General Chat

hi julia, really pleased you have one mayby we could meet up for a night somewhere, the first time you go you will have forgotten the tin opener bottle opener just to start, liz is right pound shops have quality plates the same as an expensive shop, throws were a pound in primark the weekend, ebay sell refits , everything is a lot more accesable now its taking off again , you will soon get into the swing of things, mine is outside my door on the drive , i can't believe we live in it for weeks at a time when holidaying but you soon compromise , oooh and be scared of the gas cooker the brave cave man comes into play and cooks lol xxx really pleased for you xx

Why not advertise on freecycle or gumtree Julia, they have wanted sections so other people getting rid of camping stuff might help you out.

When we had a small caravan I bought a lot of melamine stuff from Poundshops etc and started off with basics, you can add as you go along. Charity shops have odds and ends too, it's all a matter of trial and error finding out what you need, and if you get somewhere and don't have the small items you can buy them there at suggested shops.
Awnings are very useful and lightweight but comfy folding camping chairs to sit outside.

I do envy you as I would love to be able to go off and carry everything with me, but o.h. was useless, he wouldn't even try towing the small caravan so we had to ask his dad to do it, the first time, to get it to the local site on the coast where we then left it for a couple of summers. His dad has a bigger caravan and been using it for years so he knew all about the rules and regs and how to load it properly, I had just shoved everything in lol and made it lopsided!

Have lots of fun.

Lizx

Hi Puss, We have finally managed to get a caravanette, but not a VW. I think we would have been looking for one all summer, when we could be away, on the open road.
The one we have managed to get is a Vauxall. Can't remember the model, but you can stand up in it without bending over.
Now, I have to equip it with all home comforts, and I do not want to raid the house for stuff, before we set off every time.So, any suggestions, from a seasoned camper.
Thanks
Julia in Derbyshire

Morning Mac, Awe, everybody loves you
I was leaving the thread up so that I could add a blow by blow report, when anything happened towards achieving our goal.
So, OH rang the people in Derby who advertised on the net. Made arrangemenst to go and view, after they assured him on the phone, that, yes, they had some. He went over, and yes, you can guess, they did not. So, yesterday he managed to find another source of supply, and has made arrangements to go today to see 'yer man in charge'. Will let you know.
Sylvia in Canada, that sounds like one mammoth trip, but boy, what an experience it must have been. Best not to let my OH see this, or he will be planning to do the same. I want to start off gradually, to acclimatise myself to what is going to be a new venture. OH, well he likes to jump in feet first in Wimpey wellies.
Thanks all for your contributions, and will keep you posted.
Julia in Derbyshire

older VW vans are considered short on power over here ....... they can be a menace to other traffic when in mountainous regions 'cos they don't have the power to get up the hills.

Don't know whether newer models are better or not.


My sis-i-l had one for several years in the mid- to late 80s ...... she bought it after her husband died, and used it to take her 3 kids to all kinds of places, including driving all the way across Canada one summer. Friends then flew out to Nova Scotia, and di the trip in reverse while sis-i-l and kids flew home. I think she took a month to do the trip.




sylvia

JUST A THOUGHT MAY BE
WORTH INVESTING IN AN AWNING

OH'S NIECES PARTNER IMPORTS
OLD AMERICAN ONES AND RESTORES THEM
THE CAMP SITE WE GO TO HAS LOADS PULLED IN
HIPPY STYLE

Thanks Puss, hope to make up for lost time. Not so much the passion though at my age.LOLOL
Julia in Derbyshire

hi julia hope you enjoy , i have a tourer and like someone mentioned we have been able to give my kids my step kids and foster daughter holidays , and go places we would not of been able to afford to stay other wise, i always fancied a (passion wagon) vw but have got used to a tourer now , hope you enjoy it xx

I thought I would let this run, to see what interest I got. Thanks all for your replies.
Bob, that was good, getting the same price you paid for it

Daff, I knew I could count on you LOLOL

Ann, Peace man, love and peace. You made me laugh. Don't think the Glastonbury thing is quite our bag man.LOLOL

Quoy, I will look at the site when i have a quiet moment to myself.

Gwen, We intend to have only a 2 berth, so we can get away on our own. We have not seemed to have been in a position to have a holiday for years, as we run an allotment and have an irracerable, getting old dog, who has never been able to travel very far. However, she has got to an age, where she regularly spends a few days and nights in the vets, and it would be an excellent opportunity to get away.
Our idea is to have an awning to afford ourselves more space, and also a couple of bikes, that can be loaded on the back, so as not to have to move the camper off the site.

In between gardening today, I have managed to find the address of a company that hire out, and sell, what we are looking for. OH is going to give them a call tomorrow. Would you believe, it is on the road into Derby, a route we take regularly, and is about 12 miles from her. So on our doorstep really. Just hope they are still in business.

We are hoping to hire one for the first week in September, and make our first port of call, the Chatsworth Estate, where they have a three day event of a Country Show. These are the kind of things we like to visit, and I absolutely love Chatsworth, which is not too far from our part of the county.
OH is hoping to get in some Fly Fishing whilst we are there.
We are both looking forward to it.
I will leave this on the board, in case it gleans some more interest tonight.
Once again, many thanks for your imput.
Julia in Derbyshire

We had something similar when the children were young and had some great times.
One thing I would say is on a practical side....
Would you be hoping to travel once you reach your holiday 'base'?
We had a large awning / tent which could be fastened to the side of our van and this meant that during the days we could could sometimes venture into the surrounding countryside without taking all and everything with us. We just used to unzip the awning from the van side, secure the fastenings and go off for a few hours.
I think an extension of some kind is quite useful, so that you can spread yourselves a bit at a stop and have more room for sitting, preparing meals, dressing etc.

Hiring a van for a trial long weekend seems a good idea to enable you to understand the fun, freedom or possible pitfalls.


Gwyn

We used to own a VW camper in our younger days I so wished we had kept it.
Great for 2 but no more than.
If you do get one or even if you don't, have a look at
http://www.vwcampers.co.uk/vwevents.html
go to one of the shows you will have a great time

they were/are very popular, never been in one but knew somebody who did and loved it. You still see the older ones on the road (usually driven by 'travellers'.

All you will need Julia are flowers in your hair and off to Glastonbury!!

Omgoodness, that brings back some memories.... we had one many many years ago, when I was about 12.... we had a couple of holidays abroad that we would not have been able to afford, otherwise... us older kids were in tents, and the younger ones in the van with my mum and dad... it was a bit overcrowded until we got the tents.... 8 children and my parents, lolol

I don't know what the modern ones are like.... but this one was very reliable, and dad had it for years.... and he is heavy on cars and shoes, lolol

Love

Daff xxx

Good Morning All
Does anyone have, or has had, or has any knowledge of these vehicles.
OH and myself have decided to have a look at these, as a form of using it for a holiday. But, we need more knowledge before we venture forth to buy one. We had thought of hiring one for a long weekend, or week, to try it out first, though.
Any information/first hand experience, would be gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks
Julia in Derbyshire