A non-caravanning holiday
For the first time in six years -since we got our first caravan - we are taking a non-caravanning holiday. On Thursday we are travelling up to Edinbrugh and the next day on to Oban where we shall be going on a concerted fishing vessel from The Majestic Line.
This holiday is being paid for by my very very generous brother and SIl who are chartering the whole boat (there will be 11 of us in total). However I had forgotton just how stressful a non-caravan holiday is. We have decided not to drive from Norfolk up
to Scotland but to take the train. Hours spent trying to decide the best route, cheapest tickets etc (not to mention getting a rail card that makes both of us look like the living dead) finding a hotel in Edinburgh for the night before onward travel and two
nights on the way back AND of course then finding someone to house and most importantly for us dog sit. Caravan holidays are generaly so less stressful its untrue and we both can't wait to get back to our caravan for our annual two weeks away in the summer.
Comments
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Packing is another issue for me as I find it difficult, particularly in this country, knowing what to pack and what I can cram into one suitcase that will last me for a fortnight.
In the caravan, I have oodles of space for outfits of all seasons and they're not creased up on arrival.
No hanging around at stations and lugging suitcases around either.
Enjoy your trip. It sounds quite an adventure.
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We take varied holidays. Caravan, cruises, apartment in Spain. We are fortunate in some ways though. The cruise terminal is twenty minutes away and my brother provides a taxi service. The apartment has a load of our stuff in it so we can travel with just
a cabin bag. Three weeks in the van is the holiday that takes most planning when it comes to a clothes loading allowance.0 -
I find packing for non caravan holidays much less stressful. Packing a suitcase or two is so much easier than preparing the caravan/car for a similar length of time away. We can be at the airport in 30 minutes which is the same time as it takes us to collect the caravan from storage.
Arriving back home is a doddle as well, 2 cases taken upstairs and dealt with as and when. After caravanning we have a hall full of loose clothes, clean and dirty, dirty towels, bedding, bags of food, tins, television, shoes, boots ...... the list goes on.
Despite this we love the freedom of caravan hols but isn't it brilliant to be able to do both.
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I am the opposite. Need to get the van out of storage, get it onto the drive, check it over, make up the beds, pack everything we just might need in it. Then trundle off. Week away in June to the lakes in a B&B (getting older and don't take the van that
far anymore) pack a case and drive off.0 -
I think, if you enjoy varying types of holiday, it shows how flexible you can be. Over the years, we've got packing for any type of holiday down to a fine art and I always make lists, including one of the stuff we've previously taken and never used.
Fortunately, our caravan lives at home and is always ready for the off in respect of a variety of clothes, linen, tools etc., so apart from hitching up and enough food for a couple of meals, we're on the road.
When the holiday includes flights, we need to ensure that we leave sufficient time to get to the airport and add a bit in case of motorway congestion and/or accidents/holdups.
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We holiday in many ways although for the last few years this has been in our motorhome or visits to our daughter who lives in New Zealand.
Our motorhome is restocked annually with bedding towels etc, and a stock of non perishable foods and drinks at the start of the season. It is stored away from home, so when we are off on a trip I use fold-down crates to put in folded clothes, shoes, clothes
on hanagers go on them carried on the back seat from to home to storage and a bag of food, together with a 10L water carrier full. On our return I bring back the dirty things in a laundry bag the clean things the way they were transported.Our last holiday was to New Zealand via a two stopovers in Thailand. That took a bit of planning but since the climate was similar it was just a question of choosing, and packing around the things from the loft we were taking to NZ for our granddaughter.
Had I have realised that the Island we stayed on provided a dressing gown, flip flops and indoor slippers, I would not have packed so much for that part of our holiday. A swimming costume and sarong would have been sufficent with a couple of outfits for
dinners.After 7 weeks away we still brought home unworn clothes and shoes.
Once the actual booking, be that the flight car to the airport or parking, car hire etc (we always pop into our local Flight Centre and allow them the priviledge of pulling it altogether
) is sorted it is about the same for getting there. But yes it is VERY much more stressful than just jumping into the motorhome having booked
a site by phone
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We're off on a flying /hotel holiday soon......the preparation is much easier than a caravan holiday (just throw some clothes is a bag)........but the journey is far more tedious.......early morning drive to airport, several hours of boredom at airport followed
by being herded like cattle onto aircraft, 4 hours or so of being cramped and breathing everyone else's germs, another hour to collect the bags and then herded onto a bus (or in our case this time, join the queue at the car hire desk).Good job the holiday itself makes it worth it......
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Going off for a three day hotel break there were nearly as many clothes as for a month in the van. Had to accomodate several different needs, from outdoor to evening dinner I suppose - much more casual for the van though. Feels really strange just bunging
a bag in the car and going. Keep thinking something has been forgotten0 -
We are going on a cruise in July (only our second one, first one five years ago) and packing is a nightmare. I have decided that I won't take a diner suit this time, just a lounge suit as its too complicated getting it arranged between our European trip
and the cruise. One advantage of a cruise, at least with P&O is that providing you can get the luggage in the car in the first place and get it out at the Port you don't have to lug it around as they do it for you!!!David
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Since buying our caravan 4 years ago we have not travelled abroad mainly as we prefer not to leave the dogs in kennels and since all the kids have left home now we have no dog sitters....
We are going to Cyprus in June though for our eldest son's wedding and can't wait.
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I find packing the caravan can be quite stressful.....it's not me that stresses, it's OH!!
I can understand it as I always leave things till the last minute while she likes to be organised and work to a plan!
Non-caravan holidays mean much less to pack, but do have the downside of extra hours travelling to/from airports, hanging around, cramped seating on the plane etc etc.
On balance I prefer caravan holidays.
OH would like to try cruising, but is not keen on "dressing for dinner". Is it compulsory?
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I find packing the caravan can be quite stressful.....it's not me that stresses, it's OH!!
I can understand it as I always leave things till the last minute while she likes to be organised and work to a plan!
Non-caravan holidays mean much less to pack, but do have the downside of extra hours travelling to/from airports, hanging around, cramped seating on the plane etc etc.
On balance I prefer caravan holidays.
OH would like to try cruising, but is not keen on "dressing for dinner". Is it compulsory?
It depends what Cruise line you use. I have only been with P&O and during, say, a 7/9 day cruise its likely to have two formal nights which is dinner suit/lounge suit for the men and evening/cocktail dress for the ladies. There are always alternative restaurants available if you wish to avoid. A lot of people, my sister included, who love that part of cruising. There are, I am sure, other cruise lines which are less formal. An alternative might be River Cruising which seems to be less formal but they don't seem to be as good value. I would always suggest people give it a try. You don't have to go again if its not for you.
David
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As IanH says - the biggest pain of a flight/hotel holiday is the (necessary) hanging around at the airport at both ends - dull and tedious but we've had some brilliant holidays in hotels that you simply can't have in your 'van and you have to put up with
it. So we do a mixture of all sorts - hotels with a 20kg limit suitcase, van with hundredweights of clothes/shoes(!) and B&Bs touring in the 2 seater with 'overnightish' bags both at home and on the continent.Its a hard life
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