Quote: Originally posted by ac55 on 22/9/2007
The problem is, my husband is 6ft 1, I am exactly 5ft, and when he tells me to pull the awning over the top of the erected frame, I just want to beat him around the head with the peg mallet,lol. still we enjoy it.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! I'm only 4ft 11 and OH is 6ft 3 - not funny when you're trying to sort out the awning. The broom sounds a good idea though, we'll try that next time out.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
Get your OH to agree that YOU are in charge of putting the tt up. Tell him that way if anything is wonky its your fault not his.That usually works with us fellas. The Meh'm Sahib has been in charge since I blew a gasket in our garden with ours. Now I wouldnt have it any other way. We have it down to a fine art now, and no arguments. She tells me what to do and I do it. Easy.
Could try that, but he already knows im in charge lol..... and knows i will still probably blame him if it dont go up right ..
No im feeling a little more relaxed about it now after a nights sleep, i think now that we have put it up once and sort of know how it goes, the next time will be easier.
Ill keep you posted, coz the next time it will be put up will be on our first hol in it...
The first time we put our up I had been working all night and decided that the excitement would keep me going. At one point I was close to tears with my head in my hands , my husband shouting at me and my 5 year old stroking my hair. But, that was the worst time. It definately got better. We have now had our tt a whole season and have probable used it about 6 times and we wouldn't be without it. Just tell yourself that it will get easier and it will, I promise.
By the way, make sure that you take lots of blankets, and even heaters for October half-term. We camped in April the first time and it was freezing. Don't let the cold spoil your enjoyment.
Hi Alison, thanks for that... I worked nights for 2 years, so know what thats like, and if you can survive putting it up and keeping it after that you deserve a medal..
Ive packed the tt up as much as i can, and ive only got a small car but managed to get in 4 duvets 2 for matresses and 2 for over, plus got sleeping bags and heaters lol.
Im sure my son and daughter will keep me busy tho, so that should keep me warm.. lol
This thread is typical of putting up an Awning ,Tent or Trailer tent.It isn't always easy.I have to laugh when I think about the time me and my husband were putting up our free standing awning .
We were getting in a bit of a tiz ,trying to work out which way it went,my husband said arn't they the guy ropes and I said no thats the string I used on the inside to hang my washing on.
Needless to say ,they were the guy ropes and we had it inside out.I was wrong for once.
My OH keeps a folding stool to help give her the extra hieght she needs when we pitch our TT. As for falling out, no problem there as once we have opened out the sleeping quarters she leaves me level it & peg it out. She does the inners. I simply have no one to shout at - it works a treat.
This summer we found out that pitching when very tired is a recipe for disaster. Having driven non stop to the Dordogne in July we arrived on site at noon we proceeded to take about three times as long to fully errect the TT & had to adjust it later as well - NEVER AGAIN
We have our time down to around a hour and a half .Thats fully pegged out and curtains and roof linings up as well.If we didnt stop to chat so much when erecting it it would probably be even quicker.
My or rather our tip is bag the poles in to the differant bags you get with it front section in one kitchen in another and the rear section in another one again .
All brilliant ideas, thankyou.. I have never driven abroad yet but would love to so much, i can just imagine the south of france in the holidays or traveling down through spain WOW..
Dont think i would do it on my own though, hopefully we will meet a family with similar interests that we can tag along with one day, think once ive done it once ill be more confident..
We traveled down to the bottom of spain in our old Transit CI about 14 years ago.We had a 12 year old and a 4 month old baby.
Was fantastic journey and we saw sights we would never have seen if we had flown.Iv'e never flown and probably never will.
A bit scarey at times,some camp sites were very iffy and rather dirty.One we went into ,we paid at the gate ,they locked it behind us.I stayed there for about 1 hour and then left as I was so scared,it was really rough,not like our camp sites at all.More like a travellers site,with dogs on the loose and things in the water.
The watch out Bandito's about signs scared us a little too.
I don't know if times have changed things but as we were traveling most of the day,we didn't have much time to find a campsite at the end of the day,turning into night.We had 2 weeks in total ,I to get there and back and the other we stayed in a apartment for a week.
I don't think I saw a toilet roll ,until we got back home,not in their toilets anyway.I used my van loo for the most part,safer I thought.
Still was a very interesting holiday,if you can call it that,my husband nearly thumped my 12 year old as he was winding us up so much.He never was a child that didn't annoy,I think the long journeys were a little too much for all of us.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: first time erecting...
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