Just decided on this major life change! (1 Viewer)

[Debs]

Hi & welcome,
I really enjoyed reading your intro and like your style

Wishing you the very happiest of adventures.....

Debs
X

 

[Sue]

Any one said how to dry clothes after a wet walk?

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Hi Guys
great first post , my wife and I are heading along the same lines as yourselves , the big house is going and we will base our selves in a smaller house and use the cash to buy a MH , we are fortunate that wendont have any health issues at the moment but as we look around and see friends becoming ill , it has spurred us on to decide to retire early.
have you considered going to the show at Newark next month ? Also its a good idea to buy jims book

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[Theonlysue]

Any one said how to dry clothes after a wet walk?

Usually hang in the shower.
Or if you have an awning, even a small one, you can leave all your wet gear there.

 

[Mags52]

Welcome! Please write a blog your chosen life style sounds fantastic.
I put some extra hooks in the shower (stick on ones) and we hang our wet clothes on there after a dog walk.
I agree with everyone saying that an overcab bed is a very bad idea with any kind of mobility difficulties. Our van is 6.5 metres which is quite compact yet has a fixed bed and a good sized dinette. Very easy to drive. If we buy another I would go for a single bed and rear bathroom model - night time loo visits would be so much easier.

 

[Granjan]

Hi Jackie and Martin, congratulations on your big decision and best of luck with your search for a motorhome and your travel plans. Some great advice on here. We all have our own angle on how we want to live and sussing out how you will motorhome is your main challenge!

We don't full time but went large at 9.2 metres with a twin bed at rear that makes a huge bed if desired. A large garage to store all our gear (out of site) and a massive payload.

We absolutely love the space we have but could manage very well with less in the middle when there are only two of us. I wouldn't like to go too small though especially if I was full timing and cooped up inside in winter.

Comfy beds are a main priority ...you could always sleep one above the cab and one elsewhere, when it is hot at night you need more space!

Alot depends on where you will stay when you travel as to what facilities you need on board, if you are staying on aires you will probably need your own cooking and bathroom facilities, you might be parked up quite close to everyone else!

If you are on campsites it might cost you more but you can spread yourselves outside your vehicle put up your chairs etc, use electrical gadgets and use their washing and toilet facilities. Out of season prices with ACSI can be quite reasonable. Not as many sites open in winter.

We usually stay on sites with electric so we use a cobb/barbi outside, multicooker/ ramoska indoors and a microwave with steam bags, electric kettle and coffee machine.

On aires you are probably more likely to need Solar, gas for heating, showering, oven, hob. You will need to have gas that you can buy abroad don't think Calor is available everywhere.

Sorry if I am rambling on a bit! Good luck with your search ......oh and the biggest fridge you can get and lots of tea towels, silicone matting to wrap your china and glasses in, I don't think many people use plastic! Just take as few items as you can to do the most jobs. Good luck!

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[movan]

Amazing first post .... Welcome to Fun. As you will have realised you will get many answers to any questions you may have. Looking forward to hearing your progress.

 

[Judge Mental]

twin single beds mean longer heavier van. rear bathrooms take up to much room, + weight not a great influence on handling behind rear axle, particularly if a long overhang (much prefer a wheel in each corner thank you )

 

[denisejoe]

To make life easier when abroad I would suggest getting Gaslow or similar fitted. You can top up at garages when you top up your fuel. It will also save lifting bottles out of a locker and lugging to get an exchange.

Being full time it will pay for itself fairly quickly. It's the best thing we've ever bought. It will take time to pay for itself but we don't full time as Joe is still working at the moment but we can't wait to go away for much longer than we do now.

Good luck for the future.

Denise

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[Spidey]

Hi, sounds like a wonderful plan We plan to retire as soon as our youngest leaves for uni, only 4.5 years to go. Not that i am wishing my life away, but it is nice to have plans.

Have you considered the vans with electric drop down beds? Ours is only 6m, but the bed drops down to seat level if required. So you have the fixed bed, lits of living space during the day and a lovely end bathroom. Ours is the chausson 510 but the new 610 (6.7m) is got the added lovely garage. Worth a look if you can.

 

[Jac Sprat]

Thanks guys
Lovely to hear from you all.
Do any of you ski? Trying to find a cheap long let for the ski season ie Dec to March. I know it seems a shame to pass up the glorious opportunity of warm southern winters but I'm too committed to skiing to change it now plus the family will join us with their partners for a few weeks
We plan to tour Europe August to December then drive to the ski area which could be the Dolomites or Pyrenees or alps or Slovenia - totally not fussy. It is still really pricey though so may end up doing just a few weeks which I already do!

 

[Jac Sprat]

I'd even consider skiing from a motorhome but that wouldn't work as Martin doesn't ski so got to get a ski dwelling as he needs to be indoors!

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