A year away

[MonkeyBoy]

Hi all, I'm a year away from being able to make the move to a Cali (company car til then) However we have our first trip planned in August this year in a hired Cali in Scotland. This trip is designed to convince the wife that this is the future, so I have camp site bookings for each night to make it more comfortable facilities wise. Any suggestions what I need to consider as first timers? ie what we should and shouldn't take with us etc.. this needs to be as perfect as poss so as not to queer the pitch lol. Thanks

 

[WelshGas]

Hi all, I'm a year away from being able to make the move to a Cali (company car til then) However we have our first trip planned in August this year in a hired Cali in Scotland. This trip is designed to convince the wife that this is the future, so I have camp site bookings for each night to make it more comfortable facilities wise. Any suggestions what I need to consider as first timers? ie what we should and shouldn't take with us etc.. this needs to be as perfect as poss so as not to queer the pitch lol. Thanks

Well done.
What does the Hire California come with?
How many campers?

And remember Less is More.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Hi WelshGas, just me and the wife, here's whats listed as included with the hire; thanks.

Bedding	Duvet, Sheet, Mattress Cover, Pillow
Towels	Quick Dry Travel Towels or fluffy - your choice
Outdoor Table and Chairs
BBQ and BBQ Utensils
Road Maps	Road Atlas and Folding Map of Scotland
Camping Gaz	Used for 2 Gas Hobs for cooking
Kitchen Equipment	Plates, bowls, wine glasses, cups, mugs, cutlery, Cafetiere
Kitchen Equipment	Kettle, Pots/Pans, Colander, Knives, Cooking Utensils, Corkscrew and Tin Opener
Starter Pack	Tea, Coffee, Milk, Bottled Water, Matches, Toilet Roll and Condiments
Safety Equipment	Fire Extinguisher, Fire Blanket, Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Cleaning Equipment	Cloth, dishcloth, dustpan and brush, wash basins, disinfectant spray and washing up liquid
Electrical Hook Up Cable
Hose	For fresh water refill

 

[MartG]

That looks pretty comprehensive...

Only need to buy food (or eat out) where you are, you could stock up on some staples like microwave rice pouches, beans, wine & beer...

Travel scrabble / cards / bluetooth speaker...

Depending on your tolerance of comfort, to make it plusher, a mattress topper may help the firm beds.

Oh, rain jackets and a bottle of Smidge for the midges.

 

[GillianC]

I would definitely add a cheap mattress topper if you are going to sleep downstairs.
A few bad nights sleep on that bed could put your wife off for ever!

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Cheers MartG & GillianC, top advice. Topper seems like a good shout, I already had the beer and wine logged

 

[Keith Smith]

You are also going to need to find some good campsites, Black Rock campsite at Evanton, a bit north of Inverness is very good.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

You are also going to need to find some good campsites, Black Rock campsite at Evanton, a bit north of Inverness is very good.

Thanks Keith, already booked the sites.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks Keith, already booked the sites.

You seem to have All the basics covered. Quit honestly anything else is personal preference.
We don’t use a Topper as we find the California mattresses fine. Really, the only additional things we carry is a Pop Up Toilet tent and a Bog in the Bag toilet for nighttime emergencies being of a certain age and 2 Lilos for sunbathing.
Anything and everything else is optional and definitely not needed for the first trip.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

You seem to have All the basics covered. Quit honestly anything else is personal preference.
We don’t use a Topper as we find the California mattresses fine. Really, the only additional things we carry is a Pop Up Toilet tent and a Bog in the Bag toilet for nighttime emergencies being of a certain age and 2 Lilos for sunbathing.
Anything and everything else is optional and definitely not needed for the first trip.

Thanks mate, makes sense.....

 

[GillianC]

Thought of something else - a torch! Watch out for guy ropes and electricity leads.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Thought of something else - a torch! Watch out for guy ropes and electricity leads.

Haha, thanks

 

[calimera]

We are going to Western Scotland August .. We have booked coastal sites,hoping for sea breezes.

The Scottish Midge Forecast

The Scottish Midge Forecast uses data from biting midge traps and mini-weather stations across Scotland to give you a view of midge levels in Scotland.

www.smidgeup.com

Enjoy your Cali break.
We hired before we bought our Cali. We enjoy our coffee ,so took espresso stove coffee pot & decent coffee..

 

[MonkeyBoy]

We are going to Western Scotland August .. We have booked coastal sites,hoping for sea breezes.

The Scottish Midge Forecast

The Scottish Midge Forecast uses data from biting midge traps and mini-weather stations across Scotland to give you a view of midge levels in Scotland.

www.smidgeup.com

Enjoy your Cali break.
We hired before we bought our Cali. We enjoy our coffee ,so took espresso stove coffee pot & decent coffee..

Thank you, coffee stuff, great idea, enjoy yours too

 

[Perfectos]

Hi all, I'm a year away from being able to make the move to a Cali (company car til then) However we have our first trip planned in August this year in a hired Cali in Scotland. This trip is designed to convince the wife that this is the future, so I have camp site bookings for each night to make it more comfortable facilities wise. Any suggestions what I need to consider as first timers? ie what we should and shouldn't take with us etc.. this needs to be as perfect as poss so as not to queer the pitch lol. Thanks

Lots of Alcohol for the O/H

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Lots of Alcohol for the O/H

Goes without saying

 

[J3ne]

An emergency loo option so she has the choice of going out in the rain or not (it is Scotland).

Hopefully won't need to use them, but when she's clambering up into the bed and it's raining and she's wondering if she wants one last pee for the night, it'll be the most thoughtful present you've ever bought! (Also good for long walks / traffic jams)

Shewee Peebol Pocket-Sized Disposable Urinal Bag | Absolute-Snow

Pocket-sized solution to needing the loo whilst out and about. £2.25, Shewee Peebol Pocket-Sized Disposable Urinal Bag, Pocket Pack

www.absolute-snow.co.uk

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Good call that, I hired one with the van. Thanks for the tip though, probably need it myself anyway

 

[Velma's Dad]

What... you hired a disposable pee bag???

Have a great trip.

 

[GSX1300R]

I would say that you have to make your own mistakes and not someone else’s...When we first had our van we thought for ourselves what we thought we would like and what we wouldn’t... Everyone has different opinions on everything to do with Campervans... Some cook inside others wouldn’t dream of it....Some take a porta potty others wouldnt dream of it....Some book campsites ahead others wouldn’t dream of it... Some take a small tv/dvd player others wouldn’t dream of it...Some trap the roof canvas in the mechanism and until you do it no matter how careful you are, you are heartbroken.....but you don’t do it again...All you need to do is enjoy yourself as much as you can in a camper it’s not the same as a 5 star hotel and nobody expects that...I did have a VW split screen and travelled all over Australia in it in The Early 70s so I did have an idea just how things could be if you broke down 500 miles from anywhere...Compared to that the California IS a 5 star hotel...

 

[Legin]

Dont just sit in it especially if its raining otherwise you go stir crazy. Decamp and drive somewhere to get away from the camper. Fingers crossed it doesnt rain !

 

[Perfectos]

What... you hired a disposable pee bag???

Have a great trip.

It was an exchange basis, New for old !

 

[Anthony1]

I always carry a small tool kit, pump, tyre pressure gauge, battery booster (for flat batteries), a spider (tight wheel nuts) two hook up cables (10m and 15m), so you don't have too much heavy trailing cable to roll up, water tank hose (for refilling on site), steering lock (valuable things Calis), levelling ramps. The day you don't take them is the day/night you slide out of bed or ontop of 'er in doors, a pair of crocs for the showers, binoculars, an umbrella, water containers, toaster, electric kettl. I also take a tv in the UK with a small aerial. Some CC sites have aerial socks on the pitches. I recently toured Sacndinavia and took two small compressed air horns to frighten away burglars or mooses when wild camping. Didn't use them so they are now in the garage along with other 'essentials'. A small pot to pee in during the night.

 

[clarinetbcn]

That looks pretty comprehensive...

Only need to buy food (or eat out) where you are, you could stock up on some staples like microwave rice pouches, beans, wine & beer...

Travel scrabble / cards / bluetooth speaker...

Depending on your tolerance of comfort, to make it plusher, a mattress topper may help the firm beds.

Oh, rain jackets and a bottle of Smidge for the midges.

Just got back from a month in Scotland, all the locals use Avon Skin so Soft, works great, much cheaper and smells much nicer than most repellents, plus you wind up with moisturized skin

 

[WelshGas]

It was an exchange basis, New for old !

Irn Bru. Quit popular on Motorway verges.