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Subject Topic: How did you all catch the caravan bug?
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20/12/2009 at 10:03pm
 Location: Teesside
 Outfit:  Mitsubishi ASX4
View freeatlast's Profile View Profile   Reply to freeatlast Reply   Quote freeatlast Quote  
Joined: 23/3/2008

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30ish years tents

20ish years trailer tents

6 years caravanning. Disillusioned by having 2 new caravans with damp.

3 years folding camper

2 years pop-up caravan. Converted back to caravans (no damp for a start!!!!!)

Easter 1960 in Grasmere was cold, did not put me off though, my new Bukta tent was warm and snug. There was six inches of snow on it one morning. Great campsite, sadly no longer.

By the way Angela have you seen the new layout in the Trigano Silver with the table at the side?

 



20/12/2009 at 10:18pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Caravan now Sold
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Joined: 30/6/2002

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i had retired and my lady was a hairdresser with her own shop.when she retired we disappeared to morecambe for a month in a static .while there we spotted a bailey avallon se in a garage forecourt.we bought it and have never looked back.after 10 years + i can say we never get fed up.we are on our second van now a 500/5.flooded off site twice but not fed up.our grandson of 6 has been with us on the caravan  holidays from 6 month old and a covert for sure as we dare not leave him.

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.


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20/12/2009 at 10:46pm
 Location: DURHAM
 Outfit: Mondeo TItanium 140 Avondale Mayfly 25
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Joined: 21/3/2005

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Always went camping, we were planning a holiday camping in France, my wife our first daughter then aged about 10 months and I, when we saw the cost of ferry for car and trailer we had doubts as we had seen an older ten foot van for about the same sort of money as the ferry fare. The rest is history, vanned ever since, our oldest daughter is now nearly 38 years old, best decision ever.


20/12/2009 at 11:43pm
 Location: Bolton Lancs
 Outfit: Tent & Toyota Granvia
View Tigermouse's Profile View Profile   Reply to Tigermouse Reply   Quote Tigermouse Quote  
Joined: 30/8/2007

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I never camped as a kid, my parents liked hotels for holidays and I was never allowed to go camping with my friends. I started twelve years ago with my OH (now ex) and went from sleeping in the back of an estate car to a 2-man tent then a 3-man, then a very old trailer tent followed six years ago by a new Jamet tt. I always swore blind I would never have a caravan - not enough room for me and didn't like the idea of having to make up the bed every night then turn it back into seats every morning - but last year I realized that OH was getting fed up of putting up the tt. We explored the slightly easier option of a folding camper but then got the chance to buy his brother's caravan - no contest, the caravan won and I love it. And it was the one thing I kept when we split up earlier this year!

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Tigermouse


I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental


21/12/2009 at 12:05am
 Location: Glenrothes Fife Scotland
 Outfit: Bailey Pageant Monarch + Honda CRV
View Bramble Brown's Profile View Profile   Reply to Bramble Brown Reply   Quote Bramble Brown Quote  
Joined: 02/6/2009

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Forum Posts:   146

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As a child we always went camping, all over the coutry. When I got married managed to convince OH to go camping so when my parents bought a new frame tent we got their old one. I think we only used it a couple of time and the last time we used it we went to Fraserburgh and it rained and was very damp for the first week we were there. By the end of that week OH said we were going home he had had enough, I could either stay with my parents or go home with him, so I went. When we got home he threw the tent away, said never going camping again!! To my surprise a couple of years later he said we would buy a caravan. We bought a little four berth, 10 feet caravan which we towed with a Fiat Panda, very small but suited us, we then had a Sprite Muskateer which he said he never liked. For our silver wedding he announced he would like to get a newer van so we bought an Avondale Pere Orestes as it was back to just the two of us, children now doing their own thing. After that we bought an Elddis Avante 482 - luxury, hot water and a shower. We had that until this year when we bought a Bailey Pageant Monarch for our Ruby Wedding. In between time he said we would try camping again and bought a Vango Eqinox 350 for the two of us plus dog. Last year we bought an Outwell Montana 4 which we have only used the once, this time for us and two dogs. I must say I do prefer the caravan though!!!

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Liz S





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21/12/2009 at 8:03am
 Location: West - North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
View Val A's Profile View Profile   Reply to Val A Reply   Quote Val A Quote  
Joined: 19/10/2004

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We spent holidays in caravans when we were little children - tiny vans with few facilities, but we always had a lovely time.  When I married OH and I camped in Corfu - but it was so hot that we abandoned the tent and found a cheap room on the top floor of a lovely old greek house.  After that it was always hotel holidays for years.

When my son was born nearly thirty years ago we wanted a holiday in France - and were so impressed with the service we got from Eurocamp (ringing their brochure request line on Christmas Eve and receiving the brochure on the day after Boxing Day) that we booked with them for our first camping holiday abroad.  I just loved French campsites, and the French way of 'camping' - and we've been back ever since. 

For many years we holidayed in ready-erected tents, but then when it became difficult to take my eldest son out of school we bought our first (old) caravan - an Elddis Shamal, and took it to France, just touring and not booking anything in advance.  We had a great time and sold the van for as much as we'd paid for it, buying a new caravan (Sterling Europa) in 1994.  In 2001 we bought a fixed bed caravan (Swift Speedbird which we absolutely love to bits) and still take it to France twice a year.  We now go in low season and use either Camping Cheques or an ACSI card to take advantage of low campsite fees, and often very quiet campsites but offering full facilities.  One year we were one of only ten units on a 200 pitch site, and we had the swimming pool all to ourselves!



21/12/2009 at 8:47am
 Location: DURHAM
 Outfit: Mondeo TItanium 140 Avondale Mayfly 25
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Joined: 21/3/2005

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We still have a fancy for France VAL A, never been yet.


21/12/2009 at 9:18am
 Location: anglesey
 Outfit:  Outwell Wolf Lake suncamp vario 6
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Joined: 15/7/2007

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i blame my father in law,he bought one and we stayed in it a few times,and loved it.so we've been switching between vans/tents/trailer tents since,and when finances get better will defo get a van again


21/12/2009 at 9:58am
 Location: Shropshire
 Outfit: Bailey Phoenix GT 75
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Joined: 24/7/2007

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Used to do camping but after a night in Montreux during a storm, trying not to go hang gliding in our tent !

We decided to try something else- In laws had a little Monza so we went the same way.

We sold our camping gear, stopped smoking and saved the cash! Bought a little 1975 Monza 1200 in 82 and have been vanning ever since.



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DS-There's more to life than football!!!


21/12/2009 at 10:37am
 Location: Humberside
 Outfit:  Swift Elegance 565
View Jerry+Tina's Profile View Profile   Reply to Jerry+Tina Reply   Quote Jerry+Tina Quote  
Joined: 04/3/2005

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We like to go walking and sightseeing and have a rather large dog.It seemed the natural choice for us, one which we have never regretted.

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21/12/2009 at 12:42pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
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Joined: 19/5/2006

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camping out when i was a kid, then a friend bought a caravan. when i was 18 yrs old i decided to go for it. A 10ft europa.Those were the days.



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Roughing it in style at Calloose caravan and camping holiday park nr St Ives.(seasonal pitch)
Its not a hangover, its wine flu!


nant mill.N/Wales
just dont go there.


21/12/2009 at 4:24pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Bessacarr E540
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We started about 8 years ago with a tent, which we loved if the weather was good, but it rarely was.

We then saw a folding camper demonstrated - "you can put it up and have the kettle on in 10 minutes" touch - and bought one. Unfortunately they didn't tell you it was more complicated to put up than the tent, took about 1 1/2 hours and it always rained.

Then we were on holiday and saw a couple in a campervan set up in about 10 minutes, so we decided to get a campervan. I got fed up with tripping over OH's feet and the dog and decided I wanted a caravan.

We did one of those " let's just go and have a look" outings at the local dealers - and we all know where they lead! I bought another campervan a few months ago now it's just me and the dog but I didn't like it so I'm back in my caravan - and I wouldn't swap it for anything.

Nora


21/12/2009 at 5:53pm
 Location: Inverclyde Scotland
 Outfit: Bailey GT60. 620 6 and Hyundai i800
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Joined: 06/1/2007

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Started witha tent which hubby hated, I always had a few nightcaps to aid restful sleep so didnt mind so much, after a really wet weekend in Ayrshire we passed a house on the way home which had a van for sale on the driveway, we went in to look and hubby said we would think about it, drove off and at the next roundabout he drove right round and pulled in the driveway and wrote a cheque for the van, we had 2 great years in it. Then went to the caravan show in Glasgow to buy camping chairs and hubby got chatted up by a busty blond and before he knew what was happening to him he had paid a deposit on a new Ace (the chairs were sold out by the time we got to the stand), we advertised the old Bailey and sold it for more than we paid for it. Have since purchased our third van, back to a Bailey, twin axle this time. I still have the tent and threaten to use it every now and then but change my mind when I think back to cold rainy nights. often wonder if the first van, a Bailey Beachcomber is still being loved somewhere or if it has met its final resting place. I know I would recognise the Ace as it must be the only van in the west of Scotland with a clear golf ball indent on the side panel, thanks to my nephew, I would recognise it anywhere.


21/12/2009 at 6:02pm
 Location: N Yorkshire
 Outfit: Xc60 D5 Abbey Vogue
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Joined: 01/11/2003

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i caravanned with parents from age of 7.then bev & i  got a tent which we used just the once then got civilised and bought our first van when we were 21 , abi target...the rest is history as they say ....


21/12/2009 at 10:51pm
 Location: Gloucestershire
 Outfit: Ford Focus Zetec and Avondale Dart 470
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Joined: 19/4/2007

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We got fed up with the hassle of getting to airports three hours early and all the necessary but inconvenience of safety restrictions these days.  Delayed flights etc.  Coach holidays were regimented with people in a great rush to get off at every stop, pulling luggage in and out of coach and hotels, and this may not be the right, but we felt that the coach parties always semed to have the rubbish rooms.  Have to get up for breakfast by a certain time, leave the room by 10am for cleaning which never seemed to be done until 4pm.and then the bathrooms were sometimes grubby!  Tried self catering but it is pot luck as to how good the apartment/villas were. Now with the caravan we can please ourselves when we want to rise, eat when and what we want, have our own things ariound us and know that it is clean..

Carol



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Nice talking to you


22/12/2009 at 1:28pm
 Location: Newport South Wales
 Outfit: 2010 Sprite Alpine 4
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Joined: 08/7/2007

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Hi it all started when I met my wife. Her parents had caravanned for many years. We stayed in theirs a few times. I then persuaded my wife into purchasing a tent. We had a year or so out of that then we upgraded to a Raclet Quickstop folding camper which was great. Having been rained upon severely in ALL our tent/camper holidays, last January/February we began to look around for a tourer and we now have a 2007 Caravelair Ambiance 400. I love the whole caravan experience and wished I'd have done it sooner. We love going away for the odd weekend and we spent two lovely weeks in Carmarthenshire last July. Hopefully we are going to go touring across to France this year sometime. 



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