Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, new member - great forum!

Am planning a few months around Europe about April time in my poptop club joker. Trouble is a friend who done the same thing a couple of years ago says I'll me mad to spend two / three months in a small van with limited space / no washroom etc etc and has kindly offered me the use of his (a hymer). Whilst I can see his point I really want to take my van which I think will be easier to drive / park etc but don't want to regret it two weeks in!!!!

Anyone got any experience or advice (bias aside!!)? Have got to decide what to do soon and could really do with some help!!

hi and welcome! have you any experiance of your camper for camping? go away for a aweek, or just live in it at home see how easy it is to live! for a few months i'd be away in the hymer!

Thanks Dave,

Been away for up to a week and no problems. The plan is to travel quite a bit as opposed to parking up for a week at a time. Also like the idea of being able to park in villages, use country lanes and generally 'blend in'. I guess it's a balance between comfort (lack of on-board shower/toilet is main consideration) and practibility. Probem is I can't have both!

seakay wrote: Whilst I can see his point I really want to take my van which I think will be easier to drive / park etc

nuff said youll bond with the van and when you get out and about this summer its the storys you tell to other vw van owners that make it worth while.plus you cant do this in a hymer





welcome to 80-90

jed

depends on the weather too, if its in the summer then you won't want to sit in any type of van too much.

The Hymer will be good for avoiding mozzies and still having a bit of room to stretch out. The T25 will be easier to look after and be cheaper to run.

I only have experience from France, but there are less problems with parking up anywhere as compared to blightly (blighted by its population IMO )

Hard choice - at least you have a pop top so no neck cramp

You might not want to use it all the time but you can get some very small portaloos, that you could build a seat round for storage (and looks) or buy one off Ebay. You can also get a solar shower for less than a tenner from most camping shops. I'll be getting one soon, and after I've got some stronger tailgate struts it'll be hooked on that. And if there's no sun you could always boil a kettle to have a wash with. Me, I'd take the VW if I had the chance. If we don't do Europe this year, then definately next year for us, in our poptop Westy. Good luck with the trip anyway, what ever you choose to do.

Our record is 11 weeks out in France & Spain--Jun/Jul/Aug in 2003 no probs at all--- if the weather is good--its like the whole worlds yer living room-sittin outside the van in Spain at 2am & its still 25degC---so yes yer can-but we only have a T25 'cos we cant aford a Hymer--

We do 4-6 weeks at a time in Ireland, 2 of us, you have to get a bit organised and get into a working routine, Showers are easy, blag into sites etc every so often, get a portaloo it really is worth it.
Have fun Mike

Thanks for the advice guys.

As I said, really want to go in the VW - seems more of an adventure, more like 'travelling' then 'touring' if that makes sense. But you know what it's like when someone sows a seed of doubt AND gives you a no cost alternative option!

Anyone ever rigged up one of those 12v electric showers IN the van?

Consider this the VW is yours the Hymer is not so if you feel you want to back into somthing in France you will be free to do so in your own van.

mate in the our club spent 6 months touring around europe in a bay in 2005 so it can be done he went in april and came back for action in september

seakay wrote:Thanks for the advice guys.

As I said, really want to go in the VW - seems more of an adventure, more like 'travelling' then 'touring' if that makes sense. But you know what it's like when someone sows a seed of doubt AND gives you a no cost alternative option!

Anyone ever rigged up one of those 12v electric showers IN the van?

get a solar shower

or use the nice hot one on the campsite

jed

hello, im also planning a trip around europe starting early june for 3-4months and will be using a t25, let me know how your planning is going.