Cali-on-Camping

Cali-on-Camping · Apr 30, 2018

Introduction

Since becoming a member of the VW California Club (VWCC), I have really enjoyed reading the many Campervan and travel blogs. They have inspired me to want to travel to places I hadn’t thought of before and of course they have given me much needed guidance of what to do, and what not to do; the latter usually coming too late.

I have started this blog to tell the story of our family’s journey of life with our Cali. I am interested to see how it grows and hopefully, I can give a little back to those who have helped us. I intend to make it as interesting as possible and will add photos and videos along the way. I may even record some basics about the California to pass on to those newbees who think they’re asking silly questions. You’re really not....!

Our story begins.......

Who we are...
I introduced myself when I joined VWCC. I am originally from Scotland and now live in Wiltshire with my wife, twin boys and our yellow Labrador Oscar.

Our journey to owning a VW California started not long after our boys were born when we thought about how to take our camping experience to the next level. We have always been a camping family and without any doubt, have the bug to travel. Our yearly camping was usually one week in the summer, and a couple of bank holiday weekends. As the family grew, so did the amount of stuff we needed to take. We ended up with a roof box and borrowing a neighbour’s trailer to carry it all. Whilst we enjoyed it once we were there, the setting up and the packing away were pretty stressful and seemed to take an age. Some of it we didn’t even need or only ended up using once the whole week. I still get mocked by friends when we camped with them for the first time and we brought a set of drawers to organise our stuff. We were luxury campers, but not smart campers!

We were always intrigued about whether a Campervan would work for us and would often talk about: ‘how this would work’ and ‘where that would go’, mostly based on perceptions of a Campervan rather than fact. I’m not sure when it happened but the intrigue grew into something a bit more real when I started doing some serious research on Campervans. Extremely quickly, I got the bug. Therefore, in 2017, I convinced Wifey (she didn’t need much to be honest) to rent one for a week and give it a try, that way any decision on our future camping requirements could be based on fact. The search for a rental company started.

At the time, we didn’t really know much about Campervans but wanted to ensure that our rental experience was with a vehicle we’d likely buy if it all worked out. After not so many hours of research, it was pretty clear that, for many reasons, a VW was what we wanted to try. We searched and searched and decided that we could combine a trip up to Scotland to see family with a week’s holiday in a camper. Scotland was an ideal location because of the uncertainty of the weather in May (well anytime actually) meant we’d probably experience many of the challenges of a Campervan holiday in a short time, it would make or break us!

I’ve really enjoyed reading VWCC members’ stories on how they ended up a California owner and the thread itself, was probably the final nudge that inspired me to start this blog. You can you enjoy their stories at:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/how-come-you-own-one.24066/

Cali-on-Camping · May 2, 2018

Renting a VW California

Searching for a rental company wasn’t too onerous; there were plenty to choose from and they all had various good and bad points. The eye-popping price was a surprise. The price per night for some companies wasn’t far off a four-star London Hotel. Yes, I know. It’s all about the experience; but at that point, we didn’t know how the week was going to go, it seemed like a costly gamble.

We knew we wanted to rent a VW. We knew we wanted to go to Scotland. What we didn’t know was, do we rent one from our home area then travel up or, do we find a rental in Scotland? In the end, we decided to rent one in Scotland as a seven-day rental would really only be five with two days lost travelling to and from Glasgow and wouldn’t have given us any flexibility to see family either side of our holiday. We found a rental company close to where my family live and booked a week’s rental.

Now, I don’t remember whether at this point, I was aware of the difference between a California and conversion, and it wasn’t that obvious (to me) when looking at the rental offerings. Either way, it wasn’t a decision factor when looking at renting. After some initial conversations with the rental company (http://www.vwcamperhirescotland.co.uk/), we took the plunge, paid our deposit and filled out the necessary paperwork. The Campervan we booked was a 2010 California SE. Let the planning begin.....!

Our holiday was within a month of booking so it wasn’t too far away. Time to get cracking and make a plan! The hours that I spent on the internet researching campsites and route planning was ridiculous! It was all I thought about. The excitement was unbearable.

I knew there was a risk of over planning but I wanted to get the route right. The campsite’s right. The experience’s right. Our route was:

Day 1 – Pick up Cali from Airdrie and travel to Lochgilphead;
Day 2 – Ferry from Oban to Mull;
Day 3 – Explore Mull;
Day 4 – Mull Ferry to Kilchoan and onto Airsaig;
Day 5 – Mallaig Ferry to Skye and onto Glenbrittle;
Day 6 – Explore Skye and onto Mainland;
Day 7 – Reraig to Stirling;
Day 8 – Return Cali to Airdrie

We pretty much stuck to the original plan throughout and we were happy to keep moving as we mostly travelled in the morning and either explored somewhere in the afternoon or, made the most of the campsites.

So, what did we learn about our week in the Cali I hear you cry? Well..... A lot! We got to know Cali very well and by the end of the week we were using the space more efficiently. Here are some things we learned from our week in the Cali.

Remember to engage handbrake after swivelling seats;
Remember to remove the stalk light from the velcro strap before raising the roof bed;
The fridge lid doesn’t lift if the wardrobe door is ajar;
The lower bed needs a mattress. The hire Cali didn’t and it was rather uncomfortable;
Don’t leave the sliding table extended when going up and down into the roof space. If you misjudge the dismount, it is an expensive replacement (£320);
Make sure the wind-out awning is dipped at one side to let the rain flow off;
Kids love sleeping in the roof. Fact!
Ferry loaders don’t have much patience for you not trusting them. The shout of; ‘Watch me! Not your parking sensors...!’ happened on more than one occasion.

Our week gave us so much more than we had hoped. We put the hired Cali through its paces and the Scottish weather threw in some challenges; however, before the week was done we knew that the future was a Campervan. The future was Cali..........

Jonathan Duke · May 2, 2018

Maverick said:
Renting a VW California

Searching for a rental company wasn’t too onerous; there were plenty to choose from and they all had various good and bad points. The eye-popping price was a surprise. The price per night for some companies wasn’t far off a four-star London Hotel. Yes, I know. It’s all about the experience; but at that point, we didn’t know how the week was going to go, it seemed like a costly gamble.

We knew we wanted to rent a VW. We knew we wanted to go to Scotland. What we didn’t know was, do we rent one from our home area then travel up or, do we find a rental in Scotland? In the end, we decided to rent one in Scotland as a seven-day rental would really only be five with two days lost travelling to and from Glasgow and wouldn’t have given us any flexibility to see family either side of our holiday. We found a rental company close to where my family live and booked a week’s rental.

Now, I don’t remember whether at this point, I was aware of the difference between a California and conversion, and it wasn’t that obvious (to me) when looking at the rental offerings. Either way, it wasn’t a decision factor when looking at renting. After some initial conversations with the rental company (http://www.vwcamperhirescotland.co.uk/), we took the plunge, paid our deposit and filled out the necessary paperwork. The Campervan we booked was a 2010 California SE. Let the planning begin.....!

Our holiday was within a month of booking so it wasn’t too far away. Time to get cracking and make a plan! The hours that I spent on the internet researching campsites and route planning was ridiculous! It was all I thought about. The excitement was unbearable.

I knew there was a risk of over planning but I wanted to get the route right. The campsite’s right. The experience’s right. Our route was:

Day 1 – Pick up Cali from Airdrie and travel to Lochgilphead;

Day 2 – Ferry from Oban to Mull;

Day 3 – Explore Mull;

Day 4 – Mull Ferry to Kilchoan and onto Airsaig;

Day 5 – Mallaig Ferry to Skye and onto Glenbrittle;

Day 6 – Explore Skye and onto Mainland;

Day 7 – Reraig to Stirling;

Day 8 – Return Cali to Airdrie

We pretty much stuck to the original plan throughout and we were happy to keep moving as we mostly travelled in the morning and either explored somewhere in the afternoon or, made the most of the campsites.

View attachment 32739

So, what did we learn about our week in the Cali I hear you cry? Well..... A lot! We got to know Cali very well and by the end of the week we were using the space more efficiently. Here are some things we learned from our week in the Cali.

Remember to engage handbrake after swivelling seats;

Remember to remove the stalk light from the velcro strap before raising the roof bed;

The fridge lid doesn’t lift if the wardrobe door is ajar;

The lower bed needs a mattress. The hire Cali didn’t and it was rather uncomfortable;

Don’t leave the sliding table extended when going up and down into the roof space. If you misjudge the dismount, it is an expensive replacement (£320);

Make sure the wind-out awning is dipped at one side to let the rain flow off;

Kids love sleeping in the roof. Fact!

Ferry loaders don’t have much patience for you not trusting them. The shout of; ‘Watch me! Not your parking sensors...!’ happened on more than one occasion.

Our week gave us so much more than we had hoped. We put the hired Cali through its paces and the Scottish weather threw in some challenges; however, before the week was done we knew that the future was a Campervan. The future was Cali..........

View attachment 32740

Chapeau!

Cali-on-Camping · May 15, 2018

We Bought a Cali....!

Once we got back from our holiday, the search was on to find a Cali to buy. We were in a euphoric California bubble. My obsession was at level I never knew existed. I joined the VW California Club (VWCC) which is the owners’ club and has a wealth of experience and information on the VW California and, also a for-sale section.

Ouch! They cost how much? Used? The bubble was somewhat burst......

That said, we did need something to bring us down to earth. We were buzzing after our week away; however, I knew that if we backed off, it would be easy to find reasons not to buy one and, end up not buying one. When we provided feedback to the hire company that we were considering buying a Cali, they asked us to consider buying the one we hired as they were going to sell it. Mmmm..... there’s a thought.

Unfortunately, during this period of emotional to-ing and fro-ing my Mum passed away and our attention turned to family matters. Mum had been ill for a number of years and put up an amazing and inspirational fight against Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She did suffer with depression with it, but she never questioned her situation. Her encouragement for her family to get the most out of life never wavered.

Although we had our attentions elsewhere, buying a California was still in our thoughts as being with family over the period of my Mum’s funeral, meant that we were talking about our lives; our memories, and our plans for the future. Every time we mentioned that we were considering buying a Campervan it was met with such enthusiasm and support by family. The ‘life’s too short’ mantra that usually appears at a funeral was more poignant this time since my Mum’s condition did severely limit what she could get out of the latter part of her life. I bring this up because it had a profound effect on what we did next.

On the plane home from Scotland the decision was made that we were going to press on and buy a Cali. After all, it’s what Mum what have wanted us to do.

There was something still niggling at us about having a look at a conversion; therefore, in the interests of due diligence, the next day we went to a motor-home dealer about 45 mins from us who held a stock of Camper King conversions. We had a look around; we were informed from our Scotland Cali experience so had a baseline to work from. We weren’t expecting much of a fight from the conversion market but we were impressed by some of the styling and the conversion standards and workmanship. There were many reasons why a converted Camper didn’t work for us but the two key issues were: engine size (102 bhp) and, most didn’t have both front seats swivelling. The trip had put any niggle to bed that a Cali was what we wanted.

We knew we had the option of buying the hire Cali but, once home I scoured the internet to see what was out there for-sale; we had a reasonable idea of budget having checked the value of our current vehicle on various car buying sites and knew what we could add to that. On the for-sale section of the VWCC, there was one that caught our eye. It was a little above what we wanted to pay but was great in so many ways. We hadn’t really defined a specification as such; however, we knew that buying used we shouldn’t be too specific as that would restrict us. Our view was that if we could get a SE, ideally the 180 bhp, the basic specification was pretty good and this one fitted the bill.

I called the seller and found that he was only 30 mins from where we lived so I didn’t want to mess around and arranged a viewing that afternoon. Unfortunately, Wifey couldn’t come with me, and I feared that her absence would delay any decision making process down the line as it would be down to me to ‘sell’ it to her. I decided to press on regardless.

When I got home from the viewing, Wifey saw it all over my face. I loved it! This was the one! It ticked all the boxes and although a bit more expensive, was newer and had less mileage and usage than the other option (hired Cali) had. Before a word was said, the scenario was looping in my mind. I was waiting for her rational, calming instruction of:

‘Let’s sleep on it.... see how we feel tomorrow... take another look and then we’ll decide...’

I didn’t have a game plan or any counter argument that was reasoned, factual and devoid of any emotion. If we wait, it may be gone or, we may go off the boil and end up never getting a Cali.

Just as the realisation was setting in that I would have to be patient, she said the most remarkable thing that I had to ask her to repeat more than once:

‘Make an offer...!’

Wow! I didn’t see that coming. Now I was the one who was thinking that we should maybe think about it for a while. This was either a Jedi mind trick or, she completely trusted my judgement; either way, we were into new territory in our marriage.

We bought a Cali....!

The acute realization that you have purchased a California sends an overloading emotion that I can only imagine is like an astronaut being launched into the sky, fighting gravity for an eternity to be then met with the weightlessness of zero gravity and, the euphoric feelings that overcome the mind.

Buying is the opposite. It’s more like being in a centrifuge used to train fighter pilots to withstand high G forces and not lose consciousness or G-LOC. As you’re paying for the Cali, your mind is spinning round and around and you take deep breaths as the intensity increases, you’re forcing your exhaling breath and tensing your muscles to help with blood circulation and similarly with buying a Cali, it can all become a bit too much and you pass out.

For us it was a quick process and it took two days from the decision to buy a Cali until the deposit was paid, I know many are not that lucky to either find a Cali or fully commit to buying one. We were lucky finding one so quickly and also, due to the emotion of recent events more inclined to take a risk on the grounds of ‘life’s too short’.

Don’t ever hesitate to do something because you think you could fail. Not many years away you will look back and be ready to give everything to get a second chance. When you don’t take action to live your dreams, someone somewhere else in the world will. If it excites you and scares you at the same time, it probably means you should do it.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Let your adventure begin, ours has!

calikev · May 15, 2018

great story and very true . well done enjoy your new adventure

Jonathan Duke · May 15, 2018

Lovely looking Cali, health to enjoy!

sapto · May 15, 2018

Great news and nice to read that you‘ve got what you were looking for

Gary&Heather · May 16, 2018

Wow that's brilliant and now to enjoy more of your adventures :thumb

motacyclist · May 16, 2018

Thanks for sharing your experience of Calihood and welcome :welcome

Wobble’s Mum · May 16, 2018

Love this - thanks for sharing :welcome

Cali-on-Camping · Jul 4, 2018

European Adventure, a Dorset Weekender and a Drone Flight

We love looking at the various Campervan and travel Facebook groups, Instagram and forums at this time of year, seeing people loving life and exploring, in whatever means, is really inspiring. Once you get past emotions of severe envy, you can really start gathering the information and start planning your next adventure.

We’ve been busy over the last few weeks living our own adventure. We’ve had our first taste of travelling in Europe with the Cali, and the first time we actually made a last minute decision to head off for a weekender, making the most of the amazing weather. We are currently going through all of our notes, videos and pictures to assemble into something useful that we can update the Blog with.

We will share our experiences of what worked, and didn’t work for us when preparing and packing the Cali to support the four of us travelling for a long period of time in Europe, and also for a short weekender. Also, we have some campsite reviews and our experiences of the places we’ve visited. From Lake Bled to Corfe Castle, we’ve really been having fun and can’t wait to share it with you all.

In the meantime, and to whet your appetite; last night we had the opportunity to do some Drone flying in the New Forest with www.q4commercial.co.uk/ and captured some amazing footage of the Cali in the evening. Here are some images and you will see the videos feature in some upcoming Blogs.

Enjoy!

Follow our Blog: www.Cali-on-Camping.co.uk

MarkVw2017 · Jul 4, 2018

All your adventures look amazing!!!!

Cali-on-Camping · Jul 8, 2018

New Forest Droning!

A self indulgent video of the Cali in the New Forest.

Bellcrew · Jul 9, 2018

Cali-on-Camping said:
New Forest Droning!

A self indulgent video of the Cali in the New Forest.

Gorgeous videos, be careful though as the Forestry Commission bylaws forbid operation of "aircraft" of any kind from its lands. The fines are derisory though and the chances of being prosecuted tiny.