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Are we unique.


Coachman

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We started camping in 1964 and have had trailer tent ,caravans, motorhomes, and travelled journies between 200 to 4200 at a time. The thing is looking back we have encounted a problem nearly every time we have been out.The list is endless but a few i will tell.Going to Algarve via Calais.Flooding,going over the ST.Jean-Pied -De-Port route encounterd snow. Waited for plough who went off like a bat out of hel, it looked funny until we lost him.Stayed on the edge of a lake/dam on our own , wind in night tried to topple us over, bit hairy.Any one stayed at that campsite near Figueira da Foz?, Dutch owned i think, made you quite welcome, but the noise of the clock/church bells all night was a bit off putting.At Sintra our water heater started leaking, took couple of hours stripping it down and rectifying.Another time a sidewall blowout on a comparitive new tyre, arriving tired after a long journey was told "park over there", looking over there did not notice overgrown ditch at side of me so back wheel went down then found out that their electrics were out and closed up for the night, oh well.At Pompei the Hymer bed fell down on me whilst driving, lucky the strap took most of the weight.Got to the Hymer place and they were off on holiday within couple of hours so could not fit the two new stuts. It was about 30 cel and took me about 3 hours puffing and panting to fit them.There are many more but will end up with few weeks ago went to Derbyshire round trip 780 miles , this time forgot we took our pillows out so had to buy new ones again.Bye the way its a joke in the family not to go on holiday at same time as us because it allways rains.
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Pastiche - 2008-11-07 2:19 PM . . . . its a joke in the family not to go on holiday at same time as us because it allways rains.

I think you owe it to us to post a list of the dates you are likely to be away.

Judging by the c##p summer that we've just had, you must have been out a lot this year :-) 

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I expect you are not alone, I think Murphey's Law catches up with us all now and then, when we were in Morocco where water can be short and you certainly want to use your own loo if you can, the first few days of a month away our toilet decided to start dripping water from the feeder tank continually over a day that is a lot of precious water, in the end it was fixed by clamping very tightly with mole grips the hoseses to cut of the water, we had to flush tank with a jug for the next month. was one of quite a few I can think of. As Ed says its hard work having fun. Carol.
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I think we all learn from experience. You may be getting more than your fair share but if you are learining from them, you'll be OK.

 

We always check the pitch before siting, usually to avoid over hanging branches but I'd hope we'd spot a ditch. We tend to have pillows permanently in the van and a tick list for all the things we need for a long journey or stay away. We're pretty good at ensuring we have what we need and very good at avoiding carting around things we don't really need.

 

If we don't like the weather, we move rather than worry - couldn't do that with a caravan as easily. Sometimes we will also check the weather before pitching eg to ensure wind doesn't drive the rain into the fridge vents.

 

My main concern from what you've said, is the tyre.

 

Having just returned from Derbyshire in the van, I hope you had as great a time as I did even though the wind blew and the rain poured. The colours on the trees in Buxton and Matlock Bath were just stunning. And is there a better sight than a full river (not one that's flooding and causing misery to others) in its Autumn glory?

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May/June seem to be bad months for us ....

 

First time abroad in May/June 2005 - dealer fitted gas BBQ point internal coupler came apart and we had a 6ft blowtorch in the camper!

 

May/June 2007 - got severe sunburn canoeing down the Ardeche!

 

May/June 2008 - our camper was 'attacked' by trolls in Holland, £2,400 damage!

 

Our next door neighbour has a caravan and every time he goes away, and I mean EVERY TIME, it absolutely buckets it down ... we always check when he's going away and if he is, we don't bother!!!!!

 

*-)

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I recall, back in our tenting days, going to a DA meet, having left my pegs on the workbench at home after I had straightened them following a stony pitch at Whitchurch in Hampshire. Luckily we knew most of the assembled company and cadged a few to hold the job up.

 

Stuart

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On our very first motorhome (admittedly old, but a cheaper way to see if we would like motorhoming) We were driving at night in the UK, the fuel tank strap broke and was sparking on the road as we drove along, the RAC temporarily fixed that for the holiday. That was followed by waking up after a terrible storm to find the window seal didn't work and the bed was rather damp - not me honest!( repeated several times due to the UK weather) and to make the hat-trick, the electrics on the back indicator and lights started doing it's own thing, so time was spent lying under the van in the rain fixing it. You would think that this would have dampened out spirit of adventure, but no we turned that holiday into finding a newer motorhome for our next trip!

 

We keep things on board all the time including clothing etc which is washed and replaced after trips (it's as easy to walk it to the van as upstairs) this way it's only the fridge food, the dog and us to put on board for the off. As for the weather - well, we gave up and bought wet-gear! It feels like ours is the motorhome driving around with the rain clouds above!

 

Obviously for continental holidays we do have a check list so that we don't forget necessary paperwork etc.

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Pastiche. After yet another washout weekend, including an entire day of walking in continuous rain, I have concluded that it is very good of you to take the blame. As mentioned in an earlier post, I had come to believe it was my fault as, since buying my van 17 months ago I seem to have attracted rain wherever I go and frequently caused villages where I have stayed to suffer floods on a biblical scale. If RAF search and rescue and the RNLI had been commercial services I could well have been their star salesman. Now that I know who is actually responsible I feel much better. If you would care to post a picture of your van, we can all make a voodoo doll version of it and through the judicious use of large pins, perhaps secure some good weather:-D

 

It's got to be better next year, surely?

 

Bob

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