Hoping to escape to the sun

[HelenandJan]

We become full timers on Monday!

Planning to come over to Spain/Portugal early January. Possibly for up to three months.

Any tips appreciated as its our first trip abroad and we are unsure whether to book sites or look for Aires/Wild camp?

 

[iampatman]

We become full timers on Monday!

Planning to come over to Spain/Portugal early January. Possibly for up to three months.

Any tips appreciated as its our first trip abroad and we are unsure whether to book sites or look for Aires/Wild camp?

Congratulations!

If you look up the threads here regarding Spain and Portugal there is a wealth of information on places to stay (and avoid). Maybe get a copy of All The Aires Spain & Portugal and/or the Camperstop guide. Fill your Sat Nav/tablet/laptop up with locations and plan a route and take it from there. Have a great time.

Pat

 

[HelenandJan]

Congratulations!

If you look up the threads here regarding Spain and Portugal there is a wealth of information on places to stay (and avoid). Maybe get a copy of All The Aires Spain & Portugal and/or the Camperstop guide. Fill your Sat Nav/tablet/laptop up with locations and plan a route and take it from there. Have a great time.

Pat

Thanks. Seems we have the Camperstop guide so that is a start. The weather here is bloody awful. Not sure how we will get through the next month in the Uk. Family commitments mean we need to be here till January.

 

[iampatman]

Thanks. Seems we have the Camperstop guide so that is a start. The weather here is bloody awful. Not sure how we will get through the next month in the Uk. Family commitments mean we need to be here till January.

Have a look here -
http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/spain/

There's loads of info for you to trawl through between now and January.

Sorry to hear about your weather, it's glorious here in Bolnuevo

Pat

 

[Pauljenny]

Really great points here, thanks so much.

Will have refillable gas fitted before we leave. What do you reckon to solar panel? Best way to get electric?

These days I take it for granted that all full timers will have Gaslow or Gasit kits ... You get a discount on Gasit from this website.

Solar, depends how much time you expect off grid and whether you spend hours watching the telly.

We have no TV, Led lights throughout and rarely use a hookup . 2 x 20 watt free standing panels see us OK. but we normally move 2- 3 times a week during our 5 month summer touring.

 

[John H]

Hi

We live most of the time in our motorhome and have been spending most of each year out of the UK for several years now and show no signs of getting fed up with it! I agree with Pauljenny's excellent advice - and would just add that our Halifax Credit Card enables us to get cash from ATM machines without incurring any costs (if you pay it off within 48 hours). We spend a lot of time in Almeria Province (the far south-east of Spain) because it is quiet and warm and dry in winter (frost is rare, daytime temperatures pushing or exceeding 20 Celcius and it is the driest part of Europe - can be windy though!).

As far as practicalities go, you might consider fitting a system such as Gaslow, which will pay for itself inside two years if you are full-timing. Also solar panels and an extra leisure battery. But one thing I can almost guarantee is that you will end up taking too much "stuff" with you - we are still finding things we haven't used for years! If you have any specific queries, I am sure you will get plenty of advice - but enjoy your new life.

 

[HelenandJan]

These days I take it for granted that all full timers will have Gaslow or Gasit kits ... You get a discount on Gasit from this website.

Solar, depends how much time you expect off grid and whether you spend hours watching the telly.

We have no TV, Led lights throughout and rarely use a hookup . 2 x 20 watt free standing panels see us OK. but we normally move 2- 3 times a week during our 5 month summer touring.

No Tv? We have one for watching in UK when on mains only. No plans to watch it abroad. Have loads of films on hard drive which we intend to connect to laptop but obviously reliant on electric to keep the laptop powered.

What do you do for the other 7 months?

 

[HelenandJan]

Hi

We live most of the time in our motorhome and have been spending most of each year out of the UK for several years now and show no signs of getting fed up with it! I agree with Pauljenny's excellent advice - and would just add that our Halifax Credit Card enables us to get cash from ATM machines without incurring any costs (if you pay it off within 48 hours). We spend a lot of time in Almeria Province (the far south-east of Spain) because it is quiet and warm and dry in winter (frost is rare, daytime temperatures pushing or exceeding 20 Celcius and it is the driest part of Europe - can be windy though!).

As far as practicalities go, you might consider fitting a system such as Gaslow, which will pay for itself inside two years if you are full-timing. Also solar panels and an extra leisure battery. But one thing I can almost guarantee is that you will end up taking too much "stuff" with you - we are still finding things we haven't used for years! If you have any specific queries, I am sure you will get plenty of advice - but enjoy your new life.

Thanks John. We are fluctuating between extreme terror and excitement at the moment. I can't imagine finding things we haven't used for years as there seems limited space to fit things but that is probably cause we want to bring too much in the first place.

We are having the autogas system fitted in a fortnight. It sounds fab where you are at will research it.

It is reassuring to hear from you fulltimers and I am sure it will be the best decision we have made once we get on and 'do it'.

 

[Tezza33]

N

What do you do for the other 7 months?

They come on here and tell jokes :dance:

If Spain is too hot for you in the summer than France or Germany are full of lovely places to stay for little or no expense, I can stay 6 months in France without spending one euro on campsites, I love Germany but sometimes have to pay a small amount

 

[John H]

up to you but do not be too quick to think that a refillable gas system such as gas it or gas low is always cheaper or easier.
Gas in cylinders in Spain and Portugal is not like the UK ,nearly every house uses bottled gas it is readily available and cheap, also available everywhere unlike lpg

It all depends on where you intend to travel. Each country has different cylinders so if you travel through France, Portugal and Spain, for example, you could need to take three different systems. LPG is much more widely available than it used to be and there is information on the internet about where to find it. We have never had a problem - even before it was widespread in Spain.

 

[wineciccio]

France does not really close for the winter months, we have only recently returned from Benidorm and there plenty of aires where you can stop overnight, the only suggestion I would make is whenever you can, fill up with water as they turn it off, protection from frost or ice . If travelling on motorways free ones or not you can stop at any service areas overnight, we have been doing it for years and never had any problems, also for 2 euros you can go and have a shower, all they ask for is your keys and the money. Solar panels are essential if you intend to spend more than say 3 to 5 days in one spot, I would go for the best you can afford and double up on the leisure batteries, regardless if you watch tv or not, I rather have more power at my disposal that I can use than not enough, back in 2007 we spent 10 days in Albufeira, few days in Lagos by the fish market and on the port in Portmau, I bet my bottom dollar that now you just can't do it anymore. Good luck and enjoy it as much as I/we did.:camper::camper::camper::camper::camper::camper::camper:

 

[Tezza33]

It all depends on where you intend to travel. Each country has different cylinders so if you travel through France, Portugal and Spain, for example, you could need to take three different systems. LPG is much more widely available than it used to be and there is information on the internet about where to find it. We have never had a problem - even before it was widespread in Spain.

It is the same old argument, swiftcamper is 100% right but it is only relevant if you only go to Spain or only to France, if I knew the Country I was going to when I board the ferry I could probably get a gas bottle there, I don't know which Country I will be in next week once I set off

 

[John H]

For a full timer a refillable gas system will probably well cover the cost but for the average users it is really a luxury for those that prefer not to change cylinders.

I absolutely agree - my advice was based on the fact that the OP said he was full-timing.

 

[pamjon]

Spain

We are setting off to Spain about 7th Jan to Valencia. Its very warm there at that time of the year. There are loads of places where you can wild camp if you want. As for gas bottle, don't know if the Sunday market is still on at Benidorm (JH will know this) you can normally pick an empty gas bottle up for about 10 euros. When we were there in September a refill cost 14 euros. The only problem in January and February its cold at night. The days are great.

PJ

 

[Pauljenny]

You asked what we do for the other 7 months when not living in the van ?

In theory, we should spend six of them in the Algarve cottage that we bought in 2004, after 5 years of full-timing in a 6 metre van. We'd had a good explore , plenty of adventures, and The Boss hinted that she wanted a base .

Over the next 9 years, we were doing up the cottage and it's garden, improving the 400 metre lane to connect with the main road and making a life out here, that was enough to keep us occupied . Oh, and we joined an African Djembe drumming group out here.

The last 2 years has given a chance to rest up in the cottage,without having to work on it. This means we can jump in the van , on a whim and take off for a few days when the weather is good and we don't have visitors. We full-time for a whole 5 months and part-time when we can.

Gas ?

We have no trouble finding LPG, have 2 tanks and fill when the first one is empty. Even in the foulest County Donegal weather, this summer, we never spent more than £5 per week on refills. It's even cheaper abroad.

Just in from watching the sun go down, while sipping a malt whisky ,£7 from the local Lidl.

Live the dream !

 

[HelenandJan]

You asked what we do for the other 7 months when not living in the van ?

In theory, we should spend six of them in the Algarve cottage that we bought in 2004, after 5 years of full-timing in a 6 metre van. We'd had a good explore , plenty of adventures, and The Boss hinted that she wanted a base .

Over the next 9 years, we were doing up the cottage and it's garden, improving the 400 metre lane to connect with the main road and making a life out here, that was enough to keep us occupied . Oh, and we joined an African Djembe drumming group out here.

The last 2 years has given a chance to rest up in the cottage,without having to work on it. This means we can jump in the van , on a whim and take off for a few days when the weather is good and we don't have visitors8. We full-time for a whole 5 months and part-time when we can.

Gas ?

We have no trouble finding LPG, have 2 tanks and fill when the first one is empty. Even in the foulest County Donegal weather, this summer, we never spent more than £5 per week on refills. It's even cheaper abroad.

Just in from watching the sun go down, while sipping a malt whisky ,£7 from the local Lidl.

Live the dream !

Sounds awesome. It is awful weather here in Cumbria, severe flooding. I just want to get away now.

 

[Pauljenny]

Use the bad weather to read all you can on these forums, ( fora? ). There's one that gives a vast number of tips.. How to wildcamp. I think its entitled.Just click on the Forum button.
Get. All your financial stuff, internet,etc sorted.
The time will fly when you're busy.

Be aware that your adventures may not always be of the pleasant kind.. We call it Dragon Slaying..It's great when you can look back and tell the tale,which gets better each time you embroider it.
You're never bored when you have a motorhome.

 

[rockape]

:

No Tv? We have one for watching in UK when on mains only. No plans to watch it abroad. Have loads of films on hard drive which we intend to connect to laptop but obviously reliant on electric to keep the laptop powered.

What do you do for the other 7 months?

:shag:

 

[Pauljenny]

::shag:

When all else fails.... There's always that!

 

[jennyp19]

Filled up with gas 2 days ago near Benidorm - 59 cents a litre most Repsol garages have it in Spain