Going it alone

[darren_374234478]

Hi all,

Just returned from my easter trip in the caravan, had a great time at Dower House Touring Park in thetford forest.

It was my first trip away without my wife, although our 6 year old daughter came along and had a great time, so good that she didnt want to leave.

Do you think its ok to caravan alone, or as a single parent.

D.

 

[Damian]

Darren, it does not matter what anyone else thinks !

The only point to consider is did you and your daughter enjoy yourselves, and it sems the answer is a yes.

Caravanning on your own or with your wife/daughter/son is a personal choice and it is your choice, not something anyone else has a say in.

Life is not a dress rehersal, you only have one shot at it, so live each day as if it is your last and make the most of every opportunity, and that means doing the things that make YOU happy and your family happy.

Itis no good getting too old to do these things and spend the latter years wishing what you could have done.

Single vanning is perfectly ok, it is a pity that one is made to feel "out of place" as a singleton vanner by some people who make assumptions without knowing facts.

I know there are a lot of people who for different reasons go alone or with their children, but also I now a lot who want to, but somehow feel stigmatised by being single.

Do it, enjoy it, and take no notice of what others may think.

 

[Poppasmurf]

Darren

Why not look in the Topic 'Single Caravanners' in this General Forum for news on being a single caravanner.

 

[Entwood]

I find it terribly sad that you even feel you need to ask the question.

You would go to a pub on your own, a holiday on your own, a restaraunt on your own. You drive a car on your own, catch a bus on your own and shop on your own.

Just what has it got to do with anyone else that you caravan on your own ???

 

[Steve L]

Hi Darren.

Go for it mate, caravanning is probably one of the last classless hobbies where you can do just what you like when you like.

Although I'm married myself, we caravan fulltime and find it a very good position to be in. If we didn't have our van we would of been in some crummy B&B.

We get up when we want and where beter to recover from hospital operations than a field so quiet you can hear foxes playing and the voisyest thing is a woodpecker.

Atb Steve L.

 

[RayS]

Hi Darren, others have said it all, except perhaps some practical advice.

Not for the same reasons as you I have occaisionally caravanned solo over the years. The best possible help would be to have a mover on the van, then you can pitch up single handedly.

I would also hide a spare key somewhere outside the van - just in case; get a portable drill for the steadies; and perhaps even fix a mirror on a stick so you can check you lights after hitching. Perhaps a pair of walkie talkies might also allow some independence of movement round the site.

Hope this helps. Good Luck

 

[cathymac]

I too would love to go away solo. Without people thinking it a dating milarky .My OH works away and I have loads of time on my hands. I have tried it but TBH I felt sooo lonely. There's only soo many 5 min chats you can have with passers by or at the water point. My dog never complains at the amount of walks she gets LOL but you do get cabin ever just sitting in the van on your own. It would be good to have meets for people to go on their own/single parents. I'd prefer to go with forum members rather than a strange orginision. Does that make sense ? I feel for people who have lost their partner and feel they have also lost their socialising/touring get away hobby). I hope this has come across OK. sometime what you want to say doesn't come across the same way when put into words

 

[TimM]

Cath I completely understand where you are coming from. My mum kept going for 5 years after my dad passed away, but always I think with a friend. Perhaps you can find like minded people to go with?

Darren, there's no reason why you can't completely manage a van on your own particularly if you have a mover. My mum's caravan was a twin axle Senator and she managed that fine aged late 60s. I sometimes pitch up and unpitch on my own if my wife goes to work from where we are staying and its not much of an issue. I have a stick to push the brake pedal down on the car that wedges against the seat runner to check my lights.

As to whether someone should be bothered by you being on your own, its really none of their business and I can't see anyone being that bothered anyway. Go for it and enjoy!

 

[UKHunk]

Darren ive been going alone for 12 years now,its not all that bad,i do get strange looks from time to time and as i go round i do meet others that are on there own,

 

[foshy]

Hi Darren,

My Son, also 6 and I caravan alone a fair bit. Due to school holidays and child cover etc it's not convenient for my wife & I to both to be off for long periods of time so we share the time off to cover the holidays and hence just the two of us go away together. We tend to tour staying on a site for just two or three nights and then moving on. When we first did it I thought we were being looked at strangely but I soon got over this. I do find more people talk to us when it's just the two of us which is also slightly strange but also nice. We stay on all sorts of sites form the larger CC clubs, commercial clubs and CL'S & CS sites. The smaller sites are our favourites! Last year we managed a one week trip down to Devon & Cornwall, and later in the 6 weeks holiday spent another 2 weeks back in Cornwall but took in Dorset, Somerset and Devon on route. More recently (Feb half term), we spent a week in Birmingham. Just looking at planning our next trip for summer. We live in Hampshire. The wife seems to enjoy our trips away to - not sure why -).

When we arrive on site, we share the setting up - water collection etc. We keep things simple and only use a porch awning if staying for more than a couple of nights. I have motor mover for hooking back onto the car as this is the most difficult task to do solo and the mover is a great help. We have had a few "adventures" while away on our own but have survived and generally have a great time. While staying in Weymouth last Summer, a chap in a Campervan came in late and he was doing similar to us with his two kids - we ended up playing games and had a great time. Unfortunately we were both moving on the next day so missed out on a bit more fun.

All I can say is go for it and enjoy it. I will look out for you!

David

 

[darren_374234478]

Thank you all so much for your kind and encouraging thoughts, i do have friends who caravan, and so do my folks, i have no problems with pitching my twin axle up and setting up alone, the wife never did much of that, and my daugter seemed to enjoy it just as much if not more. so there is no stopping me.

D.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Good for you Darren. Enjoy it while you can.

 

[Martin24]

Hi Darren, well done. Since my wife died at the end of last year, my 6yr old daughter and I have been away a few times and changed the van as well. We have even tried our first Rally of the year. I have to say that she loves it (esp the rally where she saw her friends) but I don't so we have agreed to see the season out and see how it goes.( we didn't previously have a season, indeed did about 40 weekends last plus holidays last year) At the moment I think we'll probably sell the van later in the year but that's me enjoy what you enjoy doing, that's the main thing!

 

[Dan_5040593]

Hi Darren, well done. Since my wife died at the end of last year, my 6yr old daughter and I have been away a few times and changed the van as well. We have even tried our first Rally of the year. I have to say that she loves it (esp the rally where she saw her friends) but I don't so we have agreed to see the season out and see how it goes.( we didn't previously have a season, indeed did about 40 weekends last plus holidays last year) At the moment I think we'll probably sell the van later in the year but that's me enjoy what you enjoy doing, that's the main thing!

My wife works some weekends we have club rallies.I go away my self to the rallies and i really enjoy them.Being away on my own makes no difference to me i go and enjoy the weekend.

 

[Martin24]

My wife works some weekends we have club rallies.I go away my self to the rallies and i really enjoy them.Being away on my own makes no difference to me i go and enjoy the weekend.

probably a huge difference in our circumstances and the definition of being on your own though really!