1st time caravaning

We’ve had a lot of mishaps too.  In fact, so many that we were amazed if we had a trip out with the caravan without something going wrong.  We shared a motorhome with my OH’s parents initially, and that always went wrong too.  I was glad to get rid of it when father in law died and we exchanged it for a caravan of our own in 2011.  We got a 2008 Abbey gts, and stored it in the compound at a nearby commercial site, where we also spent a night on a pitch for our trial run.  That was when we left the keys at home (fortunately only 20 minutes from home), followed by the mysteries of setting everything up and getting it working.  First proper trip out for a night at Brighton.  A bit of a challenge getting onto our pitch, but the main disaster when we got back to our storage site.  We pulled up to unhitch and got the rough end of a static van owner’s anger and impatience.  OH got forced to pull forward into banned territory, then couldn’t get out as uphill behind & too narrow in front.  Knackered the clutch on the car (pardon the language), and had to be rescued by site staff with a tractor.  Evidence of car clutch problem a few weeks later when it gave out on the M25, and we, car & caravan had to be recovered by the RAC.  We got a motor mover fitted after that.

The front locker appeared a good place to store the motor mover remote control.  Not so.  There was a gap at the front and the remote control fell out as the caravan was moved out of storage.  Luckily we found it on the road on site.

For some reason the jockey wheel would fall off if the front of the caravan was raised too much, and three times we were helped by various wardens to get it back on.

We got a new car and hitched up easily the first time, or so we thought. Pulled away and the caravan fell off the car.  We didn’t know about the way of checking at that time.  Maybe OH had been taught on the towing course, but had forgotten.

We’ve arrived back at storage and, having moved the caravan with the mover, forgotten to put the handbrake on before disengaging the rollers whilst chatting, and getting distracted by, the warden.  That was a scary moment seeing the caravan moving backwards down the slope on its own.

Those are the big things.  Of course, there’s been all sorts of minor mishaps/things not going to plan, wrong routes, narrow lanes, bits knocked off the caravan, etc.  It’s a wonder we’re still at it, really, but we got our present van in 2016, and we still love it.

Similar experience. Took the awning last year only to realise I'd left the pegs and all the other bits and bobs in the garage.

We once pulled into a filling station on the A1 on our way down to Ashridge Farm. I filled up then realised I had left my wallet and cards at home. Fortunately the oh had her cards with her but the ensuing panic made her forget her pin number!

We had to sit and compose ourselves for a few minutes before the pin number came back to her. Fortunately the filling station attendant was very understanding. He was probably able to relate to his mates in the pub that night about the 'thick' northerner who had forgotten his wallet and his 'dozy' wife who couldn't remember her pin number!

agreed.....and don't use postcodes for campsites (unless you can confidently add the 'house number') and at the very least have a look at the route its planned for you....even the destination might be wrong (incorrect POI or coordinate) and the route might not be the best available.

definitely do not have 'shortest route' selected....it will try and take you down a lane to save 50 yds...set to 'fastest route' to make it priorities faster (wider) A roads, dual carriageways and MWays...

good luck and enjoy

Like many we’ve had mishaps and I’m sure will have more but they can be laughed at later. We also have an AA map book open and check route before travelling.   We no longer allow our old tom tom (set to fastest route) to plan alternative route when it detects a road closure relying on diversion being in place which can be used by large vehicles. So far it's been OK.  When closer to site using their advice is helpful as they know the best approach.  Happy travels to all.

In a few weeks time we'll be driving  through Callander. I'll plan to avoid repeating our first visit, on our first real trip, when having pulled into the supermarket carpark I realised that the "other entrance" was in fact next door's entrance, so not my way out. Luckily people were quite patient while I unhitched, spun the van, moved the car, re-hitched and tried to look calm and collected as we drove out.

If. you can look those mishaps in the eye and laugh,

If you look at your own misadventures as steps in the learning process,

If you can happily share your embarrassing moments for the benefit of others........ You are a caravaner, motorised or otherwise!

Ooooooooh we do love our pastime, It never stopped us going again did it😄😀🤪

I think our worst disaster, if you can call it that, was getting to Exeter (some 300 miles from home) and congratulating ourselves at an uneventful journey. Then it slowly became apparent that we had the awning, but no poles! We carried on, pitched up near Fowey, and enjoyed three weeks of glorious sunshine. We didn’t need the blinking thing after all! 😁

Maybe 15 years ago, decided to take the plunge and take the caravan over to France. Coming back up-country on the way to the Loire region, I pulled up behind a transit sized van at some (red) lights. Up until this point, I’d relied on road signs to direct me, so since there weren’t any, “straight on” I thought. The lights changed and I followed the van across the junction. When we got to the other side, the van pulled in and to my horror, I realised that we had entered .....a shopping precinct. I could see that there was an exit further on, so had to press on. I got some very odd looks, as you can imagine. So embarrassing, I could have died 🙄 On the same trip, I managed to smash the jockey wheel as we disembarked the ferry, so had to struggle without one for the whole holiday. 

Still, you gotta laugh...

Glad you had a good time chrisally.  Welcome to Club Together - look forward to hearing how you get on with it all.

David