I'll give you some background beforehand, so you can see where i am coming from:
Ok, so Poppy and i are young (21 / 27), and bought our caravan a couple of years ago...
We'd spent most our lives, before we got together going abroad all the time, and the first couple of years together, went off to Tenerife and other places.
Now, Poppy had never seen the inside of a Caravan, nevermind stayed in one - me, on the other hand, have always been brought up on Caravan holidays, and only when i was older was taken abroad instead.
Jokingly, a couple of years ago, i suggested we buy a caravan and try it out - the following week, we had bought a 1990 Eccles Topaz (With our eyes closed) for £500 and the week after, had our first holiday together.
To say we loved it, was an understatmnet. We cancelled Tenerife and booked more holidays in the caravan :)
Both having bad paid jobs and struggling on, we've had no choice but to keep the current van, as other available funds had to buy the car to pull it (2.2 TDCi Mondeo)
We've ended up spending lots on the Van since buying, as found it was full of damp, all over. I ripped all the front locker out, front windows, and all the nearside, and fixed it all up - still got the other side to do, luckily though, it's only from the middle, downwards.
Obviously, like many others, we've spent alot on other things too; New carpets, new awnings, tables, aquaroll and wastmaster and the list goes on...
Can you see? We are genuine young people who actually love caravanning!
Well, here's the thing. Nobody else thinks we are, or that's what impression we get anyway. It's either our old caravan (it is a bit rough on the outside) isn't as good as the next pitch, or because we are young, and people think we're there to play loud music and cause problems at night. Some people, we have noticed, even go as far as taking a wide-birth, so they don't have to speak to us, lol. Always seems like a frosty reception, and yet, we're as good as gold, caring, considerate and always there for anyone. Poppy works with kids & special needs, and i'm a mobility engineer, not quite the `alcoholic teenager in benidorm` types :-)
Ayway, would just like your opinions and comments on anything i've covered in here, as it does upset us sometimes!
I was 18 and hubby was 27 when we got out first van. It cost us the princely sum of £100 :)Im now 41 and Hubby is nearly 50. I can honestly say I didn't really notice anything like you are mentioning but maybe I was oblivious to it. Anyway, just enjoy yourselves with your 'van and stuff what other people think. We have met some fantastic people and we have also met some not so brilliant types but you will always get that in life. Happy Caravanning.
It wasn't other peoples attitudes I had to battle, it was OHs attitude towards it all.
I married OH at 23 (he is 9 years older). I had camped from the age of 12. Just after marrying I bought us a tent. OH refused to use it. I said its the tent or no holiday, we have had many a happy time in tents then an 1989 Dandy with kids and without.
Last year was static caravans due to OH and ill issues, he could not help open Dandy. This year its me that can't open the Dandy. OH wants to dig out one of the kids tents and go in that - he would love to go back to camping!!!
I decided that just in case summer doesn't happen I'm getting YHA membership. He says he won't go - its for youngsters, but here we are 30 years after his first refusal to 'tent' and he's willing to do it all over again. Could it be the next few years YHA-ing.
I suggest you go on a rally with the people on here if theres one in your area. Alternatively, join the Eccles Owners club - they have rallies too. Or, join Conway Owners Club - they're for anyone who enjoys camping, not just conway owners (at least half of the people who camp with them have caravans). I can guarantee you'll have fun on one of their rallies as we've been to two in the South with them & I'm sure they'll have something on near to you. Or one of the big clubs - Caravan Club or Camping & Caravan club, lots of weekend get togethers & longer holiday sites.
You must have been to some unfriendly places or is there snobbery in the caravan community? I cant imagine there is. Just be your usual friendly selves, relax & enjoy yourselves. You look such a happy couple, I'd speak to you if I met you!
well im very sorry people give you a wide berth from first impressions you dont look at all scary from your picture
I know exactly where your coming from before the kids came on the go my wife and i went everywhere in our little tin tent and we got a few frosty receptions because we we didnt have kids running around and it has always been looked upon as an old couple hobby
but anytime you travel to scotland if we bump in to you now i no what you look like we will stop and say hello
------------- laugh and the world laughs with you fart and you stand alone
well good on you caavaning is for all unfortunatly the minority gets the majority a bad name im 33 was 30 when me and wife bought our first van. best thing we ever did for spending quality time together
Quote: Originally posted by Rousie on 22/3/2010
Always seems like a frosty reception,
Welcome to the world of UK caravanning. Generally people keep themselves to themselves or just stay within their family group, its nowt to do with your ages. You will occasionally get threads on here complaining about 'strangers' cutting across pitches & other threads asking about the best windbreaks. Windbreaks to build a wall around your 'territory'. Get the picture?
TBH theres no reason why people should be any more friendly on campsites than anywhere else. If you don't talk much to your neighbours at home, why should you on campsites?
If folk on the next pitch want to chat, then chat. If they don't want to, then you should respect their wishes without thinking ill of them.
This idea that people with expensive gear look down on folk with old secondhand gear is a total myth dreamed up by people who have old secondhand gear I think.
Total indiffence dosen't imply any sort of snobbery or critisim.
My personal opinion is that UK camping is a miserable pastime for all sorts of reasons, mainly weather related. Git yerself down to southern France in't summer, ferries are cheap enough & so is diesel. You will find it an awful lot better.
Get yourselves on the chy carne meet......it's lots of fun and very friendly......you'll meet lots of people and probably end up going on more trips out with some of them......(info sw meets and get togethers)
I would say hi to you if you pitched next to me. Don't worry about what other people think enjoy yoursleves and prove them wrong if they are thing wrong of you.
Its probably not personal or related to your age (or the age of your caravan) - we get lots of frosty receptions too and I think we're pretty much in line with the stereotype age/caravan etc. Maybe its because I keep forgetting that we're not on a naturist site [only joking!].
we arnt uber young both 36 but have been camping and vanning for a long while,we have never really noticed any icyness,some people talk to you some don't,i dont mind,if someone says hi and chats i will chat back if they dont well thats up to them,everyone has different outlooks on what they want,some familes just go and keep themselves to them selves whilst others ive seen all the kids play together.We go to relax we arnt insular lol but we tend to keep to ourself and just chill out.
But i always say hello to anyone who pulls up next to our pitch,and you dont look scary so i would be very happy to say hi to you both. :)
Reading the last few comments its occurred to me that maybe the larger the campsite the less likely people are to talk to each other? Our very first camping trip was on a fairly large site & apart from our neighbours on one side we didnt speak to anyone. We prefer small campsites and because they are small we get to see the same people over the few days we're there - it seems rude not to say hello in passing & usually a conversation develops.
Quote: Originally posted by marlot on 22/3/2010
Maybe its because I keep forgetting that we're not on a naturist site [only joking!].
Well seeing as you mention it, naturist sites are much more friendly, because we share common purpose. This is equally so of one make rallies like Eriba caravan or VW camper rallies. Obviously if folk share the same interests they tend to be more friendly.
if folk want to talk they will, if they dont then dont let it bother you, I am still relatively young (35) and love caravanning, as I'm single I take my mum with me who is 75 and she loves the van, think also when I am shoving her about in her wheelchair folk do stop and talk. I admit i have had a few strange looks in my time as I am still a bit of a heavy rocker and usually wear a band t-shirt or real ale shirt worn with a leather jacket. once folk actuallt talk to me they soon see i am a sound bloke lol
enjoy the hobby and you have to admit a van is a lot more comfy than a tent
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Topic: Young Caravanners`?
