Size does matter!
Is it just us?......After starting camping in a small 2 man tent and being very "minimalist" - carrying everything in 2 rucksacks and travelling to sites on a motorbike, graduating to a car, then a 4 x 4 so we could take and pack more - we've now bought
our first campervan (Mercedes V230 Conversion with pop up roof).
It looked big enough to accomodate us two adults so we sold everything surplus that we had, re-mortgaged, borrowed money, financed it up to our eyeballs, considered selling some of our internal organs on the black market, and left an elderly relative with
the dealer as "hostage".
We packed all (we thought) we needed in the several cupboards and drawers. So much was stowed that it was impossible to get a even packet of cigarette papers into the van.
Our first night away (to test the van) has left us "needing" approximately another 740 items. A longer hook-up lead, sharp knives, more comfortable bedding and pillows (we're getting older!),....to name but a few.
We haven't yet taken our two dogs along with us. That's going to be an adventure in itself!
It looked "big" enough on the dealers forecourt!.....
Comments
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Aren't you supposed to downsize as you get older?
Write your comments here...OOOps !! Is'nt that a 'Male thing ' ????
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Aren't you supposed to downsize as you get older?
Write your comments here...OOOps !! Is'nt that a 'Male thing ' ????
.all that salt water, Triky
reminds me of a very old joke (first form humour, i reckon) but various laws prevent me, probably, from even remembering it
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We downsized from a large caravan to a fairly compact motorhome. We realised that a lot of what we had before was unnecessary. It's easier to move on with less baggage!
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My daughter has been teasing me about what's in my caravan! And I think I should take pictures of what is in the lockers. But she has erased me less since I produced a hack saw and the screws she needed for some DIY on her home!
I am parked outside for curtain making duties!0 -
Must be very heavy duty material that needs a hacksaw and screws.
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Nah the hacksaw was for plastic waste pipe
I had to redesign her utility sink/washing machine waste that had been bodged. Not sure what
she needed a screw for .0 -
Well Pippah ,,,,if you don't know by now !! !! ?? ??0
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We went from two of us on a motorbike with a tent on the back and enough stuff for a week in a pannier each through various caravans then up to an RV with a tonne and a half of payload for two of us......we still managed not to always have everything we
needed. We are back with a caravan now and always end up with the back seat of the car jam packed with 'just in case' items!0 -
We started out with a frame tent and an 1100 Escort. That was packed to within an inch of its life and more on a roof rack. We moved to a four berth 10 ft caravan which tried our packing skills and learned to live with it. Now with two of us in a caravan
nearly twice the size we find lots of empty space and tend to lose things because we have too much room.0 -
We went from two of us on a motorbike with a tent on the back and enough stuff for a week in a pannier
Ever do the Goose Fair or Robin Hood Rallies?
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We've never downsized - in fact always the opposite. Our latest van is just a touch bigger than our last van, and now there will generally only be 2 of us. A 4 birth van suits us quite well - it means we are now much less likely to put up an awning.
David
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We went from two of us on a motorbike with a tent on the back and enough stuff for a week in a pannier
Ever do the Goose Fair or Robin Hood Rallies?
Did Robin Hood, my favourite were the Bog Seat and the Dragon Rally - recently found a terrible picture of me skinny dipping in a river in Wales in January at one Dragon Rally at the bottom of an old box in the loft .....thank goodness that was pre Facebook!
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We downsized from a motorhome to a Romahome 'Dimension' campervan. Since there's just the two of us, there's plenty of room. It's easy to drive, easy to park and is economical. We don't need a lot of 'baggage' - no TV, no microwave, no hot tub etc...
I'm very impessed to see how much storage space that Romahome have managed to fit into a modest space. Not an inch is wasted.
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We've never downsized - in fact always the opposite. Our latest van is just a touch bigger than our last van, and now there will generally only be 2 of us. A 4 birth van suits us quite well - it means we are now much less likely to put up an awning.
David
Starting out with a 10 ft four berth, downsizing was never on as we moved up to a five berth. The caravans then got larger until we were able to go back to four berths when we dropped a foot or so. But when that went it was back to form and the next two
got bigger again despite there being only two of us.0 -
Grumblehome, when you say economical what MPG do you get?
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personally, I wouldnt get too hung up about MH MPG figures...unless you are looking at an RV.....
most MH users will only do often way less that 3000 miles a year....so (realistically at best) say 30 mpg, so thats only 100 gallons of fuel.....
fuel cost is currently roughly a fiver a gallon...so that's £500 on fuel a year.....
even a 10% reduction (down to 27 mpg) or a 20% reduction (down to 23 mpg) will only cost an additional £50 or £100 respectively a year...
in the 'grand scheme' of buying and running a modern MH, these are insignificant figures....
staying on less expensive sites could save you far more than this in much less time....
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We started with 4 (later 5) in a 4 berth Alpine Sprite, we managed in this (and a later 4 berth) plus pup tents, till the children stopped coming with us. By which time we had downsized to a tiny 2 man tent. Then back up to a 2 berth caravan and finally
to a large twin axle fixed bed caravan. Loads of space for just the two of us.Each variation was perfect at the time. But this time it's really really perfect.
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Cyberyacht, the economy was not a main consideration when I bought the camper, but was pleased to see the MPG working out in the high 30's. If the trip computer is to be believed, my European trip this year gave over 37 mpg. This is 50% better than my
last petrol MH.Another point about having the smaller van is that it is easier to park at home. We have none of these silly restrictions on what you can park in your own property, but it is still easier to reverse up the drive and on to its spot behind the house.
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We started off with a two man tent, graduated to a small 12ft caravan, then they got progressively bigger 7.4m was the last one. Now we have a 6.6m M/H with bags of space and storage makes us wonder why we ever thought we needed the big caravan.
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... But she has erased me less...
Pippah! I am
to hear that she tried to erase you at all
.Write your comments here...Freudian slip! She has nearly wiped me out with chores! And today I got to rescue her friends trailer instead of getting lunch. Silly friend not on the right breakdown policy and the AA would only rescue the car not the trailer!
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