Best Aires Books for Europe

[Deleted member 919]

Thanks I hope to make a hayfield meet, I can't see us getting away before late april, When is the first meet?

Thanks for the offer of the mags but I'm trying desperatley to empty a house at the moment, its amazing house much rubbish we collect

should be end march/beginning of april

 

[biggirafe]

MARK/NICOLE- when are you thinking of going and for how long?

We hope to be in Holland for the spring bulbs flowering, Early May (ish) then around europe for as long as it takes, were selling the house so it does not matter how long it takes but we hope to stay in Portugal next winter.

Having said that we have yet to sell the house and perhaps will be sick of the van + 2 kids before the winter comes

 

[tuono]

Thanks, yes Nicole is keen on French Passion, I was wondering how worthwhile the registration is as it costs money, i.e. would we stay at enough places to make it worth paying. Thanks this is a little higher on our list now

Mark i think i paid 20 odd pounds for all involved and would say its well worth the money. I liked the idea of better security as i have two small kids but as someone said earlier france is so easy to overnight.Also if you use a sat nav the book is full of addresses which you can use to help get to different areas.
regards
David

 

[andytheplumber]

you say kids-how old.what about ther schooling

 

[biggirafe]

you say kids-how old.what about ther schooling

Joe is 7 and Allison is only 3, Joes school has been very good, Nicole works as a classroom helper which I think has helped but they will e-mail us his work and they are providing a list of the work he would be doing during the term. One of the reasons we want to do this now is that we can teach him what he would be doing at school, its just the basics at the moment, reading and writing. He already reads about a term in front at the moment. Gets that from his mum

If we leave it longer it would become increasingly difficult. Having said that the education in terms of experience from travelling Europe is second to none

 

[Channa]

Joe is 7 and Allison is only 3, Joes school has been very good, Nicole works as a classroom helper which I think has helped but they will e-mail us his work and they are providing a list of the work he would be doing during the term. One of the reasons we want to do this now is that we can teach him what he would be doing at school, its just the basics at the moment, reading and writing. He already reads about a term in front at the moment. Gets that from his mum

If we leave it longer it would become increasingly difficult. Having said that the education in terms of experience from travelling Europe is second to none

I fully agree Mark.

I dont know your long term plans, and perhaps you will start a new life abroad ?

The children are young enough and receptive enough, to integrate and cope with change possibly far easier than you and Nicole !!.

My ex wifes cousin is married to a French girl, whose father is German.

Their children the eldest four already is speaking French English and a little bit of German. I met numerous children in Belgium whos maternal language was French but also spoke Dutch ( near Maastricht).and were keen to learn English. cartoon channels, news etc broadcast in English
I am absolutely convinced that when these youngsters become older, they will have a 'real' skill to offer in the europe as I see things.

And has you suggest exposure to other cultures is something a you dont truly get in the uK.

Good for you and all the best

Channa

 

[maingate]

Education is different to schooling. My kids lost a large number of weeks at school when they came to see me overseas (with Mum). It gave them a whole new outlook on life. Travelling is the best education you can get.

Two of my grandchildren went to a Montessori pre school and were taught some foreign languages at the age of 4. As long as they are taught basic things, the rest will follow because they will have the right attitude.

Go for it, I say.

 

[biggirafe]

I fully agree Mark.

I dont know your long term plans, and perhaps you will start a new life abroad ?

The children are young enough and receptive enough, to integrate and cope with change possibly far easier than you and Nicole !!.

My ex wifes cousin is married to a French girl, whose father is German.

Their children the eldest four already is speaking French English and a little bit of German. I met numerous children in Belgium whos maternal language was French but also spoke Dutch ( near Maastricht).and were keen to learn English. cartoon channels, news etc broadcast in English
I am absolutely convinced that when these youngsters become older, they will have a 'real' skill to offer in the europe as I see things.

And has you suggest exposure to other cultures is something a you dont truly get in the uK.

Good for you and all the best

Channa

Thanks Channa
Long term plans, well we don't actually have any I'm giving up a good job, loads of money, company car and were selling the house. Very scary but we are determined to do something before old age creeps up on us. We did the math and we will be paying the mortgage until I'm 67, my pension is costing a fortune but is worth practically nothing, so all in all its time to do something now and not wait on a rich retirement thats maybe not going to happen

Big downside is that we will need to find somewhere to live when we get back, we'll have a stack of cash in the bank but we will need to find a friendly landlord who does not want work references, oh yeah and has a long drive But tbh we will cross that bridge in 2011

 

[biggirafe]

Education is different to schooling. My kids lost a large number of weeks at school when they came to see me overseas (with Mum). It gave them a whole new outlook on life. Travelling is the best education you can get.

Two of my grandchildren went to a Montessori pre school and were taught some foreign languages at the age of 4. As long as they are taught basic things, the rest will follow because they will have the right attitude.

Go for it, I say.

Absolutely Maingate, thanks that’s our philosophy on this, once they get to junior school and they are having to work towards the set goals for exams etc then we would not do this.

Many friends are totally aghast that we could sell everything and skip a lot more before going but in general they also can't understand how we could possibly have had such a good time in a van in a field in Wales at Xmas Were still a long way from gone, got to sell the house then empty it of 'stuff' and somehow keep working until the last minute to pay the mortgage, quite a challenge

As you say we just gota go for it

 

[Channa]

Job, house etc I did a similar thing although the circumstances were a little different.

In terms of emptying, skipping possesions, That was the biggest wake up call.

We must have spent thousands over the years, and it makes you realise how you fall victim to consumerism and ' must haves' when you actually dont need them at all. I literally skipped thousands of £'s worth ( start your sale now)....when the house sells everything happens at a tremendous speed.

I took on some storage to stock things real close to my heart, for example grandparents writing desks, Motorbikes etc.

It costs me a small fortune, but at least i have a few bits and bats and the idea is to bring out of storage when I settle.

Like yourself, i work on the basis there is no guarantee I will retire, and best to do it whilst i can and have my health etc.

Finally you are spot....'' NIKE''.Just do it !!

Good luck

Channa

 

[Guest]

Regarding Aire's books.
All I can say is that we use the Camperstop version and the French original version and some of the Aire's are in each and some are in one and not the other.
But the best Aire's that we have found have been found by accident and are not always in the books.
Good luck with your adventure, we did a smaller thing many years ago when we both packed in our jobs for a couple of months with no job to come back to and we went off to Turkey with a tent and a 4 year old.
Never regretted it at all and what memories

 

[n8rbos]

remember...........tomorrow is not promised!!!!

how many people spend their lives working hard ,scrimping and scraping towards their pensions then die early or fall ill ,so can't enjoy their 'wealth'?
my partners parents did just that!, the dream was to go on a world cruise,ill health got to both of them before they could fulfill their dream,she died 8 weeks ago,he been in hospital since with a broken heart, not expected to make it through today.

the point i trying to make is do what you want now whilst your healthy enough for now is the present, the future isn't here and the past has gone.

 

[biggirafe]

Thanks to all for your posts of support and information, mind you get the support of some of you lunatics might not stand up in court but thanks it really is appreciated
Now back to the original thread

So all in all we need to take Camperstop and all the aires France. I kina figured this but hoped we might be able to take just one, never mind 2 it is then + a sat nav full of POI's. TBH in France I'm not worried, we have travelled there many times and I know the country is full of Aires and anyway they are usually happy to turn a blind eye to motorhomes parked in villages for a night.

My next big question will be about getting internet, yes I know its been covered before but always worth covering, I'll start a new thread

 

[Coolasluck]

Good to see you biting the bullet long neck.I think exactly the same as everyone else on this thread.Stuff pensions and owning property live your life whilst you can.

My best freinds wife died 3 days ago leaving an 11 year old boy behind,obviously my freind is going through hell as is the little lad.
She was only 42 years old and remember telling them of our plans to full time and what our opinions were on consumerism and living whilst healthy.

You are right to do what you guys are doing and if people think that your daft in what you are doing stuff um.
I would rather reach retirement age skint and have lived my life then to reach 65 and die or not be healthy to enjoy retirement.

 

[Channa]

Good to see you biting the bullet long neck.I think exactly the same as everyone else on this thread.Stuff pensions and owning property live your life whilst you can.

My best freinds wife died 3 days ago leaving an 11 year old boy behind,obviously my freind is going through hell as is the little lad.
She was only 42 years old and remember telling them of our plans to full time and what our opinions were on consumerism and living whilst healthy.

You are right to do what you guys are doing and if people think that your daft in what you are doing stuff um.
I would rather reach retirement age skint and have lived my life then to reach 65 and die or not be healthy to enjoy retirement.

I think by now I have pretty much given a good idea too that my mind works in the same way.( on this subject anyway)

Spending part of new year and christmas with a friend who lost his wife due to breast cancer and first christmas without her was not exactly fun to be honest.

Not for me, but seeing others pain, and working out what will become of the lads, The eldest has Down's syndrome and he cant work out what has gone off, He just does'nt understand where his mum his !!.

A very painful experience to witness , I assure you.

She too was only 42 !!.

I will reach retirement age skint unless I jump back on the merry go round....

But when you are touched by things like this ......far better to live for today and if you are lucky enough to wake up tomorrow worry about what happens then.

my thoughts

Channa

 

[Guest]

I think by now I have pretty much given a good idea too that my mind works in the same way.( on this subject anyway)

Spending part of new year and christmas with a friend who lost his wife due to breast cancer and first christmas without her was not exactly fun to be honest.

Not for me, but seeing others pain, and working out what will become of the lads, The eldest has Down's syndrome and he cant work out what has gone off, He just does'nt understand where his mum his !!.

A very painful experience to witness , I assure you.

She too was only 42 !!.

I will reach retirement age skint unless I jump back on the merry go round....

But when you are touched by things like this ......far better to live for today and if you are lucky enough to wake up tomorrow worry about what happens then.

my thoughts

Channa

Kath (ladytramp) my better half (or that is what she say's) has just given her notice in and intends to retire soon Sh*t, I have just given her age away dead meat comes to light
I am also retiring early and very soon can't wait and then, the world (or Europe) is our Oyster
Don't know how we are going to find the time to do the things that we want to do

 

[barryd]

Mark

Im so pleased for you that your clearly going for it. I wish I could persuade Mrs D to do the same but we are getting there and are pretty much 50/50 in the van / home now anyway.

We just cant quite take the last step but one things for sure. Neither of us are worried about spending winter in the van anymore after the last 3 weeks!

Cheers
BD

 

[biggirafe]

Mark

Im so pleased for you that your clearly going for it. I wish I could persuade Mrs D to do the same but we are getting there and are pretty much 50/50 in the van / home now anyway.

We just cant quite take the last step but one things for sure. Neither of us are worried about spending winter in the van anymore after the last 3 weeks!

Cheers
BD

Believe me if we could have both we would but we just could not afford to do it without selling up.