Aires and stuff

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

That's what Margaret Thatched thought before she was booted out. :D

[candapack]

Met a chap on site in my caravan days - went on endlessly about French Aires. If he wasn't banging on about them, he was wittering about his French Poodle, called for some reason Grace.

 

After a couple of days, we moved on. We'd had enough of all his Aires and Graces!

[Tracker]

1footinthegrave - 2013-11-09 4:39 PM

 

That's what Margaret Thatcher thought before she was booted out.

 

 

Looking at the unmitigated disaster of the Blair Brown alliance years who is to say that Mrs Thatcher has not been proven right after all?

 

They all make mistakes but I doubt she would have made the Balls up that Labour did.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

It was an attempt at a joke. ;-)

[Guest JudgeMental]

candapack - 2013-11-09 4:45 PM

 

Met a chap on site in my caravan days - went on endlessly about French Aires. If he wasn't banging on about them, he was wittering about his French Poodle, called for some reason Grace.

 

After a couple of days, we moved on. We'd had enough of all his Aires and Graces!

 

nice one! :-D

[bazooka]

My thoughts exactly!

[bolero boy]

Had Enough - 2013-11-09 11:55 AM

 

A find it odd when people say "I've paid for the facilities in my motorhome, so I'm going to use them."

 

If they were on a site were ehu was included, would they refuse to plug in because they've paid a lot of money for that extra leisure battery? I doubt it!

 

I use sites, aires and camp off-site but must say that in my experience the chances of getting a dreadful aire are much greater than getting a dreadful site. At least on a site you can guarantee that you won't have another 'van four feet on either side and you won't have noisy motorhomes coming and going in the middle of the night.

 

This year we passed through St. Jean de Luz, intending to stay a couple of nights. The aire was a nightmare! But it was full, proving to me that many people will endure anything to save a bit of money.

 

We found a very nice and reasonably priced site at Erromardie, a comfortable walk or bike ride from the town. It was opposite the beach and we enjoyed the area so much we stayed for a week.

 

The shower block was 25 metres away. It was immaculate with lots of hot water.

 

Now I had a choice - I could shower in the 'van, which meant that I would have to fill up the water tank more often. I didn't want to use a hose as that would have meant moving. We had the sunblind out and the front wheels on blocks, so I used a couple of watering cans to top up the tank.

 

Having showered in the 'van I would have to dry it out and then make at least two extra journeys with my watering cans to replenish the tank. If I wanted a proper shower there isn't enough hot water left for my wife to have hers, so she has to wait until it's hot again. Yes, I know I can skimp on water by wetting myself, turning off the shower and soaping up and turning it on again when I want to rinse off, but as I said, I like a proper shower.

 

My second choice was to walk 25 metres to the lovely warm, clean and spacious showers and luxuriate in a cascade of unending hot water. My fresh-water tank remained full.

 

I wear flip flops and have never caught anything and I'm not worried about using a plastic lavatory seat that's been used by someone else. When I have a party at home I don't ban my guests from using the loo just in case I catch a dreadful disease from it later in the evening.

 

Now forgive me, but you don't need a giant brain to work out the better and more efficient of the two options.

 

I do use my shower, especially on aires, but on aires I can fill up using my hosepipe as I'm normally staying just one night so moving the 'van is part of the equation.

 

There are good reasons for using one's own facilities. There are good reasons for using the site's facilities. Why do some people on here believe that only their method of motorhoming is the right one and that anyone daring to differ is some kind of an idiot?

We stayed at Camping Ferme, Erromardie and enjoyed it, staying for a bit more than a week.

We also walked to the aire, to 'check it out' as i like to note things for future trips and have to agree that, although it was in a good location for strolling to the town, it was not in a good spot for relaxing nr the busy road and railway.

We had a party recently and our guests used our toilet facilities. I have been checked out and managed to escape all known germs.

Seriously, what happens when someone who 'just couldnt use someone elses toilet' hets caught short on long motorway trip in a car or while in a shopping centre........?

Spent all my sporting life showering in hundreds of football/golf/gymnasium/swimming pool changing rooms and have survived so far, tho i did get a verruca when i was about 14.

[robertandjean]

candapack - 2013-11-09 4:45 PM

 

Met a chap on site in my caravan days - went on endlessly about French Aires. If he wasn't banging on about them, he was wittering about his French Poodle, called for some reason Grace.

 

After a couple of days, we moved on. We'd had enough of all his Aires and Graces!

 

Very good almost right out of site!

[Brian Kirby]

1footinthegrave - 2013-11-09 7:00 AM

 

I say to Brian Kirby

 

Sounds to me you'd save yourself a wad of cash if you just bought a bog standard van and chucked a mattress in the back. ;-) .

It would indeed be much cheaper, but with no table, seats, insulation, heating, windows, interior lights, cupboards, cooker, fridge etc, it would also be a looooooong way short of a motorhome, so completely pointless. ;-)

 

It really does beg the question why anyone would buy a purpose made vehicle with every creature comfort under the sun to wander off across a field with your towel, bog roll, and dishes under your arm, how absolutely idiotic. :-S

But you see, I view it otherwise. Doing as you do, and grovelling about in a relatively pokey little van washroom, when there are superior ablutions available at no extra cost, seems to me at least as idiotic. :-S

 

not to mention your other comment " time saved" for replenishing water, here's a top tip, buy a hose to fill up, it takes about as long as walking to the ablutions block...

Heres another tip. Apply the little grey cells first! The more water one uses, the more often one has to re-fill. It is the frequency that takes the extra time, not the act of re-filling itself. We use little water from the tank, so we re-fill infrequently, so we spend far less time queuing up behind the twit who hasn't yet worked out that it's possible to fill the fresh water while the grey empties! There, it really wasn't that complicated, was it? :-)

 

and call me odd but the last thing I want is to sit on a bog shared by others with dubious hygiene habits..

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

[Brian Kirby]

Robinhood - 2013-11-09 10:02 AM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 12:24 AM

 

So, is there some unwritten code that says a motorhome must only be used in a particular way, or it is not "proper" motorhoming? If so, it seems we have travelled a great amount of Europe motorhoming improperly, and thoroughly enjoyed it! :-D I'm pleased you are happy to be different to me, but a little sad you are not happy for me to be different to you. Now why is that? :-)

 

....from a 23-year member, welcome to the Dysfunctional Motorhomers Club, Brian ;-)

 

But I founded the Sussex Chapter! :-D

[Guest pelmetman]

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S............or any other phobia :'(.................must be a new camper thing 8-)

 

Are they expensive? :-S..................as I doubt I could afford a full set ;-)

[Brian Kirby]

Robinhood - 2013-11-09 11:16 AM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 11:01 AM

 

 

Have to agree about the Municipal at Brantome....(How'd you do that funny thing over the o Robin?).....

 

 

.....that's what we cognoscenti (...and the French) call a circumflex. ;-)

 

Many additional characters used in other languages can be input from a UK keyboard by means of a (rather inappropriately named) keyboard shortcut.

 

For instance, the use of the 'Alt' key and a 4 digit number (entered on the numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard, NOT the keyboard top line) will give you the desired result.

 

So, the ô character is entered by holding down the 'Alt' key and entering '0244'.

 

If you Google 'French Keyboard Shortcuts', you'll find sites that list the codes (similarly German, etc.)

 

Of course, you could simply Google the word you're looking for, and invariably you'll get a link from which you can just copy the text. ;-)

Or, if using a PC, even easier is to search Windows for a component called Character Map. Location will probably vary with Windows versions, but in Vista it is in C\Windows\System32. Set Windows Explorer to sort files by "Type", and then get the Applications in alphabetical order, and you will see it as "charmap", then place a shortcut somewhere handy. Great little application. NÕ? :-)

[Brian Kirby]

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 6:49 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S.....................;-)

'Course not, he's a Roman poet - and xenophobia is Greek. :-D

[Guest pelmetman]

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 7:12 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 6:49 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S.....................;-)

'Course not, he's a Roman poet - and xenophobia is Greek. :-D

 

That's a relief B-)....................coz the Greeks are in deep doodoo :D

[Guest JudgeMental]

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 7:19 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 7:12 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 6:49 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S.....................;-)

'Course not, he's a Roman poet - and xenophobia is Greek. :-D

 

That's a relief B-)....................coz the Greeks are in deep doodoo :D

 

That's what the powers want you to believe......sucker. They have sunshine and excellent. Olive oil!

 

[Guest pelmetman]

JudgeMental - 2013-11-09 7:26 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 7:19 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 7:12 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 6:49 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S.....................;-)

'Course not, he's a Roman poet - and xenophobia is Greek. :-D

 

That's a relief B-)....................coz the Greeks are in deep doodoo :D

 

That's what the powers want you to believe......sucker. They have sunshine and excellent. Olive oil!

 

Sucker? Eddie...............If you wish to offer me a nipple ;-) ...............I'd prefer to suckle on Red wine rather than Olive Oil :D.....................but I'll take sunshine from anywhere..........even Frank :D..........I'm surprised you've come home so early? :-S

[coach2000]

robertandjean - 2013-11-09 1:10 PM

Just had a looksee on Google streetview. Looks ok if its the sports stadium.

 

Clive

 

At last some consensus. We all seem to agree that St Jean de Luz is the worst aire in France, that there are very good Aires, good Aires and poor Aires just the quantity of each that is questionable and that some of us prefer using our own facilities whilst others like using ones provided on site. We do not say that our way, using mostly Aires, and not just for one night stops, is right for everyone just that for our motorhoming holidays it is right for us now. But there are a lot of good Aires out there and will report on them as and when.

An afterthought to an earlier post. French web sites report a new aire just opened near Calais in village of Mark, N50°57`20 E01°55`43, said to have all facilities and free. Have not been so can not comment but will try to look in on way home if Timex but if OK could be a useful stopover for ferry.

[bolero boy]

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 7:03 PM

 

Robinhood - 2013-11-09 11:16 AM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 11:01 AM

 

 

Have to agree about the Municipal at Brantome....(How'd you do that funny thing over the o Robin?).....

 

 

.....that's what we cognoscenti (...and the French) call a circumflex. ;-)

 

Many additional characters used in other languages can be input from a UK keyboard by means of a (rather inappropriately named) keyboard shortcut.

 

For instance, the use of the 'Alt' key and a 4 digit number (entered on the numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard, NOT the keyboard top line) will give you the desired result.

 

So, the ô character is entered by holding down the 'Alt' key and entering '0244'.

 

If you Google 'French Keyboard Shortcuts', you'll find sites that list the codes (similarly German, etc.)

 

Of course, you could simply Google the word you're looking for, and invariably you'll get a link from which you can just copy the text. ;-)

Or, if using a PC, even easier is to search Windows for a component called Character Map. Location will probably vary with Windows versions, but in Vista it is in C\Windows\System32. Set Windows Explorer to sort files by "Type", and then get the Applications in alphabetical order, and you will see it as "charmap", then place a shortcut somewhere handy. Great little application. NÕ? :-)

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

[lennyhb]

bolero boy - 2013-11-10 9:10 AM

 

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

 

And no cursor key, biggest load of junk we've ever brought, now had to buy a van with a bigger payload as we now have to take with us, an ipad, a netbook, a android tablet plus the smartphones. :D

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

I say bring back "press button A or B " ;-)

[Robinhood]

bolero boy - 2013-11-10 9:10 AM

 

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

 

 

....well, if it's a serious question, on Android you simply hold down the 'unaccented' key for the letter for a second or two, and a series of accented options appears.

 

I believe the same method is used on the (spit) iPad. ;-)

 

 

 

 

[lennyhb]

Robinhood - 2013-11-10 10:10 AM

 

bolero boy - 2013-11-10 9:10 AM

 

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

 

 

....well, if it's a serious question, on Android you simply hold down the 'unaccented' key for the letter for a second or two, and a series of accented options appears.

 

I believe the same method is used on the (spit) iPad. ;-)

 

Good grief you are right they appear but I can't work out how to use them perhaps they only work when the key pad is set to another language.

 

[Robinhood]

lennyhb - 2013-11-10 10:36 AM

 

Robinhood - 2013-11-10 10:10 AM

 

bolero boy - 2013-11-10 9:10 AM

 

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

 

 

....well, if it's a serious question, on Android you simply hold down the 'unaccented' key for the letter for a second or two, and a series of accented options appears.

 

I believe the same method is used on the (spit) iPad. ;-)

 

Good grief you are right they appear but I can't work out how to use them perhaps they only work when the key pad is set to another language.

 

....slide your finger/thumb onto the desired character without lifting it from the screen.....then lift it.

[lennyhb]

Robinhood - 2013-11-10 10:41 AM

 

lennyhb - 2013-11-10 10:36 AM

 

Robinhood - 2013-11-10 10:10 AM

 

bolero boy - 2013-11-10 9:10 AM

 

What about us poor ipad user? I dont even have an 'alt' key.

 

 

....well, if it's a serious question, on Android you simply hold down the 'unaccented' key for the letter for a second or two, and a series of accented options appears.

 

I believe the same method is used on the (spit) iPad. ;-)

 

Good grief you are right they appear but I can't work out how to use them perhaps they only work when the key pad is set to another language.

 

....slide your finger/thumb onto the desired character without lifting it from the screen.....then lift it.

 

Aré that works I was using my other hand to tap the symbol.

 

Thanks for the info good tip.

[Guest JudgeMental]

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 7:34 PM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-11-09 7:26 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 7:19 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 7:12 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-09 6:49 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-11-09 6:39 PM

 

Ah yes, that perpetual xenophobia. Happily, I suffer no such phobia. So yes, I do find this phobia about toilets and showers very odd. Still, wouldn't do for us all to be alike, now would it? :-)

 

Horace hasn't got a xenophobia :-S.....................;-)

'Course not, he's a Roman poet - and xenophobia is Greek. :-D

 

That's a relief B-)....................coz the Greeks are in deep doodoo :D

 

That's what the powers want you to believe......sucker. They have sunshine and excellent. Olive oil!

 

Sucker? Eddie...............If you wish to offer me a nipple ;-) ...............I'd prefer to suckle on Red wine rather than Olive Oil :D.....................but I'll take sunshine from anywhere..........even Frank :D..........I'm surprised you've come home so early? :-S

 

health insurance problems for this year as I needed world wide for Sri Lanka @ christmas...should be back to 50 days for next year which is enough for moi...two 6/7 week trips out of season and summer in Italy will do me..