How much do you plan ? (9 Viewers)

[jumar]

Greatly depends on the purpose of your trip...
If you just want a tour, then planning can be open...
If you have a desire to visit specific sites of interest, then a plan is required to ensure you don't miss any and you make good use of your time...
A city tour, historical or places of natural interest...something to see, something to do...
For us still being fairly sporting, we plan where we can participate in what we want. However if the drive and the place you overnight is your goal, together with a walk into the near village for a coffee...that takes little planning...
Many ask is if we have been here or there..mainly cities....we often reply, not, as our intention is to visit these when we are older and our sporting desires are less...careful planning might be needed..
Also there is always having a back up in your schedule...just in case a change in weather or the overnight stay being full..
We are Planning on going away on Tuesday we have been home far too long....the weather is very mixed here in Spain...so a careful plan is essential...

 

[Wh05apk]

We plan, last night I booked our ferry for 3rd October to Calais, and return on 26th November... between those dates we'll follow the sun, probably to Spain.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

Just the crossing dates, where we go depends on the weather and how we feel.

 

[BrochMike]

Since I have started trialling early (premature?) retirement, after a stressful working life driven by planning, deadlines and schedules, I decided to embrace the adage "Live for the moment".

For now, I'm just about coping with not knowing what I might be doing tomorrow. I'm not sure the fact I can't remember what I was doing yesterday has any bearing ...

 

[daveclare]

As far as we're concerned, the whole point of motorhoming is enjoying yourselves. Like I said in another post. We can't change who we are. So whether you're random, a planner, or a mix of the two.

Just enjoy the time you have. Sounds cheesy....... did someone mention cheese and wine and fresh baguettes and Aperol and warm sunlight on your face and wandering down empty A Roads......

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[simsy56]

We have booked the ferry off the Isle of Man...........that's it! We'll return when ready.

Craig

 

[Andy1954]

We usually have the first couple of days planned. We have a rough idea of where we want to end up but no idea of how we are getting there. Currently in Black Forest it’s fecking freezing so going to move back into France and go south for some

 

[andyman]

Travelled upto west coast of Scotland last Sunday, and it's the first time having no plan has caused a few issues. We are happy to camp off grid, but draw the line at a bit of gravel at the side of the road. Up around Fort William was not easy, called 4 campsites in the end all were full.
Made me think some planning would have made it easier.

 

[BikerGraham]

I could never ever do that, my brain simply wouldn’t let me, for me that would be impossible!!
After 20 yrs holidaying/touring on the Harley and HAVING to plan a place to put my head every night, it’s maybe something I can never change

Maybe I’m just not cut out for motorhoming

Why is a nine different.

When I was over in Germany in May with my son on our bikes, when we were ready to stop for a night just checked on booking.com for somewhere around here.

He has said since he loved the freedom. It was the first time he had wandered without a plan.

Same on all our previous motorbike trips with the boss.

 

[BikerGraham]

We usually have the first couple of days planned. We have a rough idea of where we want to end up but no idea of how we are getting there. Currently in Black Forest it’s fecking freezing so going to move back into France and go south for some

Yep it’s cold at night and weather is unsettled. Heading down towards Wurzberg today.

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[beachwomble]

Apart from the ferry, due to the 90 days rule, not much. I'm in a valley in Germany and don't know where I'll be staying tonight.

 

[fishplug]

I'm in the 'follow your nose' school of thought usually, although I do some 'ad-hoc' planning as we move along.

For example, once we've stopped somewhere for the night, I'll do a bit of research and see what's in the area that we might want to look at or do the following day. I'll also sometimes have a bit of a look at two or three possible places to camp once we know that we're not going too much further that day.

Beyond that my planning is all really in getting the van ready for a trip. Do the vehicle mechanical checks, make sure I've got water and a couple of emergency meals, clothing for all eventualities, spares for things that need spares - that sort of thing.

After that it's just a case of heading off and seeing where the journey takes us.

 

[BikerGraham]

I suppose if I planned I might have already visited the Dordogne. Last couple of years have set out towards that at. But as yet never managed it.

One day the wandering will weave its way over there.
Well maybe

 

[DJL220]

Just back from our first ever trip to France, only 17 days but it felt like much longer
We knew we wanted to do the D-day beaches in Normandy and the rest we had no idea. My wife is a planner and for the first time ever we went with the flow. So many places to go and see, more Aires and places to park the MH than you can possible imagine. We picked an area to visit based upon weather and things to do and headed off. Looked on SFS, Park4night or ACSI and went towards an Aire/campsite etc. A few times we got somewhere and then moved on as the Aire was full or the campsite didn’t suit us.
Do what ever feels right for you and enjoy the lovely roads, great food and wine - cheers

 

[Oldrat]

We check out holiday brochures for the countries we intend to visit and see if there are any highlights we fancy visiting.

We plot them on a map with sticky dots and then a route becomes obvious, joining the dots so to speak.

That’s the extent of our planning and we only do that when we travel abroad. In the country, we get into the van and check the weather, then head off where we fancy.

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[Itsmcb]

Don't forget, you non-planners, that some insurances, especially breakdown cover, require you to have a return ferry or tunnel crossing pre-booked.

 

[Millcourt]

We are on a Ferry on Wednesday, not a clue where we are going……..

……so, you will obviously head for Germany for the great food and wine, which you enjoy so much!

 

[Bessy765]

We live 10 mins from the Plymouth ferry to either Roscoff or Santander. The van lives in a garage at the bottom of our garden, other than any fresh food is always packed and ready to go. On our last trip the ferry sailed at 22:00 we booked it at 19:30 got to Roscoff straight on and that was it. Our next one is 90 days Spain and Portugal getting the ferry so we land in Spain on the morning of the 1 st of the 90 and leaving Santander on the evening of the 90 th day. That’s the closest we get to planning.

 

[HKF]

Not really
It’s a state of mind. Chill and enjoy

Some people's state of mind doesn't allow for that.

 

[Spriddler]

Why is a nine different.

When I was over in Germany in May with my son on our bikes, when we were ready to stop for a night just checked on booking.com for somewhere around here.

He has said since he loved the freedom. It was the first time he had wandered without a plan.

Same on all our previous motorbike trips with the boss.

I did exactly the same for two weeks with my two sons just before Covid struck. Rode down to Northern Spain and whizzed around the Picos mountains. We stopped at a bar wherever we turned up and looked on Booking.com for each night's stay. Fabulous trip.

It was very hot, around 30degs most of the trip.......

and there were some terrific thunderstorms

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[Lenny HB]

I could never ever do that, my brain simply wouldn’t let me, for me that would be impossible!!
After 20 yrs holidaying/touring on the Harley and HAVING to plan a place to put my head every night, it’s maybe something I can never change

Maybe I’m just not cut out for motorhoming

You need some serious retraining son, for a start stop going to Krautland every year and spread your wings.

 

[PaddyM]

Lots , we don’t do Aires and like certainty . I would never turn up at a campsite with the remotest chance of not been able to get in . Currently on a four week tour of France and Spain and every night was booked in advance . Having a ball .

 

[jumar]

Lots , we don’t do Aires and like certainty . I would never turn up at a campsite with the remotest chance of not been able to get in . Currently on a four week tour of France and Spain and every night was booked in advance . Having a ball .

I'm intrigued why you don't do Aires....many are just like small campsites but a fraction of the price...and can be situated in very favourable locations.....
We have a network of on average 16 place Camperstops here in Spain....fully fenced and gated...pay for what you need....just overnight....6€. And the much used Camping carparks in France...many were municipal campsites in their early days...now in average..11/12€ per night... including EHU...

 

[Grangy]

As most of the others have said , not a great deal of planning involved. Perhaps a rough idea of which area but that's about it. Off to France on Thurs for 3 weeks , only plan so far is Thiers to look at the knife making . Saw it on dick and angel strawbridge prog and it looked kind of interesting

 

[PaulW2]

I plan ... an average amount. A common-sense amount. Non-fetishistically

Without any planning I don't get the van packed, I don't get the ticket across the channel, I don't know which road to take once I get there, where to stop...

Sometimes it's a point-to-point military operation. At other times it's more of a meander and finding things as we go.

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[Howard B]

We always set out with a plan, but rarely stick to it.
Heading off on Weds and hoping to do Arromanches, La Rochelle and then down to the Dordogne. Will be checking the weather and if it looks ropey for more than a few days we will head somewhere else. We have 5 or 6 weeks so plenty of time.

 

[The Old Man]

Now let me think? Going away;

I drive out of Cardiff on the A4232 to reach the M4. I allocate some vehicle colours to left (West) and an equal number to right (East).

The winner decides which way I turn at the M4 junction.

If East wins, I do the same as I go down the M4 and turn North or South on the M5!

 

[Skez]

No plan. Plans only get broken. Identify tomorrow's stopover today.

We have realised that whenever we 'plan' to visit a specific location we are often disappointed, however, when we explore wherever we have chosen to spend the night, we are very often pleasantly surprised by what we find. Usually interesting and pretty towns, and few tourists.

We left home two weeks ago, had a booked ferry outbound, our insurance through Nationwide now insist in the T&C's that there's a return booked, so we have a flexible return ticket in November.

Half way down Italy now so went online last night and booked a ferry to Greece on Tuesday.

For us, this is the absolute joy of motorhoming. Total flexibility.

 

[LesW]

Are we to believe that some folk just wander about aimlessly hoping to stumble across some interesting locations?

 

[BikerGraham]

Are we to believe that some folk just wander about aimlessly hoping to stumble across some interesting locations?

Works for us

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