Age of us 'vanners

[PaulHull]

This may have been done before (I've not seen it but I'm just interested).

The picture often painted of caravanners is that its for *cough* 'older' people and I'm curious as I'm 28 and have many friends / relatives my age that are keen 'vanners.

So how old is everyone and how long have you been caravanning. I've been at it a year now and will NEVER go back to tenting - something I've done since about 18 (too bloody cold!)

 

[Auvergne]

Paul,

You should go somewhere for that *cough*. Are you referring to physical age or otherwise (just interested!).

 

[Robert_374373903]

Hello Paul (HULL).I was 26 when we first bought our Alpine Sprite C model.Our age , well it had gas lamps which the mantles often got broken in transit and the toilet was a large container which you put a powder in and boy did it make your eyes water. and i installed our own Witter towbar and electrics ( Did'nt everybody do it). never heard of noseweights and ratio etc,1500cc Cortina took us from Essex to Cornwall and Fort William several times. Now 49 years later still doing it but more refinements and not enjoying it any more than then.

 

[Thorpedo]

51 (going on 32)

Caravanning for 6 years and loving the aject luxury compared to a tent.

Camped since I was about 9 with Mum and Dad in various Frame and small tents.

I still like the idea of getting the little 2 man tent out if the weather is realy good, but Mrs T needs her creature comforts and who am I to argue.

 

[Thorpedo]

51 (going on 32)

Caravanning for 6 years and loving the aject luxury compared to a tent.

Camped since I was about 9 with Mum and Dad in various Frame and small tents.

I still like the idea of getting the little 2 man tent out if the weather is realy good, but Mrs T needs her creature comforts and who am I to argue.

 

[J.Lo]

Hello Paul (HULL).I was 26 when we first bought our Alpine Sprite C model.Our age , well it had gas lamps which the mantles often got broken in transit and the toilet was a large container which you put a powder in and boy did it make your eyes water. and i installed our own Witter towbar and electrics ( Did'nt everybody do it). never heard of noseweights and ratio etc,1500cc Cortina took us from Essex to Cornwall and Fort William several times. Now 49 years later still doing it but more refinements and not enjoying it any more than then.

Robert, To stop gas mantels falling apart I used to spray them with the wifes hair laquer. It worked every time, oh happy days.

 

[Zafiral]

My I am 38 and started caravanning 2.5 years ago after a very cold (but dry) May Day Holiday in Dorset. An idle comment by the wife about what caravan our car could tow and 6 weeks later we were the owners of a brand new Ranger 470/4.

Caravanning is the only way we can viably holiday during school holidays (we have a 6 year old daughter).

 

[MagsAlan]

Im 51 and Alan 61. We are newcomers to touring having bought our first van in April this year although we have stayed in various statics here and abroad for the last 10 years or so. I had had a longing for a tourer for a number of years but by the time we could afford one, the kids were at that 'difficult' age. Now they're old enough to leave behind having turned 18 this summer, so look out world here we come!! ;D

 

[RogerP]

I'm 42 and started off in a tent from the age of 6 or 7 , then through my aunt and uncle , moved to motorhomes from about 10 all the way through school to about 18 (albeit me and my cousin were still in a tent). Had a break and came back to motorhomes 5 years ago reverting to a caravan last year.

Always loved the outdoor lifestyle and we get more holidays in one year than we'd previous had in 5 or 6 years.

 

[GillC1]

43 and 45, been caravaning for about 11 years, best thing we ever did.

 

[sjones]

Hello Paul

Ages 46 & 49

Having cruised the Caribbean and Med, We tented for the first time last year, (as we needed to do expensive work on the house)and found we loved it, so bought our first ever caravan in March of this year as this gave the option to holiday all year round as tenting is seasonal,(to us softies any way) we are enjoying it so much that we will now keep the van after the work on the house is done.

 

[RobE]

HI Paul

My good lady wife and I are now 30 years wed and have been caravanning for that time (borrowed caravans from the "in laws" firstly then once the twins came along we took the plunge and bought our own van. Now on our 5th van "kids" gone and still enjoying the adventure.

A word of warning though, twice we have sold vans with the intention of trying other holidays and each time within 4 months new units were on the drive. Born to caravan I guess!

Rob

 

[Chaps]

We're both 39 and have been caravanning for exactly 1 year now. We were occasional tent campers before that but, with several friends owning caravans, we took the plunge last October and bought our first van. We absolutely love it and find it a fantastic way of spending quality time with our 3 boys. We were pretty confident that it would suit us though as Claire was brought up with holidays in a 12 foot tourer and Rob holidayed in a VW Devon Dart caravette with his family so guess it's in the blood.

 

[Guest]

I was in my 1st caravan in 1951. I was too young to know much about it, but have the photos to prove it. Basically been 'at it' ever since with spells of quiet due to work. As a married couple we have had 3 caravans and 1 motorhome and enjoyed all of them. We still enjoy the hobby but do find the increase in road traffic does spoil some of the fun, unless you go abroad. We also do feel the Club site set up is excellent but the increased demand is putting a bigger and bigger strain on things. Once you find sites fully booked at the end of Septemeber and beyond, then you realise that things are changing. We also recognise that it is not a cheap hobby anymore and we may look at alternatives, not that they may be any less expensive, merely they may be more suited for us in geriatric times. The one disadvantage of living in Scotland is that it is a long drive to the sun.

 

[cheryl.mark@yahoo.co.uk]

Hello Paul

I have been caravanning for 2years, I am 40 and my hubby is 36, we have 3 kids aged 15, 3 & 4, we used to tent before and we enjoyed it but wanted to be able to go away in winter. Our friends took the p.... out of us when we bought our van asking us had we collected our pension early, after several visits from them whilst we were away they have since bought vans, a total of 5 of our friends have got vans now and they are loving it. There seems to be a misconception that caravnning is for retired couples, this hobby is ideal for families looking to get away, especially with the current credit crunch, holidays will be last on the agenda? We use our van all year round, it doesnt go away in winter we go on rallies with the CC which we enjoy. We are able to spend quality time with our children at weekends when we go away and it doesnt cost the earth, we go every other weekend if we can. My friends say i suffer from caravanitus! is there such an illness cos i bet they are right and after reading some of these posts others suffer from it too!! Only joking, i dont want to offend anyone, I think its great that these forums exist, its nice to know that others share our fab hobby! Lets hope for another 40 yrs of caravanning??

.

 

[martin.]

We're 37 and have been vanners for 4 years now and we love it, sadly not been out in it since last August due to the wife having a tumor earlier this year.

 

[DJGB]

Hi

I started caravanning at 18 months old and have never stopped.

Ran my first Rally at 17, bought my first caravan at 22 an Ace Diplomat towed by a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2.

I'm now 35 and tow a 2008 Coachman Pastiche 470/2 with a 2007 Skoda Octavia Scout TDi.

The first outfit I towed was my parents Elddis Typhoon GTX and Rover Sterling, I was 17 at the time and had only just passed my driving test.

Overall, I don't think you can be too young to start caravanning.

 

[ERICA_374227614]

Hi, My husband and myself bought our first touring caravan in 1984 before then we had trailer tents . We always wanted a caravan but money held us back at first. Now we,ve had 4 caravans and just love it. We did have a break when we started going abroad with the children but our first love was always the caravan. We are both now in our fifties and enjoying life to the full. Our caravanning is our whole life. What would we do without it. Also we go caravanning all through the year winter doesn,t put us off. Our next outing is the 13th Oct and we are off to Ebury Hill. Cant wait.

 

[Sparkle1]

i'm 35 hubby 44 been tenting for many years and owned a caravan for a few months

toured for most of childhood with parents though

towing a bailey ranger 620/6 with a nissan x trail

 

[BobT1]

I am 57 & have been caravanning for over 25 years.

First ever caravan had to be hooked up to car to get 12v television to work. Lights were gas mantels and cold water was pumped into van by pressing foot on pump on floor.

Have just purchased new 07 Bailey Pageant Monarch with all its luxury.

 

[JohnM20]

Hi Paul

We've been 'vanning for 23 years (got the Caravan Club 20 year membership sticker last year).

Started by borrowing Mum's caravan for a couple of years. Not totally satifactory as we had to put EVERYTHING in it before we set off, even putting new tyres on for the second trip.

First trip was to Wales where it p****d down for just about the whole week. Next trip, the following year, was to Lulworth Cove in Dorset. The wind was blowing like a mad thing for about three days and the site sloped quite steeply down to the cliff edge. I don't think we slept much for a week. If these two outings didn't put us off then perhaps nothing would.

Having persuaded the better half that 'vanning wasn't always like that we bought our own first, second hand, (if not 15th hand), caravan, a very basic and fairly ancient Bailey Maru costing

 

[giant]

hi , both 57 and camped for years , but allways wanted a van , took early retirement , allthough my wife teaches part time , we get off as often as we can,bought a year old senetar vermont a year ago , love it

 

[Coops]

Shall be 80 in January, and been caravanning since being 24. Whilst working, the employment got seriously in the way, but since retiring have been able to step up the activity. Have spent about 11 recent years in Southern Spain and Portugal, for periods of 4 or 5 months, interspersed with a 2 month swap caravanning in New Zealand in 2004, a 6 month swap caravanning in New Zealand and Australia in 2007. Tried something different last winter and took a 5 week deal for a hotel with car in Cyprus. What a disaster - do people really live like that !! Back to what we know best and going into Portugal at the end of this month for 5 months.

 

[dippy27]

we are 37 & 33, only been caravanning since april. had a folding camper for 6 months previous & hated the tent part of it!!! i was a caravanning child & my parents are still at it! (caravanning) parents think its great as they now have company. trying to talk our pals into getting a van too.