An “Ordeal”

Bluemanc100

Bluemanc100

Free Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Posts
445
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Location
Hawarden near Chester
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63,227
MH
Elddis Majestic 155
Exp
MH Novice (but a seasoned veteran driver)
That’s how SWMBO described out two week trip to Scotland.. maybe her condition but not sure she’s totally bought into Motorhoming... We’re off to Anglesey for a week next week and then I guess she’ll decide whether we’re going to consider selling or not..

It’s a shame as I’ve enjoyed it.. Sue ultimately makes the decision however as she has her health situation front and centre and keeping her happy is my main aim...

I’ll raise awareness if we make the decision to let Hettie go 😌
 
Richard and Ann said:
Our second ever trip in the van was to Scotland for 2 weeks. Nice place if you get the weather. Try her with Spain?
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We had fabulous weather on the whole so we were very lucky... Spain’s out of the question at the moment because Sue might need some treatment for her Lymphoma which sadly determines what we can do...
 
I've had two week skiing holidays in Scotland but always take hiking gear as you may only get 2 or 3 days suitable for skiing.
Had a few short summer holidays that were great. UK weather does kick in any where in our fair isles tho
 
ManTheVan said:
If you’re going to Anglesey and like beaches, pine trees, wild birds and beautiful views, try Newborough.
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Loved the walk through Newborough when we did the coastal walk last year.. we saw more of Anglesey over those weekends doing the walk than we had in 5 years when I was based at RAF Valley 🍻
 
What do you think made it seem like an “ordeal” for her ? The MH itself i.e. living in a smaller space? the places you went, does she like going to cities or countryside for holidays?, not having some home comforts , big fridge, endless running water, big TV?
 
Riverbankannie said:
What do you think made it seem like an “ordeal” for her ? The MH itself i.e. living in a smaller space? the places you went, does she like going to cities or countryside for holidays?, not having some home comforts , big fridge, endless running water, big TV?
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I think it’s all about deciding what to eat and cooking it so it’s “not a holiday”... the Covid situation doesn’t help as we’re not totally comfortable (because of her condition) eating out for all our meals...

We’ve discussed whether we’d enjoy places as much if we didn’t have the Moho and booked a cabin or apartment instead... I like the Moho a lot but do want to organise transport for when we’re on site... that where we differ.. I’d buy a scooter and rack tomorrow but Sue wouldn’t ride pillion.. when we go to Disney etc. She never goes on a ride.. she’s the official bag minder 😁

I think she’s made up her mind that it will go but time will tell...

We both love our cruises but they’re out the window at the moment..

Ultimately the Moho doesn’t owe us anything except insurance etc. So there’s no rush to do anything hasty
 
Bluemanc100 said:
I think it’s all about deciding what to eat and cooking it so it’s “not a holiday”... the Covid situation doesn’t help as we’re not totally comfortable (because of her condition) eating out for all our meals...

We’ve discussed whether we’d enjoy places as much if we didn’t have the Moho and booked a cabin or apartment instead... I like the Moho a lot but do want to organise transport for when we’re on site... that where we differ.. I’d buy a scooter and rack tomorrow but Sue wouldn’t ride pillion.. when we go to Disney etc. She never goes on a ride.. she’s the official bag minder 😁

I think she’s made up her mind that it will go but time will tell...

We both love our cruises but they’re out the window at the moment..

Ultimately the Moho doesn’t owe us anything except insurance etc. So there’s no rush to do anything hasty
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I understand the situation. I think it’s a difficult one and not easily sorted except for the cooking to stock up on M & S ready meals (for you to cook !) and maybe hiring a car to get out and about from a fixed base.
We have progressed from tent holidays to the campervan, dislike eating out and don't like hotels and cruises so the life suits us both fine.
Hope something works out for you.

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Riverbankannie said:
I understand the situation. I think it’s a difficult one and not easily sorted except for the cooking to stock up on M & S ready meals (for you to cook !) and maybe hiring a car to get out and about from a fixed base.
We have progressed from tent holidays to the campervan, dislike eating out and don't like hotels and cruises so the life suits us both fine.
Hope something works out for you.
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We do take a good selection of “ping ping” meals but the feeling Sue has is the same.. on a cruise we used to eat when we wanted to eat and somebody else organised it... not sure we’ll ever do another unless a vaccine is proven to work...
 
Just a suggestion - we use some campsites near us, where you can order takeaways and get them delivered to the pitch. Or, some evenings they have a mobile pizza business or a fish and chip van. The OH doesn't want to cook "on holiday" so by default preparing a meal is my job. Which is why she prefers takeaways ... :oops:
 
Bluemanc100 said:
We do take a good selection of “ping ping” meals but the feeling Sue has is the same.. on a cruise we used to eat when we wanted to eat and somebody else organised it... not sure we’ll ever do another unless a vaccine is proven to work...
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I have been trying to think when reading a few threads and posts what 'ping ping' meals could be. I thought maybe Chinese, but now I have realised it is probably the noise a microwave makes when it is ready.

I and we have never had one, and would be useless in our MH because we are never on EHU(except in the yard)

Basia loves cooking and in the MH more so because of all the lovely French ingredients.

When is the 21st Century due?

Geoff
 
My good lady would find the novelty soon wore off and be a bit unhappy with motorhoming holidays compared to a hotel based holiday if she was still doing similar chores to being at home.

Mainly knowledge based on our recent covid-19 affected holidays, but on C&MC sites we've used they've been visited by pizza and F&C type food vans.
 
Bluemanc100 said:
I think it’s all about deciding what to eat and cooking it so it’s “not a holiday”...
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Couldn't you do some of the cooking?
For many years both of my married sons and I do 90% of the food shopping and cooking when at home and when away in our respective motorhomes/caravans.
(The wife of one of my sons only makes banana or carrot cakes and smoothies, the other one just her 'Signature Dish' :rolleyes: of cauliflower cheese or rice pudding).
Not a poke at you but just sayin'........... ;)

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kevenh said:
My good lady would find the novelty soon wore off and be a bit unhappy with motorhoming holidays compared to a hotel based holiday if she was still doing similar chores to being at home.

Mainly knowledge based on our recent covid-19 affected holidays, but on C&MC sites we've used they've been visited by pizza and F&C type food vans.
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Totally agree with her on this one, self-catering holidays never seemed like a holiday to me if I had to do a lot of cooking, especially with all the washing pre holiday for the right clothes to take and then again on the return.

We do have a portable oven which we can decide to take with us depending on how long we're going to be away and what I think we might eat. I don't mind doing sandwiches etc for lunch, but not going to spend my evenings chopping and slicing various ingredients to produce something in the van. I'd rather spend my leisure time reading, knitting and listening to music (usually all together).

A ready meal which can be decanted from its plastic tray into a cooking dish for the oven (it has to be in there for about 50-75% more time than the wrapping says and so saves it melting) is perfect for us, or a takeaway from somewhere local.
 
kevenh said:
My good lady would find the novelty soon wore off and be a bit unhappy with motorhoming holidays compared to a hotel based holiday if she was still doing similar chores to being at home.
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I'll have to keep an eye on this situation like the OP!
SWMBO DOES still cook most dinners in or MH. But all the MH liquid fill & empty tasks are mine 🤔

She did have the same say in us getting a MH.
She will not willingly spend time under canvas (apart from a marquee at Reading Festival & similar).

We rented MH in Canada & New Zealand and then waited several years before noticing that UK was viable for that sort of holiday and buying last August.
So maybe its her buy in that has helped.
 
Spriddler said:
Couldn't you do some of the cooking?


For many years both of my married sons and I do 90% of the food shopping and cooking when at home and when away in our respective motorhomes/caravans.
Not a poke at you but just sayin'........... ;)
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I do a little but Sue watches me sorting food and using all the dishes we’re carrying and jumps in the next time 😆
 
Bluemanc100 said:
I do a little but Sue watches me sorting food and using all the dishes we’re carrying and jumps in the next time 😆
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I can appreciate her vested interest in that. My D's in Law do the clearing away and wash up (load the dish washer at home) the bomb-damage after my sons have been cooking.

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Sorry to hear about your problems. It does seem to be a very difficult situation. Your wife enjoys the luxury of a cruise, where the standard of food is, no doubt, very high, and where she can fully relax and be waited upon. Motor homing is never going to match those levels of luxury - even if you go out and buy a Morello. It's just a totally different type of holiday. In today's climate, with your wife's condition, just what type of holiday could you both be comfortable with?
Is it a case of motor homing or holiday rental or no holidays at all? Unless you eat out all the time, there will be at least some self-catering and planning involved.
If you sell your van, will you have to go without holidays entirely?
Have you explored all these issues with your wife?
I'm guessing that she must be feeling pretty low and maybe is having difficulty in coming to terms with the changes which life will involve for the foreseeable future.
I wish you both all the very best and hope that you find a good outcome.
 
Part of me also wants to shake her and say “At the moment, you can’t have that cruise or hotel holiday, just be thankful that you have a lovely MH and a partner and go out and make the most of what life throws at you.”
 
Spriddler said:
I can appreciate her vested interest in that. My D's in Law do the clearing away and wash up (load the dish washer at home) the bomb-damage after my sons have been cooking.
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I’m the designated pan basher when we are away so it’s a fair split for me 😉
 
I don't think MOHO holidays are for everyone, my dad liked country house hotels and full service holidays, he would never have bought a MOHO. We have travelled a fair bit over the years and don't really like hotels much, we prefer to be independent and don't even eat out that much when we are away. We also like having a few chores to do when we get back after a day out before we open the wine.

We are all different and if someone is like my dad you are never going to convince them that motor-homing is fun.
 
Owning a motorhome is like boating you have to buy into the whole, sometimes expensive, lifestyle and it's not for all so good luck with your decision.

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difficult for you Bluemanc100
your wife just wants to be pampered, hard in these times and difficult in a motorhome.
Has she any idea of what would improve things for her? no cruise/luxury hotel answer allowed.
Do hope it goes better this time for you both.
 
I do 99% of our cooking, home and away. But its one of my hobbies and I really enjoy experimenting with different ingredients when we're away. Cooking in the MH with the small gas hob, the slow oven and the Cadac forces me to be inventive - I love it! We don't eat out much when we're on holiday, a few times a week at the most (we hardly eat out at home either) and personally I hate staying in hotels and having to eat out every day. Have done a cruise and it was very nice but I found it quite boring at times.

Motorhoming suits us: we get bored staying the same place for too long. Hubby does the driving and most of the washing up. I do the manoeuvring, the cooking and filling/emptying of tanks. I think the points about it being a lifestyle not just a holiday are spot on, and it doesn't suit everyone.

Bluemanc100 said:
I think it’s all about deciding what to eat and cooking it so it’s “not a holiday”
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Bluemanc100 said:
on a cruise we used to eat when we wanted to eat and somebody else organised it...
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Bluemanc100 said:
I do a little but Sue watches me sorting food and using all the dishes we’re carrying and jumps in the next time 😆
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I don't know whether this will help......but whilst I love doing the actual cooking I often find it annoying and stressful having to decide what to cook. So at home we've started sitting down together once or twice a week and planning our meals for the next few days and I find this really helps. Of course we sometimes change our minds, but knowing what I'm cooking without having to think about it effectively removes a level of stress that a lot people don't realise exists.

It sounds to me like maybe your wife is looking for a break from being the one responsible for ensuring the basic household tasks happen on time....there's a couple of interesting articles about mental load here, and here which I think illustrate the issue quite well.
 
We love sourcing local ingredients, especially in France, and cooking them up in the van. It helps that my wife taught cookery in an earlier life.
 
Dealing with what your good lady is dealing with puts her in a place so very difficult to understand unless you have been there. Pseudomyoxomaperitonia was my wifes particular bombshell, at her ten year revue, it had come back after we were expecting the all clear. We went straight out and bought our current motorhome (diastererous dealer experience just what we didnt need) and attempted to get away at every opportunity.
Getting it sorted out, Covid, life in general marred most of this but, she got upset when I said I wanted to sell it so we are keeping it. Being a wife, mum and nan, I think she just wants more of our times when we are both/all comfortable and safe. Thats what makes her content and that is good enough for me.

I do understand, best wishes to you both.

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