Somethings been puzzling me. (1 Viewer)

[gus-lopez]

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

I suppose I should have added that although we have tv's at home we don't have UK tv anymore & I Wouldn't even turn it on if we did. Rarely watched anything when living in the UK as it either winds you up or is utter rubbish. I don't do films or dvd's either. When in the UK I normally go to bed if dvd's are brought up.

 

[two]

Still have both but the TV hardly ever gets used. One 12Gb sim provides more than enough internet for the whole year.
Considering the cost of the TV, it would probably be cheaper to hire a taxi and go to a show for the number of times it's used. To say nothing of the weight saving.

 

[Stretto Boy]

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?

Jolly good idea Old Chap. Tally ho! Here’s a selection:

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/boy-scouts/boy-scout-songs.asp

Relax and enjoy. Now then, an idea is coming to me for a Funster rally around the campfire. Chestnuts crackling in the flames, the smell of jacket spuds and bangers . . . . .

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[klaatu]

We don't have TV at home, so don't have TV in the van. We do have internet in the van, for obtaining/sharing information, and for keeping in touch with friends and family hundreds/thousands of miles away. We're effectively full timing now anyway, so there isn't really a home/van distinction, so having internet in the van isn't really in question. Wouldn't be much point being a member of this forum (as an example) otherwise.

 

[Podney]

Play Pass The Pigs,it’s much better for the soul than watching television.
Leaning jowellers,double trotters,razorbacks...... fantastic.

 

[HymerB544]

Any post which generates debate and opinions has to be good! Our van came with automatic satellite system and Avtex Tv already fitted. Do we use it? Yes, occasionally. We take iPhones and iPad and e readers with us. Do we use them? Definitely, to keep in touch (including accessing MHF!) and to read books, but give us a choice and we'll be out and about chatting to neighbours on site or walking/cycling.
The post reminds me of my very first car though; it was a 1967 Hillman Imp Californian and had neither a radio nor even an effective heater, not to mention no heated rear window, electric Windows, power-assisted brakes, etc. Would I swap it for my current car? No thanks! But the memories are good ones

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[jdk62]

Yahtzee, Pass the Pigs, Dominoes, Cards, Scrabble, Reading, Talking and Hunt the Sausage...

 

[DBK]

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.

Your post seems to hint the Internet is an alternative to face to face communication. I get on quite well using both.

Unless of course you were the loan male parked next to us last night out of whom I got a grudging "hello" and nothing more. In which case I know the answer.

Just motorhome how you like to do it. There really is no right or wrong.

Unless of course you were the British couple ("dogs don't like me" was the greeting) who parked next to us two nights ago. They dribbled their grey waste all night then stopped at the service point, which you could hardly avoid on the way out, to refill with water - parking over the drain! Hilarious really and it doesn't wind me up, just something to chuckle over.

 

[Stretto Boy]

. . . and Hunt the Sausage...

I hope that’s only between consenting adults

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[Ranger]

Our camper is our second home therefore has everything in it the same as we have in our house with the exception of laundry equipment. Its just like being at home but with a great view out of the window. There is no requirement to use all the said equipment all the time.

 

[John Stanton]

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".

I did say "each to their own" so what you do when travelling is of course entirely your own affair - I was merely making the point that our preference is to be out exploring and enjoying where we are as much as possible so we don't have the time or desire to watch the box. At most we'll listen to the news and weather on the radio and then bog off somewhere.

Everyone is different, wouldn't do for us all to be the same

 

[MyrtleGuru]

When I'm abroad I like to watch local TV to try to pick up the language. That usually means watching kids' programmes because that's the level of language I'm at. So, for example, in Sweden I've watched Bob the Builder -- 'Byggere Bob' (careful how you pronounce it) and 'Dora utforskaren' (Dora the Explorer) and, in Norway, 'Byggmester Bob'.

I learnt to count in Finnish by watching the football scores on TV -- I can only count to five though as no team scored more than that (my plan has its downsides).

On Spanish TV you get the occasional football match -- not too tricky to follow the commentary. Who would have guessed that Spanish for a nutmeg in football is 'el nutmeg'? And it wasn't too long before we were shouting 'tarjeta amarillo' at the appropriate moments either.

Portuguese TV was a bit dissapointing though: whenever we turned it on, it always seemed to be a Portuguese version of 'The Price is Right' hosted by some sweaty, rotund man -- no offence to sweaty, rotund men intended as sadly I am tending towards that demographic.

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[magicsurfbus]

Now then, an idea is coming to me for a Funster rally around the campfire. Chestnuts crackling in the flames, the smell of jacket spuds and bangers . . . . .

I'm sure a Scout-themed revival would go down a treat among certain Funsters, given that Robert Baden Powell famously observed that Bees "..are quite a model community, for they respect their Queen and kill their unemployed."

 

[lorger]

its down to choices 40 years ago people didn't have all these choice's so did what they could, TV is just another form of entertainment and can create talking points within the family and can certainly be educational.

We take the TV with us in the van but dont always watch it, my personal choice between a pub and a TV would be a pub with a TV . When we're away in the UK we tend to watch TV while eating breakfast and again later at night, when we go abroad in the summer we never switch the TV on although do have DVD's in case of wet weather. We are heading to Nice next Friday and I've just downloaded some books from Amazon and some programmes from Netflix so we have all corners covered.

 

[cliffanger]

I did say "each to their own" so what you do when travelling is of course entirely your own affair - I was merely making the point that our preference is to be out exploring and enjoying where we are as much as possible so we don't have the time or desire to watch the box. At most we'll listen to the news and weather on the radio and then bog off somewhere.

Everyone is different, wouldn't do for us all to be the same

We do all of those things too, exploring, walking and cycling during the day, but we also find time and have the desire to watch a bit of telly of an evening. ETTO!

Its only my perception but I sometimes find these posts have a bit of a superior way with them - we can all read books and play scrabble, but some of us like to watch telly as well - nothing wrong with that!

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[John Stanton]

Its only my perception but I sometimes find these posts have a bit of a superior way with them - we can all read books and play scrabble, but some of us like to watch telly as well - nothing wrong with that!

Trust me I'm the last one you'd ever accuse of attempting to be "superior" so I won't take offence at the suggestion as I'm sure it wasn't aimed at me personally - from what you say your typical day in and around the MH doesn't sound that much different to ours

 

[tomm]

I posted the following about a month ago on here.......

Each to their own really . Our MH use is all year round . Lighter nights time of year tv is hardly if ever on , as we tend to be out and about . Autumn and winter nights is regular use of tv and dvd . Latest new to us van came with satellite dish already fitted and we have tried it out , mainly to ensure it actually works , ready for the coming winter months . We treat having access to tv and now satellite tv viewing as basically another little bonus in the life of Motorhoming use.

==========


The addition I would make to the above , to make it possibly more relevant to this thread is ...... When we go away in the van we dont want or need to take on the mantle of being luddites. We like technology and its uses in our travels . I especially, like to have internet connection for general surfing etc. Better half likes it for facetime type use , to keep contact with family and especially grand kids. ...She also has a stack of books on the tablet , as well as a shelf load of paperbacks , which get read then swopped at the mini library shelves found in a load of pubs etc on our travels .... Basically a range of communication mediums which add to the pleasure of van travels,.

 

[mitzimad]

weve resisted the telly in the van but next planned trip is 3 months so might put the kitchen one in to watch dvds on

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[skylinersi]

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.

What is this 'talking to each other' thing you speak of?????

 

[cliffanger]

Trust me I'm the last one you'd ever accuse of attempting to be "superior" so I won't take offence at the suggestion as I'm sure it wasn't aimed at me personally - from what you say your typical day in and around the MH doesn't sound that much different to ours

It was in no way aimed at you personally - I just think that over the 4 years we've been members of this wonderful club, I've read a few threads that start with 'I can't understand why people go away in their motorhomes to watch TV...... We read books, play board games, watch the local wildlife... And so on and so on....'

My point is that I've NEVER read a thread that begins 'I can't understand why people want to read / play board games / bird watch / knit / crochet / do jigsaw puzzles / when they could be watching telly......

But, believe me - if there was such a post I would still say EACH TO THEIR OWN - we use our vans in whatever way makes us happy.... And for me - as most of you know - this is what makes me happy - I don't need books or board games or puzzles or birds or wool or telly.......

Sorry @JJ.....

 

[JJ]

Never seen a thread where folk prefer to watch telly over all the stuff listed above either...

However...

I would prefer to turn a telly on and smash my head through the screen with the electricity still flowing whilst my naked feet were in a bucket of water, rather than to listen to a ukulele...



JJ

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[Stretto Boy]

I would prefer to turn a telly on and smash my head through the screen with the electricity still flowing whilst my naked feet were in a bucket of water, rather than to listen to a ukulele...

Not a fan then?

 

[simsy56]

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.

Another 'sequence' player! I thought there was only us that had this board game.

Craig

 

[tonyidle]

Never seen a thread where folk prefer to watch telly over all the stuff listed above either...

However...

I would prefer to turn a telly on and smash my head through the screen with the electricity still flowing whilst my naked feet were in a bucket of water, rather than to listen to a ukulele...



JJ

That doesn't count. Wearing a 12v telly as a necklace whilst soaking your feet really isn't chilling out .

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[gus-lopez]

What is this 'talking to each other' thing you speak of?????

I've no idea either, Drove 1400 miles to UK & back again this year with the wife & she barely spoke 2 words. I had better conversations with the dog.

 

[Steve and Kat]

Am agreeing to most people's views too.. We have a TV in the front lounge and one the bedroom.. We must of used them half a dozen times in the last year of van ownership !! That said, Kat does watch the odd DVD from time to time..

 

[Flatlander]

What is this 'talking to each other' thing you speak of?????

Judigng from some comments, obviously a lost skill!

I would prefer to turn a telly on and smash my head through the screen with the electricity still flowing whilst my naked feet were in a bucket of water, rather than to listen to a ukulele...

You must work for the BBC! Their most banned musician is a famous ukulele player!

Back on topic...As I said in the opening post, there is no right or wrong to this. As others have said since, to each their own. In the words of Max Bygraves, I wanna tell you a story...

Back in July, we decided to have a trip down to the Pfalz region of Germany. Looking on internet at home, we found a campsite called Birkensee. Just off the autobahn, and on the route we had chosen. On the site, we talked to another couple that had found it using the internet the had in their MH. 1-0 for internet. Talking to them, they told us that they were returning home from the Mosel Valley, where they told us "we could not find a vineyard on internet, so didnt visit one"... I shake my head in disbelief!

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[Frankiej]

I don’t have a tv in the van, don’t watch anything live at home anyway, only recorded. But I do have the iPad and a memory stick full of movies and tv programmes which works in the iPad lightning connector, so we occasionally watch something. If we’ve had a busy day and the weather is not good enough to sit outside, why not?
Definitely need the internet to keep tabs on my business, reply to emails, check the diary and accounts and for the news etc.
And we play board games or card games. If anyone is interested in something a little different from the old favourites, would recommend “Isle of Skye”, “Kingdomino” and “Vikings” for small tables, and “Ticket to Ride” and “Carcassonne” if you have more space. Also two card games we like are “Five Crowns” and “Quiddler”. Have a search to see what they’re about.

 

[Vanman]

Have a search to see what they’re about.

I'll have a quick look on the Internet ... @Flatlander will have to buy the book from a book shop - good luck to him on both of those two quests. He should have some idea in about 6 to 12 months time when the book is delivered

 

[dabhand]

Never seen a thread where folk prefer to watch telly over all the stuff listed above either...

However...

I would prefer to turn a telly on and smash my head through the screen with the electricity still flowing whilst my naked feet were in a bucket of water, rather than to listen to a ukulele...



JJ

You obviously haven’t heard me and Ger in reggae mode then have you!

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