When you go trundling off, into the wide blue yonder, (or, as is much more likely, another traffic jam!) you'll suddenly start thinking; "We've got a corkscrew, but have we got a tin opener?"
Forgetting something is perfectly normal, even for those of us that go camping more often. Just think how you'll feel if you arrive on site to discover you've left something essential (like the caravan!) at home!
1. stuff for the basic running of the caravan.
Here we include such things as gas bottle(s), awning, tent pegs and mallet, water and waste containers and associated pipes, corner steady plates, corner steady handle, cassette toilet/toilet tent (remember the thistles?), caravan step, EHU (Electric Hook-Up) lead, and wheel chocks.
Corner Steadies? These are the tiny little legs that are fitted to the corners of caravans, and the back ends of motorhomes. They resemble screw-jacks that are welded to the chassis, and are wound up and down by a device rather like the starting handle that used to be supplied with cars! Corner steady plates are plates of wood or metal that are put down under the corner steadies to prevent them sinking in soft ground. There are also plates called 'BigFeet' that can be permanently attached to the corner steady.
The EHU lead is usually orange in colour, so it can be easily seen, and has a blue circular plug on each end. This is to bring mains power into the 'van.
A sub-category may be added to this; a kit to be kept in either car or caravan, consisting of map, torch, spare bulbs and fuses, a few tools, and a first aid kit. It may be that such items are already carried in the car, which is no bad thing. I usually also carry pen and paper, but that's because I have a terrible memory, and if I don't write it down, I'll forget it!
2. stuff for the basic running of the occupants.
This includes crockery, cutlery, kettle, cooking utensils, washing up liquid and bowl (I keep wanting to say 'set of sliding doors' and 'Keep thinking luvvly thoughts!'), tin opener, kitchen rolls, foodstuffs, cleaning materials, matches or tapers, tea towels, etcetera. Remember though, that the fridge in a caravan is quite small, so what doesn't get eaten in one meal may have to be thrown away, because there's nowhere to keep it!
Foodstuffs also include salt, pepper, tomato ketchup, brown sauce, pickle, mustard, sugar, tea, coffee, and cocoa, as well as the normal nosh!
As far as food itself is concerned, we take enough for the day we're travelling, and the few days on site until the next normal working day. It matters little where you normally shop as supermarkets are so prolific now, you won't be more than about 30 minutes drive away from one!
But then, if you're going to be camping in the wilds, you'll need to take extra food anyhow, or stock up just before you leave civilisation.
3. stuff for the basic comfort of the occupants.
This list is more personal, and would need to be made up by each individual. Clothes, toiletries, sleeping bags (couple of extra blankets, just in case!) pillows, yadda, yadda, yadda. I have always added a couple of days extra clothes, just in case of disaster. Dry clothes are much nicer than their soggy counterparts!
4. stuff for the extra comfort of the occupants.
This list is the one to watch. This is where you add the deck chairs, patio table, wind break, gas barbeque, bikes, scuba gear and the paragliding kit! Then wonder why the 'van is overweight and handles like a bag of warm manure!
Another thing to remember is that some of the things I choose to leave behind, you may regard as essential, and vice versa.
I have seen some people trying to 'get away from it all', but a quick peep into their accomodation only proves that they've taken most of it with them!
Many modern caravans are fitted with air conditioning, full central heating, and power shower as standard. Then some people MUST take their TV, video, microwave, and CD player! And there's also computers, and mobile internet set ups!
Some Clic members have taken huge gas barbeques, windbreaks, full awnings, chairs, tables, beds and bedding, and food with them, not for themselves, but for others!
Easter 2002 saw a Clic gathering at Roundhill, in the New Forest. Allen presides, (well, he spends 5 months there in his caravan!) and bought venison sausages, burgers and half a ton of salad, Gaynor (from Jersey) took Jersey cream and Calvados, Sooosssaaannn (she writes it like that!) from Belfast turned up with a vast quantity of genuine Irish sausages, Don and Jane supplied a very large awning, and those that had gazebo's, erected them in such a manner that they could be used as a beer/food tent!
And I couldn't go!
I'm not saying that you will have to supply half the campsite with goodies, unless you really want to, but that is what rallying is about. If you just go to a site for a holiday, you can interact with other campers as you wish, but if you're rallying, you'll be almost expected to join in with the 'group' activities!
Remember that anything that you add will increase the overall weight of the outfit, though! And some items like gas bottles, caravan battery, and awning are going to be quite heavy!
Much of this last list will depend on what kind of site you've decided to stay at. A club or rally site may have a toilet, but it may not. A basic site will usually give you a toilet/shower block, chemical toilet disposal point, and a small shop. Some sites go beyond that, and offer hot showers 24-7, hard-standings, EHU, cafe, public phone, laundry facilities, Calor Gas supplies, etc.
Some of the better equipped sites may also offer a TV hook-up. mains water hook-up, and water drainage, but these 'super-pitches' are few and far between. Some sites boast a club house or restaurant, but these will be reflected in the price, whether you use it or not! Besides, there'll probably be a decent pub or restaurant within a couple of miles, anyway!
The sites with fewer 'amenities' may well be much quieter than other sites, but having said that, I recently visited a site a few miles away from where I live. It was a quite basic site, there were some EHU points, toilet block and chemical disposals, and a small shop, but it was packed! Towcars were not parked next to the 'vans, as is the norm, they had to be parked 'end on' to the units!
There was a play area for the kids which backed onto some pitches, and I would imagine, unless they liked the sounds of screaming kids, the occupants wouldn't have any peace! Still, the little so.... darlings have to sleep, don't they?
Anyhow, the upshot is if you choose a site with all mod cons, you may not need to take all your goods and chattels.
There are also sites that get chosen for their locations, for the purposes of fishing, bird-watching, cycling, visiting of relatives, buildings and other crumbly old edifices!
So, with careful planning, you can take a reasonable amount of 'standard' kit (jim-jams, socks, naughty underwear, etc) as well as the more specialised stuff to suit your chosen hobby. I've never been interested in fishing, but I'm not dumb enough to assume that all the fishing tackle will fit into a couple of carrier bags.
Come to think of it, along with half the population of the Western world, I've probably seen most of Kylie's underwear anyway!
But, if you're a keen cyclist (and again, I'd expect any such to take more kit than just a bike) you'll either have a roof-mounted cycle-rack, or a tailgate mounted carrier, but I wouldn't expect to see the cycles in the 'van! Not only would it be difficult to get 'em in through the door, they'd take up a fair bit of space, reduce the payload, and they'd possibly damage the interior fittings.
Once on site, the bikes can be stored in the awning when not in use. Unless you're trying to throw yourself down a mountain astride one!
