A new venture or madness!

We have changed our minds.   Not unexpected, I know, but this was a sudden change of minds, and even people I saw or spoke to this week do not know about our new plan.   So this will come as quite a surprise.

We are no longer going to get another motorhome.   Nor buy a long wheel based van in order to get it converted into a motor home.   That was our last plan, and one that we talked about with everyone we met, at some length.

Last weekend we decided over a glass or two of wine, on my part, and non alcohol beer, on Walter's part, that we would not pursue the idea of another motor home, due to it costing a lot more than we can get for our currrent van, and the conversion would take months, as many parts have to be sourced from outside the UK.   Proof of how long it takes to get quotes and then parts, from Europe, has certainly taught us that European vans and parts are not a good idea.   

So on that note we set forth on Monday morning to visit a motorhome and caravan sales place, away out in the Surrey countryside somewhere.  A huge place, mostly full of caravans, and some motorhomes,  plus a shop and tea rooms.   And there we made our final decision.  

We would buy a caravan.

And a caravan needs a strong car to pull it.  

So today we bought a new car, a Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI CR 4x4 Elegance 170 BHP 5D Hatchback.   Now that is impressive.   It is large, heavy, and powerful and capable of pulling a caravan.   We are no longer two retirees with a Citroen people carrier, easy to get in and out of, and able to get us to the Netherlands and back on one tank of petrol.   Instead we have a large maroon car, with cream leather seats, and plenty of gadgets.   Amazing.   In three days.   

Our last Skoda in 1993 gave us no end of trouble, and after two years had catastrophic engine problems.  But Skoda has come a long way since then, from what I have read, and are now the third best diesel car.   Still the taste of the old Skoda still lingers a bit in the mouth, so fingers crossed that all goes well.

Walter standing by our new car, to be collected next Tuesday, and looking very pleased with himself, after spending a couple of hours wheeling and dealing.  I think Walter missed his calling in life, he should have been a car salesman.   And he was buying the car.

But back to the decision day, on Monday.   Two days before we bought a new car, capable of pulling a caravan.

A line up of motorhomes, mostly large and very expensive.

 A long wheel based van, new, and just what we were looking for,

 and plenty of room inside for two passengers, with bathroom and kitchen on either side of the narrow passageway which ends in a double bed or seating at the back of the van.   Perfect, except for the cost, well over £44,000.  Mind you, if we had bought a long wheel based van, used, and then had it converted it would have cost around £23,000 which would have been achievable, well nearly anyway.

 Then we went over to the caravan section, where there must have been easily 100 or more caravans, from very old to brand new, and priced accordingly.   We quickly saw that caravans do not keep their value.   Oh well.

So we carried around our plastic step, and visited some of the caravans, not too old, but also not too expensive.   We tried not to be critical about the split front windows, and the ovens and grills, plus carpets on the floors.  But then we do live in the UK afterall.  And repairs and servicing will be easy.  

Walter standing in front of the one that suited us the best, a 2006 model, fixed bed at the back, very comfortable except for the person who sleeps on the side with the cutaway end of the bed.   One leg will have to hang over the side.  Walter's side of the bed too.  Lucky man.  There is also a lounge at the front, and narrow bathroom beside the bed, and a fully equiped kitchen.   I liked the kitchen part, after being used to the skimpy cooking arrangements in the motorhome.   Roasts every day.  Not that we have bought the caravan yet, but soon. definitely soon.   We now have the car.

Of course we are not completely sorted yet, the motorhome is still being repaired, but hopefully it will be finished in a few weeks time.   We then have to sell the motorhome, so more wheeling and dealing for Walter.   Hope he gets a good price for it. 

And we will have to learn how to drive a car with a caravan behind it, which should be interesting, to say the least.   Especially, after my recent experience of driving into the back of a stationery truck.  And I have difficulty reversing a car, let alone a car with a caravan behind it.  But we are feeling very confident at this point in time.

But most importantly, we are having to come to grips with no longer being motorhome owners, and no longer free to travel the UK and Europe at a moments notice.   In one's dreams anyway. And sitting high up in a cab certainly does give one a sense of superiority, and of power.   But no more.

Instead we will be driving sedately along the roads, at a respectable speed, low down, in our new maroon Skoda with a caravan gliding smoothly behind us.  Properly packed and balanced of course.  And annoying all the other drivers, due to our slowness, and length.  Always difficult to pass.  We know.   We have sat behind cars towing caravans.  A curse on the roads.   And we are joining them.

We are now caravanners, not motorhomers.