Hymer C 9. Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Just thinking back in 1980 we had a smashing outfit a Embasy Coachbuilt Caravan and a Vauxhall 490 tow car. We had brilliant holidays all over the U.K. Then Ed got the idea he would like to take the girls touring through France while they still wanted to holiday with us, so we sold the Embassy and VX, and bought a Bedford CF builders van, and a old car to run around in, then through the winter he stripped the van all down altered the axle and all strange things men do, when he was happy with it, it was sent off to Manchester Motor Caravan converters and changed into our first campervan. When we set of to France it had sliding doors and a big bench seat accross the front which we all piled into, and the sliding doors were left open quiete often when traveling as air conditioning. They are lovley memories of picnics at the side of the van by fields of sunflowers, and people going by shouting 'bon appitte', the girls practiceing thier French on the friends they had made on the camp sites, and the freedom to explore France with them. Ed and I have been fortunate to have had many more adventures since then but that first trip abroud in our old Bedford with its spare wheel bolted proudly on its bonnett will always be special. Pleas excuse any spelling mistakes as my spell check is fast asleep in bed where I should be. Cheers Carol. What are your favourate camping memories. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 You brought back Tugger memories which are similar to yours Carol. Before the kids arrived we had a litlle Cadet 10. With babies/toddlers/liitle kids stages, we had fabulous times in the UK and France with a Rover SD1 and an Eccles Topaz S. Lots of "Mr. Toad" moments of the romance of life on the open road. Unfortunately, on turning 8, eldest child refused to go in caravans any more, specifying huge glass and plastic hotels with 4 star ratings in appropriately hot and dry locations as her absolute minmum requirement and Eccles had to go. Now that Mini Boss (as opposed to Big Boss) has grown up and would not be seen dead on holiday with uncool parents anyway, the shiny new Knaus on the driveway is ready for us to pick up the adventure where we left off........ Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Back in the 80's we tried Cornwall again just with our old beat up Rover . It rained constantly for two weeks and cost a fortune on the credit Card in amusing the kids at the Tin Mines and the Seal sanctuary. One holiday was so bad that we vowed never to go back . True enough we stuck to our words and now only go back to visit Mum& Dad who live on the Bay in St Ives. We planned the next holiday in the Vendee and since then have never looked back moving on each year until we got more south . Wonderful hours of Sun Sea & Sand lazing on the beach going to the market and just getting fresh bread for the day Ham & cheeses drinks and plodding off to the beach with buckets & spades in tow stopping for picnics in the forest's and anywhere that was open sunflowers in the fields pictures sitting on Bales of hay wonderful times. We moved on through Tents to Trailer tents never fancied a Caravan straight to M/H Now SADLY the kids have grown up and they dont really want to come on the one we call the STATIC ONE thats the one holiday a year that we stay in one place and dont move .....But the pull of the Giant Campsite is to much for them Notice it's not the pull of the parents ..........Ah LA Yole ....Wonderful so now they fight over the mirror and tarting themselfes up but we wouldn't have it any otherway ....WELL...........................No choice really ..... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 My Uncle had a Morris Traveller [with wood down the sides] in whcih we travelled for miles: Him driving, dad and one of the kids in front; two mums and 2 girls in the back; me, the Labrador with picnic in the estate ..... plus buckets, spades, blankets .... looking at them now I can't understand how we got it all in *-) - we used to sing for miles ...... Dad and Uncle had great harmonies and I joined in, old songs that never get an airing these days! Happy days ........ we travelled around Norfolk 30 mph down hill back wind ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 Oh gosh that one has bought back memories, Morris Minor Estate with wooden sides, Ed bought a old one1963 patched the holes up in the floor , then us and 2 mates set of from North Wales into Cornwall, in it, we stayed in Newquay for 2 weeks travelling very often on the roof of the car it had like rails along the top, there was no PC or anything else them days, havn't thought of that for years. Amazing how one thought can lead to another. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Parke Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Sorry to go off at a tangent but I think, for me, nostalgia is recalling how we stood up when ladies entered the room, also at the end of the feature film when the 'National Anthem' was played!! And, being proud to wear the uniform of H.M. Forces when NOT in camp! (But am I just an old fashioned so & so?). Regards, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 We drove to Oban from Brighton in the 60's to go camping with a Vauxhall Victor 101 (actually we camped in an igloo tent - but that's another story) and when we got there the engine was burning oil at 100 miles per pint. So I phoned the dealer as it still had a couple of weeks warranty on it. He asked where I was and when I told him there was a long silence, then he laughed cynically and bluntly said 'bring it back here and I'll fix it but I'm not paying for someone else to fix it'. We left the next day and it took 2 days to get back to Crawley by which time it was doing 25 miles per pint, knocking like a diesel, chucking out thick blue smoke like a warship trying to hide, and doing about 15 mpg - but we got it there - and it did cost him a new engine! I never did tell the nice man that I had brought it back using old sump oil scrounged from garages on the way and, just for good measure, let it run low on oil in London (no M25 in them days) to make sure I got a new crankshaft too! Memories eh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 My first car was a 1946 Austin 10 with and Austin 12 engine, leather unholstary, wallnut dash and wind out front wind screen. I ran the poor thing into the ground over 2 years or so. Towards the end a friend, a builder used to come round early every morning with his lorry to tow start me. It was that knackered. In the end it never came back from the works car park and eventually the firm had it uplifted by the local scrappie. I wish I had it now!. I gradulated to a Ford Popular E93A. Worst vehicle I have ever driven. I rolled it within 3 days. Never liked Fords since although I have tried the Escort and Mondeo and these confirmed my original impression. Nostalgia aint what it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Beer at 1/3d a pint and cider 9d - Mike Parke's comments go for me too. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 we do car boots occasionaly, and when i give people over a certain age 50p in change i say, here you are 10 bob change, get yourselves fish and chips twice and a bottle of pop on the way home. pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Lizzy - 2007-09-07 8:28 PM My Uncle had a Morris Traveller [with wood down the sides] in whcih we travelled for miles: Him driving, dad and one of the kids in front; two mums and 2 girls in the back; me, the Labrador with picnic in the estate ..... plus buckets, spades, blankets .... looking at them now I can't understand how we got it all in *-) - we used to sing for miles ...... Dad and Uncle had great harmonies and I joined in, old songs that never get an airing these days! Happy days ........ we travelled around Norfolk 30 mph down hill back wind ;-) My Mom and Dad had Morris 1000s and I inherited one when I learnt to drive. When it was time for my son to learn, and insurance for kids being what it is, I bought him a 'moggy'. The moment I got into it I was transported back 30 years - the smell is exactly the same now as it was then! As you say - happy days (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 You can get special cleaners nowadays to remove smells J9. It worked with me - you just opened the can and there I was - gone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.