Quote: Originally posted by floppy-poppy on 20/8/2014
Quote: Originally posted by Francais on 29/7/2014Hi kyoto49
That's the great thing about camping, we all do it in different ways.
We only go once per year for 3 weeks to the South East of France during July, we are on the main campsite for at least 14 nights, more often 16.
We take a lot of kit, satellite system and full en-suite to name but 2 items.
Set up time and break camp times are about the same at 6 hours each, give or take an hour!
It takes us 72 hours to get to the campsite which includes 3 overnight budget hotel stops, one in Kent and another 2 on the way South in France.
The return journey is more rapid, just 54 hours with two overnight budget hotels used on the way back North to the ferry at Dunkerque.
Gosh! 72 hours plus 4 hotels in all!! We used to go to the South of France regularly - stayed with a friend in Canterbury (okay we were lucky there)and one overnight stop usually about Dijon in a Eurocamp tent or similar - all in all less than 36 hours from our house 4 hours from Dover and with 3 kids under 8 at one point! Once we started out (from Frejus funnily enough) at 6 in the morning and drove right up to Calais (our tent stop for the night) and got on a ferry the following morning.
Anyway, going back to the thread. OH refuses to get a trailer. So we drop the back seats of our Vauxhall Astra estate and use the roof box. We usually get in with a squeeze but our next trip will include dog in dog cage plus all his bits - now the cage is going to be tricky enough but can't really have him surrounded with gear (i.e. all four sides plus on top / below) So we have a bit of a puzzle to sort out. I really just don't know - how do other people do that? I'm thinking one half of the seats to stay up and the other folded....but how about the gear? Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Before taking up camping and converting the trailer so it was as good as it is now, we still used to go to France with the dog. We got a Thule extra load carrier with the weatherproof bag, it sits on the towbar. At home we used it as a bike carrier.
I know you said you didn't want to go down the trailer route but i've found it so much easier than shoe horning everything into the car/roofbox. Can leave lots of the camping stuff in the trailer (inside the garage) ready for the next trip, therefore i don't have to have stuff everywhere indoors and i can pack much quicker when i do go away as the trailer and gear are ready to go.
Mercedes vito easily fits everything in, still nearly full as it has seats in middle of van.
large tent, event shelter, fridge, camp beds and sims so plenty of comforts when away :)
------------- Just because it didn't last forever, dosen't mean it wasn't worth your while
Next year we're taking less stuff or getting a trailer tent or holidaying in a cottage in Scotland. All our stuff really got me down this year. Though not sure what we're not going to take!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Car packing?
