Poppy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Something the Judge said about being a boy scout at heart.You know, if you only really do use your motorhome for 2/3/4 weeks in southern europe during the summer months camping has a lot going for it.Modern tents come in a variety of sizes, are light and quick to put up.The cost of a tent, cooking equipment, fridge and air beds is a LOT cheaper than a motorhome.Even a small trailer to transport it all and overnights enroute in cheap hotels and you are still well in pocket.You would have to use reasonably well equiped campsites but there are many about often at very reasonable charges.Think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi Poppy, I think most of us came to Motorhome,s via Camping , many years without (before) air beds, moved us onto Trailer Tents then Caravan,s Caravanette,s then Motorhome,s ,I would need a four poster bed and electric Blanket to go back to Tents again, "Old and Soft ",I think the phrase is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 You ar forgetting about the bad back...the only reason we moved on from tents many years ago :D 6 years ago someone crashed into my camper and rather then cancel holiday we took camping equipment in car to south of France for 2 weeks and a week at Annercy...we really enjoyed it, but sleeping on the floor on an air bed (no thanks) and the weather in south was really hot but Annercy cool at night so both a bit uncomfortable *-) but its the whole baking bread/roast dinners and candle sticks malarkey that I dont get, along with ghostely faces watching the goggle box & soaps...you know the type :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 JudgeMental - 2011-01-31 2:04 PM You ar forgetting about the bad back...the only reason we moved on from tents many years ago :D ...but its the whole baking bread/roast dinners and candle sticks malarkey that I dont get, along with ghostely faces watching the goggle box & soaps...you know the type :D Very true (lol) ..I know it's each to their own but I just don't see the point of that either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 You're also not taking into account, free cuppas and clean loo en route - whenever you need either, no real need to pre book sites and risk not liking them, in fact no need for a campsite at all, no problem when it hisses with rain - just for starters. Hows about a half way compromise - a trailer tent / folding camper - you can still use it en route, it costs less to buy and nowt to run, is easy to store and tow - but it will need a site unfortunately which limits the 'on a whim' change of touring direction that motorhomes are so brilliant for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCC Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Its not about the cost! You're right, it's crazy just to use a motorhome for 2/3/4 weeks a year. Why bother with camping, you might as well hire a villa. I used to spend my summer holidays backpacking across the Alps, Pyrenees and even the Rila mountains in Bulgaria. Jolly nice it was too if very hard work at times. Each trip took a lot of planning - route, transport, food, fuel, etc - but there was also a lot of freedom. Then we progressed to larger tents, airbeds, etc. More comfortable but it was a lot more effort to set up/dismantle and some of the freedom seemed to go. We went back to the small tent for a weekend and realised that our backs were no longer happy on a Karrimat! Then we got the camper and we have the freedom to just head off with very little planning other than throwing some clothes and a bit of food in. We can also quickly put our bikes on a rear rack. When we arrive somewhere we just park, connect the power - and open the door if the weather's nice. We also have a comfortable bed that's much easier on the backs. Comfortable seating that lets us lounge with books, sit and eat a meal, or just watch the world go by. Views all round through proper windows. Gas and electric heaters to allow us to go of at any time of year. And when the weather is less than perfect I can tell you where I'd rather be. And if we want to move on, we just coil up the electric lead and close the door. Then when we get home we don't have to worry about drying tents. I sometimes miss camping halfway up a mountain at the side of a deserted lake, but I'm not sure the body is up to it any more. I've had many very happy holidays in larger tents but I've moved on from there. For me, there's always something special about heading off in the camper. Cost has nothing to do with it. It's a lifestyle choice. And it's much more comfortable. And it's about freedom to just head off. It's not for everbody, but it is for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Poppy - 2011-01-31 1:27 PM Think about it. Yep just did for a nano second. Youth = tent, but youth+ = comfort. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 We did the camping bit 1976/77 with a large frame tent and 2 small children it was great fun and cheap.Would I do it again at 60+ years NO. Last year because of motorhome problems we changed to tugging was that for us NO we missed the freedom of having a motorhome so we sold the caravan and went out and bought another motorhome. In between selling the caravan and buying a new motorhome we rented a cottage in Brittany @ £190 p/week and had a great time , but again we missed the freedom the motorhome gave us. Now looking forward to this years new adventures touring Europe in our new motorhome, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Don't do the candlesticks and baking bread bit but do like the occasional soap.OOPS!!! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big olga Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I sugessted tent camping to my wife many years ago-----She told me where to put the tent and the tent poles!!! That is why we have had a Motorhome two caravans and now another Motorhome over the last 25 years . There is something special and satisfying about hitting the highway with fuel in the tank, food in the fridge and a comfy bed in the back! Best Wishes Dave and "Big Olga" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Like a lot of others we started out camping ( gf lived in a tent for a while!), then caravans (we both lived in caravans for a while) for the last 12 years or so motorhomes, due to our van being off road we went back to our tent for one week last year, enjoyed the holiday but I'd rather be in me van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Tents can be boiling hot in summer, freezing cold in winter and can be very draughty. Take ages to put up and take down, have to stay for a few days in one site at least to make it worth the effort. If it's raining or windy ... or both ... not nice trying to put up/take down a tent. Try keeping dogs in a tent and stop them sneaking out!!! Noisy - you hear EVERYTHING in a tent .. including the neighbour's snoring and farting! What do you do with the dogs if you want to go out into a tourist attraction, or shopping for an hour or two? If it's hot you can't leave them in the car so you're stuck with one of you staying with the dogs. When it's raining, what do you do with your damp clothes? It takes ages to dry stuff and unless you have a big tent you end up with a clothes horse obstacle course! Plus it isn't that cheap to camp in a tent - some places charge more for you to stay on a campsite in a tent than in a motrhome .. you can't use aires, or wildcamp ... Overall, I don't care ... I'm sticking with my motorhome!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 JudgeMental - 2011-01-31 2:04 PM .. and candle sticks ...... :D it's romantic :D :D B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 This is how we started in 1965 and then moved onto a Heinkle bubble car. We went to Switzerland in it. Three plus camping gear. The lads 48 now. Moved to a caravan in 1973 after being flooded out in Portugal. Started motorhoming in 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Someone once said variety is the spice of life but before you all fly off in different directions lets keep it clean and stay with camping/motorhomes. Retired now complete with the obligatory bad back but though we love our motorhome we still enjoy throwing a tent in the back of our small car and just catching the next ferry south. Nothing to compare with the nightly visit from the local hedgehog trying to get at our bread. Always promise that if it gets uncomfortable we will book into a little hotel but so far we never have. Couple of year back met a couple on a campsite who were cycling a tandom down through France to Bilbao they planned to meet friends of the ferry who in turn were going to ride it back to UK. At the time they were just about to tackle the Pyranies, must have been love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 When we were at "Camping Kiko" in Spain, there was a tepee type tent there with a chimney, so I presume it had a fire/cooker some sort B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I think over the years we've covered most of the options - 2 man mountain tent (pre-kids) throught to the half-ton frame tent and then high tech hoop-tent, caravan (hated towing it), a VW camper very breifly, Conway trailer tent (excellent compromise) and then a selection of different boats. We've just bought our Sunlight T66 and I have to say it offers the best combination of comfort and convenience, apart from our dutch barge, but then that weighs nearly 25 tonnes..... I'm certainly not ancient, but there are two things I won't do any more - sleep on the ground and kneel down to cook! But also, as Anne said last week, as soon as you get in the motorhome and hit the road you're on holiday, long before you reach the destination. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How Much Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Poppy - 2011-01-31 1:27 PM Something the Judge said about being a boy scout at heart.You know, if you only really do use your motorhome for 2/3/4 weeks in southern europe during the summer months camping has a lot going for it.Modern tents come in a variety of sizes, are light and quick to put up.The cost of a tent, cooking equipment, fridge and air beds is a LOT cheaper than a motorhome.Even a small trailer to transport it all and overnights enroute in cheap hotels and you are still well in pocket.You would have to use reasonably well equiped campsites but there are many about often at very reasonable charges.Think about it. We swapped a very nice tent, kit out with all the comforts, for our motorhome. The thing that broke the camels back, was having to put it up and take it down in the wet, and the time it all actually took. As we'd scraped over the 50 years mark, we thought we were due a bit of opulence nowadays, so the tent went. And weve never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 pelmetman - 2011-02-02 4:53 PM When we were at "Camping Kiko" in Spain, there was a tepee type tent there with a chimney, so I presume it had a fire/cooker some sort B-) Here's the TeePee my friend spent his wedding night in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 ... bed looks a bit hard! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlowie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 PCC - 2011-01-31 2:34 PM Cost has nothing to do with it. It's a lifestyle choice. And it's much more comfortable. And it's about freedom to just head off. I couldn't agree more. The biggest thrill for me is being 'self-contained'. When I jump in the'van with Mrs O and the dog, I have everything I need or want in about 30 cubic metres, ready to go anywhere :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 oldlowie - 2011-02-02 8:43 PM PCC - 2011-01-31 2:34 PM Cost has nothing to do with it. It's a lifestyle choice. And it's much more comfortable. And it's about freedom to just head off. I couldn't agree more. The biggest thrill for me is being 'self-contained'. When I jump in the'van with Mrs O and the dog, I have everything I need or want in about 30 cubic metres, ready to go anywhere :-D 30 cubic metres!!! 8-) By heck, that's one big 'van!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mondo Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Did the camping gig when I was a lad and then when I was in HM Forces did a lot of "Army style" camping......sleeping in a little bivvy made from your poncho/groundsheet...all good fun...Then whilst serving in BAOR (West Germany) did the camping thing again memories of Lake Konstanz in the summer of 78 when the weather was brilliant..then giving it a miss for 30 years and eventually buying a motorhome and thinking..yep this is the way to Rough it Smoothly..Camping!! not now I think!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mondo Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Did the camping gig when I was a lad and then when I was in HM Forces did a lot of "Army style" camping......sleeping in a little bivvy made from your poncho/groundsheet...all good fun...Then whilst serving in BAOR (West Germany) did the camping thing again memories of Lake Konstanz in the summer of 78 when the weather was brilliant..then giving it a miss for 30 years and eventually buying a motorhome and thinking..yep this is the way to Rough it Smoothly..Camping!! not now I think!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlowie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Mel B - 2011-02-02 8:56 PM 30 cubic metres!!! 8-) By heck, that's one big 'van!!! 2 metres wide x 2.5 metres tall x 6 metres long = 30 cubic metres, n'est ce pas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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