t the case for me when I sailed the Mekong on a competitor of Viking’s a few years ago; I continually found that room to be far hotter and more humid than I had wanted.

Of course, we’ll write more about the ship in the coming days. After all – we’ve got a week onboard to continue to enjoy everything that Viking and Myanmar have to offer!

Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Viking Mandalay - Myanmar Explorer

DAY	PORT
Day 1	Bangkok, Thailand
Day 2	Bangkok, Thailand
Day 3	Yangon, Myanmar
Day 4	Yangon, Myanmar and Shwedagon Pagoda
Day 5	Inle Lake, Myanmar
Day 6	Inle Lake, Myanmar
Day 7	Mandalay, Myanmar; Embark Viking Mandalay
Day 8	Mandalay, Myanmar & the U Bein Bridge
Day 9	Ohn Ne Choung, Myanmar
Day 10	Bagan, Myanmar
Day 11	Salay, Myanmar
Day 12	Yandabo, Myanmar
Day 13	Myint Mu, Myanmar

Our Live Voyage Reportfrom Viking River Cruises’ Myanmar Explorer continues tomorrow as we travel to Mandalay, Myanmarto board the Viking Mandalay!Be sure to follow along with our adventures on Twitter@deckchairblog.

Share This Post With Friends