How are you looked at

[pitpony]

Everyone who knows me that i'm a caravanner but I'm still looked on by my contemporaries that i'm someone that just turns up in some field in the middle of nowhere with a bucket for a toilet and a couple of gas mantles, my mate who bores me with his all inclusive cruises does my head in, but when he was a little lad in the 50's his dad had a Bedford van converted so it could sleep five people and they went all over Europe and southern Ireland with a bucket, :cheer:

 

[Gabsgrandad]

" How are you looked at?" -- Am I bovvered!!!!!?????

 

[Mogwyth]

We just don't care what others think done the organised hotel/cruise type holidays and its not us!

Way I look it is we have 8-10 weekends away a year plus a main holiday and see me of the UK than most, just done 12 days in Gloucestershire and walked over 70 miles, we don't do park and ride we do park and walk :lol: Most people cant match that and then every 2 or 3 years we take a month off and do something more exotic, last time it was Sri Lanka - self catering in 'native' accommodation, in 18 months we are off to Guyana staying on my nephew's farm toilets realy are buckets or even just a hole in the ground there.

 

[Martin24]

Couldn't care less. Yes we are normally in field in the middle of no where because we, the children and the dogs prefer it that way. A cassette toilet isn't far removed from a bucket and chuck it and I wish we had at least one gas light for the proper caravan smell. I don't listen to tails of any sort of holiday as there's nothing more boring and I don't talk about our holidays unless asked because anyone else is going to be equally bored by listening to that. Contemporaries that bore are ditched for people that don't.

 

[Dustydog]

You have to ask who has got it wrong.
Not a caravanner B)

 

[colin-yorkshire]

Couldn't care less. Yes we are normally in field in the middle of no where because we, the children and the dogs prefer it that way. A cassette toilet isn't far removed from a bucket and chuck it and I wish we had at least one gas light for the proper caravan smell. I don't listen to tails of any sort of holiday as there's nothing more boring and I don't talk about our holidays unless asked because anyone else is going to be equally bored by listening to that. Contemporaries that bore are ditched for people that don't.

got that spot on Martin, my holiday is mine. who cares. once had a guy a work bored the pants off everybody bragging about the very expensive holiday he had in some far flung destination. later turned out he had been somewhere dodgy that had armed guards to escourt you if you ever left the hotel compound. .
yeah, give me a field and a bucket every time.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

yeah, give me a field and a bucket every time.

Like me - at one with nature.

 

[Parksy]

The Carry on Caravanning tv series finished last Friday after being aired on Channel 5 for a few weeks.
Most of it was cringeworthy, it's as if the producers went out of their way to make our hobby look silly and full of idiots or social misfits.
The caravan leisure and manufacturing industries add millions of pounds to the British economy and we support countless small local businesses, but the media invariably treats us as figures of fun to be ridiculed at every opportunity.
It strikes me as odd that we are held in such contempt by media luvvies but people who cruise the rivers and canals on boats are portrayed with accuracy, respect and as something to aspire to even though their leisure time living accommodation and social arrangements equate with ours in many ways.
I don't really care how friends and relatives view caravanning, although I have to say that those who have been inside our caravan often express surprise at the level of comfort that we enjoy in modern day caravans.
Another regular comment runs along the lines of ''off on holiday - again!''.
I wish that the media would either get a grip on reality or leave us alone completely, preferably the latter :evil:

 

[DrZhivago]

I spent my childhood camping with my parents, and we regarded caravanners as the "posh" people. (When I say camping, I mean in a tent as even the word camping seems to have had its meaning rather changed since then.)

I don't think of caravanning as "posh" now, just ordinary, but I certainly do not look up to people who go on hotel package holidays, not in Benidorm and not even in the more up-market UK hotels like the "Best Western" and Hilton chains. Having stayed quite a lot in the latter sort on work business I was a bit suprised to see that full paying guests like myself often seemed to be the minority, outnumbered by coachloads of OAPs obviously on a package. (Even I would bring down the average age in the dining room down by about 10 years when I walked in )

I think the only "holidaymakers" I would tend to admire are those who do things like treking in the Arctic - off their own bat.

 

[Raywood]

Basically before I think most people just did not understand the attraction when they could spend hour in airport queues and being so frustrated with travel problems that holidays were not that easy. Some appreciated the lack of hassle we seemed to get but in general they just let us get on with it.
We have several neighbours with caravans so not anything unusual around here and both our parents had caravans so the family is not surprised.
I do not think there is anyone against us and if anyone says anything about Carry on Caravanning you do have to say most of the people on there are not typical although they have already realised that and whatever you think of them everybody was happy which is what counts.

 

[Pedr01800]

The TV series recently aired was cringeworthy and obviously staged for camera humour. Idiots abroad more like. But unbelievable how folks behave when caravanning.
Thanks goodness I have a lifestyle that does not impinge on others.

 

[Jaydug]

I wish that the media would either get a grip on reality , quote]

But that wouldn't produce what they think is entertaining television.

 

[Mel]

I wish that the media would either get a grip on reality , quote]

But that wouldn't produce what they think is entertaining television.

I agree with Jaydug. Bit of a reality check here folks: on this forum a topic about washing the roof got 6 replies and as for the nose weight thread........So if you want entertainment then us ordinary caravanners are not the target participants.
Just saying
Mel

 

[Hutch]

They sould have filmed This Years Woosie Fest, New people meeting, a great atmosphere between folk. Great banter , nice Sunday of fun. ( MY wine Box Next time Parksy). A great time.
Thanks to all the Woosies.
Hutch and Elaine.

 

[Martin24]

Well said Hutch.

I wonder what would of happened if Pru and Tim had been caravaners? No series?

Carry on caravanning was rather boring this time around, no real characters of note whereas we real life caravanners are real characters.

 

[KeefySher]

We call our caravan 'our apartment on wheels'. That becomes a city apartment like last weekend at Baltic Wharf, a country retreat like at Chatsworth, Blenheim or Longleat; a seaside resort when near the coast. That's the beauty of a caravan, it is truly a home from home.

All who have stepped inside are somewhat pleasantly surprised at the level of comfort and luxury.

We get to see some amazing places on our travels, that other types of holiday cannot produce.

We do the 5 yearly long haul trips in Business Class too to Oz, NZ, Far East etc. That usually stops any derisory comments about our caravan holidays.

Having spent most of my life travelling the globe with my work where I hated 5* hotels, caravanning and previously MH is much more of a holiday.

 

[Raywood]

We call our caravan 'our apartment on wheels'. That becomes a city apartment like last weekend at Baltic Wharf, a country retreat like at Chatsworth, Blenheim or Longleat; a seaside resort when near the coast. That's the beauty of a caravan, it is truly a home from home.

All who have stepped inside are somewhat pleasantly surprised at the level of comfort and luxury.

We get to see some amazing places on our travels, that other types of holiday cannot produce.

We do the 5 yearly long haul trips in Business Class too to Oz, NZ, Far East etc. That usually stops any derisory comments about our caravan holidays.

Having spent most of my life travelling the globe with my work where I hated 5* hotels, caravanning and previously MH is much more of a holiday.

I do find that people who have not been in a caravan or not for a long time are very surprised at the standard we have and the level of equipment fitted. It has certainly opened a few eyes in its time.

 

[Mel]

Recently someone said to me, "suppose it will soon be too cold for you to use the Caravan" . My explanation of insulation central heating and memory foam mattress was met with surprise. I think many folks still imagine gas lights and plywood.
Mel

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Someone said similar to us Mel. "Isn't it cold in winter in the van?" - My response-- "What do you do in winter when it's cold?" -- "We turn the heating up" She says --- "That's the same as us when in the van!" She walks away bemused!

 

[AlanW]

A few years ago we went to cyprus with friends, now they are a nice couple but she is a snob,,a nice snob, she wanted to look at this really posh 5star hotel, got talking to the security man who took us around to look, there were several bars all had only 2 or 3 couples in them, none of them talking to each other, i have never seen so many miserable looking people on holiday in my life, i think we will stick to our caravan to do what holidays are for, to enjoy conversations and a laugh with other like minded people

Alan

 

[saint-spoon]

I agree about the program, they picked a few oddballs and rigged it for maximum effect, I believe that many folk will play up to the camera for their five minutes of fame and much of it does seem staged. We were at sandy balls when they chap who did a blog on caravanny things was being filmed, we didn’t cotton on at the time about a bloke with a small camcorder being followed by a bloke with a big camera and them discussing what would make good telly, we thought that iot might be a promotional video for the site.
Anyway…
We have been caravanning for a year now and get out quite a lot. One thing that is apparent is how many people follow our exploits via social media when Mrs Spoon uploads post trip photos for all to admire (we never announce when we are going or post anything whilst we are away, you can’t be too careful with social media and criminals looking for opportunities IMO). Last night I bumped into an Old Shipmate of mine in the supermarket and stopped for a bit of a chimp as you do, he commented on how much fun it looked. The other mums at the school walk run (well walk) regularly comment, folk with whom I served years and years ago comment, friends and family all comment and it is never derogatory… obviously you get the odd one ask what is wrong with a five star hotel room but that is mainly in jest.

 

[Keefanmaxx]

To be honest ....... we're not bothered how others look at us.
Because I work a rolling 5 week rota at work, we get a long weekend away every 5 weeks for at least 9 months of the year, plus our main holiday, which is great. We've done camping, but never in the cooler months which changed when we got the 'van.
I personally think that the past-time is very social .... we've met some really nice people on sites who are more than happy to have a chat, unlike being in a hotel where even couples ignore each other!

I was chatting with a colleague at work recently who couldn't see the attraction ....... so I tried to explain!
I put it in terms of that apart from having to 'drag' the accommodation to site, once it's there, it's like being at home, including all the comforts and when you go out, you lock up and go.
For us, time becomes irrelevant, which for me is great as my work-life tends to be based around my outlook calendar so I can completely relax once we're set up. We do what we want, when we want to.
Best of all, we've been to places that we wouldn't otherwise have gone to and it doesn't cost a fortune. I did a comparison with a friend that rents cottages for weekend breaks .... and based on the average cost, we get a lot more value for money!
Overall, we're glad we invested the money in our 'van!!
Keith

 

[Bluerocket]

The OH and I choose to spend our hard earned money caravanning because we enjoy the places we visit, historic sites beautiful countryside, wonderful walks cycleways shared together with all the comforts of home, well nearly, towed behind us.We still go abroad and enjoy that too, but will always be caravanners at heart. I guess we wouldn't make good TV because, in their eyes, to ordinary, but I suspect we are in a large majority and long may it continue

 

[pitpony]

To be honest ....... we're not bothered how others look at us.
Because I work a rolling 5 week rota at work, we get a long weekend away every 5 weeks for at least 9 months of the year, plus our main holiday, which is great. We've done camping, but never in the cooler months which changed when we got the 'van.
I personally think that the past-time is very social .... we've met some really nice people on sites who are more than happy to have a chat, unlike being in a hotel where even couples ignore each other!

I was chatting with a colleague at work recently who couldn't see the attraction ....... so I tried to explain!
I put it in terms of that apart from having to 'drag' the accommodation to site, once it's there, it's like being at home, including all the comforts and when you go out, you lock up and go.
For us, time becomes irrelevant, which for me is great as my work-life tends to be based around my outlook calendar so I can completely relax once we're set up. We do what we want, when we want to.
Best of all, we've been to places that we wouldn't otherwise have gone to and it doesn't cost a fortune. I did a comparison with a friend that rents cottages for weekend breaks .... and based on the average cost, we get a lot more value for money!
Overall, we're glad we invested the money in our 'van!!
Good post mate that is what it is all about
Keith

 

[Keefanmaxx]

The OH and I choose to spend our hard earned money caravanning because we enjoy the places we visit, historic sites beautiful countryside, wonderful walks cycleways shared together with all the comforts of home, well nearly, towed behind us.We still go abroad and enjoy that too, but will always be caravanners at heart. I guess we wouldn't make good TV because, in their eyes, to ordinary, but I suspect we are in a large majority and long may it continue

I couldn't agree more! :cheer: