First trip essentials?

We collect our Topaz in just over two weeks time and are planning our first night/weekend away.
Being total newbies to this what items are an absolute must for our weekend?

I know we will need gas bottle and connections, hook-up cable, gaffer tape (not sure why but I read it on here and you lot are the experts so it must be essential), two lengths of hose pipe (again not 100% sure why), rubber gloves (I can guess about these). Have printed off some fact sheets from the C&CC website on electricity and gas although most of the info on watts, amps etc goes right over my head - I always view electricity as black magic.

Already have the corkscrew and bottle opener plus torch, matches etc but anything else we can't do without???

Thanks
Ann B

Hi Ann.

Not an essential but not a bad idea. Take a small note book, list your sites and give them marks out ot 10 for facilities. cleanliness. location etc. etc. It is supprising that after a couple of years you forget where you have stopped at and what it was like. You will find this little book a great help when returning to an area. particularly if like me you tend only to use CL's.

Cheers. Whisky.

Hi Ann,

Don't worry too much, just take your wallet as anything you have forgotten can usually be put right with a little money changing hands!

As long as you have your food, bedding, gas & matches, and of course liquid refreshment ( and the means to open it) you will be fine.

I always take a couple of bottles of water as the other half does not like the stuff from the tank + it is sometimes easier to fill the kettle from a bottle rather than the sink.

I have been camping & camper vanning for years, and every time I go into a camping shop I want something as most on here it usually ends up in the garage or at a car boot sale!

Travel light both in goods & spirit, and you will not go far wrong, a couple of trips and you will know what you need, what you can do without, and what you would like.

The limited space available does tend to concentrate the mind on to essentials.

Good luck

Stuart


P.s don't forget the toilet paper

stuartneale1 wrote:
Travel light both in goods & spirit, and you will not go far wrong,

P.s don't forget the toilet paper

Good advice on both counts, and I like the idea of a notebook to record sites, especially with the state of my memory.

Thanks
Ann B

Hi Anne
As Wiskey said take a note book, but also use it to note things that you should have brought or bought, a few short trips will soon tell you what you need, the hoses are of course to fill the water tank but make sure you have fittings to join them together when neccery and to fit them to taps including ones which are not screw fittings search under a useful gadget for a special water cap to prevent the need to hold the hose into the filler neck.

Brian2

Hi there,

First trip essentials are:

o Patience with yourself, your partner and anyone else who is within a 10 yard radius.

o Sense of humour that says "So what?" to whatever life throws at you.

o A full bottle of your favourite tipple for use after settling in for the first time.

Best regards,


PS Not a "first trip essential", but it may help if you know the phone number of a good divorce lawyer if your better half isn't fully committed to the project!

Hi Lib,
I must totally agree with Dutto on this one, any one with a short fuse shoudn't be in a motorhome or caravan. An easy going attitude to problems and mistakes is essential.

Brian2

murph wrote: Hi Lib,
I must totally agree with Dutto on this one, any one with a short fuse shoudn't be in a motorhome or caravan. An easy going attitude to problems and mistakes is essential.

Brian2

mmmm, looks like me and Mr B are going to have fun! I'm patient, even-tempered, positive and all round perfect whereas he.......

Ann B

Anne
The water filler that Brian is refering to is one of these [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] This is an essential for us & a small length flat pack hose. Saves space and squeezes out all the water when you roll it up.

You should be able to fit both in your Topaz gas locker.

John

Ann B wrote:

murph wrote: Hi Lib,
I must totally agree with Dutto on this one, any one with a short fuse shoudn't be in a motorhome or caravan. An easy going attitude to problems and mistakes is essential.

Brian2

mmmm, looks like me and Mr B are going to have fun! I'm patient, even-tempered, positive and all round perfect whereas he.......

Is the answer "..... is a man?"

I was already reeling from Brian agreeing with me; and now I get to correspond with a being from another planet pretending to be a woman from Earth!

Have a great time and just remember that life looks a lot better through the bottom of a glass.

Best regards,

Ian

Enjoy your Topaz and as mentioned before don't worry too much about things. You can buy as you go along. We used stuff from the house at the beginning getting duplicates "for the van" as time went on.
The bottle opener is the essential item though and something to drink your favourite tipple from.
We looked at Topaz's seriously on a couple of occasions so know how lovely they are.

Have a practise at home filling the water, plugging in the hook up, and making up the bed of course etc then you will have an idea on site - if your first site is a Caravan Club one you usually have to turn the hook up plug once it is in the bollard (catches people out). Most people are only too happy to help on a site and the Wardens/Owners are always a good point of help. We were totally clueless when we picked our Duetto up but the dealer showed us & gave us bits and pieces to get started.

Happy trips to you

Campievanner wrote:if your first site is a Caravan Club one you usually have to turn the hook up plug once it is in the bollard (catches people out).

Good point that Campie, amazed at how many people we have assisted having this problem and seem totally oblivious to twisting the hookup in the hookup socket, why they don't just have a sticker on the bollards saying "Plug in and twist clockwise" I don't know as it would save a lot of confusion to those not familiar with these setups.

Ann B wrote:We collect our Topaz in just over two weeks time and are planning our first night/weekend away.
Being total newbies to this what items are an absolute must for our weekend?

Surprised nobody has mentioned spare fuses and bulbs.

OK you may well not need to use either but 1) they take up very little space, and 2) you can collect a handful of both fuses and bulbs from your local breakers yard for free!

If you need to call in a Garage to buy either you will pay silly money!

hoopman wrote:Anne
The water filler that Brian is refering to is one of these [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] This is an essential for us & a small length flat pack hose. Saves space and squeezes out all the water when you roll it up.

You should be able to fit both in your Topaz gas locker.

John

Does anyone know whether these will fit the Fiamma water filler on my Clubman GL (assume it's an original fitting)?

Thanks in anticipation....

Hi Steve UK
Can confirm this filler will fit your clubman
John

Many thanks for that John. Not cheap for what it is from the look of it, but am getting fed up holding the filler hose for what seems like ages!

All the best,

Steve

Just in case anyone else gets caught out, this hose adaptor does not fit the Fiamma fresh water tank filler.

Steve

My water inlet with cap in place .....




The Fiamma locking cap; note the two lugs 180 degrees apart .....



The HEOSolution hose adaptor cap .....



The hose adaptor, inside view; note three fixing lugs 120 degrees apart ....

I bought my first van this weekend for myself and my dog, it is an autosleeper symbol and need most things before I make my first trip. I was quite excited reading about the heoswater connector until I just looked and I too have a fiamma water tank filler so something else to think about! One other question (well have lots really as a real novice) are sleeping bags that zip together better than duvets for the bed? Is there anywhere I can go to get simple advice on how what where etc. relating to the operation of the van facilities? Sorry if I sound dumb but am reading the manuals but much easier for someone to show me the workings.


Maureen

Hi Maureen,

Our dog just sleeps on the driver's seat and doesn't need a sleeping bag!

I prefer a duvet simply because (1) I already have one on my bed and just throw it on board, and (2) I find it easier to control my sleeping temperature by either throwing the duvet off or just sticking a leg out. It comes down to whatever suits you best in the end.

I won't be much help with anything specific to the Duetto as I have a Clubman myself, but there are more than enough Duetto owners on here to help you out so just ask away.

Enjoy your new 'van and the freedom it brings!

Steve

reenag06 wrote:I bought my first van this weekend for myself and my dog, it is an autosleeper symbol and need most things before I make my first trip. I was quite excited reading about the heoswater connector until I just looked and I too have a fiamma water tank filler so something else to think about! One other question (well have lots really as a real novice) are sleeping bags that zip together better than duvets for the bed? Is there anywhere I can go to get simple advice on how what where etc. relating to the operation of the van facilities? Sorry if I sound dumb but am reading the manuals but much easier for someone to show me the workings.


Maureen

Maureen,

In answer to your questions:

1. Just an ordinary hose will slot into the water fill point so I wouldn't worry about getting a fancy fitting. If you bend the end of the hose a bit before you slot it in it will even "hang" there whilst the water runs through.

2. Zip together sleeping bags are ideal - because you can use them individually! Helen and I tend to use the "two single beds" option as it is easier to get up in the night and to get breakfast in the morning. If the mood takes us then we can soon create a double bed and zip the bags together!

3. If you manage to get over here to Skegness for a weekend before the end of October let us know and we will teach you all we know about living in a Duetto; before we set off for Spain for the winter!

Best regards,

Ian

Hi Ian, thanks for the good information. I guess that can be a problem with first van, I read up on everything and think I must have ....... Your idea of the sleeping bag arrangements makes good sense as I probably will only use one single and the dog can have the floor which gives him more space! I love Scarborough and my holidays usually are in Whitby renting a cottage from a friend so now I can go much cheaper and when I want to. Will try and get there before you go to Spain - now that sounds like a plan for the future!!
Maureen

Hi there,

Looking forward to it.

The end of our garden backs on to a camp-site. (This is ridiculous!! I've lived here off and on for over fifty-five years, I pass the place about ten times a week and I've forgotten the @(£&@%! name!)

Anyway, it's on Roman Bank opposite North Shore Road.

Best regards,

Ian