How many nights ?

[starlightdj]

Just calculated, from the start of the year we have managed 52 nights away so far. With another 10 planned taking us through to the 1 st weekend in December.

busiest year yet considering we are both working round shifts.

So how many nights have you managed???

cheers
John

 

[Gagakev]

This could be embarrassing

Away this Thursday, 4 night's Near Ashbourne
Then 2 nights at Kingsbury water park for the NEC caravan Show
That will bring our grand total of nights away to .........................just 30

And I havent got any holiday's left

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Just reading this thread, got me thinking as to how my nights tally is going (particularly since that 'magic' day - retired!) So got the wife's little book out, these are the numbers it shows:-
Year - Nights Year - Nights
1993 - 80 04 - 174
94 - 82 05 - 193
95 - 84 06 - 172
96 - 138 (retired!) 07 - 163
97 - 174 08 - 139
98 - 170 09 - 127
99 - 165 10 - 117
00 - 158 11 - 136
01 - 152 12 - 118
02 - 161 13 - 92 (+ at least 14 planned)
03 - 167
Fortunately one thing the little book doesn't show is "cost". That would be frightening! However it does show total mileage towed each year and by each van.. (We started vanning in '77 but the little 'book' didn't start till '93) Average nights per year for last 19 years = 135, --- so it's not that bad being on the "state"

 

[Raywood]

Did a quick check and came up with 58 this year. No idea what it cost but if you add in fuel and ferry costs we must be well into four figures then add storage, insurance, servicing and depreciation. Prefer not to check costs for my own sanity, but at the end of the day my daughter and her husband pay well over £2,000 for a couple of weeks away and we have done far better I think.

 

[AbbeyOwner]

This year we have managed to do 42 and spending christmas and new year on a site thats open

 

[Mel]

Only 25

. We are not retired and have an almost 16 year old who would rather have his eyes pecked out by crows than go 'vanning. Never mind when we do get away it is a real treat.

mel

 

[GrahamE]

First caravan, only had it 4 months and spent 15 nights away so far may be another w/end in the New Forest pennies permiting.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi all,
since we got the new van
2006- 40 > using all available holidays
2007- 40 >ditto
2008- 30 >ditto changed jobs (less hol entitlement)
2009- 35 > ditto inc bank hols
2010- 112 > tried early retirement
2011- 30 > back to work
2012- 14 > poor health reduced usage
2013- 2 > no comment!!!
so 303 nights over 8 years and given the present market value of the van its cost per night due to deprieciation was £26.40 plus the average night pitch fee of £15 thats £41.40 per night without adding the the cost of insurance, servicing ect. it comes out at around £60 per night, (who said caravanning is cheap) and thats why we are packing in!!!

 

[JonnyG]

hi all,
since we got the new van
2006- 40 > using all available holidays
2007- 40 >ditto
2008- 30 >ditto changed jobs (less hol entitlement)
2009- 35 > ditto inc bank hols
2010- 112 > tried early retirement
2011- 30 > back to work
2012- 14 > poor health reduced usage
2013- 2 > no comment!!!
so 303 nights over 8 years and given the present market value of the van its cost per night due to deprieciation was £26.40 plus the average night pitch fee of £15 thats £41.40 per night without adding the the cost of insurance, servicing ect. it comes out at around £60 per night, (who said caravanning is cheap) and thats why we are packing in!!!

sorry to hear you are packing it in colin.. but how about these figures..

2005....14 nights
2006....17 nights
2007...9 nights
2008 ...13 nights
2009 ...12 nights
2010...20 nights
2011....6 nights .caravan stolen end of july/august
2012.... 3 nights
2013 ...2 nights
costs ? no idea,and i agree these days it isnt that cheap but it also hasnt been expensive for us either, its a nice option to have avaiable. our latest caravan is stored 5 miles south of lake garda fo just short ofr 300 euro;s a year including insurance where its left, which also includs 5 nights stay there if need be although not a caravn park......just a caravan and boat storage site..

 

[soldlisa04]

Hi there, since starting caravanning March 2012 ... 102 nights with another 2 this weekend. We work full time so a lot of those nights are weekends away. Love it and wish we could do more!

 

[Surfer]

Hi there, since starting caravanning March 2012 ... 102 nights with another 2 this weekend. We work full time so a lot of those nights are weekends away. Love it and wish we could do more!

Luckily for us we are not that sad that we have to keep count.

We just go when the feeling takes us.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Quote "Luckily for us we are not that sad that we have to keep count."
-- But sad enough to make such 'bitchy' comments?

 

[Surfer]

Quote "Luckily for us we are not that sad that we have to keep count."
-- But sad enough to make such 'bitchy' comments?

Obviously you lack a sense of humour so be a good boy and go find a woosie pot to put on your head.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Far from it I find you very funny!

 

[Parksy]

Watching.............Finger poised over the delete button

 

[Gabsgrandad]

'Sadly' got another 5 nights planned from Sunday, 1/2 term @ Conkers!

 

[emmerson]

I thought I'd posted on this one before I went away two weeks ago. Senior moment, obviously.
To date this year, its around 132 nights, but we've still got four or five to go in November, and seven for New Year, but they will count for next year, so it looks as if we'll finish with around 140 nights for 2013. I think anyone working full time who can manage more than fifty deserves applause!
Ain't it grand being retired?

 

[Gafferbill]

95 so far with 4 more to come at least....... but other types of holiday are available

 

[RayS]

Members of this forum are obviously addicted the caravan way of life. One of the best things about retirement is the abilty to indulge your addictions. Over the past 12 years we have averaged about 140 nights/year away in the caravan mainly in Europe

This is not posted to boast - there is no competition so far as I know - but just to point out to those still working that such things are possibe, and i'm sure there are those who can 'beat' these numbers. One of the unforseen side benefits is the enjoyment of being back home in beautiful Somerset and realising it will still be there when, for whatever reason, we can no longer hitch up and go.

One downside is to wonder whether the caravan designers have ever spent one night a year let alone 100+ in their creations and, if so why they still put some things and fittings where they did.

 

[Dustydog]

Before I retired my job took me all the UK
Rather tha use hotels the boss was happy I used the Caravan. as long as my expenses werd no greater than an hotel.
I always arranged my own meetings fridays and mondays!

Fuel was paid for.CLs very reasonable. We were quids in.
Thus for some even work can be turned into caravanning.
Also all year round usage is easy with today's modern units.
Financially full burn is the biggest cost so we try and stay away as long as possible. Eg 3 years ago we did a 6 week tour of Scotland

 

[Big S]

I'm like you Mel. Limited nights away this year and only 18 nights so far. Due to a 14 and 15 year old who would rather be on a beach in Spain than the very wet couple of weeks we had both last year and this year in Devon. Still hopefully they will be able to be left on their own in a couple of years and then we can start enjoying our van again.

 

[RayS]

Well done Dustydog ! I too used to use my van on business wherever I could including exhibitions in Frankfurt and working in various parts of Scotland. The biggest problem was not with my boss but with the company accountants who could not imagine why someone would prefer to drive into Europe and stay in a caravan rather than fly and stay in hotels, and who looked on campsite recepits with the gravest suspicion.
I have to say it rather coloured my view of accountants in general, although I am sure that many are really nice and probably some are even fellow caravanners.