March 2010
Despite our excitement over the caravan we looked at, it wasn't long before some nagging doubts set in.
It started off with thoughts of how our lifestyle would work. Carrying water is challenging in a caravan; the weight from the water makes the van much harder to tow. Also, the small size of the tanks means you need to fill up (and dump the waste water) more often. Likewise, putting in a decent bank of batteries with solar panels to make us independent of the grid would add to the weight of the van.
This would probably mean we'd end up staying in caravan parks more often, for the convenience of power and water. And that would add to our cost of living, so the money saved in purchase would get chewed up.
But the real decider came the next day when we were on the road home to Wellington. Travelling south along the shores of Lake Taupo, we saw a campervan pull into a lovely rest area north of Mission Bay. You can't really see into this rest area from the road, but it is right on the lake's edge with lots of trees and grassed areas.
We realised we'd never be able to do that when towing a caravan. Pulling into somewhere like that without scouting it first means you risk getting stuck, either on a rough access road or because there is nowhere to turn around.
So, the caravan was struck off the list again. Back to the search for a bus or motorhome.
A very clear decision
March 2010
So, off we went to the Hamilton show. This was our third visit - two years ago we signed up for our beautiful 6.5m Leisureline at the show. That was an adventure in itself, but an old story that can wait for a quiet news week.
We had a pretty clear agenda. Check out some fifth wheelers, peer into a couple of campervans just to confirm our thinking on those and look at what bus options were around.
So, the fifth wheeler. Quickly took that off the list. It's not that they're not right for some people; they're just not right for us. Layout and space weren't what we were after.
Campervans. Yes, a couple of these do actually appeal (and the ease of driving and set-up are a big factor here). But they still have the bed up top (even if it is a north-south bed) and the cost, well, just not what we wanted to spend on what we saw as a compromise.
Over to the buses. Wow, some of these are gorgeous. If you have $600,000. Or even half that. But again - not what we want to spend. In fact, we just haven't got that sort of money.
And what do you even get for that sort of money. I really would expect a full-size bed, not one with the corners cut off. And what use is a bench so deep I'd have to kneel on the edge to be able to wipe the back of it? One woman suggested you could throw a double mattress on top at night if you had unexpected guests.
The other thing that strikes us about these big machines is how often their expensive slide-outs just create floor space, not actually any extra or clever living space.
Then we decided to wander over and catch up with the Leisureline folk. They always remember us as the couple who put in the red leather upholstery - which they tried to talk us out of.
There was the caravan of our dreams. 8m, full bathroom across the back (where you can take a shower without getting the dunny wet) and plenty of living space. We even worked out the alterations we'd want to the plan - put the fridge on the other side so there's more bench space, take out the seat aft of the door to fit in the fridge and a small office area and it's all sorted.
Yes, there are some compromises - we'll have to fill up with water and dump the waste every couple of days, maybe plug in more often than we'd like, but oh how we love the space of a caravan. And the cost of upgrading would be so low compared to any other option.
Job done. Our trip to Hamilton had helped us decide exactly what we wanted.
So, off we went to the Hamilton show. This was our third visit - two years ago we signed up for our beautiful 6.5m Leisureline at the show. That was an adventure in itself, but an old story that can wait for a quiet news week.
We had a pretty clear agenda. Check out some fifth wheelers, peer into a couple of campervans just to confirm our thinking on those and look at what bus options were around.
So, the fifth wheeler. Quickly took that off the list. It's not that they're not right for some people; they're just not right for us. Layout and space weren't what we were after.
Campervans. Yes, a couple of these do actually appeal (and the ease of driving and set-up are a big factor here). But they still have the bed up top (even if it is a north-south bed) and the cost, well, just not what we wanted to spend on what we saw as a compromise.
Over to the buses. Wow, some of these are gorgeous. If you have $600,000. Or even half that. But again - not what we want to spend. In fact, we just haven't got that sort of money.
And what do you even get for that sort of money. I really would expect a full-size bed, not one with the corners cut off. And what use is a bench so deep I'd have to kneel on the edge to be able to wipe the back of it? One woman suggested you could throw a double mattress on top at night if you had unexpected guests.
The other thing that strikes us about these big machines is how often their expensive slide-outs just create floor space, not actually any extra or clever living space.
Then we decided to wander over and catch up with the Leisureline folk. They always remember us as the couple who put in the red leather upholstery - which they tried to talk us out of.
There was the caravan of our dreams. 8m, full bathroom across the back (where you can take a shower without getting the dunny wet) and plenty of living space. We even worked out the alterations we'd want to the plan - put the fridge on the other side so there's more bench space, take out the seat aft of the door to fit in the fridge and a small office area and it's all sorted.
Yes, there are some compromises - we'll have to fill up with water and dump the waste every couple of days, maybe plug in more often than we'd like, but oh how we love the space of a caravan. And the cost of upgrading would be so low compared to any other option.
Job done. Our trip to Hamilton had helped us decide exactly what we wanted.
The perils of the Internet
March 2010
What a wonderful thing to be able to instantly access information on the web. It has brought a whole new dimension to shopping - whether you're after groceries, music, skincare or your new home on wheels.
But how quickly it can spill over into obsession. Suddenly evenings of relaxing had gone; quiet conversations in the back garden over a glass of wine were a thing of the past. Even pleasantly dreaming about what our planned new life could hold had taken a back seat.
Instead, we spent hours studying online ads for caravans and motorhomes for sale. Checking and comparing lists of specifications, discarding options one day then putting them back onto the list of possibles the next.
After a while, they all seemed to blend into one. Did we like that one because it had a separate shower and toilet, or did we dislike it because the sink was too small? Was it worth sacrificing a wardrobe to ensure there was room in the kitchen for the rice cooker? Diesel versus petrol and how does this petrol rebate thing work? Cassette toilet or black water...
So, how to clarify our thinking? It seems we had to really start looking at them. Not online, or in magazines, but the real life article. But that can be as exhausting and time-consuming as the Internet excursions. Not to mention costly. How could we find the time to check out the fifth wheeler in Christchurch, the caravan in Hamilton, the bus in Whangarei, the American behemoth in Lumsden?
Wait for them all to get together - head for the Motorhome and Caravan Expo in Hamilton in March.
Surely we'll find the perfect answer.
What a wonderful thing to be able to instantly access information on the web. It has brought a whole new dimension to shopping - whether you're after groceries, music, skincare or your new home on wheels.
But how quickly it can spill over into obsession. Suddenly evenings of relaxing had gone; quiet conversations in the back garden over a glass of wine were a thing of the past. Even pleasantly dreaming about what our planned new life could hold had taken a back seat.
Instead, we spent hours studying online ads for caravans and motorhomes for sale. Checking and comparing lists of specifications, discarding options one day then putting them back onto the list of possibles the next.
After a while, they all seemed to blend into one. Did we like that one because it had a separate shower and toilet, or did we dislike it because the sink was too small? Was it worth sacrificing a wardrobe to ensure there was room in the kitchen for the rice cooker? Diesel versus petrol and how does this petrol rebate thing work? Cassette toilet or black water...
So, how to clarify our thinking? It seems we had to really start looking at them. Not online, or in magazines, but the real life article. But that can be as exhausting and time-consuming as the Internet excursions. Not to mention costly. How could we find the time to check out the fifth wheeler in Christchurch, the caravan in Hamilton, the bus in Whangarei, the American behemoth in Lumsden?
Wait for them all to get together - head for the Motorhome and Caravan Expo in Hamilton in March.
Surely we'll find the perfect answer.
What to live in?
February 2010
There are some very strongly held views about caravans versus motorhomes/campervans. VERY strongly held.
We have had a caravan for the last two years. Our decision to buy a caravan was based on how we were going to use it - for weekends and two or three longer trips a year. There was no point in buying something with an engine when it wouldn't get used very much - particularly as we still needed two cars for our working lives.
But now we were facing a new decision. What would suit our needs - once we actually worked out what those needs were?
There were really three choices.
The first option was a caravan. This was immediately attractive - we were used to the lifestyle, we already had the tow vehicle, it offered spacious and comfortable living, there would be little capital outlay even if we upgraded to a larger model.
The second option was a campervan - we quickly discounted this for a number of reasons, the main one being sleeping arrangements. To get a permanent bed (for who wants to make a bed up every night for the rest of their lives), we either had to sacrifice living space, or be happy to sleep above the cab. The idea of sleeping at the top of a ladder was just not appealing for us.
The remaining option was the much larger motorhome, whether it be a bus conversion or one of American-style purpose built varieties. This was a somewhat daunting thought - they're big, they seem to cost so much, driving them would be a challenge. Much of this was about the unknown; it really wasn't a lifestyle we'd had much contact with.
And so began three months of almost frenzied 'shopping' for a solution.
There are some very strongly held views about caravans versus motorhomes/campervans. VERY strongly held.
We have had a caravan for the last two years. Our decision to buy a caravan was based on how we were going to use it - for weekends and two or three longer trips a year. There was no point in buying something with an engine when it wouldn't get used very much - particularly as we still needed two cars for our working lives.
But now we were facing a new decision. What would suit our needs - once we actually worked out what those needs were?
There were really three choices.
The first option was a caravan. This was immediately attractive - we were used to the lifestyle, we already had the tow vehicle, it offered spacious and comfortable living, there would be little capital outlay even if we upgraded to a larger model.
The second option was a campervan - we quickly discounted this for a number of reasons, the main one being sleeping arrangements. To get a permanent bed (for who wants to make a bed up every night for the rest of their lives), we either had to sacrifice living space, or be happy to sleep above the cab. The idea of sleeping at the top of a ladder was just not appealing for us.
The remaining option was the much larger motorhome, whether it be a bus conversion or one of American-style purpose built varieties. This was a somewhat daunting thought - they're big, they seem to cost so much, driving them would be a challenge. Much of this was about the unknown; it really wasn't a lifestyle we'd had much contact with.
And so began three months of almost frenzied 'shopping' for a solution.
Watch for the shift
January 2010
Sometimes a shift in direction can start off so small or subtle it's hard to pinpoint the moment it actually happens. And somehow it grows to a change so huge you can barely draw breath.
One day you're looking at a fairly settled future of working in that well-paying job, wandering the country in the caravan at weekends and over the summer break, saving for a (hopefully) early retirement and enjoying the annual overseas trip. It seems like the very next day you're throwing all caution to the wind and racing at breakneck speed in that entirely new direction.
Where and when did our shift in direction actually happen?
As near as we can tell, it started as a casual thought while driving. We were staying a few days at Waikite Valley at the tail end of a wonderful three weeks in the caravan. So, of course, we were dreading the thought of having to go back to work and be grownups again.
The basic theme of that casual thought was this: for the amount of money we'd spend on a big trip to Europe next year, how long could we live on the road in New Zealand? And the answer - a pretty long time!
Well, that was the subtle shift, and before we knew it huge changes were upon us.
We came up with a dreadfully sensible plan. Work for another 18 months, save plenty of money, do lots of planning...but really, once you've made a decision like that, how can anyone wait that long?
Sometimes a shift in direction can start off so small or subtle it's hard to pinpoint the moment it actually happens. And somehow it grows to a change so huge you can barely draw breath.
One day you're looking at a fairly settled future of working in that well-paying job, wandering the country in the caravan at weekends and over the summer break, saving for a (hopefully) early retirement and enjoying the annual overseas trip. It seems like the very next day you're throwing all caution to the wind and racing at breakneck speed in that entirely new direction.
Where and when did our shift in direction actually happen?
As near as we can tell, it started as a casual thought while driving. We were staying a few days at Waikite Valley at the tail end of a wonderful three weeks in the caravan. So, of course, we were dreading the thought of having to go back to work and be grownups again.
The basic theme of that casual thought was this: for the amount of money we'd spend on a big trip to Europe next year, how long could we live on the road in New Zealand? And the answer - a pretty long time!
Well, that was the subtle shift, and before we knew it huge changes were upon us.
We came up with a dreadfully sensible plan. Work for another 18 months, save plenty of money, do lots of planning...but really, once you've made a decision like that, how can anyone wait that long?
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