Thank you to everyone who made suggestions! We did fit it all in in the end,(son & I sat on pillows, sleeping bags, clothes in vacuum bags, only only food we took was in the cool box, hired gas bottle from reception etc) but will definitely get roof bars and box before the next big trip cos I've seen so much more stuff I want to be able to take. We'll only be doing short trips for the rest of the summer now, or just me & the OH as my son is off to France for most of the summer holidays with his grandparents.
When we emptied the tent and it was all piled on the grass waiting to go back in the car you could see people looking at the pile, and the tent which was still up and then the car and thinking "no way" (I did too and I knew it all went in!)
just thought i'd better let you know, the first time i took the oh and 2 kids camping we had a 3 dr honda civic and managed to fit everythin we needed into it for a weeks camping, we then upgraded to an renault scenic mpv and had LESS room to fit everything in as i just wedged the kids in with all the gear into the back of the civic. so a bigger car isn't always the option, we use a trailer now.
As a family we have a picasso + roofbox but I'm taking my two boys camping by myself in a couple of weeks (back to Fforest Fields :)) in my Toyota Yaris. I'm planning on travelling as light as possible, no airbeds or chairs, taking the little 3 man dome tent. The kids are only 8 and 4 so I can stick the sleeping bags under their feet, meaning the box of food and small cooker and tent will hopefully fit in the boot, and I am planning on putting the roll mats in the passenger footwell and anything else on the passenger seat or inbetween the kids in the back! Will have bike carrier on the rear too, not sure how the car is going to cope on the hills being only 998cc lol!
LOL I might have to ;) Depends which journey I take down there, might have to avoid Blaenau Ffestioniog and snowdonia in general!!
At least pushing would tire them out,
I once saw 2 fat adults 2 fat kids, a fat dog, a frame tent with ehu, tv, tables chairs etc etc dissapear into a vauxhall nova with a roofbox & drive away (honest i did) - so it could be possible & if you are nice slim people you may get a fridge freezer in there too.
It is surprising what you can do when you have to!
Missejones, I have been thinking about a Scenic myself because I used to have a company one to drive one for work and could get three adult clients in the back, still be able to get in to fasten their seatbelts without elbowing anyone in the face, and get a wheelchair in the boot without taking it apart and still have tons of room for the weekly shop for thirteen clients plus staff. Not to mention the fact that there is no hump in the middle at the back and my son only has short legs (11 but looks about 8) so I could get alsorts down there.
OH is not so keen though, he sees it is more practical for camping but he got the Puma as his "pulling" car when he was newly divorced (why do men think it matters?) and doesn't want the loss of cred at work that having a "family" car would mean.
He is starting to accept that a bigger car may be a good idea "in the future", having finally seen a tent he considers worthy of it (Outwell Bear Lake- usually he goes along with my tent mania, but he actually got enthusiastic about that one).
I already have a long shopping list of stuff to fill up the roof box when we get it, so I suppose that no matter what we'll always be tight for space. At least not having anywhere to keep a trailer keeps us off that road. But then we could always move house, that might help...
I have a diddy halfords trailer it just fits down the passage to my back yard if i upend it and push it down on some bread basket wheels, its only 50 kilo when its empty so its managable to lift on my own. Its only little but its great for the heavy stuff which makes the car run better.
If the puma is his pulling car make him pull a trailer ha ha
hi angela glad you sorted it out and had a good time
it seems to me that you have well and truely been afflicted by that terrible virus, commonly known as `the camping bug` it cannot be cured, but fear not!
symptoms can be eased by camping regularly,shopping for handy items for camping,and visting camping emporiums on a regular basis
and as for getting him to change the car.............use your secret wepon womanly charms for a while
it does work as last year, we camped all over...........5 of us in a punto!
Quote: Originally posted by mammamia27 on 27/6/2006
As a family we have a picasso + roofbox but I'm taking my two boys camping by myself in a couple of weeks (back to Fforest Fields :)) in my Toyota Yaris.
I'm doing the same with my Yaris - I have no idea how its all going to go in, or if the car will get up a hill! I'm planning on sliding the rear seat right forward (so the child in the back can't move their legs), and using the footwell and other half of the rear seat. When are you off? We go the end of July, let me know how you get on!
OH is not so keen though, he sees it is more practical for camping but he got the Puma as his "pulling" car when he was newly divorced (why do men think it matters?) and doesn't want the loss of cred at work that having a "family" car would mean.
He is starting to accept that a bigger car may be a good idea "in the future", having finally seen a tent he considers worthy of it (Outwell Bear Lake- usually he goes along with my tent mania, but he actually got enthusiastic about that one).
OH was desperate for a nice car when we were able to get rid of the 7 seater, but it had to fit all the kit. We got a Chrysler PT Cruiser which he is very happy with. It still needs a roofbox for camping, but it had a decent size boot, and looks a bit different!
5 of you in a Punto!!!! Wow that is impressive organisation
Definitely got bit by the camping bug
I knew that last year when on our way home from ten days camping in North Yorks we pased a Yeoman's exhibition near Mansfield and had to stop and have a look.
Last week we went to one near Pickering after our day trip to Flamingoland whilst camping at Filey
And its my birthday on Friday so how can son and OH deny me a trip to the Millets one starting in Loughborough on Saturday? They said I can't have a new tent for my birthday but they haven't said anything about all the other stuff
Quote: Originally posted by mammamia27 on 27/6/2006
As a family we have a picasso + roofbox but I'm taking my two boys camping by myself in a couple of weeks (back to Fforest Fields :)) in my Toyota Yaris.
I'm doing the same with my Yaris - I have no idea how its all going to go in, or if the car will get up a hill! I'm planning on sliding the rear seat right forward (so the child in the back can't move their legs), and using the footwell and other half of the rear seat. When are you off? We go the end of July, let me know how you get on!
I'm going 14-16th July, I'll let you know especially as I have one extra child than you have , but the boot isn't a bad size really is it, I can get a weeks shopping in it, just. Hadn't thought about pushing the rear seat forward (didn't know it did ) but I had pondered putting one child in the front, one child behind and folding half the back seat down. Not sure on that though. I think I'll get just as much in leaving them both in the back and packing stuff around them. It'll be soundproofing anyway so when they argue I can't hear it.
I have 2. They are 10 (tall) and 8, so the big one can go in the front. I've tried tipping half the seat forward before and found it not that great unless I take out the parcel shelf, which I might have to do. I'm thinking stuff on the seat next to the little one can be secured with the seatbelt, not ideal, but might be a bit more secure? My Yaris has a bar under the rear seat which you pull and the seat slides forward - gives a decent size boot when the kids are in school!
Do let me know how you go on. We go the 30th July. If it doesn't go in I'll have to take OH's car, but I really prefer driving mine.