So what has changed?

[EuroTrotters]

Winter December 2005, we boarded the ferry to Spain. We were the only Motorhome on the ship. The captain was on the car deck, they parked us at the bow door. The captain can over and said....

You are first off in the morning, DO NOT BE LATE!.

In February 2006, sane thing, just us in a Motorhome.


Fast forward to yesterday, waiting to board Cap finistere, there was a sea of motorhomes and caravans, barely a solo car in sight.

I could not sell BF Spain to friends and family.

So what’s changed ?

TM

 

[sallylillian]

View attachment 211621 Winter December 2005, we boarded the ferry to Spain. We were the only Motorhome on the ship. The captain was on the car deck, they parked us at the bow door. The captain can over and said....

You are first off in the morning, DO NOT BE LATE!.

In February 2006, sane thing, just us in a Motorhome.


Fast forward to yesterday, waiting to board Cap finistere, there was a sea of motorhomes and caravans, barely a solo car in sight.

I could not sell BF Spain to friends and family.

So what’s changed ?

TM

BF Profits!

 

[WillH]

There's a lot more money about!

 

[Podney]

Lots of baby boomers with dosh.
Lots of people now able to raid their pension funds.
Lots of easy credit.
Lots of retired people in an ageing population.

Or are they just escaping from something the rest of us don’t know about.....yet!?

 

[nicholsong]

Trev

Possible reasons -

Cost of driving through France has gone up.

Saving on heating bills while away has increased.

They are going now before 90-day visas start.

Ships have better stabilisers for Biscay now.

Why did you not spend the evening doing a survey on board? You could have had the answer to your question before disembarking - instead of wearing out our brains and fingers

geoff

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[Mother Ship]

We were amazed too - never before seen so many m’homes at check in- Portsmouth ferry terminal could have been a huge dealers parking lot. We were also pleasantly surprised once underway on road that didn’t see any on road after first hill out of Bilbao - where did they all go????!!

 

[EuroTrotters]

We were amazed too - never before seen so many m’homes at check in- Portsmouth ferry terminal could have been a huge dealers parking lot. We were also pleasantly surprised once underway on road that didn’t see any on road after first hill out of Bilbao - where did they all go????!!

Pyrenees skiiing at the moment

 

[CazPaul]

Just some of the reasons I have heard recently.
1.People have realised that you only live once and don't get a second chance.
2.Friends and relatives have died, become disabled, seriously ill, all relatively young(50,s, 60,s, 70,s) and people think''Stuff it, we are going to have a last hoorah for a few years'' before the inevitable happens.
3. What the point of dying or going in a care home with a pile of money in the bank, a big pension and a big house
4. Love of travel and seeing different places.

Having said we did the Newcastle to Amsterdam overnight ferry a week last Thursday and there was 1 motorhome on board I could see.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I

Just some of the reasons I have heard recently.
1.People have realised that you only live once and don't get a second chance.
2.Friends and relatives have died, become disabled, seriously ill, all relatively young(50,s, 60,s, 70,s) and people think''Stuff it, we are going to have a last hoorah for a few years'' before the inevitable happens.
3. What the point of dying or going in a care home with a pile of money in the bank, a big pension and a big house
4. Love of travel and seeing different places.

Having said we did the Newcastle to Amsterdam overnight ferry a week last Thursday and there was 1 motorhome on board I could see.

I can go with all of that too, those your thoughts?

 

[scotzsue]

We will be using BF Spain again theis year, cuts down the driving and fuel to get to Portugal, gives us more time in Spain and Portugal, so ,hopefully, better weather. We like to meander through Franc when we have plenty of time, but for shorter breaks like getting part way there whilst we are asleep.
Life is short and we do need to take the chance to get away when we can. love the less rigid campsites and the aires.

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[Viennese]

And it's half term!

 

[EuroTrotters]

And it's half term!

Barely a child in sight. Must be all escaping the children!

 

[ianthebuilder]

Just some of the reasons I have heard recently.
1.People have realised that you only live once and don't get a second chance.
2.Friends and relatives have died, become disabled, seriously ill, all relatively young(50,s, 60,s, 70,s) and people think''Stuff it, we are going to have a last hoorah for a few years'' before the inevitable happens.
3. What the point of dying or going in a care home with a pile of money in the bank, a big pension and a big house
4. Love of travel and seeing different places.

Having said we did the Newcastle to Amsterdam overnight ferry a week last Thursday and there was 1 motorhome on board I could see.

What was Amsterdam like Paul,, where did you stay mate? Ian

 

[CazPaul]

I


I can go with all of that too, those your thoughts?

Yes, some of those ring true with me but its such a big step at 52, 60 my cut off date and just hope I don't snuff it just before or just after.

 

[CazPaul]

What was Amsterdam like Paul,, where did you stay mate? Ian

We went straight to Hamburg Ian, for the weekend.

Been to Amsterdam once before, its a lovely place but need to be careful of pickpockets, it is rife there, Caz almost got done but I spotted the thieving bleeder.
The bars are great, people laying in windows smoking joints all chilled out. Worth a visit, especially if you are a single male I would imagine.

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[EuroTrotters]

Yes, some of those ring true with me but its such a big step at 52, 60 my cut off date and just hope I don't snuff it just before or just after.

I hope so too

 

[Emmit]

Conversely, we were on the Pompey-Caen ferry last Thursday and there were, I think, three 'vans and four caravans.
The rest of the cargo was lorries and they were so close our pips squeaked.

Oh! yes! I have just been reminded by SWMBO. There were four coach loads of french schoolkids, Bliss!

Now in the Sun in Castellon. Just for the record, 27 'vans in the 40 van Aire at the Grau. 44 vans at the aerodrome car park (That one apparently holds a 100)

 

[Four of us]

Lots of baby boomers with dosh.
Lots of people now able to raid their pension funds.
Lots of easy credit.
Lots of retired people in an ageing population.

Or are they just escaping from something the rest of us don’t know about.....yet!?

I agree with the above. In the five years we've had our van we've noticed how much busier it seems to be getting in France, Spain etc. It makes us wonder what it will be like in 10/15 years time as there are fewer people retiring with as good pensions? Mabe not the time to have investments in campsites?