Camper van peops reveal yourselves - role call ;)

[Jammygal]

Hello fellow camper peops
Well I am new to all this camper van lark, have been using the van more as a day van up till now but very soon will be progressing to overnight stays!

We have a vw t4 4 berth hi top.....I welcome any tips from you more experienced campervanners out there......
So far have been looking at jompys, iceyteks, boginabag etc feeling like I need them all....pls tell me your top buys etc
X

I've got a Transit conversion
Room for me and DH
Went up the west coast of Scotland along the top and down the east in it last year
( and a bit of northern England )
Its wonderful to pull up for the night, put the handbrake on then get a hot cuppa, no faffing around with tents
will be going to Download in it ( but not Reading after the horrible exit for carpark last year )

I am not one, but want to be. If DH and I get divorced I am going to buy a camper van as a consolation prize so I can have nice holidays with the DD's. I am also going to get a lurcher. So if you see a slightly deranged Mum on holiday with two DD's a dog you will know it's me.

AND a dog, that is

Ha ha tadpole, I got a dog and my camper last year - part of my mid-life crisis package.

Tried out my new (to me) Mitsubishi SpaceGear for a day near home on Sunday. Found that the waste water pipe was disconnected from the collection container (easy to put back, though), and that I was locked inside the van when I tried to get out. I still don't understand how that happened.

I was parked in a little parking area, and a scary number of individual men parked up for short periods while I was there. One of them actually blocked my van in. Another one was a policeman, who came to tell me that a campervan had just been stolen. This was when I realised I was locked in - I signed to him to open the sliding door from the outside, and funnily enough he was able to do so. Later I climbed into the driver's seat, and when I go home could not open the driver's door! After panicking for a few minutes, I opened the window and unlocked the door from the outside. The manual I have is translated from the Japanese, and does not actually describe the model I have, so still trying to work out how the van could be centrally locked, and yet the sliding door can be opened from the outside.

Hello All,
We have two VW T5's, lwb, high tops that we hire out, plus a VW 67 split and a 69 bay camper that we use ourselves. Hubby is mechanic, VW restorer, runs a VW parts company. We are VW enthusiasts and go to many a show to trade and enjoy. Next big VW show Volksworld show in Esher, Surrey....
Cath

We haven't decided if we're going yet but I doubt dp will pass it up

I would if I still lived down that way but waiting for another Oop North. Any recommendations? Or near Bristol?

Northampton any good, Foxsake? There's loads at Santa Pod :)

Deva Dubs n Rods is brilliant (Staffordshire)

Will check them out. Thanks

We bought a T25 bus in September and DH is doing a simple conversion himself. The middle seats are out and we've been using her for picnics throughout the Winter. She's called Mimi and we love her. DDs are 4 and 1 and it's great for them to have a space to climb around in on a cold Winter's day.

This year we're going to a festival with my mum who's never been to a festival before. She's getting the bed. We've got a VW event locally we will probably go to. In future years lots of trips to Europe and a trek to Morocco are planned.

Hi All

We have 2 T4's at the moment. Niether are campers as yet, but one will be converted this year.

The other will be for sale in April if anyone wants a 6 seater window van that is ripe for conversation. Colour coded bumpers, privacy glass. Lovely it is.

If it was up to me we would convert both, but time and money will be lacking, so one is going to finance the converstion on the other!!

Also does anyone know anything about flashing glow plug light?????

Long shot but the one we are keeping has this problem at the moment and having searched online and tried the brake switch we are now none the wiser

Sorry 3teenhell I have no idea about flashing glow plug....have you tried the t4 forum?

Right I am trying to decide between an iceytek cool box and a plug in fridge....what is your advice???? I really need to have cold food as son has allergies so eating out is difficult! I have to be able to cook efficiently in the van?

So has anyone got any top tips for camper van trips???
Please share your fav tips here!

Mine would probably be :
Prepare first two meals in advance. Take some frozen ,pre prepared and cooked food!
Make simple flatbread by mixing flour with small amount of milk , press into flatbreads and dry fry with wipe of oil! Flip over when brown....they don't look much but great for dipping into soup and stews when no other bread available!

Substitute meat for veggie versions like quorn sausages. Then you won't worry as much about food poisoning.

Packet cheese sauce with tuna, sweetcorn and pasta is the best meal ever, and I have been more than capable of cooking it with minimal supervision since I was 7.

Flash wipes clean everything.

Neuehausfrau, MN has very few rules and they're pretty simple

1. No selling in Chat. In fact you'll piss off most forums doing that.
2. Don't insult our intelligence with txt spk.

:) Ta, hun...

Thanks for those tips Purple.....have made a note to self re packet cheese sauce mix and flash wipes!

Any recommendations for best cheese sauce makes? Not something I ever buy at home but think is a necessity for the camper!

Apologies purple i wasn't aware of that - will get my post removed...

Cheap own brand!

Every time you buy coffee out, take several packets of sugar/sauce. Not tonnes, that's cheeky, just a couple that you accidentally don't use iyswim.

Pound shops do preloaded plastic cups of cappuccino/hot chocolate - like you get in a vending machine - perfect when the milk's a bit iffy

Eggy bread is way easier than toast/fried egg combos. A supervised 4 yo can make it, fab for getting them to be independent and keeping them nearby when it's nearly time

Buy the expensive tiny bottles of stuff like ketchup once then wash and top up from the big home bottle.

Take a 5l squash bottle full of water with you so you can have a cuppa as soon as you arrive rather than trailing over to the tap. I have many times impressed dp's mates by getting a brew on while they're still parking

Got any tips for us, NHF? :)

Thanks for those tips Purple! I will look out for mini bottles and sugar coffee sachets etc.

My two kids discovered aero hot choc the other day.....u can buy in sachet form, very creamy and no need for milk!

Good tip about the water too!
Another tip I have discovered (last weekend)is if frying sausages in a pan....cut them in half to cook quicker!

Have you got thermal mats for the windows? They rock. If it's cold at bedtime, boil the kettle with the door shut and the mats up. Toastie all night.

Always turn the gas off when traveling.

Solar powered lights are essential. I have a solar powered shed light and it lasts nearly an hour with enough light to read by.

Hey Purple can you give me a link to the solar lights and mats please......all this sort of stuff needs to be bought for our van and I would rather not waste cash on useless tatt ;)

www.diy.com/nav/decor/lighting/outdoor-lighting/solar_lights/Eclipse-Solar-LED-Shed-Light-9789154

Mine's about 5 years old, so this is probably better!