1st Trip (1 Viewer)

[MikeandCarolyn]

'Libby' is now on my drive,equipped as well as we've been able to do this week,and ready to set off on our first ever M/Home weekend.
Realistically it has been like equipping a 2nd home-we've used the Forum's Checklist quite extensively and think we've got it sorted. So many things to think of-apart from the 'living' side of things,there's the bikes,the bird watching equipment and the photographic gear-we're off to the Tudor Caravan Site nr Slimbridge,about 60 miles from home and with full facilties-staying there 2 nights,and then back home to assess how it went.
I do have reservations about 'Power' and am thinking a gennie might be a good thing to have,but we'll see how it goes.
Responses to posts I've made have given me the benefit of other Funsters experiences,and I think that's been invaluable-Thanks to all of you,and I'll let you know how it went when we get back-maybe even post some pics if I can get to grips with the technology of doing that

 

[hilldweller]

I do have reservations about 'Power' and am thinking a gennie might be a good thing to have,but we'll see how it goes.

I think the real problem of power is in the minds of the user. People who suffer power problems probably also suffer water and waste problems.

Think frugal in all things, except wine and gas, you can indulge yourself with both.

If you have an ammeter then keep you eye on it and see where the amps are going and then see if there is a better way.

I bought a gennie last year in a panic for Morocco, it's never been needed. It might be at the new year when we have a few days in a FUN field with no hook up and cold weather.

 

[Pikey Pete]

The best advice I can give is stop worrying and just enjoy. There are a lot of people who go for overkill.
I run off one leisure battery, admittedly with a solar panel, and I do tend to follow the sun, no pun intended.
The whole thing is a huge learning curve, if you find you NEED something, then get it, but don't spend your money till you find you can't manage without it.
Of all the "extras" I have, then I would say that a Gaslow system and a solar panel are a must.

Pete:Cool:

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[6pm Cowboy]

damn. There's another one left the wannabe club.

Best of luck and safe travels for your first trip. Have a great time.

 

[DESCO]

Hi

Don't worry you are off to enjoy yourselves so go to it. You will manage the most important thing to take is your sense of humour, if you can laugh at things you won't go far wrong.


Dave:thumb::thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

damn. There's another one left the wannabe club.

You're getting left behind old timer. Time to make the effort before your new MH has brass handles and no wheels.

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[Carol]

MikeandCarolyn enjoy your first week end away I am sure all will go well, don't worry about the power for one weekend I am sure you will be fine, maybe a extra blanket to throw on the bed and night, have a chat to your fellow campers that is where so much knowledge is found and exchanged. Have to admit one of our best additions has been the solar panel because when it is on the roof you can forget about it, and something less to put in and out of the van. Enjoy. Carol.

 

[Jim]

Have fun guys, come back and tell us all about it. :thumb: pictures would be good too

 

[DandG5515]

Dont worry about power, we did on our second trip away in ours as we were away for 6 days but we were fine. Enjoy your weekend and tell us all about it.

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[MikeandCarolyn]

WE HAVE RETURNED
We had a great weekend,super weather and met lots of nice folk. We also learn't a lot!-like,don't leave water filler nozzle unattended and turn tap on full power-the nozzle flies out and you get soaked.I only needed 10mtr length of hose. I was well pleased with the levelling up,from the level by the door to the living area I deduced that I needed to raise the front and also raise the right side a touch more than the left.So I pushed the 'level up' on the right hand side right up against the wheel,and the left hand one I placed about 8" in front of wheel.Then I drove onto 2nd level on right hand side and 1st level on left hand side-lo and behold, we were square !!
Hook up was no problem-so glad I had made up a short lead though.Gas was also no problem.
I think that from arriving at Reception to getting kettle on was about an hour. All went well until evening when we decided to turn the heating on.The pictures in the Manual bore no resemblance to our control panel.So,it was going to be trial and error-I got the boiler firing,but no blown air,so I looked around for any valve or switch that I might have forgotten.I found a valve in a water pipe next to the boiler which was under the fixed bed.It was a 2 position valve so I put it to the 'other' position and heard water gurgling.I assumed I was filling the boiler so turned on a water tap to bleed out any air (I'd read that somewhere) there was hardly any water pressure ! After a few mins I checked water level on control panel and appeared to have used half a tank!-That's when I rang the previous owner on his mobile He told me to look outside underneath and see if there was water running out-Bingo!! I closed the valve I had opened,the water stopped running-then I turned the main heater control to where he told me to and we had heating By now the water tank was indicating 1/4 full.I didn,t want to unhook and drive to water point in dark,so I asked guy in caravan next to us if he had a container I could borrow (that's on the 'to buy' list now lol) He lent me 2,2 Gal containers and a few trips to the tap soon had us topped up (and my feet soaked )
The next day,Saturday, Carolyn did poached eggs on toast for brekkie and the smoke alarm woke the occupants of the vans either side !!The bread had hardly started to go golden-damn thing. After that we cycled a couple of miles to Slimbridge and had a few hrs 'Birding' and a nice lunch in their restaurant.On way back to site we stopped at a cafe on the canal bank for a cuppa and chunk of the best home made boiled fruit cake I've ever had The M/H was nice and warm when we got back (600 watt oil filled heater)
A venison stew (cooked at home and frozen) was heated up for dinner and accompanied by steamed veg (great little hob steamer from tesco) and a bottle of Cote du Rhone Village went down very well,then we watched a dvd (could only get German tv on Satelite,I've got to work on that lol).
Sun morn-cup of tea in bed,then Carolyn used the Thetford and announced that a red light had come on on top !! I had d/loaded the manual before coming away,so we sat in bed reading that! how romantic eh As emptying the cassette was yet another 1st,we both went over to the waste point and it was very str8forward.
After a Full English brekkie we stowed everything away,unhooked and drove off pitch around 1130,stopping to drain grey waste on way out.
If Carolyn hadn't got work on Mon, and the tele had been behaving so that we could watch Grand Prix ,we both agreed we would have stayed away longer-it was a brilliant weekend.
All the answers to my Forum questions over the last few weeks were invaluable,and now we can't wait for our next trip weekend after next-we are hooked.

 

[6pm Cowboy]

I congratulate you on your write ups, very informative and interesting.

 

[pappajohn]

so glad you enjoyed your trip and the learning curve is a little less steep now.

roll on the next trip, eh!!

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[madbluemad]

What an enjoyable post to read. Well done.

Jim

 

[DESCO]

Hi

Glad you enjoyed your trip, you see it's not as bad as you thought. You will soon be in a position to answer questions.


Just keep enjoying your trips.


Dave:thumb::thumb:

 

[staging lady]

Glad to know you had a good time -it was lovely to read such a positive post. The first time is a little nerve wracking but you were obviously with some nice people next door in the caravan and you did the most important thing - ask for help.
Lucille