To campervan, or not to campervan; that is the question. We weigh up the benefits of hiring a motor home versus staying in hotels.
There are big benefits to vehicle hire when you’re on holiday. Cutting out staying in hotels altogether though, is a sacrifice of space, one that few are prepared to make. But the trade-offs are worth it — substituting the rigmarole of check-ins and check-outs in exchange for the thrill of wild camping and reaching places little known and rarely seen that transform an otherwise ordinary week away, into a feat of adventure and enterprise.
For those of us who don’t have a campervan at our disposal, renting one seems like a big expense when you consider the miles you could cover in a plane for the same spend. One week in mid-season is approximately £500, rising to £600 in peak season. And that’s not including all the other costs of fuel, food, campsites and activities. Needless to say that taking a van around the UK pales in comparison next to return flights to Bangkok.
But then it’s not where you travel but how you travel that counts. Motor homes are an experience holiday that for many will open eyes to what is right on our doorstep: like the starling murmuration at the Avalon Marshes in Somerset — clouds of birds thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands strong, boiling and churning in the air. Or how about ice pancakes that sometimes form along Scotland’s waterways when the foaming top water freezes over?
1. FREEDOM TO ROADTRIP
First and foremost, you have the freedom to move. Movement is the marrow of travel and this concept, in all its simplicity, is the real genius behind motorised homes. Sleeping around has never been such a release. When public transport schedules and check out times become irrelevant, you can start to tailor your holiday right down to the bone in between all the sleeping around. Of course, spontaneity is encouraged, especially in a vehicle that embodies freedom of spirit and expression. Besides, it wouldn’t be a road trip without at least one frantic decision taken on a total whim.
Commute times are pruned since there’s no need to be leaving anywhere by a certain time to get back to your accommodation. A nice touch is choosing the view from your window — a consideration worth devoting some time to when you park up at night but never as much time as you’d spend pitching a tent. Aim the bedside window in the direction most likely to offer the best view. Parking on raised ground is always smart.
2. IT’S COOL TO RENT A CAMPERVAN
Van life is all about the street cred. If you’re seen in a campervan, the assumption is that you must be a pretty cool cat. But take it easy, that’s not reason enough to rent — nobody’s running a popularity contest here. And you wouldn’t need to if you do as others do and travel with friends or a lover. You’ll be amazed at what a week in a van with someone else can do to a relationship.
The uninterrupted stretches of time spent together on a road trip bring people closer together; a sound premise for lovers and friendship groups to give it a whirl. Choose companions wisely, there’s only one road and one room…
If you’re more of a lone wolf, few modes of transport capture the essence of solitude when tearing out of town in your own van.
3. CAMPERVANS’ MODERN FEATURES
There was a time when campers offered the same standard of experience as camping — a big turn off for the more precious holiday makers among us. Amenities were almost certainly never at the forefront of any surfer’s agenda — it was all about catching the waves. Good thing that nowadays campervans have an armoury of luxury features sure to please even the most picky of customers.
Gone are the days of drafty interiors and bear minimum comfort. Leisure batteries keep the heat running all night — a charge up every few days is all it needs — bringing winter vacations, if not autumnal ones, into the realm of possibility. You can blare music through wireless Bluetooth connections, double your living space with some transformer-esque models and make use of the internal space in a plethora of different ways. High end models get swankier still; toilets, plasma TVs, showers and retractable rear extensions that double living space at the touch of a button.
Bohemian vibes, state of the art facilities — the best of both worlds.
4. RENTING A CAMPERVAN IS CHEAPER?
It depends. Compared to the cost of, say, booking into a mid-range hotel in the UK or Ireland, the answer is probably no, even when you’ve considered monies saved from buying your own food and fuel. Costs work out very much the same and this is off putting — why pay the same amount for a cramped and less comfortable accommodation when you could get a standard of hospitality that you are used to?
Let’s compare things to going abroad; consider flights, accommodation and car rental costs and suddenly a holiday in a van becomes a cheaper alternative — even in peak season. You’re not compelled to fork out big money every meal time and you won’t be dwelling in a tourist infested hotel. Afraid you’ll miss out on different food, the weather you so badly need or a new and engrossing culture to get lost in? The widely disregarded truth is that exploring places closer to home is as liberating and eye opening as jetting off to pastures new; just take a look at these natural wonders in the UK if you don’t believe us.
5. A CHANGE IN THE WAY WE TRAVEL
Travel has changed. Many treat holidays less as a time to switch off from your own life and more as a time to dive into someone else’s way of living. People expect more from themselves and the time they take away from their work life. It’s not uncommon for people to visit a new city to run its marathon, to choose a home stay over a swanky hotel or to get involved in a volunteer programme rather than lounge in a resort.
The point here being that more people are travelling to be closer to something they do or want to be — travelling for fulfillment. Escaping the routine of work is a campervan’s speciality — they take you right into the heart of nature since they can stay out all night long and drop you off the grid with a flick of an indicator.
Sure, there will be mishaps, wrong turns and ridiculous situations but let’s just say they’ll be much funnier from the front seat of a Volkswagen T2 than they ever will be from an airport departure lounge.
Got some experience living behind a campervan wheel? Tweet us @travioor or post a comment on Travioor’s Facebook page and tell us about your experience.
Originally published at www.travioor.com.
