MOBILE HOME IN A BAG
Taking to the roads this week, we packed the car with our camping gear and headed for some of the most beautiful places in the south coast - Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.
No-Go Bongo
The original plan had been to take a trip down to my friend's place and buy his used Bongo Friendee but it had a serious engine problem and meant a costly repair. So, we decided to take our Mercedes for a 900 mile spin and see what adventures we could make for ourselves in this old convertible.
Who needs a camper or caravan when you have a tent?
Overtaking so many caravans and looking at the options for mobile homes - dull looking camp sites with dull looking people staying there too. We opted for the hidden little farms and quirky places with no electric points, hence no RV's - where only a tent could make the most of these gems. So while the weather was mixed and the initial thoughts were for the confines of the pop-up roof of the campervan to make our luxury sleeping quarter, it actually worked out better for many reasons.
It's so easy to pitch up and make a temporary home from a compact folding abode. Buying tents that pitch in minutes, ones that you can stand up in, others with porches, or seating areas and multiple sleeping quarters - all for very little money these days, means the home is where you make it.
Having a few essentials like a decent sleeping bag and the odd luxury like a pillow or blow-up mattress, means the night's sleep can be just as comfortable as back at home. And gone are the days that going camping means packing up the car to the max - because even if there's a bit of equipment required that we don't have, or can't improvise with - an Argos or Halfords is never too far away. And choosing these national outlets mean, should an item not life up to its standards, it can be replaced easily at any branch within a year. Having the tent meant we paid £6 each per night - leaving far more of the budget to spend in the local pubs and fine eateries too.
