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How long is your journey (in miles)?  Not familiar with all the distances down there!     We consider 200 miles per day easily achievable after packing up on a site,stopping for lunch, arriving in good time to set up before dinner.  On our first day we reckon we can do 300/350 miles easily if on mainly motorway/dual carriageway.  We try to leave by 9am, or earlier if possible, stop for toilet/leg stretch when required, lunch about 1pm with a 1 1/2 hour stop and snooze for the driver ,then on to our destination, with another stop for toilet/leg stretch/petrol as required. And if it's a nice day we always celebrate the start of the holiday with an ice cream mid afternoon.

For a first outing I would think you are better to do it in daylight.  Get an early night beforehand and an early start the next day.  Stop when you feel the need and don't worry about it all so much!!!

That's a nice distance for a first outing.

To go back to your original posting.........Lots of people have given you varying advice/suggestions and the decision is yours, but have you considered the noise aspect at a motorway service place? Would it be easy to sleep?  Perhaps the M5 is not too busy overnight.     I need peace and quiet to sleep so I wouldn't even be considering it!    

hi.  yes i have heard of a couple of drivers being gased, (trucks) then had there loads pinched. heard its even more common in europe. all services charge for parking, cars,caravans & trucks, they are getting keener nowadays using private companys to patrol. (no sorry not patrol, but to collect the money.) they work from about 6pm till around midnight!!!!  one man may have to collect from more than one service area. they like you to go and pay at the resturant/garage if nobodys around to collect it..sure you all will !!!!

 best bet is to stop often and chill out, your on your holidays.....

This gassing of sleeping occupants in motorhomes & stealing of their goods has been discussed at length on other forums. It is believed to be an urban myth as everyones knows someone who knows someone it happenned to - I haven't read a first hand account anywhere.

The amount of ether (which is the gas usually stated) which would be required to render the occupants unconscious, bearing in mind that there are plenty of ways for it to escape the motorhome through air outlets as fast as it is being pumped in (due to it being heavier than air and falling to the floor) would be so great they would need to pull up alongside in a tanker full of the stuff. Also it is very volatile in that quantity & would be more likely to blow it all up due to the electrical circuitry.

It is thought by some that tales have come about because the occupants of the motorhome have imbibed heavily of the local liquid produce and have simply been too heavily asleep to be disturbed by the nocturnal raiders.

I've not heard of any cases in Britain.

taff2745.....lol you know all about Barnstaples wonderful traffic jams than.............a few summers ago when we had the tent it took us 2 hours too get from Braunton to A361.....................and we know about the services on 361 its such a pity its not 24 hours as its lovely round there..............scenary is beautiful

i have heard about people being gassed but the stories i heard were about people touring or traveling in France