Somethings been puzzling me. (1 Viewer)

[Flatlander]

A couple of years ago, I bought my first MH after a break of nearly 40 years. Even if I did expect that things have changed, there are certain aspects of it all that puzzle me.

The biggest one is why do people need tv's, internet and things of that nature? Way back then, we used to use "Dormobiles" as we called them to get away from things. In the evenings we would maybe go to a pub, dance place or even (Heaven forbid! ) actually talk to each other.

Are there others that feel the same as I do, are tv's, internet connections a "must have" for the evenings? In this age of wireless communication, have many become afraid of face to face communication?

No rights, no wrongs, just looking for opinions.

 

[Puddleduck]

We deliberately don't have a tv in the van. We do have a small DVD player which we use quite a bit but van time is time for reading, writing, playing card and board games and doing hobbies.

I do like an internet connection as I have a small business and can do things when away plus I can use the internet for hobby research - and useful for downloading books onto the Kindle

 

[Masman]

I've got tv but rarely watch it. It's usually a book or listening to music. We also like to play sequence which is a good card game. But everyone to their own.

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[John Stanton]

Each to their own way of life of course, but sounds like we feel the same way as you ... why go travelling to watch tv ?

Using an iPad / iPhone or whatever to stay in touch is understandable but we make a point of not becoming slaves to them - there are enough mobile phone zombies around us most days as it is.

 

[Puddleduck]

We also like to play sequence which is a good card game. But everyone to their own.

Is that the board game / card game? Looks interesting.

I like Bezique but I'm not very good at it and only play the simplified rules.

 

[chaser]

We have a small tv but never use it apart from this year on our longish, for us tour ,I just got to messing about with it and couldn't believe the amount of French , German and Italian signals we could get on it with just the standard van aerial, and could even get some news channels in English.

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[Figaro]

I think it is a sign of how the world has changed.
We have internet and satellite TV but (I) try not to become too bothered by it. The Mrs on the other hand can't live without it and gets agitated if trees block the signal. I then get instructions to move the van !
Internet is useful to keep in touch.
Each to their own I suppose

 

[Vanman]

Opinions are like noses ... everyone has one

However I don't feel the need to 'spite my face' by cutting off said nose just because some people think that the Internet or other tech are not needed in a MH or in some way spoil the experience. Like Sprinkles on Doughnuts, Internet can make a good thing better

 

[Puddleduck]

Internet is also useful for researching the next destination or deciding where to flee to when the weather takes a turn of the worse.

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[Chris]

We have a tv and always have internet of some sort whether WiFi or 4G.

We don’t watch much TV but the kids give the internet a bashing, which leaves me in peace to play on the X Box

 

[tonyidle]

Internet is a superb addition to any hobby and enables a wider group of friends and family to stay in touch and maybe vicariously enjoy your travels. TV or more likely DVD is good in the evening after the third wet day on the trot.

 

[Dazzlin]

We have a tv under the bed and a hard drive of more films than we can watch which come out a couple of times per month. Our windscreen is our entertainment, moving or parked!

Do have internet as full timers to keep in touch with family (& MHF).

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[Masman]

Is that the board game / card game? Looks interesting.

I like Bezique but I'm not very good at it and only play the simplified rules.

Yes card/board game from what smiths

 

[gus-lopez]

I have no tv. Only have internet if it is there when I turn the mifi on.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

It depends how you travel.

A lot of people aren’t on “holiday” when they travel in their motorhome.

If someone is on a long term (months rather than weeks) tour or if they are full time they will probably wish to live as close to how the do at home as possible. Why wouldn’t they want to have TV and internet?

We only do fairly short trips at the moment but we have a TV and always make sure we have some way of accessing the internet.

Why? Because we want to. I see no point at all in voluntarily sacrificing a basic part of day to day life for some vague reason of nostalgia.

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[Ex-caravantugger]

It depends how you travel.

A lot of people aren’t on “holiday” when they travel in their motorhome.

If someone is on a long term (months rather than weeks) tour or if they are full time they will probably wish to live as close to how the do at home as possible. Why wouldn’t they want to have TV and internet?

We only do fairly short trips at the moment but we have a TV and always make sure we have some way of accessing the internet.

Why? Because we want to. I see no point at all in voluntarily sacrificing a basic part of day to day life for some vague reason of nostalgia.

Yep. Your licence covers you 24/7 so why not use it.

 

[Lot lover]

I don't understand the apparent obsession with keeping in touch and sharing (does no-one tell any more?) photos of meals, bowel movements (probably) etc to provide photographic evidence that "I am away and you are not".

In the bad/good old days holidays were an opportunity to get away. The only communication was by postcard which usually arrived after one returned home.

Probably this is just an admission that I don't really belong in the 21st century. or

 

[Riverbankannie]

I agree with @NickNic , I find having the Internet a useful tool, after all, how would I find out all the things I need to know from fellow funsters!
We use TV but only digital so have to watch news/weather in local language. That's fine as it improves our language skills even though we could easily look it up on internet,
DVDs are a great way to catch up on films that we have missed. I buy them from eBay or charity shops.
Books for outside reading or bedtime.
We like games too but not every evening, I can recommend Banagrams and Rummikubs.
I guess like most couples, once you have been out and about all day, there's only so much chit chat left for the evening

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[Wildbill]

we have a TV we have only watched a few times were to busy doing thing and usually to knackerd at night.
the wee-man has a Xbox in the van but dose not seem to bother when we are away.
once in the van after our actives hes usually sleeping in no time
we don't drink so we usually play card's or dominoes sit and talk
bill

 

[lozbou]

its the only time my wife shuts up when the tele is on. i try to have it on as much as possible.

 

[The Nomad]

As others have said it's each to their own. We are on tour for between a third and half of each year in total so we spend a lot of time in ours.
In none of the 3 motor homes we've owned have we had a TV. All were used vehicles and all have had TV locations. One had a TV but we removed it to use the cupboard for storage.
We do sometimes watch films or series on our laptop which we've downloaded whilst at home.
But mostly we listen to podcasts such as the world at one,the archers (yes really!), Newhour, best of Today, etcetera which we can easily download over WiFi anytime, chat, play word games and spend time on the Internet.

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[pappajohn]

TV on when the breakfast kettle switched on.....even at home.
And stayed on as long as we were in the van.

 

[cliffanger]

Each to their own, I say. I might do things that you don't like, but it doesn't mean what I am doing (or what you are doing) is wrong.

We all use our vans in ways to maximise our enjoyment - whatever that might entail!

Wifi for us is a necessity, particularly when abroad - Radio 2 on all day, and I never miss an episode of the Archers.....

 

[Chris]

I drive my family nuts in my van by insisting that I tune my radio app into Radio Pembrokeshire via the internet. I admit it’s not the greatest radio station in the World but I just think it’s cool that I can tune into it from my phone wherever I am

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[Stretto Boy]

Hardly watch any T.V. at all when we are away, although we listen to the radio a lot. A WiFi connection or a mobile data signal is of course essential, so that I can keep an eye on what you lot are up to on Motorhome Fun Just in case you are talking about me behind my back

 

[Silver-Fox]

SWMBO does like here soaps but its no big thing if she misses some or we cant get a signal for what ever reason.

Im happy so long as I can get my internet fix, especially Fun obviously

The radio I enjoy providing its within the type of music I enjoy.

As said each to their own

Or the iPod of course

 

[magicsurfbus]

In the evenings we would maybe go to a pub, dance place or even (Heaven forbid! ) actually talk to each other.

I've found pubs utterly tedious since my mid-20s and horribly overpriced, most of the places we go don't appear to offer live Dancing, and we do actually talk to each other for the entire rest of the day when we're not spending an hour or so in the evening watching TV. In July I spent a week in a small tent on a remote Scottish beach with no electronic communication, and the nearest phone signal a mile's hike up a nearby hill. I was OK with all the back to natureness of it at the time but I didn't feel the need to become a lifelong media hermit as a result.

..why go travelling to watch tv ?

We don't. We go travelling, and sometimes whilst on our travels we watch the TV. We don't say "Let's go to Barmouth to watch TV this weekend dear".

To my mind our MH is an extension of home, and we watch TV (a lot less than most I hasten to add) at home. Why deny ourselves that? Travelling's relaxation, it's not a self-denying pilgrimage or penance for our sins. If we're in Europe and there's a signal we keep tabs on the news and to be honest that's about it. The EU is an hour ahead of us and we tend to turn in around 10pm (9pm UK time) most nights. As virtually all UK early evening TV is utter shite we rarely if ever stay up late enough to watch the quality stuff. We just leave the recorder on at home.

Nowadays we grab a couple of Sitcom DVD box sets from the cupboard on the day we set off, and work our way through those if we want something extra to watch after the News. Psychoville was a hoot and we're currently going through The Likely Lads when we're in the MH - classic stuff in nice neat 30 minute packages.

I don't actively seek an internet connection when travelling in the MH. If wi-fi's available I might connect the laptop up on odd occasions, but I don't have to, and I'm not at all bothered if there's no wi-fi. I sure as Hell spend no time broadcasting my absence from home on a public forum like MHF whilst travelling. I hate my mobile phone at the best of times and only usually dip into the roaming data for EU weather forecasts.

I've got a few thousand favourite MP3 music tracks on a USB stick which we run on random shuffle through the cab radio unit if we want music.

And yes, we play bloody Scrabble most nights. Is that enough for the back to basics purists or should we be singing traditional Boy Scout campfire songs as well?

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[maison]

When on short breaks, or longer ones in Europe, we leave the TV behind.

However, if travelling in the U.K. in winter, which we do a lot, we carry the TV for the long evenings.

We still talk, read books and use the internet but there are occasions, when it has been hissing down for a few days when we will watch the TV. However, as our TV is 240v only, we don't watch it that much.

Each to their own.

 

[Cat53]

We don't have a TV we either read, listen to a talking book, play a game or two, or do jigsaws and crosswords on the IPad. We do, however, like to have wifi. It's great for showing places of interest, etc, and yes, for keeping in touch with family and friends, they get anxious about us.

 

[Sheddy]

I'm on the internet now, and in a few minutes the TV will be on so Shirl can watch Corrie and whatever she wants, just the same as we do at home. Oh and we've just been out for a nice Spanish meal for less than £15, that we can't do at home.
Cheers
Ed

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