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 Hope some members can help

My wife and I may be retireing in a couple of years and are thinking as taking a trip around europe and staying in warmer clims in the winter at present tour in a bailey caravan but will need more space for a longer trip have looked at rv but mpg etc worries the wife.Starting to look at  fifth wheels any members comments welcome.

main points I do not know

1, best pick up not american mpg etc

2, any problems at campsites

3,what are the imported american fifth wheels like build quality etc

4 ,are the british ones better as seem to be a lot more to buy

5,any other points.

Looking forward to the new year as just had a year out building a house so now back to my house on wheels.

Thank you for all you replys an if any members are in Cornwall and would not mind would love to see what fifth wheels are all about  

You might not need as big an outfit as you think.  Our caravan is 24 ft 11 in, (7.6 metres) and since retiring we've twice spent a full year travelling round Europe, with a two year break in between.  We found the van plenty big enough, even allowing for the fact that we had to take clothes for all kinds of weather, cold as well as hot, enough Yorkshire Tea bags to last a year, spare bedding and pillows, books to read and even jigsaws to do!

Our 'van has fixed twin beds, which we find a lot easier than having to climb over each other to go to the loo in the night!  We made full use of the underbed storage areas for bedding and clothes, as well as the usual lockers and wardrobe, and checked the weight to make sure it was ok.  Of course when you're on a site your awning doubles your living area.

Another possibility is a twin-axle (I don't know Baileys well so I'm assuming your present van is single-axle.)  You'd be slightly more restricted in your choice of sites which could take a twin-axle.

If you'd like to know how we got on and where we went, have a look at our blog:

www.travelpod.com/members/oldagetraveller or just google oldagetraveller.