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Author Topic: Caravaning  (Read 12853 times)

Roger in France

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #25 on: March 24, 2008, 07:01:37 am »

Well I caravanned for many years and before that I tented and before that I had a yacht.

The yacht first.....45 years ago a "Red Wing" all mahogany, with a shine you could see you face in. But the girls did not like it "I get all wet and my hair blows all over and it tips over".

The tent was the only way to take a wife and three children all over Europe. Many, many great times and some smashing folk to meet. However, my second wife said a very firm, "No" to a tent and so we bought a "Fiberline" caravan. For 25 years (and via 3 caravans) we toured Europe but gradually concentrated upon France. When my wife retired we bought a super-dooper van and towed with a petrol fuelled 4litre. Cherokee! Put the cruise control on and forget the van behind. All was well until we passed a filling station and then the Jeep coughed, it was hungry!

The deal with my wife was, "So we have both retired, you want to go to live in France but I want to live in England and have three very long holidays in France each year". Being a good boy (actually, knowing when I am beaten) I said, "Yes, Dear".

Two years later my wife changed her mind and here we are in La Vendee. We sold the van and seldom wander far from our delightful, calm home.

However, after nearly 4 years of tranquil and stay-at-home life we have started to look at camping cars. Caravanning is restricted to a very short season in France with very few facilities outside July and August but camping cars get everywhere all the time and are far more numerous. A camping car would also make visiting our far flung family easier and it would be great for visiting the Mayhem bash. So, it is watch this space.

Roger in France.
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barriew

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #26 on: March 24, 2008, 09:03:45 am »

However, after nearly 4 years of tranquil and stay-at-home life we have started to look at camping cars. Caravanning is restricted to a very short season in France with very few facilities outside July and August but camping cars get everywhere all the time and are far more numerous. A camping car would also make visiting our far flung family easier and it would be great for visiting the Mayhem bash. So, it is watch this space.

Roger in France.

Roger,

We'll be in France, with van, for most of May and will be visiting three or four sites which will be open then. Two years ago we did the same and got down to Provence. There are sites open from May through to September, but you probably need a British or Dutch guide to find them. The French as you say tend to only camp in July and August, although we have found that since the 35 hr week, more of them are to be seen outside the traditional 'vacances'. We Brits and the Dutch are to be found in France and further afield for a longer season!

Barrie
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alan colson

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #27 on: March 24, 2008, 10:03:31 am »

Mr Andy
I have done the tent, trailer tent, camper van and caravan, the camper van is great until you have it all set up on site and then SHMBO says lets go out for a ride and then you have to pack all the loose things away. Now the ideal package would be the American Motorhome with trailer and small car, I KEEP DREAMING.
Alan
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tigertiger

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #28 on: March 24, 2008, 11:03:35 am »

I have also seen some with a fifth wheel on the flatbed of a pickup truck.

Sadly I think this would need HGV 1 in the UK.
For our cousins across the water, HGV1 is a class of truck license for big rigs, but is required for any semi-trailer. No matter how small.
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #29 on: March 24, 2008, 03:38:42 pm »

My caravan, a 2-Berth Bessacarr, has a towing weight of 1600Kg.  Not many cars will meet the 85% rule, so hence I use a 4X4.
Any car that is heavy enough is either too old to be reliable or expensive and too big to go in the garage..
I agree with a lot of the replies in that I will soon be considering giving up caravanning: cost versus pleasure is a no-no.
Luckily, living near Bournemouth ,the New Forest, and Westbourne Models makes life bearable !!!
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Stavros

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #30 on: March 24, 2008, 04:38:16 pm »

As a matter of interest Kenp what 4x4 have you got

stavros
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DickyD

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #31 on: March 24, 2008, 05:13:46 pm »

As a matter of interest Kenp what 4x4 have you got

stavros
Believe its an M reg Jeep Cherokee Stavros.
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #32 on: March 24, 2008, 05:59:24 pm »

Yes , it is.    Getting old, and if it has a bad fault I'm up the creek without a paddle, so to speak
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nhp651

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #33 on: March 24, 2008, 06:08:40 pm »

SADLY we had to give up our caravans,(1 second hand and 2 new ones from different companies)after only 5 years of"old git camping" as my wife used to call it, because, no sooner had we set up than within two days of camping in any one of them my wife started to suffer from tight chest, coughing spasms and asthmatic attacks, ending up on steroids.
She had never suffered from asthma in her life until we took up caravaning, but the symtoms have lasted since.
I wrote to the caravan companies who made them(3 different companies) asking if there was anything in the makeup that might have caused this, but sadly not one of them ever replied to my letters?
I found out from a chap fitting cavity wall insulation to my house just a month ago that the bonding and cavity insulation in caravans was ( and he worked for  a caravan manufacturer in the foam insulation department before doing his present job) that all the insulation in caravans WAS and possibly still is cyano based solvents!
No wonder the companies didn't reply to my letters asking about the products.
Has any other caravanner out there had a similar problem.
I'd love to hear from them if they have.Cheers, neil.
LONG LIVE CARAVANNERS!!!
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Shipmate60

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #34 on: March 24, 2008, 06:33:03 pm »

LONG LIVE CARAVANNERS!!!

Great sentiment when you just told us that caravans are POISONING us!!

Bob
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DickyD

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #35 on: March 24, 2008, 06:54:14 pm »

No more comments in this vein please folks - we don't want to go down that particular road(!) again after last Sunday. Describe your pride and joy by all means but lay off its effect (actual or otherwise) on other road users. Thanks, Colin
Take note Bob.
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Brian_C

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #36 on: March 24, 2008, 08:28:52 pm »

 while we were on a shooting holiday in Scotland we hired a static caravan as our base,   we had a morning goose shoot booked half a mile up the hill from where we stayed, we shot 12 geese that morn and when we returned to our caravan we found number 13. it must of glided down to the loch but fell short and there it was lying at the side of our bloodied caravan,   what a mess  >>:-( the owners were about as happy as the goose, :o
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Bartapuss

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #37 on: March 27, 2008, 09:46:12 pm »

Sounds a bit like a "Deliverance" weekend to me Bri, were you Burt Reynolds by any chance??  :o :o
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #38 on: March 28, 2008, 04:50:08 pm »

How do you guys clean the roof of your caravans?
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Roger in France

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #39 on: March 28, 2008, 05:04:16 pm »

With care!

When I caravaned (up to 4 years ago) I used a mobile, light scaffold and a very soft, long handled sweeping brush.

Now, the scaffolding may sound over the top but I used it after bitter experience. I previously used a step ladder, the kind with steps up one side and stays on the opposite side. One day, having completed the roof cleaning, I stepped down the wrong side! Fortunately, the caravan was backed up close to my wooden garage doors and so as I fell I hit and slid down the garage doors. Had I not done so I do not think I would be here to tell the tale. I must have been standing 8 or 10 feet off the hard drive!

Take care and think "Safety".

Roger in France.
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barriew

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #40 on: March 29, 2008, 04:43:16 pm »

How do you guys clean the roof of your caravans?

I use one of those ladders which also forms a platform about 5 ft long about 2ft off the ground. Using that and a short brush I can reach all the roof - but I am over 6ft ;) I have also been known to open the large skylight and do a bit of cleaning from that. Its useful for cleaning round the skylights etc where the brush doesn't reach.

Barrie
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #41 on: March 29, 2008, 04:49:39 pm »

Two foot off the ground would be no use to me, I'm only 5' 4 - what is called vertically challanged !!!
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #42 on: March 29, 2008, 10:18:46 pm »

Can't you just go up through the loft hatch.....?  {-)
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barriew

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #43 on: March 30, 2008, 09:46:39 am »

Two foot off the ground would be no use to me, I'm only 5' 4 - what is called vertically challanged !!!

and if I go more than 2 feet I get vertigo {-)

Barrie
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botchit

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #44 on: March 30, 2008, 01:08:02 pm »

I read with interest the variations in thought abour caravaning. My son in law uses a 4x4 to tow their four  berth, reason being standard estate wouldn't cope on longer hills especially as said in the thread with the kitchen sink ,play stations dvd and all the other paraphanallia now associated with keeping the kids quiet, plus a daughter who takes the entire wardrobe while asking whats a bag wash..I still have an old abbey very heavy over 1000kg my volvo coped with this and when younger with a few tweaks was a dream.Now its a gas guzzler and like my self getting on and a bit creaky , makes long distance vanning a no no so i invested in a peugot 406 on the flat and slight inclines an economic dream m62 windy hill a few resovations now and then.This sought of brings me in favour of the 4x4though this is a personal view only though.

  As for cleaning the van i got one of those cheap extending brushes for reaching the ltops of conservatories etc they connect to the garden hose this combined with a ladder i find ok i meant step  ladder by the way.Can be got in most cheap shops anywhere.Don't do what my friend did though use a power hose some how managed to pierce the sealant on parts of the seams.Made for a wet holiday a few days later.Happy camping touring and boating to all maybe some one out ther could organise a yearly rally by a lake or similar central to all.
Regards B
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Welsh_Druid

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #45 on: March 30, 2008, 03:00:38 pm »

.Happy camping touring and boating to all maybe some one out ther could organise a yearly rally by a lake or similar central to all.
Regards B

Well it's an easy drive from Birkenhead to Llanberis with plenty of caravan sites nearby - end of August - North Wales Mayhem weekend - are you coming ?

Don B.
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #46 on: March 31, 2008, 04:16:20 pm »

Do you still need a passport to get into Wales ?
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DickyD

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #47 on: March 31, 2008, 04:23:17 pm »

Do you want to Ken ? Do you really really want to ? :-\
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Welsh_Druid

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #48 on: March 31, 2008, 04:25:40 pm »

Do you still need a passport to get into Wales ?

Well - we will make an exception for people from Birkenhead - provided they bring a model boat -  {-)

Don't know about Southampton though  {-) -- maybe if they promise to behave themselves  :kiss: :kiss:
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kit1947

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #49 on: March 31, 2008, 04:41:06 pm »

Ooh You know how to hurt a bloke Don  {-) {-)
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