Caravanning Season

Ok, this is now the caravanning season. In fact, it started about 2 months ago. In actual fact one can usually go caravanning throughout the year in the UK. However, fair weather caravanners like myself usually parked up the caravan from late October or early November till about the middle of March. This is because it gets rather cold and I am also trying to avoid doing it in the snow or frost. During the winter months, I usually try to escape to warmer climates mid-winter, so that winter itself feels slightly shorter.

Well, I started caravanning about 3 years ago. I knew absolutely nought about this leisure (and sometimes stressful) activity before I started. However, the great thing about being in UK is that one can usually get the information readily. So, armed with a bit of reading, I headed down to a caravan dealer locally to buy myself one. I only knew that the weight of the caravan has to be about 85% of the weight of my car. After asking the dealer loads of questions, I decided to buy a 5-berth Lunar caravan. I liked the interior, because the fabric is light blue in colour and it makes the inside brighter. I was feeling a bit nervous when it came to the time for picking it up, as I have never towed anything in my life. However, after about 20 minutes of instruction from the dealer towing it round the block, I was let loose onto the unsuspecting public!!

Towing it was actually the easiest thing to do. As long as you give yourself a wide berth (haha) when turning, it is not too bad. The hardest part is however, when you try to park it up at the caravan site. That is not easy to do. It was ok when I took the course, and I got it right all the time. But left to my own devices.......... aaaargh!!! the gear box seemed to chew itself up, and I still can't do it properly. So, I invested in a remote control. Now I just drive up to the pitch, unhitch the caravan from the car, and ease it into place with my remote. Except the time when my leisure battery went flat, and I had to enrol the other caravanners on site to give me a push. Wah...that was embarrasing man!

Anyhow, our first trip this year will be in the middle of June. Also, there is a trip planned in late July. But there is also a competing interest as a trip to Vancouver is also on the horizon. Now, that places my wife between a rock and a hard place. Three weeks in Vancouver or a weekend caravanning? Will let you know what she chooses later. Have a great summer, everyone.