New Trooper Owner

Hello All,

I’m Caroline and I’ve recently fulfilled one of those ‘when I retire, I’ll…’ dreams: I’ve bought myself a little VW T4 Trooper campervan and I’m beyond happy (and also a little anxious!). She’s utterly beautiful and a little aged (1993 vintage) and I haven’t as yet taken her for an adventure but I’m making my maiden-voyage next week (yes, very excited; yes, very much having sleepless nights worrying about… well, everything). I will mostly be a solo-traveller as owning a campervan isn’t one of my OH’s retirement dreams but there may well be ‘girly adventures’ with friends (wine may  be involved) and I will channel my own ‘Nomadland’ vibe and hope to make friends with fellow-adventurers.

I’m open to any advice for a ‘first-timer’ and look forward to being a member of this community.

Caroline

Hello Caroline and welcome, all the best for your adventures in your T4.

Have fun.

Steve

Hi Caroline
Welcome to the forum from Bridington.
Boaby

I also bought a camper a year after losing my husband and am a solo camper with Pip my dog.  I have had my Duetto for 5 years now and love it!  My first trip was to a Caravan club site not far from home.  I knew there would be a site manager there who would help if I was stuck, which he did! [I thought I had run out of gas and could not remove the cylinder!!!].  I use a mixture of club sites and CLs  but do like to have electric hookup.   Not been brave enough to go without and have promised the family not to wild camp.   This website is brilliant and if you have any question , however daft it may seem, someone usually helps without making you feel an idiot.   One tip someone gave me was to wrap the saucepan or metal tray in a tea towel to stop rattling!   I also have a charger for my iPhone and Kindle which lives in the camper. I also transfer my gin into a Cravendale 1L milk bottle which fits into the fridge!  Less weight!   Happy adventures and hope to see you somewhere.

Ah, a Trooper! We had one - also 1993 - for 8 years and loved her. Ian's advice is very sound - a "trip" to your own drive (if you have one) helps you get used to everything apart from the driving. Welcome to the Autosleeper world, Caroline.

I lost the love of my life Rosemary a month ago and I am wondering how I am going to cope with motor homing on my own it is not going to be easy

davidcs wrote:I lost the love of my life Rosemary a month ago and I am wondering how I am going to cope with motor homing on my own it is not going to be easy

So sorry to hear that David, you must be devastated

Welcome Caroline! Do make full use of us all on this forum - there seems to be someone online 24/7!
We’re newbies too and have already found many answers to our questions just by using the Search facility.
Happy holidays!

You have our greatest sympathies for you’re loss and hope you can carry on you’re travels. We have met a few solo travelers on our trips and admire them for being able to carry on.

davidcs wrote:I lost the love of my life Rosemary a month ago and I am wondering how I am going to cope with motor homing on my own it is not going to be easy

So sorry to hear rht.  I lost my husband earlier this year and it is hard on your own.  My first excursion along was to Great Yarmouth site.  We had been there many times before ad the site was both familiar and almost homelike.  Also I didn't need to navigate to get there which was one worry less as I knew the route.

Hope you get on OK.  People are very kind out there and speak to you more on your own.

I was was on my own with a dog in a little camper van I then got a small caravan ..  Traveling for over 5 years  I met a lady with her dog on walks at different sites her in a camper van .
she had like me been a. lone camped for years .. we got married. 3years  ago .covid long covid sold a house hunt-ted for a bungalow in another county moved there in lock down . sold the car, caravan and camper van ..we now have our Symbol 
so to all those boys and girls on there own there is hope get on the road and Enjoy.  we are planning my 80 birthday next year   in a field party .