Well things for us are changing even more now. We've just discovered that some very close family are emigrating to Australia so looks like our holidays are likely to be spent down under, at least every few years. Which obviously throws a huge spanner in the works as they are *so* expensive that we're going to have to go really low budget for our other holidays (Oz will likely be Easter) so we may yet go full circle and end up back in a tent!
------------- Amanda
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Well we're back now - and with a slightly different take on holiday after this one. Having been all around the houses, and done the 'Fixed tent' (Canvas/Eurocamp), mobile home (Canvas/Eurocamp) then own tent, trailer tent, and caravan, then stored caravan in France, we're now thinking about bringing it back again and doing the whole 'touring thing' again. This is because, now we're older, one of the things we've decided we love most, is having the caravan on the back and being able to stop just when and where we want. Despite having found some lovely hotels for our 'journey', it's just not the same not being able to stop overnight just when you find somewhere wonderful, with a lovely 'Fete' or night market, or beautiful campsite by a river. So after this year we may bring the caravan back again,
I think it's all 'swings and roundabouts' - we've done the 'package thing' and decided airport delays, crowded flights, less than promising hotels where you were stuck for a fortnight with no option of moving on, with awful 'families from hell', and 'all-inclusive food' were never for us. Whereas the freedom to go where we want, when we want, for as along as we want, with no booking, or even pre-planning, were what we really want from a holiday.
To Savanne, you'll probably go through the same 'learning curve' and it may not be that long before you're on here again with your own caravan and recommending that there's really nothing better then 'doing as you please'.
Interesting Val, we are going to sell the caravan we have now and then next year probably buy a cheaper foreign van, we love Hymers and Burstners. If we pay less and its older we reckon we wont feel so guilty about leaving it on the drive for a eurocamp holiday maybe once a year. Plus we wont have the dreaded damp fear all the time (well not so much), can have it serviced for less on our drive and it will have done most of its depreciating.
Am I right in thinking your van has the door on the non uk side? Have you ever encountered any problems with this?
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
Yes, our van does have the door on the wrong side, and it perplexes some English sites (Caravan Club ones in particular) - because it's a Swift! However, we've never had a problem. Inside it's just an English van - normal plugs, battery, etc., but some continental vans obviously haven't been 'adapted' for the British market and have no battery, so no 12 volt, so you always need a site with hook-ups.
There are some lovely Hymers/Burstners and other continental makes, and I must admit if/when we replace ours it will probably be with another 'foreigner'.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by savanne1 on 10/6/2013Interesting Val, we are going to sell the caravan we have now and then next year probably buy a cheaper foreign van, we love Hymers and Burstners. If we pay less and its older we reckon we wont feel so guilty about leaving it on the drive for a eurocamp holiday maybe once a year. Plus we wont have the dreaded damp fear all the time (well not so much), can have it serviced for less on our drive and it will have done most of its depreciating.
Am I right in thinking your van has the door on the non uk side? Have you ever encountered any problems with this?
We are debating going down the single axle route rather than giving up completely because we know if we sell up we wont be able to buy another decent van due to finances and probably wouldnt notice the etxra money we wold save on the insurance etc. We have also been debating siting the van for a season next year somewhere in the UK to give us more of a rest as we work such long hrs during the week and come Friday cba packing ready for a weekend away! I do love going to different sites but we are finding that we go to our faves which are close by to save on diesel so we may just site it next year.
I know that once we sell up I would be fed up as its my hobby and everything I do is to do with caravanning and going away in it down to going round the shops/sites and shows! So weve come up with Plan A and thats change to a smaller van which is easier to get on sites and cheaper to keep, if we cant sell it we will site it for a year next year and consider changing our towcar to a smaller saloon type then when we do change the van buy a single axle under 1500kgs type and go for a second hand one rather than a new one. Weve had 4 new vans over the years and only this van has not had problems, weve also had major damp/water ingress with other vans, I dont think that can be helped its just the way they are made and luck of the draw?
I wouldnt want to site the van abroad and im looking at siting it somewhere where I can pay monthly and take it off if I get fed up! It would be nice to be able to do both such as touring/statics flying and the compromise for us is a cheaper towcar and smaller van so that may be the route we go down, but, not giving up and going back to a tent im just not sure thats what I want.
Quote:
I think caravans are going to take a hammering in the next wee while. They're facing a perfect storm of rising costs. Fuel, campsites, insurance, servicing, spares have all gone up. People are going for small more efficient cars which means they can't tow a caravan. My mother was talking to a caravan site owner last week, who was moaning that people who used to come every weekend are now coming once a month. I also think the need for younger people to pass a towing test will also have a growing impact. My daughter and her husband have had sitting the caravan test on their to-do list for a couple of years, but they've never got round to it.
I agree with all of this, unfortunately
In my opinion, the danger for caravanning is that not enough people WILL come full circle and return to owning their own caravan
Some things like the weather and the economy you can't do do much about. But those who make a living out of caravan owners are in danger if they don't adapt. Seen many sites in France over the years that changed in just the last 2 or 3 years from being mostly caravan sites, to becoming almost 100% static caravan sites with a few pre-erected tents. Not just where we've stayed, but driven past too, dozens of them. I would be amazed if any of them went back to having touring pitches again, can't see how they could really.
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: Back to Eurocamp
so looks like our holidays are likely to be spent down under, at least every few years. Which obviously throws a huge spanner in the works as they are *so* expensive that we're going to have to go really low budget for our other holidays (Oz will likely be Easter) so we may yet go full circle and end up back in a tent! 
