What would stop you caravanning?

[ProfJohnL]

Who said caravanning is easy? - No prizes but answers on a postcard please....

What bits of kit do you now find essential for your caravanning, which if taken away would probably make you give the hobby up? Please don't say the tow vehicle or caravan! :huh:

 

[Anseo]

Beds.
Heater.
Stove.
WiFi .

 

[Buckman]

Who said caravanning is easy? - No prizes but answers on a postcard please....

What bits of kit do you now find essential for your caravanning, which if taken away would probably make you give the hobby up? Please don't say the tow vehicle or caravan! :huh:

To us what is essential is to be in good or reasonable health as that is about all that would make us give it up besides no EHU!

 

[Craigyoung]

Bottle opener ,
EHU aswell

EDIT ;
Joking aside , but the weather and like someone else says further down , finance and family stuff

 

[Dodger524]

CS and CL sites that currently offer such good value. I guess the central heating system would also be close to the top of the list.

 

[Raywood]

Very high winds although we did drive down to Chester the other Saturday when there were storms there in the morning and some headwinds. At one point we were using serious power to go downhill, which did make me question my sanity and my usual 28/30 mpg towing went down to 24, but apart from a blast from the side on the Manchester Ship Canal bridge there was no trouble.
The up side was that because of several cancelations we did get a better choice of pitch than we would otherwise have had.

 

[Thingy]

Only thing that would really stop us would be health or finances.

 

[otherclive]

The thing that stopped us in 2014 were family commitments that severely restricted our ability to go away except for arranging even short breaks weeks ahead. We sold everything down to the last awning peg and Towcar.

We are verging on that position again and I see little point in having stuff that you can’t use as desired. Notwithstanding the need to have a new back panel fitted and awaiting a new axle. They are just minor tribulations that I can deal with.

 

[Thingy]

I think the only other thing that may put us off would be having to pitch up next to the Woosie Club. I have heard they are a noisy and rowdy bunch. Far too much for my gentility. And they drink wine. Yuk.

 

[Parksy]

It would take a lot to make us give up our caravan completely because we have so many memories of happy times in the various caravans that we've owned over the years.
When I was laid low with the effects of a life changing stroke we simply rented a seasonal pitch for a few years so that we could still use our caravan (with the help of good friends) until I could more or less get around again.

 

[emmerson]

As has been said, only poor health or a drastic drop in money. I can't see the latter happening (hopefully not, unless my pension fund does a maxwell!), but I must admit that Anne's health
is giving me cause for concern just now.
Having said that, we have four trips already booked for 2019.
We'll keep going until she tells me to stop!

 

[DaveA1]

Health or old age will be the main reason for us to stop touring.

 

[Brasso530]

As most have already said,poor health or it becomes uneconomical.As a 43yr old I'm hoping health won't be an issue for a while (although my father keeled over at 63 )but you never know.As for finance side,we got into caravaning as cheaper holidays,so so long as that continues I'm intending getting out every 6 or so weeks all year round,managed 32 nights this year for less than a week at centre park.

 

[Craigyoung]

Brasso . I agree with you there as we used to do Centre Parcs before we used to caravan , at a cost off something like £3oo for a long weekend ! Extortionate !

 

[CustardAvenger]

Who said caravanning is easy? - No prizes but answers on a postcard please....

What bits of kit do you now find essential for your caravanning, which if taken away would probably make you give the hobby up? Please don't say the tow vehicle or caravan! :huh:

Equipment wise? The motor mover. It would be impossible to move the Sprite SB alone without one. Our last van could be moved by me by hand with no real effort.

Also a comfortable place to sleep. Our "Camping" trajectory has seen us move from tents with roll mats and sleeping bags, to a small 'classic' caravan with a small bed/dinette to a new van with a fixed bed layout; as we've gotten older, being cold or uncomfortable is no longer acceptable! (So, heating and hot water too!)

 

[ProfJohnL]

I did ask about which kit has become essential, and it has surprised me that most of the responses have majored in health. So I'll as again what bits of kit are the key to continuing with caravanning?

 

[paws]

For me I think the answer has to be
a kettle and brew kit
There are of course alternatives that will do the job but the thought of not being able to put the kettle on for a cup of tea, is just unthinkable, too unspeakable for words.... and might lead to the end of my caravanning.

Motor movers, televisions, duvets, fancy lights and electronic devices,, ehu, central heating of one sort or another and all the plastic knick knacks that a lot of folks think essential, maybe are nice but in my opinion all pale into insignificance compared with the kettle and brew kit!
As always regards to all, and of course,
Happy Caravanning
paws

 

[Thingy]

Prof, i dont think anyone could answer your question in the way you want. There surely is no one piece of kit that would stop anyone caravanning. Sure there are lots of things that make life easier or comfier, but none of it is critical. We are caravanners, we adapt and find ways around problems. It was the very nature of our hobby until we became lazy and pampered.

 

[Raywood]

Probably the bit of kit I now think is essential is the mover. Without it we would have to downsize considerably I think.

 

[SamandRose]

The EHU cable for longer trips and the Calor gas bottle for shorter ones? And I suppose the fresh and waste water containers and thing to wind the corner steadies up with are fairly essential. I can't really think of anything else that's a 'must have' as opposed to 'nice to have'.

The biggest influence for us is going to be the car. (I know the OP said don't say the car, but hear me out.) I'm in the fortunate position at the moment of being able to tow with my work's company car, but that's up for renewal soon and with the company car tax on diesels soaring and most plug-in hybrids unable to tow (Mitsubishi PHEV excepted, which the company won't pay the finance for) the extra cost of running a suitable tow car over another 3-year contract is going to run into thousands. We've looked at the option of replacing our second car with a larger tow car, but that's just going to use up all the money saved by not getting it as the company car. Add the storage fees, servicing costs etc and you have to ask whether caravanning is cost-effective.

I'm sure we'll keep doing it because we like it, but I bet there are others out there set to make different decisions.

 

[otherclive]

The toilet for night time sojourns

 

[Buckman]

I did ask about which kit has become essential, and it has surprised me that most of the responses have majored in health. So I'll as again what bits of kit are the key to continuing with caravanning?

I think having a caravan is essential to carry on caravanning and it is part of the kit.

 

[Mel]

The toilet for night time sojourns

Yep. that would stop me too. No way would I go back to the 3 am trek across a field for wee as we did when camping.
Would probably struggle without ehu (assuming no solar panels either), but then we manged with gas lights at one stage of the game. (as a child when with parents: I am very young )

If OH fell off his perch then touring wouldn't happen as I won't tow (I may well have the skills but I don't have the confidence). But a seasonal pitch is good. I could even drive a small motorhome hmy: :evil:
mel

 

[Thingy]

The toilet for night time sojourns

Isnt that what bushes are for?

 

[Dustydog]

An affordable efficient diesel,tug. When we go electric, the caravan may not be feasible.