First Trip !

[PONOS47]

All packed and ready for the first ever trip ! well excited - what could possibly go wrong !

Many thanks to all that have answered various questions over the two years that have finally got me to this point !

 

[Paulro]

Nothing will go wrong.
It’s a great piece of kit, enjoy it and have a great time.

 

[sapto]

Enjoy, have fun! Keep us posted about your trip!
Happy camping

 

[Perfectos]

Good luck with your first trip

You can update your profile now.

Let’s see some pics of the places you visit

 

[kurienp]

Enjoy the trip. Keep the phone handy, in case you need to ask anything on the forum.

 

[HB19]

Also .. take your postcode off your profile .... you’re not home! Have fun

 

[Velma's Dad]

Nothing will go wrong.
It’s a great piece of kit, enjoy it and have a great time.

ALMOST nothing. Apart from forgetting to shut the tailgate when you drive off from a lunch stop (yeah go on, ask me...).

Congrats on your new van/lifestyle PONOS47, and have a fab time.

 

[PONOS47]

ALMOST nothing. Apart from forgetting to shut the tailgate when you drive off from a lunch stop (yeah go on, ask me...).

Congrats on your new van/lifestyle PONOS47, and have a fab time.

Many thanks for mentioning this......I double checked the tail gate because of your comment only to find the hookup still plugged in. It would have been embarrassing to have towed my entire house across Norfolk.....

 

[Velma's Dad]

Many thanks for mentioning this......I double checked the tail gate because of your comment only to find the hookup still plugged in. It would have been embarrassing to have towed my entire house across Norfolk.....

I keep a vividly coloured velcro tie in the driver's door pocket and pop it onto the steering wheel when I do anything that I need to remember to remove before departure - particularly, attaching a hookup cable or using wheel chocks/ramps.

Also have developed the habit of a final complete walk-round the van before leaving campsite in the morning. (Although sometimes forget that after a short stop en route though... doh!).

 

[PONOS47]

Thanks to all for their posts - great to have this support ! Had a fantastic stay at Sandringham - still got the smile on my face !! So here are some practical takeaways for the next person to go on their first trip !

i. Dont leave it 2 years........
2. Check and recheck that you dont have the hookup plugged in as you pull away (anybody actually done that ??)
3. Dont feel intimidated by the size of all the caravans and motorhomes as you drive into the campsite....
4. There is such a thing as hardstanding pegs for the awning.....I have discovered. If you believe that doubling your efforts with the mallet on standard pegs will suffice then there is no end to what you wont achieve !!
5. The toppers are one step up from a bed of nails........
6. The fly net panels that somehow end up in the garage away from the van are vital !!!!!
7. Read the instructions. for example there is a switch in the van that allows you to charge the batteries....you cant just plug it in........
8. Wave at every VW Camper you see....after a while you get to recognise Campers from plumbers.after a while....
9. Enjoy every moment !

 

[PONOS47]

Please dont look at the chock...there was a reason......

 

[Perfectos]

Thanks to all for their posts - great to have this support ! Had a fantastic stay at Sandringham - still got the smile on my face !! So here are some practical takeaways for the next person to go on their first trip !

i. Dont leave it 2 years........
2. Check and recheck that you dont have the hookup plugged in as you pull away (anybody actually done that ??)
3. Dont feel intimidated by the size of all the caravans and motorhomes as you drive into the campsite....
4. There is such a thing as hardstanding pegs for the awning.....I have discovered. If you believe that doubling your efforts with the mallet on standard pegs will suffice then there is no end to what you wont achieve !!
5. The toppers are one step up from a bed of nails........
6. The fly net panels that somehow end up in the garage away from the van are vital !!!!!
7. Read the instructions. for example there is a switch in the van that allows you to charge the batteries....you cant just plug it in........
8. Wave at every VW Camper you see....after a while you get to recognise Campers from plumbers.after a while....
9. Enjoy every moment !

View attachment 64287

I have driven away with the hook up cable attached ( at home) no damage other than to delicate ears in my street !

I now have a laminated sign I leave on my driver seat, which serves me well

 

[kurienp]

Please dont look at the chock...there was a reason......

and that was/is the only thing that I wanted to ask about in that pic ......



PS: glad you had a great trip. Yeah, I always have that smile as it is my daily driver. Even when working from home, just do a 5 mile round trip someplace and that helps me as well as the van.

 

[Elly Swanson]

We're not often on hookup but when we go away this time both sites have EHU. We keep our cable in the circular bag sold in the shop when storing/travelling.

I'm going to put the bag around the steering wheel after seeing that tip somewhere on here (can't remember who posted it).

 

[edocali]

7. Read the instructions. for example there is a switch in the van that allows you to charge the batteries....you cant just plug it in........

Please please tell me which switch is this

 

[Velma's Dad]

Please please tell me which switch is this

I suspect that was a mistake. There's no such switch, at least on a T5.

 

[GrannyJen]

I suspect that was a mistake. There's no such switch, at least on a T5.

Unless it's the circuit breaker switch in the rear cupboard.

 

[HareBear Hutch]

How exciting to read this. We are off in the Hutch tomorrow for the first time. Nervously packing and taking advice from you all. Thank you. HareBear

 

[The Merle]

I have driven away with the hook up cable attached ( at home) no damage other than to delicate ears in my street !

I now have a laminated sign I leave on my driver seat, which serves me well

My joker has a alarm noise if you try starting ignition with the electric hook up still plugged in. Don’t understand why VW can’t do it on the Cali, I’ve also driven off when I had a cali!

 

[GrannyJen]

My joker has a alarm noise if you try starting ignition with the electric hook up still plugged in. Don’t understand why VW can’t do it on the Cali, I’ve also driven off when I had a cali!

VW can, I have one on my T6

 

[The Merle]

VW can, I have one on my T6

Is it an added extra or standard on t6? my t5 and t5.1 cali never had it.

 

[GrannyJen]

Is it an added extra or standard on t6? my t5 and t5.1 cali never had it.

Standard but on the T6, was not on my 5

 

[Perfectos]

Standard but on the T6, was not on my 5

Not on a T6 beach
Maybe Ocean owners are more forgetful

Don’t read my other post where I admit to driving away with hook up attached

 

[GrannyJen]

Not on a T6 beach
Maybe Ocean owners are more forgetful

Don’t read my other post where I admit to driving away with hook up attached

I am one of those smug people who always tell people that before moving off I walk around the van, check nothing left out, underneath or trapped in the roof.

So I did once, carefully stepping over the cable before driving off with it still attached

 

[Perfectos]

I am one of those smug people who always tell people that before moving off I walk around the van, check nothing left out, underneath or trapped in the roof.

So I did once, carefully stepping over the cable before driving off with it still attached

It’s a right of passage