Survey : How many countries have you visited with your RV - Page 2

olley · 31-12-2007, 11:40 AM

Hi we have been to France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. Does Monaco count?

Also Malta and the Canaries but not in a motorhome.

My intention is not to see how many counties I can visit, but to see more of the countries I have visited.

Olley

2escapees · 31-12-2007, 11:50 AM

Olley

Hi

Yes Monaco is a country but not very motorhome friendly. I agree with you entirely and as we travel for about 8 months year that is just what we do, visiting places the normal tourist can only dream about. But sadly some countries restrict the amount of time you can stay, Egypt restricts you to 30 days unless you pay through the nose, more than £100 per day. Libya has similar difficulties. But it is well worth going!!!

olley · 31-12-2007, 12:07 PM

Hi Mike with a very nervous wife some of the countries you list would be out of the question for me. We are off to Morocco with Desert Detours this year and she's worrying about that, maybe if we go to some more of the countries she will calm down, but I think its unlikely.

To me traveling to Egypt, Syria, maybe all the way to SA would be marvelous, to the wife hell on earth, so its really just Europe for us when on our own.

Olley

2escapees · 31-12-2007, 03:11 PM

Olley

I understand. Get your wife to take to Morocco some cheap biros, small packets of sweets and even some children's clothes if have any. Stop when you are out in the wilds for a brew and the kids will be there in minutes. From our experience there they are quite polite and really happy if you give them something small. Ignore the teenagers if you can. We camped up in the desert and met a Berber tribes man, after a long chat he said he would be back. He returned with a beautifully carved plate from the desert stone, polished to expose three fossils on the surface. He gave it to us and said if we returned could we bring some clothes for his youngsters. The plate is just in front of me, it is unique. So practice a bit of French and you will love Morocco and that will convince your wife to broaden her horizons. When do you go? You will have to come by us in France I assume on your journey down.

olley · 31-12-2007, 04:38 PM

Hi Mike 1st of September, its being organised by Ray (Desert Detours) and Jim (scotjimland) mainly via Jims" Rvfulltiming" site. I think there's 9-10 of us mainly RV's.

Ray's already mentioned pencils and sweets for the kids, I believe he said his company support a school out there, so we will load up before we go.

Broadening her horizons is one thing, overcoming her fears? not likely.

She considers all Muslim countries to be very risky, a view reinforced everytime she picks a paper up.

After the bombs last year she will no longer go on the underground in London, and tried to stop our youngest (20) doing this the other day on her way from here to Watford.

One of the reasons for buying a motorhome is her fear of flying, shes not to keen on boats or tunnels either.

But is a better sailor than me in rough weather.

Europe is a big enough place for me, with plenty to interest me until I am to old to care, so I don't think I will lay on my death bed think "I wish/if only"

Olley

ScotJimland · 31-12-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2escapees

I was seriously trying to find out what users of this website get up to as I might be wasting my time here, since we travel far and wide and would like to communicate with people who do the same. But if the members here just do local trips, even if you think the UK is 5 countries, then I probably need to look else where and not bother you again!

Ok .. not counting the UK .. we fulltime in ours and count that as our base..

France
Germany
Belgium
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Andorra
Spain
Morocco

Arranged in order of preference for motor homing:

Morocco
France
Germany
Spain
Switzerland
Belgium
Luxembourg
Andorra
UK

dylan · 31-12-2007, 06:26 PM

Interested in your reasons of preference Jim ? Why UK last ? just interested no other reason

ScotJimland · 31-12-2007, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dylan

Interested in your reasons of preference Jim ? Why UK last ? just interested no other reason

Hi Dylan, good question, but these are only my opinions based on my preferences.

For pure motorhoming pleasure nothing beats Morocco, wide open spaces, cheap fuel, great climate, wonderful people, awesome scenery, wild camping in true wilderness ..

Next up France and Germany
Motorhome friendly, tons of aires/stellplatz, good climate, good roads.

Spain, great winter climate but not many aires, camping expensive unless long term, busy costas best avoided.

Belgium, Luxembourg are ok much like Germany, not a destination, more for passing through.

Switzerland.. gorgeous scenery but horrendously expensive.. nuff said

Andorra .. less said the better, great scenery but now spoiled by hypermarkets and day trippers looking for tax free shopping.

UK.. hmm .. congested roads, expensive camping and fuel, dodgy weather, height barriers, no camping signs, not motorhome friendly.

Don't misunderstand, I love the UK, I love camping in Scotland, Wales and the remoter parts of England but it's just so busy nowadays and soo expensive.

dylan · 31-12-2007, 09:34 PM

Thanks Jim, great post to show an insight to us that don't know ! Will bear this in mind for the future.

2escapees · 01-01-2008, 11:11 AM

Olley

Happy New Year

The state of fear is a UK syndrome promoted by governments to keep you in order. I have taken our camper to many "muslim" countries. The people are friendly, helpful and kind. In Libya we would stop in small villages hoping to buy some food, not once did we pay for bread it was always a gift. In a large town we camped in the youth hostel and walked up to the shops, in one large shop we picked up a floral display and went to the till queue, the assistant asked where we were from and said welcome to Libya, the flowers are a gift! I can imagine a Libyan getting that treatment in the UK.

We are not aiming to go to as many countries a possible just to places we want to visit. Also since we don't have to cross the channel every time a trip to Switzerland, Germany, Spain etc is simple just get up and go, no need to get insurance, visas, money and we live in the country which is probably the most motorhome friendly in Europe.