6 month trip with baby (1 Viewer)

splatty93

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Jan 13, 2013
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london
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don't own one yet
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We're planning a trip Jun-Dec this year to take full advantage of my maternity leave (baby will be at least 3 months old when we leave). Never had a camper before.

We definitely wanted a camper, but have realised a caravan might be more practical to go off in the car for trips to towns etc. Would be interested to hear if people manage to park in cities and go down country lanes OK with campers, or if this can be very restrictive?

We're aiming to use this opportunity to go to places we would struggle to get to on a normal two week camper trip to Europe. Keen to go to Croatia and Slovenia. Are Turkey and Greece camper friendly?

Main concerns are:
-It being too hot for the baby so will plan to stay in places that aren't more than 25 degrees, also mozzies
-Being in places with good healthcare
-Cheap locations to make a long trip possible

Any tips/experience would be greatly appreciated:
1. What camper you would recommend - we've been looking mostly at T4/5 but wonder if they would be too small for a 6 month trip. LWB gives more space but then I think we will really struggle to park it in cities etc. We're on a very tight budget as my boyfriend wants it to be safe and reliable so: less than 12 yrs old and mileage under 130k, for under £9k...
2. Locations you would recommend
3. Useful books - see very mixed reviews of AA and Alan Rogers Europe guides
4. Tips for travelling with a baby
5. I'm keen to get a van with three front seats so we can all sit together. Anyone with experience of doing this with a car seat?
6. Would people wild camp with a young baby?

Thanks!!
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
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9,025
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
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15
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Timberland
Any tips/experience would be greatly appreciated:
1. What camper you would recommend - we've been looking mostly at T4/5 but wonder if they would be too small for a 6 month trip. LWB gives more space but then I think we will really struggle to park it in cities etc. We're on a very tight budget as my boyfriend wants it to be safe and reliable so: less than 12 yrs old and mileage under 130k, for under £9k...
2. Locations you would recommend
3. Useful books - see very mixed reviews of AA and Alan Rogers Europe guides
4. Tips for travelling with a baby
5. I'm keen to get a van with three front seats so we can all sit together. Anyone with experience of doing this with a car seat?
6. Would people wild camp with a young baby?

Hi .. welcome to the forum..

we have travelled with kids (3) and taken a baby on holiday to France and Spain, also spent three years living full time and travelling Europe and Morocco with two kids in a USRV .. (American motorhome 36ft)

. my advice is

1. Personally I think a T4/5 or any panel van conversion far too small for a long trip with a family , both for living in and taking all the kit you will need with a baby. A small C class motorhome with a pullman dinette (table with seating on both sides) would be far better.. more storage space and a bigger pay load.. more space for sleeping, washing and showering.. the luton bed (above the cab) will make an excellent cot for baby .. and a place to store all the kit he needs. A cargo net can be secured across the front to prevent him falling out

2. Anywhere in the EU .. but during the very hot Summer months I would stay in the northern parts and west coast of France .. working south to Spain and Portugal as the temperature drops..

3. Books are very much a personal choice.. I've never been one for spending money on information you can find free on the net.. but I do like the Lonely Planet guides

an example of some of the information you can find on the net..

first one is aires in France and other EU countries.. my Aires 'Bible'
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

Aires in Spain
Link Removed

Camping in Croatia
http://www.camping.hr/

Camping Bulgaria
http://www.camping.bg/en/?page=

4. You have plenty of time so don't do high mileages each day.. take your time .. baby will enjoy travelling, but not sitting for hours on end getting bored.. so plan a couple of hours travel then have a break .. no more than say four hours a day.

5. Baby would be safer in a rear facing belted seat in the habitation area.. strapped into a baby seat .. you can also sit there facing while travelling .. keeping him/her amused.. and attending to any of their needs. It would also be cooler than sitting in the front.. If you go this route.. ensure it has proper manufacturers seat belts installed.. many older vans do not.. retro fitting may not be possible and if it were.. expensive.

6. If you mean proper wild camping, no reason why not, provided you felt it was a safe place .. but personally I would prefer to use the motorhome aires in France which are an excellent. All have water and dumping facilities, (important with a baby,.. they generate a lot of poo and need lots of washing :roflmto: .. many have an EHU .. some free, others range in price from about €5 - €12 per night.

good luck .. with both the birth and and the planned trip.. My last bit of advice is to join the forum.. best ten quid you will spend.. :Smile:
 
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C

Chockswahay

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My (midwife) wife says just make sure you keep up the babys inoculations and enjoy :Smile:

My own worry would just be that you might be taking on an awful lot of lifestyle change in one fell swoop (sorry......devil's advocate and all that)

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Oct 12, 2008
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Hi .. welcome to the forum..

we have travelled with kids (3) and taken a baby on holiday to France and Spain, also spent three years living full time and travelling Europe and Morocco with two kids in a USRV .. (American motorhome 36ft)

. my advice is

1. Personally I think a T4/5 or any panel van conversion far too small for a long trip with a family , both for living in and taking all the kit you will need with a baby. A small C class motorhome with a pullman dinette (table with seating on both sides) would be far better.. more storage space and a bigger pay load.. more space for sleeping, washing and showering.. the luton bed (above the cab) will make an excellent cot for baby .. and a place to store all the kit he needs. A cargo net can be secured across the front to prevent him falling out

2. Anywhere in the EU .. but during the very hot Summer months I would stay in the northern parts and west coast of France .. working south to Spain and Portugal as the temperature drops..

3. Books are very much a personal choice.. I've never been one for spending money on information you can find free on the net.. but I do like the Lonely Planet guides

an example of some of the information you can find on the net..

first one is aires in France and other EU countries.. my Aires 'Bible'
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

Aires in Spain
Link Removed

Camping in Croatia
http://www.camping.hr/

Camping Bulgaria
http://www.camping.bg/en/?page=

4. You have plenty of time so don't do high mileages each day.. take your time .. baby will enjoy travelling, but not sitting for hours on end getting bored.. so plan a couple of hours travel then have a break .. no more than say four hours a day.

5. Baby would be safer in a rear facing belted seat in the habitation area.. strapped into a baby seat .. you can also sit there facing while travelling .. keeping him/her amused.. and attending to any of their needs. It would also be cooler than sitting in the front.. If you go this route.. ensure it has proper manufacturers seat belts installed.. many older vans do not.. retro fitting may not be possible and if it were.. expensive.

6. If you mean proper wild camping, no reason why not, provided you felt it was a safe place .. but personally I would prefer to use the motorhome aires in France which are an excellent. All have water and dumping facilities, (important with a baby,.. they generate a lot of poo and need lots of washing :roflmto: .. many have an EHU .. some free, others range in price from about €5 - €12 per night.

good luck .. with both the birth and and the planned trip.. My last bit of advice is to join the forum.. best ten quid you will spend.. :Smile:

As far as baby is concerned (I'm not a specialist for other questions indeed) I couldn't have given better advices than you did Jim. I would just add ... find an alternative to sitting baby for each travel as over 2 hours sat, his back might hurt awfully and you won't be able to know why he's crying. If you can have one of this lying pram top (sorry don't know the word in english) , I hope you get what I mean. They can be tied up to the passenger seat with the belt just like you do it with baby's Seats.

Best wishes for the birth and the plans!


Amicalement

Frankie:Smile:
 
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Jim

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Jul 19, 2007
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Sutton on Sea, UK
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Adria Panel Van.
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Since 1988
We've done extending touring in France and Spain (many months) with young kids 2 months and 15 months. It is easier to keep kids warm rather than cool and no matter how careful you are they will get the odd mossie bite. A fan is as good as air conditioning. Really there are no issues (above and beyond the normal) to worry about. You'll be in close proximity throughout and this suits many parents and the kids love it.

Long trips with our third as a baby were even easier because her siblings where then 8 and 9 and were a great help. Kids like routine but adapt to new ones quickly. I'm sure you'll have a six months you'll never forget:thumb:
 
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Chris

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May 5, 2010
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What a good idea.

Perhaps I will have another child.

6 months touring Europe:thumb:

Trouble is I am self employed and my paternity leave would just about allow a long weekend in Brighton.:Sad:

Good luck with the trip- go for it:thumb:
 
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