Is caravanning a hobby?

[WiltshirePete]

I have read various posts that use the word hobby, and it puzzles me. I realise that everyone goes about things differently, and I think that we are perhaps in the minority. We use our caravan quite a lot, maybe 10 weeks/annum, but we don't do "caravanning" as some would describe it.

For example, we tend to tour, staying 2-4 nights in any one place, so we don't bother with awnings etc. We carry nothing in the car apart from ourselves and having onboard water tanks which travel half full usually set up in about 15 mins, then go off to explore the local area, or I go cycling for exercise whilst my wife walks the dog.

We don't have a telly or a microwave, but do enjoy cooking/barbecueing much as at home, and whilst we would always be polite to people have no real desire to socialise with strangers. In fact we hardly spend any time on the site.

Even in the UK we never book anywhere, we sometimes phone ahead to check it will be OK and have never had a problem, so all the correspondence about CC bookings is a bit of a mystery to us even though we are members.

In short we use our caravan as an extension of our house which just happens to be moveable, or as a cheap hotel if you prefer.

Are there others about like us, or are we a bit odd?

Pete

 

[DavidKlyne]

Pete

I don't think you are 'odd' in thinking as you do. I suppose it depends on how you describe a hobby. If its just a means to an end then I suppose its not a hobby. However many of us have been doing it for a long time so the point at which it was an economical way to get on holiday is long past. Being in the fortunate position of buying the van I want and the car to tow it suggests that I am quite a keen caravanner and therfore would consider it a hobby.

David

 

[RayS]

Obsession is the wrod I would probably use.

 

[Guest]

'hobby' is a 'pursuit outside one's main interest, or work', so your version of caravanning fits that perfectly.

Obsession would I feel define those 'poor souls' who feel it is essential to wash and polish their van within 30 minutes of arriving on a site. They do not own a caravan, they are 'married' to it.

 

[WiltshirePete]

David

I also have bought the van I want, and then had to buy a car to pull it so have invested quite a lot of cash, more than many spend on their hobbies, its just that the thought of going to a rally fills me with horror!

Many thanks for your blogs, I have visited some of the sites that you have recommended some of which I might not have found on my own (lakeside pitch at Lindau being one of the best).

I am currently planning a trip to Italy next spring, so I am reading your latest with interest.

Pete

 

[nrdonnelly]

Dear All

There are definitely some caravanners for whom the van itself is the focus, while for others, it is all about the destination. We see it in the correspondence we get at the magazine.

Loads of people have written to us about the Bailey Pegasus for example, saying what they like and what they don't. Many get quite incensed if we like something that they're not keen on but everyone is perfectly entitled to like what they want.

But many more again don't care about caravans as such. For them, the caravan is a 'means to an end' - a way of having more holidays than you would if you were relying on hotels, airports or coaches. Providing their caravan does what they want (keeps them warm, dry and comfortable) without problems, that's all they need to know about it.

From a personal point of view, what I really like is that you can use a caravan however you please and there is no 'wrong' way of doing things. In a hotel, you need to have breakfast by 9am, leave your towels in the bath and hope the bed is comfy. In a van, you can have breakfast at tea time if you want, take your towels home to clean them and you know how good your bed is going to be because you always sleep in it.

And the term 'rally' means different things to different people. Some events are very prescriptive and you do as you are told, while others are far more relaxed. Much like caravanning itself, I don't think there is no right or wrong way. Just one that suits you.

Regards

Nigel Donnelly

Editor

Practical Caravan

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[ShadySadie]

My caravan is just another room on wheels, always ready to up and go.

Travelling with half an inboard tank of water is not good practice or a clever idea. Take a water container in the boot or fill up using a hose on site before you get to the pitch if you don't have services on or near the pitch.

 

[LMH]

I wouldn't class it as a hobby.

I class it as a home from home in which we have our holidays.

I prefer caravanning because:

1. You can take the doggies

2. You can get up when you want to

3. You're not tied to meal times

4. You know your sheets are clean (or not, if you prefer)

5. If you 'lose' anything when you get home, its usually been left in the van

6. If you don't like a site or its punters, you can move on

Lisa

 

[Guest]

We agree again Lisa. Right On!

Our van is just an extension of home that can be moved to wherever we fancy at our whim n fancy.

 

[ValA.]

I agree with Lisa too - our caravan is our cottage in the country - and it can be any country!!! It's not a hobby - it's our second home - and from it we pursue our hobbies!

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

We agree again Lisa. Right On!

Our van is just an extension of home that can be moved to wherever we fancy at our whim n fancy.

Makes mental note ... Euro agrees with Lisa, a first.

Heh! heh! heh!

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Not a hobby for me either, more a means to achieve an end, although enjoyable, by letting me see parts of the country I wouldn't otherwise visit.

Calling it a hobby is like saying darts or angling are sports. We don't get to see too many athletes stood on the ockey or men flashing their muscle as they dangle their worm in the pond :O)

 

[ValA.]

I wonder if people who have a Hobby consider it their hobby?

 

[Dustydog]

Never been a hobby for me. In my younger days it was the only way we could afford a holiday. Now we can holiday at our leisure and see all the bits of the British Isles we missed before.

Every trip is still an adventure.

How on earth does corruption of the English Language continue to make holiday = hobby?? Weird.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[anotherDavid]

I think it has got to be an hobby. It is certainly not the way to have cheap holidays, more maybe but only after spending a lot of money on depreciating assets and even more on maintenance. We have spent enough to have funded luxury holidays for the forseable future. We spend 4 months a year on the continent and know exactly what it costs, in our case about

 

[James3]

I don't regard it as a hobby more a mobile holiday home. We always choose a location or area we want to visit and then find a site hopefully with some good views and then explore the area. Sometimes there may be some event we want to see and the caravan makes a perfect base for this type of actiity.

I do sometimes wonder at folk who seem to just pitch up on a site and then stay on site all the time. I have spoken to some of these people and they say its their way of chilling out which is fine I supose but certainly not for me. But all to there own.

 

[Parksy]

I'm not sure if I would class caravanning as a hobby, a pastime, an interest or at times a labour of love.

Owning a caravan certainly allows us to get away from our local urban sprawl and into the great outdoors but we also like to explore cities, cathedrals, castles etc and the caravan allows us to do this and provides a warm familiar haven to come 'home' to.

I actually enjoy the whole experience including finding and towing to our destination which we regard as part of the adventure and even sitting at home planning trips can be rewarding.

Of course caravans don't maintain, clean and polish themselves so there is a labour of love side to it.

We've met people who we've come to regard as good friends through caravanning and have met up with them from time to time

but we are equally happy within the quiet solitude of a quiet certified site with only our own company, books and leisurely walks.

Caravanning is not cheap but our philosophy is that the more we use the caravan the better it is economically so besides using various sites we also go on rallies.

 

[RichardS1]

For us caravanning itself is not a hobby. What it does though is let us enjoy our hobbies which are mountain biking and walking far more than any package holiday.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

is caravanning a hobby well to some it may well be just that, but to most it is a means to an end be it for holidays weekends away or just to go somewhere and chill out from their usuall suroundings.

a hobby is something you do just to past the time when there is nothing else to do and can be left and come back to at anytime caravans dont really fit into this catagoriy. having just got back from 2 weeks in a hotel in the highlans with our daughter I know what our little van means to us.

my hobby and passion is the bike (for those with long memories yes I did eventually rebuild and restore the FJ1200 and get it on the road) that is a real hobby??? 4 hrs riding followed by 6 hrs of cleaning.

by the way windy who says darts and fishing are not sports a sport requires skill not just muscles, shooting is the same any one can point a gun at something and pull the trigger but could they hit anything, that is why it is an olympic sport, yes any one can throw dars or fish but the skill is in getting results every time like a darts average over 100 or bagging up on a target species when fishing. just try telling a golfer hitting a little white ball into a hole 300mtrs away is easy. only dont stand within club range when you do.

*

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

is caravanning a hobby well to some it may well be just that, but to most it is a means to an end be it for holidays weekends away or just to go somewhere and chill out from their usuall suroundings.

a hobby is something you do just to past the time when there is nothing else to do and can be left and come back to at anytime caravans dont really fit into this catagoriy. having just got back from 2 weeks in a hotel in the highlans with our daughter I know what our little van means to us.

my hobby and passion is the bike (for those with long memories yes I did eventually rebuild and restore the FJ1200 and get it on the road) that is a real hobby??? 4 hrs riding followed by 6 hrs of cleaning.

by the way windy who says darts and fishing are not sports a sport requires skill not just muscles, shooting is the same any one can point a gun at something and pull the trigger but could they hit anything, that is why it is an olympic sport, yes any one can throw dars or fish but the skill is in getting results every time like a darts average over 100 or bagging up on a target species when fishing. just try telling a golfer hitting a little white ball into a hole 300mtrs away is easy. only dont stand within club range when you do.

*

You'll be telling me Jockey Wilson was a fine figure of an athlete next. There's a difference in skill and athletism.

Chess requires skill so does that make Anatoly Karpov a sportsman or even my skillful electrician, Fred the Fuse?

 

[Guest]

is caravanning a hobby well to some it may well be just that, but to most it is a means to an end be it for holidays weekends away or just to go somewhere and chill out from their usuall suroundings.

a hobby is something you do just to past the time when there is nothing else to do and can be left and come back to at anytime caravans dont really fit into this catagoriy. having just got back from 2 weeks in a hotel in the highlans with our daughter I know what our little van means to us.

my hobby and passion is the bike (for those with long memories yes I did eventually rebuild and restore the FJ1200 and get it on the road) that is a real hobby??? 4 hrs riding followed by 6 hrs of cleaning.

by the way windy who says darts and fishing are not sports a sport requires skill not just muscles, shooting is the same any one can point a gun at something and pull the trigger but could they hit anything, that is why it is an olympic sport, yes any one can throw dars or fish but the skill is in getting results every time like a darts average over 100 or bagging up on a target species when fishing. just try telling a golfer hitting a little white ball into a hole 300mtrs away is easy. only dont stand within club range when you do.

*

I spent an evening with Jocky Wilson years ago, he drunk more pints that he played games! I think he thought drinking was a sport

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

9 Dec 2009 02:34 PM "You'll be telling me Jockey Wilson was a fine figure of an athlete next. There's a difference in skill and athletism.

Chess requires skill so does that make Anatoly Karpov a sportsman or even my skillful electrician, Fred the Fuse?"

good old windy got the bums rush again :0)

chess does not require skill as such just a good memory and a head for strategy so no it's not a sport.

as for fred the fuse when compititions start on speed wiring he my well just be a champion in the making.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

9 Dec 2009 02:34 PM "You'll be telling me Jockey Wilson was a fine figure of an athlete next. There's a difference in skill and athletism.

Chess requires skill so does that make Anatoly Karpov a sportsman or even my skillful electrician, Fred the Fuse?"

good old windy got the bums rush again :0)

chess does not require skill as such just a good memory and a head for strategy so no it's not a sport.

as for fred the fuse when compititions start on speed wiring he my well just be a champion in the making.

heh! heh! heh! ya ol' tyke. C'mon, you're lettin' me down, ya can do better than that ;O)

 

[Pat_374304630]

I have to agree with Lisa.

However I do have a 'hobby' and we sometimes take the caravan to events involving my 'hobby'

 

[Karina_374530710]

Owning a caravan to me isn't a hobby, but a new-found way to enjoy time with my daughter seeing parts of the country I wouldn't normally be able to visit.

My daughter and I have a 1994 Elddis which when bought nearly 12 months ago was fine structurally, but obviously a little dated in appearance. I spent a considerable amount of time indulging in my other 'hobby' of dressmaking by recovering the seats in my van - my parents allowed me to park my van in their large driveway, consume vast amounts of electric and while away the hours with my sewing machine actually in the van making the seat covers.

I enjoy travelling, but find that with a child, it isn't always easy to keep a child 'down' in a hotel - invariably, there is only 1 easy chair in a hotel room which means that someone ends up spending the night lounging on the bed. At least in my van, we all get a seat, I can eat what I want, when I want to, my daughter can be a child (still being mindful of our temporary neighbours but at least there is more than a plasterboard wall inbetween us) and best of all, her pet rabbit comes along too!

Imagine checking into a Travelodge with one adult, one child and a rabbit!

Caravaning isn't a hobby, but a newfound way of life and I love it!