Bulletguy Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 A site i've been staying on since Monday saw the arrival of three young lads the other day in an old 'B' reg Bedford van. Turned out they were from New Zealand, chucked their jobs, came to the UK, bought this old van and toured around UK, then came over to 'do' Europe. They have been on tour almost a year now and will return "when the money runs out"! Considering some of the huge shiny and very expensive Motorhomes you see on some sites, I often wonder just how much real travelling they actually do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 when in 20's we had New Zealand mates we meet in Yugoslavia on way to Greece who became firm friends and we travelled with them a few times in all sorts of cheap junkers..the cheapest a £130 Commer 3 speed, got to north Africa and back no problem...so looks like they are still at it! We meet a couple of Kiwis on Spanish trip with a £70,000 swift so times have change for some I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-09-15 5:09 PM We met a couple of Kiwis on Spanish trip with a £70,000 swift so times have change for some I guess... Back in '09 I met a retired couple from Australia on a site near Munich who had just finished a 6 month tour round Europe in a huge Hymer. It was due back to the rental company in Munich the following day and they were flying back to Oz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 OK, so you all know someone who's done it, but haven't any of you done it yourselves? Extracts from our story: 1976: 6 of us toured Scotland in a 10-yr-old Bedford CA (cost £150) with 3 tents 1977: first trip to France, 4 of us did a big clockwise tour, collecting luggage from student sister & friends (they paid for the ferry!) in a 7-yr-old Bedford CF (cost £300) with 2 tents. Bit of a gap using trailer tents, just in UK. Then "proper" motorhoming begins: 1989: to Royan area with our 2 kids and a borrowed teenage "nanny." 1978 VW Danbury, cost princely sum of £2,400! Still beginners, so booked everything with Eurocamp Independent. 1991: through France into Spain, as far as Sitges, with kids, in 1978 Glendale coachbuilt on Mk1 Transit (cost £1,600 - still a "value for money" PB). First experience of "wild camping" in Andorra. 1999-2007: "Hannibal," our 1989 Transit hi-top (home converted by someone or other!) cost £3,500, took the two of us on UK or continental trips every year - as far as Alicante and Sienna (not the same trip!). OK, any other takers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Not quite done this ourselves, but in 1995 - the year after I took early retirment - we travelled round Europe for several Months - and after we had been away for several weeks, and not heard any 'English' we came upon an ancient VW (what else!!) on a site in Austria, with a load of washing outside,inhavbited by a couple of Aussies. They had bought the van from a then dealer in LOndon, were spending a few months travelling, then intended re-selling it and going back home! Nowadays, though we still travelquite extensively, haven'ts seen any on campsites, though several on theh roads, but we mostly seem to come across on most campsites just shiny new motorhomes/ caravans. At 6 mtrs, we are - in motorhome terms at least, still compact, though personally I would argue with that, as I would suggest that description onlyapplies to sub 5m campervans......few and far between,though oddly enough wwe are now seeing rather more new conversions on the VW T5.......! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Motorhoming on a budget eh ;-).....................been in France for 8 nights.........campsite/aire spend so far 6.42 euro = £5 ish :D.............Now on a campsite at St Brevin les pins......sunny and warm B-)......16 euro's a night though 8-)....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Motorhoming on a budget eh ;-).....................been in France for 8 nights.........campsite/aire spend so far 6.42 euro = £5 ish :D.............Now on a campsite at St Brevin les pins......sunny and warm B-)......16 euro's a night though 8-)....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 And in a 20+ year old wagon as well Dave - that's the idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Tony Jones - 2012-09-18 2:42 PM And in a 20+ year old wagon as well Dave - that's the idea! It's not about what it costs or how big it is ;-)....................It's what you do with it that counts :D Given the choice between working my butt off to buy a new camper, or sitting on my butt in the sun in my old camper...............I've made my choice and its nice and sunny here B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 We frequently meet in Portugal when wild camping young people, girls and lads who are just sleeping in an odd assortment of vans ,some with very basic facilities, and they are having a great time Surfing mostly, most have come from Cornwall, just for the Surf, a great bunch of kids too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanracer Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I bought a Bedford CA Dormobile in 1975 I was 22,it had a 4 didit and one letter number plate which I transferred to my Truimph 2000.I wish I had them all now to change the plate at the local office was £5 I over heard the staff moaning about another cherished plate and paperwork. It use to follow the lines left by trucks on M6 in lancs and had a 3 speed column gear change with sliding doors great fun in summer and I had it in the hot summer of 1976. I used to like sleeping in the pull out hammocks in the lift top roof space nice and cool, I recovered the seats with set of my mums old suite covers, hand painted it Dulux yellow with blue stripes, never stayed on any site and always found somewhere to overnight. How things have changed. :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheetahdavie Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 In the 70s I bought a Transit mini bus.Removed the seats.Tongued and grooved floorboards on the base..lift up top by a long forgotten company in Salford..then a "Tour"' Ferry to Brussels/up to Holland/ managed to take in Germany/Luxemburg?/Switzerland/France/Belgium and many other places..A crazy trip with wife and two teenage daughters..no previous experience and never been further than Skeggy. Recently managed touring in Australia..Queensland is magic.. From acorns..great things grow the "lads" will go on to take families with them..even help newbies on their equivalent of MMM Huge and Shiny??? Enjoy what you have!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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