Its definitely the motorhome next time..

[Deleted member 12539]

Just got back from a holiday not motorhome based.

A lesson learned...

We decide we would try a villa holiday in Carvoreiro, Portugal, we had a recommendation for one that could take an extended family of 7, this included my 9 year old German grandson.

After a lot of messing about with arranging dates that suited all, then flights and car hire and transport to and from the airport, both sides (we did not want to rent a 7 seater vehicle) and paying in advance (a lot of money) for the villa, we eventually arrived at Manchester airport to find our flight delayed an hour.
This had a knock on effect where the transport was not available at Faro airport, that had been previously arranged through Hoppa (avoid at all costs), I had to upgrade to get all to the villa and we had a superb two weeks, but stuck in one place.

At the end of the two weeks the arranged transport was 30 mins late picking up which meant there was a rush to the airport only to find a 5 hour delay, which had the knock on effect of waiting on the plane (an hour on top of the 5 hour delay) for passengers suitcases to come off as they had caught another flight. Then another hour waiting for luggage back at Manchester....


What was interesting was we saw plenty of places where motorhome could and did park, some were long stay vans too. Managed to fit in a couple of rounds of golf too

 

[vindiboy]

I know what you mean, it is so much easier in the Motorhome than flying, more flexibility too, glad you enjoyed some of the experience at least.

 

[Trotter]

Pretty much the reason I bought mine. Been there, done that. Will do it again when my driving days end. In my late nineties, I hope, fingers crossed.

 

[ricc]

it doesnt have to be a bad experience

for several years weve flown to fuerteventura in november for a week or two , half board in an apartment complex a stones throw from the beach.
just the two of us , a backpack or carry on case on wheels, each, pick up the smallest available car at the airport, just got to organise our own lunches. spend most of the time on the beach just totally chilling out. the car is probably an unnecessary expense but theres no stress over will taxis turn up on time or finding busses

the only problem with the weight restriction on a carry on bag is deciding what proper books to take... . theres usually a few novels available in the bookcase in reception .... but most are in german. a tablet and kindle lessens the problem but we do prefer to read proper paper books.

 

[vindiboy]

Where was the picture of the wild campers and the sea port taken ,I want to go there please.

 

[Deleted member 12539]

Where was the picture of the wild campers and the sea port taken ,I want to go there please.

The place we visited was Ferragudo, across the river is Portimao, where the cruise ship can be seen.
Ferragudo is a lovely place with narrow cobbled lanes leading to a church on top of the hill. To get to the motorhome parking area in the photo, you would need to drive through the town, although there is also a large motorhome parking area closer to town next to the main car park, where we saw many campers that had obviously been there for a while.

Google Maps
zoom in to Vators Village and the motorhome parking by the sand beach can be seen looking towards the coast.

 

[vindiboy]

OK Beemer many thanks, I should have known that is where the picture is of as we have stayed there many times, but your picture gives another perspective of the place,and I did not recognise it, great place to stay,usually a Portuguese navy ship there winter time when we are there Lidl up the road for all your needs too, we often stayed across the water at Praia de Roche, too,there was an aire on the Marina, very popular with Motorhomes but I believe it has now closed, but we prefered to be at the other end of the beach where there is /was ? a good motorhome stopover,Praia de Roche has a great balcony overlooking Ferragudo and on New Years Eve it is always a good spot to watch the New Years fireworks going off all around, I will return.

 

[trevskoda]

The picys are v/good ,but im like you and would rather have my wagon as i am not tied to time or places.

 

[Deleted member 71750]

The villa in pic 2 is a bit "rustic" :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:

 

[r4dent]

You may be on for 1,750 in compo between you.

I had a flight delay, can I get compensation?

"If you booked a flight that either departed from Europe or was with a European airline, you're protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation - or EU Regulation 261/2004 - if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

If you're more than three hours late arriving at your destination you could also be entitled to claim flight delay compensation. You can use our free flight delay compensation tool to make a claim.

The Denied Boarding Regulation applies if: you have a confirmed booking & you checked in on time, or if no check-in time was given, then at least 45 minutes before your flight was scheduled to depart & you're departing from an EU airport, or from a non-EU airport and flying into an EU airport."

Get your claim in, lots of sites will do the work for you and not charge.

 

[DnK]

The place we visited was Ferragudo, across the river is Portimao

Thought I recognised the place, we were moved from there by the GNR after 2 days last December. I suspect there was a complaint by a local dog walker because a very old Dutch couple were showering nude and washing each other down at the rear of their PVC. Up till then the GNR drove past twice a day with no issues. We'll try again next time in the area as a lovely little village close by with nice fish restaurants serving fish brought straight from the fishing boats.

 

[trevskoda]

Thought I recognised the place, we were moved from there by the GNR after 2 days last December. I suspect there was a complaint by a local dog walker because a very old Dutch couple were showering nude and washing each other down at the rear of their PVC. Up till then the GNR drove past twice a day with no issues. We'll try again next time in the area as a lovely little village close by with nice fish restaurants serving fish brought straight from the fishing boats.

So you are keeping the picy to ones self then instead of sharing with us here.:tongue:

 

[DnK]

So you are keeping the picy to ones self then instead of sharing with us here.:tongue:

No photos it wasn't a pretty sight - to me anyway:scared:

 

[DnK]

That’s the problem people park up expecting to stay for days and days that’s camping.
Move on each day and then not as many problems.
And don’t sit outside
Or camp.

I take your point and we rarely stay anywhere more than three days BUT there are places where people stay weeks and months and thats tolerated by the authorities. That trip was 6 months for us so moving every day would have been tiresome and we would not have got to know places properly. I think in that particular case we were being tolerated until there was unacceptable behaviour from locals perspective and hence the action. I've no beef with that and happily moved on to a paid aire nearby.

 

[Deleted member 12539]

Different holidays
Five hour delay!
How long to drive for a two week holiday on the algarve?
7 of you in a motor home, wildcamping no A/C give you two days!

A different holiday, definitely, but we made the best of it like we do with everything.
Sitting in a motorhome and sitting/standing in a busy, crowded airport lounge for 5 hours, I know which one I prefer.
Ferry to northern Spain, easy 24hrs, drive to southern Portugal, 3 days if needed.
Ridiculous to think of 7 in our motorhome for two weeks (not something I would do anyway), don't have to wildcamp, and we have done/do two weeks in Portugal, in the motorhome without A/C in hotter temperatures in Porto, and loved it, and it cost less than half the price we paid for the villa.

 

[ricc]

flying out of the main summer period or school holidays , the french air traffic controlers are less likely to be playing up so less delays.

we also try to fly early morning from bristol... planes been there overnight so no knock on delays like you can get later in the day.

once had a 9 hour delay cos the plane we were flying out on was still on the ground in greece with a hydraulic fault. luckily it was back in the old terminal at bristol when it still had a good kiddies play area....20 plus years ago.

 

[jagmanx]

Not what you are used to

So all the niggles get exaggerated !

In our MoHo we have had

a few severe ( 2hrs) traffic jams Belgium and Germany
more minor holdups
A few dodgy nights in car-parks
1 or 2 or 3 very bad nights
some extended days driving before finding somwhere passable
a few TomTom nightmares in towns with very narrow roads
not always easy to find a nice lunch stop​

But we (all ?) put up with it as part of the "motorhome fun"