There was a one-month period of time that I spent driving around the great country of Australia in a van. My friend and I named our beloved van Murphy and referred to him just as we would any friend or close family member. Murphy was an old Nissan Vanette with a 5-speed manual transmission, complete with a universal van roof rack. We had wavering moments of doubt with Murphy, as he was just entering his 20th year of sweet existence, but Murphy always pulled through! We brought him through many Australian terrains, ranging from perfectly paved highways to dusty, crumbling country roads. Murphy had two front seats, which sat high up from the street, where we could see miles and miles of road unravelling before us. The back of the van was spacious and well equipped for a comfortable night’s sleep. This was my first experience driving a van and I would confidently attempt it again, for it was the journey of a lifetime.