Why or how did you become a motorhomer. (1 Viewer)

[Tootles]

Yeh, 1970 version, fold-up map and a compass. Only wimps use sat navs -

Only a fool uses a map his wife is reading...........

 

[magicsurfbus]

We'd tried virtually every type of canvas camping available and were fed up with draughts.

Before we bought the old VW we'd graduated to a Conway Oxford trailer tent, which was like Billy Smart's big top. It used to take me 3 hours to construct it. Enough was enough.

 

[Neilfg]

Wanted to tour UK and Europe in comfort in a flexible way. Turns out it is a great hobby where you get to meet interesting people and have fun

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[chaser]

Only doing this on my phone so probably been done as I haven't read back, but I started in an a35 van when 18, progressed to commer van, till we got too many kids for it so then went to haven holiday static for a few years , some knock it we loved it, still do. Then went, as you do to package European holidays, then went into having our own static, worst thing anyone can do, god it makes me sweat just thinking about it, now we are back full circle to motorhoming.

 

[brodie]

We talked about it on and off for a while, then one night hubby came downstairs and said 'guess what'? me 'what'?

Then he breaks the new to me that he has just bought a motorhome and will be picking it up at the weekend!!!

We were 31 and 34 so relatively young for motorhomers. I was also 4/5 months pregnant at the time with our 3rd baby. About 3 weeks later we were on the ferry over to Calais in the August. We had a few weekends here and there and by March the next year we were off again on our adventures with a 12 week old baby and 2 small children.

Neither of us had camped etc before, we usually had package holidays and then when children came along we started driving to France for holidays in statics.

We absolutely love it and have covered a lot of miles and taken the kids to places which would probably be achievable in years rather than weeks. We sold the big bertha and had a couple of package holidays again just to give the kids a different experience of a holiday, it just doesn't cut it.

We are now just about to complete a VW T5 conversion which will be a temporary measure until we can convert a bigger panel van. I can't wait, my smile has been ear to ear for the last couple of weeks

Off to Normandy in a couple of weeks and the central region in about 5 weeks. Did I say we LOVE it!!

 

[buttons]

I found myself at one of life's crossroads. Things were going downhill fast..... My portable steam TV business wasn't doing so well since The Green Party came out against fossil fuels, my drinking problems had accelerated to the dizzy amount of two bottles of Angostura Bitters a day, the court case concerning the three women and a feather duster in a phone box was due to be heard, with my solicitors predicting a positive outcome for the Tickle Triplets, and next doors dog kept digging the wife up.
It was at that stage I decided to cast my foul habits, and previous life behind, to escape a constant round of self flagellation and abuse, and buy myself a quality motor home.

So I purchased a Swift with a built in roof shower, took up smoking 80 tabs a day, and rode a pedal cycle like a demented idiot on speed.

Signed,
Buttons.

Nice to see you are back off your travels Mr T not lost you stingingly sharp wit I see. I didn't mention the brolly fixed over the drivers seat or the e-cigarette and smoking ban, I was attempting to give a positive account of my motorhoming history.
Anyway hows things are you back......

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[Anthea M]

Some lovely stories on this thread.
And we've all got one thing in common ( well 2 if you count the MH) we all like the fact that we are be holding to no one and can pick and choose our own trips/ holidays or lifestyles! So glad we took the plunge 7 years ago!

 

[buttons]

Q. Why or how did you become a motorhomer?
A. It was the voices in my head .... they told me to do it.

Val's voices obviously.......

 

[hilldweller]

>>> how did you become a motorhomer.

I bought a bleedin' MH didn't I.

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[Rob and Val]

Val's voices obviously.......

A happy wife means a happy life ..............

 

[buttons]

Only doing this on my phone so probably been done as I haven't read back, but I started in an a35 van when 18, progressed to commer van, till we got too many kids for it so then went to haven holiday static for a few years , some knock it we loved it, still do. Then went, as you do to package European holidays, then went into having our own static, worst thing anyone can do, god it makes me sweat just thinking about it, now we are back full circle to motorhoming.

So you have been at it for a while too chaser. Even now we sometimes stay on a Haven site, like you I think they are great. An A35 blimey that is going back a bit, I always felt they were about to tip over for some reason.

 

[buttons]

>>> how did you become a motorhomer.

I bought a bleedin' MH didn't I.

I bet you had a good look around for one with two wheels before taking the plunge.

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[buttons]

Some lovely stories on this thread.
And we've all got one thing in common ( well 2 if you count the MH) we all like the fact that we are be holding to no one and can pick and choose our own trips/ holidays or lifestyles! So glad we took the plunge 7 years ago!

Ianthebuilder is proving just how flexible a motorhome can be. Living working entertaining traveling just to name a few....

 

[buttons]

We talked about it on and off for a while, then one night hubby came downstairs and said 'guess what'? me 'what'?

Then he breaks the new to me that he has just bought a motorhome and will be picking it up at the weekend!!!

We were 31 and 34 so relatively young for motorhomers. I was also 4/5 months pregnant at the time with our 3rd baby. About 3 weeks later we were on the ferry over to Calais in the August. We had a few weekends here and there and by March the next year we were off again on our adventures with a 12 week old baby and 2 small children.

Neither of us had camped etc before, we usually had package holidays and then when children came along we started driving to France for holidays in statics.

We absolutely love it and have covered a lot of miles and taken the kids to places which would probably be achievable in years rather than weeks. We sold the big bertha and had a couple of package holidays again just to give the kids a different experience of a holiday, it just doesn't cut it.

We are now just about to complete a VW T5 conversion which will be a temporary measure until we can convert a bigger panel van. I can't wait, my smile has been ear to ear for the last couple of weeks

Off to Normandy in a couple of weeks and the central region in about 5 weeks. Did I say we LOVE it!!

Hi Brodie I think I have said before what a great name Brodie is. It is my youngest sons name and he is very pleased with our choice. The T5 is a great van I loved my California's. Does your T5 have a pop top or are you fitting one. They are comparatively small but very well proportioned, get used to that and nothing beats it.

 

[chaser]

So you have been at it for a while too chaser. Even now we sometimes stay on a Haven site, like you I think they are great. An A35 blimey that is going back a bit, I always felt they were about to tip over for some reason.

Yeah 1965 round the Welsh mountains with a mate with sack bags in the back of the old a35 for two weeks , must have smelt high when we got home but never looked back, started courting with a girl who's whole family were into caravans , vw,s statics the lot , did this till we got the commer for about 6 years till family got too big for it , then we did haven for years , being farming and only having one week a year it had to be one we all liked and knew it would be good , so this is how it went for maybe ten years , then the kids started doing their own thing and we started going on Wallace Arnold continental coach holidays with Inlaws , which again was great, but then the biggest mistake anyone could make , saw a static for sale in Prestatyn in the supermarket adds, and went and bought it , god it's the worst thing anyone could do, always got to go to the same place just because it's there, same people next door , friends and relations think they can have free holidays and always when you want to go , rent always going up , God it's awful, anyway ended up giving it back to the owners , couldn't sell it , got to move it off but no one else would have it .
Anyway , we are now back into motorhomes, well should say motorhome because we have no plans on ever swop ping the one we have.
And just as an aside we also still go to haven , sometimes you can get a right bargain, especially the Blackpool one for out of season illuminations.

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[brodie]

Hi Brodie I think I have said before what a great name Brodie is. It is my youngest sons name and he is very pleased with our choice. The T5 is a great van I loved my California's. Does your T5 have a pop top or are you fitting one. They are comparatively small but very well proportioned, get used to that and nothing beats it.

Ah yes I remember! It is a very cool name, one of our beloved cats was called Brodie 17 years young, bless him. I wish we had called our son it now too when I think about it.

It is a great van, it was my husbands work van and he was ready for a new one so we have bought it off the business to have privately. I thought why sell on a vehicle that someone else will probably convert when we can get the pleasure from it? It is on an 08 plate and only 77,000 which is fairly low mileage for a work horse, plus it has been serviced and looked after as we have had it from 2 years old and the father in law had it for the 2 years prior to that from brand new.

Rich is making a fabulous job of converting it and it should be just about complete by mid next week. He has worked like a trooper and has taken him about 6/7 weeks in total working evenings and weekends. A lot of our time has been taken up trying to find everything that we want/need including a bed that will also provide 3 seatbelts. We've had that fabricated and it has gone off to be upholstered this week. We haven't put a top on because there are 5 of us so need quite a big top box for all the 'stuff'. We have bought a massive awning though. The furniture is being delivered tomorrow and that has been altered to fit the narrow space that the extra width in the seat has taken.

I know it won't be quite the same as having 5 berth coach built motorhome but it will be as good as it gets for a couple of years until we have the time to do a bigger conversion.

I'll put some pictures up when it's complete. He's outside now fitting the reversing sensors (for my benefit lol) and I've just told him how proud I am of the job he has made. Awwww

 

[brodie]

A happy wife means a happy life ..............

Correct!!

 

[manda3000gt]

Supposed to be buying a Ferrari by the time I was 40... bought an RV instead best decision EVER !!

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[mercianman]

We all like freedom but getting on a plane and picking up a hire car at JFK airport is also freedom. I am just booking a hire car to pick up at Palma airport for a week that gives us plenty of freedom to travel around the island but I know where you are coming from mercianman.

Aah, we aren't lucky enough to be able to do that.

 

[buttons]

Ah yes I remember! It is a very cool name, one of our beloved cats was called Brodie 17 years young, bless him. I wish we had called our son it now too when I think about it.

It is a great van, it was my husbands work van and he was ready for a new one so we have bought it off the business to have privately. I thought why sell on a vehicle that someone else will probably convert when we can get the pleasure from it? It is on an 08 plate and only 77,000 which is fairly low mileage for a work horse, plus it has been serviced and looked after as we have had it from 2 years old and the father in law had it for the 2 years prior to that from brand new.

Rich is making a fabulous job of converting it and it should be just about complete by mid next week. He has worked like a trooper and has taken him about 6/7 weeks in total working evenings and weekends. A lot of our time has been taken up trying to find everything that we want/need including a bed that will also provide 3 seatbelts. We've had that fabricated and it has gone off to be upholstered this week. We haven't put a top on because there are 5 of us so need quite a big top box for all the 'stuff'. We have bought a massive awning though. The furniture is being delivered tomorrow and that has been altered to fit the narrow space that the extra width in the seat has taken.

I know it won't be quite the same as having 5 berth coach built motorhome but it will be as good as it gets for a couple of years until we have the time to do a bigger conversion.

I'll put some pictures up when it's complete. He's outside now fitting the reversing sensors (for my benefit lol) and I've just told him how proud I am of the job he has made. Awwww

Brilliant stuff Brodie, dont think about "bigger will be better" think about the many benefits of driving a small van We have a small toilet tent which we put up in 2 minuets and put the toilet and any other junk in. We have an awning but normally leave it at home and just take a couple of small tents to give extra space if we need it. For longer stays I had a Pennine trailer tent. It tows ded easy and can be erected on concrete if needed, just unfold the sides and get the kettle on but rarely towed it.
Enjoy....

 

[Rob and Val]

I know it won't be quite the same as having 5 berth coach built motorhome but it will be as good as it gets for a couple of years until we have the time to do a bigger conversion.

Our MoHo is 5.8 metres long, which means that we can just fit into a normal car parking space - either on-street parking or in a car park (not a multi-storey for obvious reasons!) We've been to many places in England, Scotland, Wales, France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and northern Spain. It's certainly big enough for the two of us.

Our neighbours have just down-sized from a 7 metre to a <6 metre 'van as they said that, although their previous 'van was great for long stays on a site which had a bus stop outside, it was not ideal for visiting towns and the new 'van is so much easier to manoeuvre.

So, bigger is not always better .... although some ladies may disagree.

It seems that Rich is doing a fantastic job of the conversion and we look forward to seeing photos when it is finished. We wish you many happy years of travelling in it with memories that will last a lifetime.

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[alfandM]

The freedom of travel !

 

[brodie]

Thanks @Rob and Val

This is why I love this group, so friendly!!

 

[buttons]

Correct!!

Just had a thought brodie, Your T5 will fit below height barriers... hey hey

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[Jim]

It was an oil leak that led us on the road to motorhome ownership. Me and Sian were travelling all over Europe skydiving, we used to park on airfields and for accommodation, we’d bungee a tarpaulin from the bull bar of our Defender Landrover to make a sort of tent and sleep there.

Sian endured this for a long time. One year we were in Spain in some wet weather. It wasn’t that comfortable as a small river grew at our feet; so in the night we moved further and further under the Lanny.

I remember at the time, Siâns haircut was a blonde-tipped flat top The Landrover had a leaky front diff. When we got up, to say Siâns hair was greasy would be an understatement. The blonde tips now a shimmering oily grey-blue hue.

Next to us were our posh friends who had a Tabbert caravan (with a chandelier), they got Siân inside to wash her hair and give her breakfast, she stayed there all day refusing to come out, my friends refused to let me in till I promised to stop making Siân sleep under the Lanny. I sat on my own most of the day sulking in my little homemade tent in the rain while they laughed through the window at my attempts at trying to light my tiny stove for brews and food. I eventually agreed.

I bought a new caravan, a twin axle Swift Conquerer in Eye and towed it the few miles to Sibson airfield. Those few miles towing the caravan convinced me that I’d made a mistake. No way would I drag that thing around Europe. That very next weekend a mate at the drop zone had bought a motorhome. I loved it. The caravan never moved again and we just used it as a base when in Peterborough. The next time we were in Europe we were the proud owners of an Auto-Trail Pullman, complete with Red Indian war bonnet. We’ve been hooked on motorhome travel ever since.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
In France with the c/van,went out for the day and at a very pretty harbour,found the most super space on the harbour wall to park...empty,pulls in.
Under the 4'by were the letters write LARGE.."Camping Car".As i reversed out,i said to first wife."Next time i come here,it will be in a m/home"and it was.
Since then we have gone back to a c/van,back to m/home,back to two c/vans and now here with a PVC m/home. Is it make your mind up time?.. "I will ask her...." LOL!.
Tea Bag

 

[ColtheCamper]

Bought an older Hymer (97) 3 years ago having had a caravan for years and years and years, but kept mainly on a yearly pitch. Fancied seeing the rest of the UK when retiring so took the plunge. Within the first year we got really adventurous and went to France for ten days. Then France and Spain for a month, then France and Spain for three months. Then we bought a Casa in the south of Spain ( last December) and we will now spend two weeks or so travelling slowly down to the sun in October and use the Casa as a base to explore southern Spain and Portugal over the winter months returning in late March, only because I've been pinged for jury duty in April or we would've stayed until late April early May, they won't select me anyway once they find my views are just to the right of Attilla the Hun. We will then spend another couple of weeks ambling north again. Once back we will continue to discover bits of the UK that have eluded us for years. Yorkshire is looking good as is North Wales and loads of other places. Maybe Northern Europe (if we are still welcome) during the summer months as well.....what's Holland like anyone? Might be tempted to take Harvey to his birthplace as well, after the Chunnel the whole of Europe is our oyster. Ahhhh, just got back now I want to go again...

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[wasp]

We moved up from camping to campervan and to caravan back to campervan, then we went campervan and caravan(see, best of both worlds) then to a 28 foot Hobby caravan and then onto motorhome and lastly rv.

 

[JockandRita]

After caravanning for 16 x years, it got to the stage (for Rita anyway) where setting up and taking down in the typically British wet weather became a real chore, and I was more or less told (more TBH, and very precise with it too) to "shove my caravan up my a##e". ............................

After looking at several "leaky Kontikis" (a good damp meter never lies ) I saw a Hymer MH on the internet on a Thursday which we both liked. We saw the same model on display at the P/boro show on the Friday, but in a lesser condition, and went to view the one on the internet at Torquay on the Saturday. After some negotiation, and offer was accepted on the Sunday, and here we are, entering year 12 with our trusty Hymer E690, and loving it....................and now that we have both ceased working completely, we are loving it even more.

Being a left hooker, that made us more determined to cross the channel, which is something we'd always talked about with the caravan, but never actually did.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Shrimp]

We always camped even when we had the kit car, the frame tent was bigger than the car! We always fancied a MH but it was the old money thing!
Then we got a secondhand VW pop-top.
After a few years we got secondhand Autocruise Starfire.
A few more years on and we are living in our secondhand Hymer.

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