First time overnight - my experience

[TwoDogs]

If you line up the front of the sliding rail on the driver's seat with the front of the fixed rail, it's in exactly the right position to rotate (at least it is on the t5)

 

[DavidKeith]

Hello,

Even though we had the van since end of November last year, because of work and family reason we only managed to get out for a 2-day overnight stay last weekend.

I was reading a lot about the California, how to use various options of the van, saw many YouTube videos and heard that people take many month to get use to the camper. But the reality at the weekend hit me a bit, so I thought I put my thoughts together of what I have learned and what I will take away from the first overnight stay. More for myself let me break down the various topics to review my experience:

Driving
To drive the VW California is a wonderful experience. My wife and I feel that the seats are very comfortable, the noise level is very low (at least on good roads).
What have I learned? = VW California Ocean is a very good travel vehicle

Camp site
For the first overnight stay we decided to go for a good camp site, so we chose a site in NI not so far away from Kilkeel. With a 5-star rating I thought we have a bit of space around us and so a bit more of privacy. I was looking for this because there is so much we are not familiar with that I didn't fancy a lot of spectators watching me.
This was not the case. The camp site was very clean, facilities ok, but very cramped. There was barely any room between the different spaces.
What have I learned? = To put more research into choosing a camp site (my mistake)

Setting up camp
In general this is done quickly. Connect to power, put up the roof, get the chairs and table out. What I disliked was to swivel the drivers seat. That should be easier.
What have I learned? = I need to practise more to swivel the drivers seat (more practise)

Prepare for the night
Here came the real shock. Everybody has their own way to organize the storage, but I feel there are different storage areas with different usage:

• Boot = storage for cloth and personal belongings
• Above the boot = storage for the cushions, blankets, mattress protection etc.
• Shelf beside the boot = bits and pieces (general)
• Shelf beside the fridge = Wardrobe
• Cupboard = food, dishes and cutlery

We decided to sleep downstairs. To make the bed means that the only storage area for our belongings is in the boot. To get at these things is cumbersome. This really bother me. It is inconvenient. I must admit that I was a bit unhappy about this part of the usage of the camper.
What have I learned? =

• To be more organized. I need to save money to get the boot drawer, which will help to get access to this area
• Take less. Think more of what is needed and take that minimum. Less is more
• Not to go shopping during the trip. We had no time to go shopping so we did it in Newry. So on top of everything we had the shopping bags in the boot too

The downstairs bed is not that bad, but a bit too small for my wife and me. So my wife decided to sleep upstairs. Because she is not very tall, she struggles a bit to climb up.
What have I learned? = get some arrangements to help her to climb up.

Day tours
Preparing for day tours meaning to put everything back. This is no problem if the organization is well done. We suffered a wee bit for this.
What have I learned? = Be more organized

Was the 2-day trip an overall positive experience? No it wasn't. We need to organize ourselves better and do more research of camp sites. The van itself was brilliant to drive, just a pleasure. Set-up camp was easy, set-up for night was frustrating (I don't know what I expected). Prepare the van to move on, was OK but can take about half an hour (if the downstairs bed were used).

These are just my experience over our June bank holiday weekend. So there is a good bit to learn and to improve. Never the less I thought that would be interesting for people using the camper the first time (of course well knowing that everybody is different).

Regards,
Eberhard

We sleep topside and leave our two springer Spaniels down below, seems to work well!

 

[andrew bazeley]

Good post and chat! We shared all those initial hassles and questions, but - you know what? - learning the hard way is part of the fun! We've had ours ten years now, and reckon we've settled on the perfect routine (for us, anyway!).

SLEEPING; despite my wife not being too nimble, and me having to get up a couple of times in the night, we've settled again to sleeping upstairs, with a 2-piece aluminium ladder in place at night. It means one of you can get up early to get dressed, go for a walk or make a cup of tea without disturbing the other. You also don't have to find somewhere to put eveything you've dumped over the back seats onto the shelf before you can go to bed. Now we've discovered that you can leave the bedding on the (very comfy) bed and push the roof up during the day, it makes going to bed really quick - just find the pillows and the ladder. The real joy is opening the mesh windows and looking at the stars in the middle of the night!

CLOTHES/STORAGE: we now use the "wardrobe" for bedding, crocs etc. Clothes all go in a single holdall, so you can just move it around the van (important if you sleep downstairs - you can dump the holdall on the front seats when you get changed/go to bed). Similarly, we put any food we can't fit in the cupboard under the sink into a small crate, which can easily be moved around. Any odd bags, shopping and stuff can be temporarily stored in the footwells now behind the turned-round seats. The boot is now free for ladders, doormats, wellies, steps, awnings and other outside bits.

FRONT SEAT SWIVEL: Yes - releasing and moving up the steering wheel makes it so much easier -as does releasing the handbrake!

GENERAL: Two things we learnt very quickly, which have made all the difference: SIT DOWN! you can reach the fridge, cooker, sink, cupboards and pull-out table without leaving the rear seat! Secondly; only use the space for one thing at a time - cooking, eating, getting changed, sleeping, relaxing. Otherwise you're constantly moving things around or crashing into each other. Think of it as a tent!

 

[Ted]

If you line up the front of the sliding rail on the driver's seat with the front of the fixed rail, it's in exactly the right position to rotate (at least it is on the t5)

It’s the same on a T6. That’s how the VW rep showed me at the handover.
I found the drivers seat a faff at first, but you soon get used to it.

Also it would be better if the passenger seat would lock at 45 degrees (on the RHD Ocean). It saves the passenger knocking their knees on the kitchen unit whilst leaving the chair free to swivel.

 

[bigmac77]

Good morning,

I agree, the rear blind, actually all other blinds, in the van working very well. Also I think that the lights are good and sufficient. The fridge is big enough to hold food for several days. I just wanted to be fair to point out the good things in the van as well, not only the ones that I struggle with.

At the moment I save to get the drawer for the boot:

https://shop.vwcamper.de/heckauszuege/264/calidrawer-ocean-heckauszug

By the way, there are only a few (mostly even more expensive) drawers on the market. Beside the CaliCap and CamperX are you aware of any other manufacturers?

I hope I will manage to organize delivery before end of July to have it ready if we go up the Wild Atlantic Way (can't wait ).

Regards,
Eberhard

Before you go and spend the thick end of €600 on a the drawer why not try two big Really Useful storage boxes. You can get two 84 litre size boxes in the boot with the ‘parcel shelf’ on its highest position. Total cost about £30.

 

[Eber123]

Before you go and spend the thick end of €600 on a the drawer why not try two big Really Useful storage boxes. You can get two 84 litre size boxes in the boot with the ‘parcel shelf’ on its highest position. Total cost about £30.

Well, I thought abut this to. I am not sure, the thought to have the drawer open, setup with Euro boxes to organize whatever we want to bring with us, in front of me is really tempting.

At the moment I just save money for it. Middle of July we start to make our way up the Wild Atlantic Way. Until then I have to make up my mind if I want to get the drawer or use some boxes...

Decisions, decisions...

Eberhard

 

[Damon18]

Know what you mean about getting up into and down from the top bed, what with us being both height challenged and with age realated aches and pains.
We bought an inflatable footrest (cushion) which we place on one of the front seat squabs and use it as a step to overcome the problem (light & easy to store once deflated).
We bought the footrest from Amazon.
Cheers Adrian

 

[Eber123]

Know what you mean about getting up into and down from the top bed, what with us being both height challenged and with age realated aches and pains.
We bought an inflatable footrest (cushion) which we place on one of the front seat squabs and use it as a step to overcome the problem (light & easy to store once deflated).
We bought the footrest from Amazon.
Cheers Adrian

Good morning,

Adrian this is actually a good idea, never thought of it. Could you send the link to the inflatable footrest please? Would give me an idea how it looks like. Maybe I get it too (or something similar).

I am concerned using the upper bed that the heating elements of the chairs will be damaged (at least with constant use) climbing up. I feel a ladder is to cumbersome and the ones I saw to expensive. The inflatable footrest could be a good workaround.

Regards,
Eberhard