First ever motorhome holiday!

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Calling wise mumsnetters! We're going on our first ever motor home holiday next week! We're hiring the motor home and going around our native Scotland for two weeks, to show our unimpressed children more of our beautiful country. I've booked us into campsites each night, with electricity hook ups and showers, to try to minimise the horror of being trapped in a tin can with my argumentative and hormonal teenage daughters (13 and 14, hate each other!) and my Xbox obsessed 10 yo ds, who will be going through withdrawal. Some campsites have wifi, some dont.

Tips and advice from seasoned motorhomers/ caravans welcome! Need to know what to bring, eg. sheets and duvets vs sleepingbags, suitcases vs rucksacks. No idea really what to expect! And I feel like organisation will make the whole experience better. Oh, and we are taking our 2 dogs.

Am I crazy?? confused

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Bump! Any advice would be great!

[zebrapig]

No to suitcases - you need soft bags that you can fold down and put away when they are empty. There won't be enough space to store suitcases. Sheets and duvets are fine - just take your ones from home. What else do you want to know?

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Thank you zebrapig! I'm wondering if the kitchen is likely to be reasonably stocked, plates etc (although I don't plan to cook much!) Any tips for things you wouldn't think to bring but which are useful to have??

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Ooh watching, we’re hoping to do italy-uk next year 😬😃

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

bendydick (great name ) that sounds interesting, are you coming here from Italy? Or the other way about?

[clairethewitch70]

If you are hiring a motorhome, please check the number of seat belts. A four berth motorhome may not have four seat belts. Please check before you collect.

We have just purchased a new 4 berth and it was really hard to find one with four seat belts.

[clairethewitch70]

What make and model is it? It is illegal if there are not enough seat belts.

[MIdgebabe]

The van we hired had so much stuff we barely had room for our stuff/food! But there are so many different sizes and layouts of van that it's hard to say.

If you are on single track or single carriageway roads and a queue is developing behind you, pull into a passing place/lay by to let it clear. And wave at other campers...it's a rule.

I am so used to living out the van I can no longer remember what we needed the first time ( we own a van now) . That was barely 2years ago!

Midge repellant?

[LuckyTwiglet]

Hi there!

How exciting! Ask the hiring company what kitchen and eating equipment will be provided. They should provide everything you need I imagine.

Useful things to bring:

1. if there isn't an awning, you might want to pick up a cheap gazebo which you can out outside the entrance for some shade / shelter from rain and to extend your space.
   

1. check with the hiring company if they provide any folding chairs for outside. If not you might want to bring a few from your garden, or at least a rug to sit on. Ditto an outdoor table.
   

1. plastic bags to put rubbish in, for dirty clothes.
   

1. sheets and duvets v sleeping bags - that is entirely up to you! Remember to bring some nice pillows if not provided.
   

1. Dogs: Some old towels for the dogs and something for them to sleep on. Maybe some dog shampoo? I have some ridiculous looking all in one dog waterproofs which everyone mocks but they are very handy if you are going to be cooped up with an otherwise extremely wet / muddy dog...And dog food and water bowl/s.
   

1. warm clothes so you can sit outside on the cold evenings.
   

1. LOADS of citronella candles and midge repellant....
   

1. food. I don't know your taste but I suggest sticking to really simple stuff like bacon, eggs, bread for breakfast. Maybe some lazy food like oven pizzas, supermarket stuffed pastas. If you have an oven (check with the hiring company), you could easily do nachos with cheese, salsa, an avocado and maybe some premade chilli if you are organised! Couscous is very easy to make. It can be nice to take a camping stove along with you but only if you have one, as it gives you the option to cook outside. I can suggest some more easy recipes if you tell me what you like.
   

1. teabags / coffee / milk!! Make sure there are enough mugs in the van....
   

10. At least one torch!

11. Pre-screen games your children will have never heard of - pass the pigs, uno....etc??

Think that's it for now!

[chemenger]

You will need to have a system for seat allocation. In the van we hired the seats in the back were not that comfortable and had poor visibility so we had a system of swapping seats every hour so that nobody got stuck in a rubbish seat all the time. I would also make sure about the seatbelts. Take some time to make sure everything isn’t rattling in cupboards and drawers, the noise drove us nuts until we got it all organised so that it no longer sounded like driving inside a one man band.

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Great tips, guys, thank you!

The van sleeps 7 but has 6 seatbelts (there are 5 of us)

Good idea about chairs/ gazebo, we don't have an awning. Bringing the dogs cage, as it says it has a garage but at the back which is ideal for a dog crate. One of our dogs is a 5 month old pup, so want to make sure we have somewhere secure for him so he doesn't chew the place up

Will definitely wave at other campervans/ caravans . My family will cringe at me, but I like to be friendly!

I hear you about the midge repellant!!!!!!

Getting quite excited now!

[LuckyTwiglet]

If it has a garage at the back that's great as you can store your suitcases / bags etc, everything you don't want in the living area.

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Right, been on Amazon and ordered camping chairs, picnic rug, citronella candles, a torch, microfiber towels for the dogs!

[clairethewitch70]

Sounds like a Roller Team, which is what we have. It will probably have a solar panel which will mean you don't have to pay for electrical hookup, which is sometimes charged extra.

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

claire it is a Chausson Flash, apparently!

[clairethewitch70]

We almost purchased a Chausson - what put us off is the door is on the wrong side, so be careful - the door will open onto the road. It is continental.

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Good to know claire!

[MsHomeSlice]

take lots of hot chocolate for the teens...marshmallows and squirty cream. You can make it nicer by mixing the powder with a little milk and using boiling water to top up.

No teen I have ever known has been unhappy after a giant hot chocolate! That would be fab!

[MsHomeSlice]

and a bottle of brandy to top yours up. ;) ...I posted too soon!

[clairethewitch70]

Look into getting a Britstop membership. Even with about 3 uses it is well paid for. I can highly recommend.

www.britstops.com

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Hot chocolate sounds like a plan!

The Britstop thing looks really good claire! I've actually prebooked all our campsites, but I'll definitely bear it in mind if there is a next time!

[3boys3dogshelp]

Ooh exciting! I have no advice I just came on to tell you I’m jealous let us know how you get on.

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

3 boys thank you! I'm slightly apprehensive but looking forward to it, tentatively! Maybe I'll be a convert! DH is determined that this is how we are going to spend our retirement, and is keen to buy one......

[clairethewitch70]

Platypus you will get hooked. It is a great life, a freedom, and we can't wait to do longer than weekend trips.

A tip re: the beds. If you have to flip cushions over to make a bed, it can be uncomfortable to sleep on. Use a thin duvet as a kind of mattress topper.

[Lallybroch]

Battery operated fairy lights are great for reading by