Newbies after some advice

Hi Matt,

My main advice would be to take your time and enjoy it. Your first few times setting up are a learning curve but work out who does what, including having specific roles for your son, and you'll soon develop a set up routine between the 3 of you. 

Hopefully fellow Club members will assist you if it looks like you're having difficulty, they usually do.  I well recall the kind chap who came out to help me push our van into the correct place on our first pitch when it became obvious that my attempt at reversing into place wasn't cutting it!

You'll make mistakes and do daft things; bank them as stories to tell when you're helping out other first timers in a few years time.

Here's mine: 'How helpful' I thought on my first trip, 'the Club have attached a length of hosepipe onto the tap to assist the filing of my aqua roll and left it dangling into an admittedly unnecessarily large white, inverted pyramid sink, to collect the drips. We were onto our second cup of tea before I realised I'd filled up the fresh water container at the toilet waste point. Still, you live and learn and I've never done that again!

We have been caravanning for many, many years and the advice I would give beginers is for your first trip stay very local and test everything.  If you have an awning, put it up.  If all goes wrong or, more likely, you forget anything it is not the end of the world.  We have a list of everything we take, or can envisage taking, and check it off before each holiday;  for example, the list includes wellies but we would not take them if going to the med in summer, nevertheless, they get thought about.  My wife has to take pills and yes she has forgotten them, so they are on the list in capitals! Once forgot the pull handle for the aquaroll and we were on a 6 week holiday in southern Europe so we actually see the items and not just assume.

One thing to remember.

Dont be afraid to be the sites’ unpaid entertainment for your first night.

We were for quite a few trips🥴

On a serious note. If you have a spare bedroom or office space, put everything you are going to take in one place. Tick once off your list, then twice when loaded. I usually do one special internet’ shop for food etc and load it straight in the Moho when it arrives. It might work out a bit more expensive given you probably have bits in the house you could use but I find it is a catch all (apart from non available things)/

Likewise.

It saves those watching searching for a topic of conversation 😉

We have been caravanning since 1986, and even today, we like most others make a list . to do this i use checklist in colornote on my Android phone, then check them off one by one, i also put location of keep so i know if in caravan or garage etc. other apps i use are "spirit level" and Antenna Aligner, it can save time locating the nearest TV broadcast mast. upon arrival we go to the Information place and take a picture of the local services, these usually have Doctors/Vets/ other important places like PUBS.... err i mean restaurants, all these should be open i think by 4th July in these covid times it's not certain. there is also lots of local leaflets, for walks and zoos, and things to do in the local vicinity.

We have always found that caravanners are generally helpful, I just bought  a new caravan in November 2019, havent managed to go anywhere with it yet. I also got a new car on march 1st, just before lockdown. So We are itching to get out and we have treamble valley booked for 20 days in july, its a long haul 380 miles usually takes about 8 hours. I hope you enjoy the first trip out and soon you will find confidence with towing, take your time and get used to how it feels, check your tyres for heat when you stop for fuel and refreshments and you should be ok. BTW use a decent satnav the caravan club give a discount on the Avtex Tourer 2 it won't send you down a narrow road in cornwall, or under a low bridge like the regular ones and has the last mile to CC sites as well as preloaded all club sites

hoe some of this helps you.

Regs:Andy