Instructions for doing laundry on a campsite
We're just back from a 5 week tour of the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and France Below is my guide to doing washing on a campsite, which I wrote on Facebook last week and my friends seemed to like!
1. Locate the laundry room on the campsite map. Tip: it will be at the furthest possible point from your pitch.
2. Walk to laundry room to see if it's open and there's a machine free. The road is gravelly and you are wearing cheap Primark flip flops.
3. The laundry room is open and available so you return to your pitch to collect your washing.
4. You walk back to the laundry room with a large heavy Aldi bag stuffed full of washing. The sun comes out and it's 28c. There's no shade. You're still wearing the flip flops.
4. You load the machine, add the detergent and choose a cycle. You feel pretty smug for working out the instructions in German.
5. You try to put your coins in the machine. They don't fit. Then you realise there is a sign on the wall (in German) stating that tokens are available in the reception. You stop feeling smug.
6. You walk to reception. It's at the other end of the campsite. Still wearing those flip flops.
7. Reception is closed when you arrive. You decide to wait.
8. After 10 minutes, a man in a tractor passes and shouts something indecipherable. You apologise for not understanding and receive a frustrated gesture. You feel very stupid.
9. Thankfully 'washing machine' sounds very similar in German and he understands what you want when you show him the change you have.
10. You return to the laundry clutching your token. Sun. No shade. Flip flops. Losing the will to live.
11. The laundry is now closed for cleaning. There are no cleaners in sight. You decide to wait.
12. After 15 minutes, an elderly cleaner appears and asks in Spanish if you want a shower. You point to the laundry. She unlocks the door and welcome you in with a bow worthy of the Queen. You feel like an idiot but say 'Gracias' anyway.
13. You check your washing is still inside the machine and put the token in. It drops in but the machine doesn't start. You realise that it's turned itself off because you've been so long. You say a bad word or two.
14. You return to reception for another token. Thankfully it's open and a sympathetic English speaking lady gives you another token for free.
15. You return to the laundry. Machine on, token in and it starts. You do a little dance. Unfortunately the cycle you picked takes 2 hours but it's too late to change it now.
16. You return to your pitch 45 minutes after you left with the washing, where the children moan because you told them you'd only be 5 minutes.
17. You return to the laundry 2 hours later. The machine says it still has 20 minutes left. You go back to your pitch and remove the gravel from your toes.
18. 20 minutes later you walk to the laundry for what you hope is the last time. The machine says it has 1 minute left. The dryer beside it has 9 minutes left and finishes first.
19. The cycle finally ends but the door remains firmly locked. You take an educated guess and decided 'Tür' means door. It does. Just as well or you may have found a crowbar.
20. You return to your pitch in the blazing sun, still wearing those flip flops and carrying a much heavier than earlier Aldi bag of clean washing.
21. You hang up the washing to dry. You don't have enough room on the line for everything and you run out of pegs but you're past caring so you just make it work somehow.
22. Your husband hands you a cold bottle of hefeweizen and you sit down to relax in the sun.
23. It starts to rain.
*Every single one of these has happened on our trip, although thankfully not all at the same time!*
Not included is the time token of doom, which gives an approximate amount of electricity for an estimated wash time - but if you don't return and open the door in time, your washing is locked away, only to be released by grovelling to the warden and saying
'Danke' over and over.
Anyone else have any tales from the laundry?
Comments
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Some of the launderettes in France are a bit of a challenge to start with, although fine once you've worked out the system. If you do not have enough change you have to get the note changer to accept your note. Then several of the ones we used were controlled
from a centralised panel, where you selected the programme and inserted your payment. OK as long as you made sure you selected the correct machine.0 -
Never had a problem in Germany and Austriabover 13 years. Most machines are Miele and very expensive. Used 4 different ones this year. Sorry could not be bothered to take my own enough weight already. Most of the laundry rooms have drying racks are are
5*DianneT
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Having been in similar situations, I know how you feel, so that gave me a good laugh
Well done for keeping your sense of
humourI'm now awaiting delivery (on Thursday) of a camping twin tub washing machine
...Took delivery of mine a few weeks ago its fab
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Having been in similar situations, I know how you feel, so that gave me a good laugh
Well done for keeping your sense of
humourI'm now awaiting delivery (on Thursday) of a camping twin tub washing machine
...Took delivery of mine a few weeks ago its fab
It was your thread that convinced me to buy one
Thanks Tammy 0 -
Having been in similar situations, I know how you feel, so that gave me a good laugh
Well done for keeping your sense of
humourI'm now awaiting delivery (on Thursday) of a camping twin tub washing machine
...Took delivery of mine a few weeks ago its fab
It was your thread that convinced me to buy one
Thanks Tammy ...Ooh! you're welcome
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Any chance of a link, ladies? I'm not sure we'd have space for one but i'm interested all the same!
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I couldn't get the coin slot to go in the washing machine when in France this year so sort out the site owner. He came, selected a broom, lined up the handle with the coin slot and took a run at it. The coin went in and the machine started. I later put said
washing into the dryer with the token for 45 minutes which I knew would probably not get it bone dry so was busy organising line and pegs back on our pitch. After 45 minutes the dryer was still going, and at an hour, after an hour and a quarter I went to
reception to ask what I should do. The receptionist came, looked at it and scratched her head and said it had not happened before but tentatively opened the door which stopped it. The washing was bone dry and I was a happy bunny not to have to hang it all
out.0 -
After 17yrs of using washing machines in france never had any trouble.and always use dryer if one. On holiday.
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We have stayed on a site in rural France where I asked about a washing machine - the lady on reception smiled and said 'bring me your washing and I will do it for you' - and she did! We had to pay nothing.
On the site we used to use in Cambrils they had a 'serviced' laundry, where you just handed in your washing, were given a ticket and a time to pick it up, and went back later to find it all neatly piled and ironed! They even washed our Khyam tent for us
when our children had a tummy bug!0 -
Any chance of a link, ladies? I'm not sure we'd have space for one but i'm interested all the same!
Write your comments here...just seen your post, sorry we are away at the mo so dont have details. I just found one on ebay that was a good price, first google twin tub washer for caravans, check out details then go to ebay to get best price.
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