Newbie

well done and welcome to the Craic,ask all the questions you want,you will get plenty of advice

Welcome to MHC!

Welcome and ask away, we hopefully will be able to give good advice.

Thank you all for your words of welcome, been a bit hectic here, sudden case of appendicitis in house so just coming up for air now. Collecting motorhome, have to find a name yet, next Fri and trip planned away same day so there won't be a dry run. So

Apart from corkscrew, which I won't forget, what did you forget first time away?

Re insurance, Dolmen or Stuart or is it just a personal choice?

How on earth will I learn to a) drive it and b) work it!!!

Thanks again

Having been "doing it" for well over 30 years (caravan/Camper) there is no way we can remember what we forgot first time but there always seems to be something we forget last time it was tent pegs for the awning, for the life of me I have no idea why I took them out of the van or when

Learning a and b is simple a) just get in and do it in the main you can forget the length (unless it is a jumbo) as the back will always follow the front take care over the width the mirror tend to stick out a long way. b) mostly trial and error like the rest of us I doubt that there is any one of us who hasn't been less than perfect

Main thing get out there and enjoy and make new friends as most love to have a good natter

David

Well spotted Jack,
That's the first thing I pack

It depends on the layout of you van.
If you have to access certain cupboards to get you kettle out in the morning and these are difficult to get to with the bed in place or the ladder in place;
1. then get your kettle out the night before.
2. have a large bottle of Fresh Drinking Water in the van for the kettle and to drink, whilst some do use their on board water tanks I personally prefer not for drinking purposes.
3. toilet roll
4. clothes pegs for drying your towel
5. similar to the kettle put the beer in the fridge before you set off then it will be cold on arrival
6. a charger for laptop/phone
7. good comfy folding chairs so you can sit outside the van
8. folding table
9. cadac BBQ
10. carbon monoxide alarm
11. chocks to level your van if needed
12. a hose and connectors for filling your water tank
13 a grey waste portable tank can be useful
14 blue tablets or equivalent for your loo
15 more alcohol than you would expect to drink
16 a decent torch
17 a high vis jacket if you are going to be walking at night if there are no street lights
18 a paper map don't just rely on sat nav
19 a spare bulb kit, and finally,
20. the address of the nearest good B&B if it all goes wrong, which it won't.
Good luck and have fun

Ive never been stuck yet for anything after all these years as Motorhomers are a friendly lot and always help each other out. All one has to do is ask and as the good Book says "you shall receive". Sorry about the sermon but its true in my experience.

Take it easy and remember the height, depending on the type of van you have you have 4 or 5 feet above your head. Also watch out for tail swing, don't turn the steering wheel too sharply when pulling away.
And don't forget the milk and tea bags. Enjoy.

Shiv foe goodness sake don't start that one again. Lol

When you get your new m/h spend your first weekend in it at home pretend your away ,cook in it use the loo do everything you would do,don't use your house ,you will soon find out what you need what you've forgot end how everything works, we have a list pinned up inside the wardrobe so before we go we just check it all of and even at that we still forget stuff

BTW I'm a Shiv too!!!!

Waterman, I know, we're totally nuts, talk about throwing ourselves in at the deep end! We will get there as on 1st tee box in Carne early Sat morning