Owning A Motorhome - The Part Nobody Talks About

I used to have this image of what it was like to have a motorhome. I had dreamed of one for so long, and then, through sheer luck, we managed to buy one. The dream was finally happening. Anytime we fancied going away, we could just jump in and drive. Everyone I’d spoken to, both those with a motorhome and those without, said the same. Just jump in and drive.

A surprise RV escape into the woods, where the sun plays peek-a-boo through the trees by the lake, offering the most serene hideout for nature-loving hermits!

Well, let me tell you. They lied.

We had the van all packed up and ready to go. The camping chairs lived in their designated place under the seats, the pots and pans in the kitchen cupboard. We even brought specific campervan tea towels; we couldn’t find any that we liked with a motorhome on. Cups and glasses, cutlery, BBQ, dinner plates, the wardrobe even had coat hangers ready and waiting to go. The beds were made, and I would regularly go out with my feather duster and polish to spruce it up a little. Just in case the mood took us on an adventure.

The idea is right, especially if you have it parked on the drive. But the reality is very different.

Just Get in and Drive

For starters, by the time we had finished work on a Friday, got home, had a chat, a cup of tea and taken the dog for a walk, it was 7.30 pm. Not really a great time to start driving to… Where? So obviously we needed to mix things up a little. Be more spontaneous and, despite the time, just get in and go. We decided that next weekend we would do better.

We got back from work the following Friday, all excited because we were going to do it. We were going away for the weekend. Being spontaneous. Rather than having a cup of tea and a catch-up like normal, Bo went straight out to take the dog so he was calm for the journey. I started the laundry so we didn’t have to mess about when we got back. As soon as the dog was walked, Bo went for a quick shower while I started Googling campsites within a fifty-mile radius. By the time we had both finished reading reviews for every campsite within a fifty-mile radius, it was 9.30 pm.

Spontaneity clearly is not our forte. We are supposed to be able to jump in and drive, as you see on the telly or read about. Surely not everyone has this problem. It is probably because we are new to it and need to stop overthinking.

Two people closely examine a topographic map to determine their next adventure amidst the wilderness.

Deciding On The Perfect Day To Go Away

I know next week we will aim to go away on Saturday rather than trying to sort it for after work on a Friday. We might have a little more luck and actually make it off the drive.

Saturday came, and we got up all excited for our weekend adventure. We had breakfast early so we could get our jobs done and leave. Bo checked the water and filled it, and did all the other checks you're supposed to do. I packed our clothes, hung various items in the wardrobe, folded the others and put them neatly into the cupboard, because why use a holdall when you have a motorhome. It is a home from home. Sorted some food from the house to pack the fridge and cupboards; we couldn’t decide what we wanted to eat, so we took a variety. By the time we had finished making sure everything was in its correct place and looking beautiful, it was 1.30 in the afternoon. If we leave now, by the time we get there, it will be dinner time, and we need to be off site by 10 am.

We got in the motorhome anyway. I put on my new, specifically brought passenger slippers, and I was ready. Bo grabbed his flat cap so he looked the part, and we drove with big grins on our faces. Open road, here we come. We went straight to the petrol station to fuel up, drove the long way because why not, and parked up for a late lunch. After our sandwiches, a cup of tea and cake, we cleaned up and decided that next time we needed to go further than the petrol station, even if it was the long way.  And also, lunch in the motorhome should probably not be on the drive at home.

This was not going as we envisioned. Excitement was starting to diminish. We needed to come at this, get in and drive concept from another angle.

Picture this: a snug little lunch party happening right inside the motorhome parked on the driveway. It's got all the essentials—snacks, tea, and that delightful "I'm camping but not really" vibe. Who needs the wilderness when you can have a driveway adventure with a side of chips and a cuppa?

Being Spontaneous When Owning A Motorhome

For the next few weeks, we googled how to be spontaneous because obviously we were doing it wrong. Google came back with the obvious.

Say yes more often. We are saying yes to going away, the trouble is getting off the drive.

Act on impulse without overthinking. Tried that. We had no idea where to go.

Act on small impulses. Yes, done that; created a home from home with all our clothes put nicely away in the wardrobe. It took so long to sort that we missed the day.

Embrace novelty. I don’t think they mean a chopping board with a picture of us both in front of the motorhome pulling stupid faces.

And we had yet to Google: How to be spontaneous when owning a motorhome?

We decided planning was needed. So Bo took full control of planning our kid-free weekend away. This came with its own set of challenges.

Read more at He Tried To Be Spontaneous – Our First Kid-Free Weekend