Tam and Toby ~~ Hunting Zorba .....Take two.

Podney said:
Hi carolyn ,would you mind sharing who does those organised tours please? Of course I,being a real man hahaha,don’t need such things but the Duchess isn’t as confident (but maybe wiser). Thanks.
Click to expand...
We went on a GB motorhome tour to Norway and Denmark in 2019 and absolutely loved it. Obviously you can do these things more cheaply on your own but we would never have done it. I am also quite sociable whereas Nick is quite shy by nature so these sorts of things are good, he has to get involved and once he’s there he’s fine. Whilst on it we’d booked the Balkans one for 2020 which was cancelled. There is a maximum of 15 vans and a minimum of 7.

We had a disastrous experience with Crossings when we turned up and it was us, one other couple plus the tour guide. We felt we’d been really misled, if we’d known we would have transferred to the other tour that wasn’t full and left on the same ferry as us for Italy. It turned out that the tour leaders were new and we were their first tour. Other people have had good experiences with them though.

GB are more expensive but include more trips and joint meals, We transferred our deposit from the Balkans to Croatia for the end of August/September 2021 but will only go if it’s safe to do so. It’s not cheap so I don’t want to feel I’m not getting the full experience. I’d rather wait and see what‘s on offer next year.
 
carolyn said:
We went on a GB motorhome tour to Norway and Denmark in 2019 and absolutely loved it. Obviously you can do these things more cheaply on your own but we would never have done it. I am also quite sociable whereas Nick is quite shy by nature so these sorts of things are good, he has to get involved and once he’s there he’s fine. Whilst on it we’d booked the Balkans one for 2020 which was cancelled. There is a maximum of 15 vans and a minimum of 7.

We had a disastrous experience with Crossings when we turned up and it was us, one other couple plus the tour guide. We felt we’d been really misled, if we’d known we would have transferred to the other tour that wasn’t full and left on the same ferry as us for Italy. It turned out that the tour leaders were new and we were their first tour. Other people have had good experiences with them though.

GB are more expensive but include more trips and joint meals, We transferred our deposit from the Balkans to Croatia for the end of August/September 2021 but will only go if it’s safe to do so. It’s not cheap so I don’t want to feel I’m not getting the full experience. I’d rather wait and see what‘s on offer next year.
Click to expand...
I could do that ...i mean be a tour guide

Maybe once ive finished building "kouros" ill take tours around Europe 😁
 
Northernraider said:
I could do that ...i mean be a tour guide

Maybe once ive finished building "kouros" ill take tours around Europe 😁
Click to expand...
You’d be dead handy with a spanner as well!

How would you be with the moaning minnies though, there’s always one? I wouldn’t have the patience. We had one, she was nicknamed Mrs New Zealand. The trees weren’t as green, the fjords weren’t as wet, the waterfalls weren’t as high, the roads were worse, the food was bad. You get my drift.

Mind you the rest of us found it all a bit of a laugh. Her husband would just walk off !

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
carolyn said:
You’d be dead handy with a spanner as well!

How would you be with the moaning minnies though, there’s always one? I wouldn’t have the patience. We had one, she was nicknamed Mrs New Zealand. The trees weren’t as green, the fjords weren’t as wet, the waterfalls weren’t as high, the roads were worse, the food was bad. You get my drift.

Mind you the rest of us found it all a bit of a laugh. Her husband would just walk off !
Click to expand...
I find a slap works 😁
 
Northernraider said:
I could do that ...i mean be a tour guide

Maybe once ive finished building "kouros" ill take tours around Europe 😁
Click to expand...
Are you serious...😳

you really want half of this lot following you around in real life.... :doh:

That cold snow must have frozen ya brain....

JACKIE, GIVE HIM A GOOD BASH ON THE HEAD...🤯

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
carolyn said:
We went on a GB motorhome tour to Norway and Denmark in 2019 and absolutely loved it. Obviously you can do these things more cheaply on your own but we would never have done it. I am also quite sociable whereas Nick is quite shy by nature so these sorts of things are good, he has to get involved and once he’s there he’s fine. Whilst on it we’d booked the Balkans one for 2020 which was cancelled. There is a maximum of 15 vans and a minimum of 7.

We had a disastrous experience with Crossings when we turned up and it was us, one other couple plus the tour guide. We felt we’d been really misled, if we’d known we would have transferred to the other tour that wasn’t full and left on the same ferry as us for Italy. It turned out that the tour leaders were new and we were their first tour. Other people have had good experiences with them though.

GB are more expensive but include more trips and joint meals, We transferred our deposit from the Balkans to Croatia for the end of August/September 2021 but will only go if it’s safe to do so. It’s not cheap so I don’t want to feel I’m not getting the full experience. I’d rather wait and see what‘s on offer next year.
Click to expand...
I don't see anything wrong with these tours. You get a lot of value from them and it may give you confidence to have a go yourself. If not - who cares. Just enjoy your motorhome and all the lovely places yu can go.

We sold up everything in 2007 and went touring and full timing for three years. We followed an excellent article in MMM which suggested going from Plymouth to Roscoff because its a much quieter port (Calais would be hard work if it's your first time abroad). It gave exact details of how to get out of the port (turn right at the top, going right around the roundabout not left etc etc). Directed us to a campsite at St Pol de Leon (only a few miles). It said the next day at 12 when its quiet in French towns take the van in to the centre of the village so you get used to being on the wrong side. It worked like magic and we found a lovey creperie open. Sooo French. we couldn't believe what we'd done.
Since then we've been all over Europe.
Can't wait to go again but it wont be this year for medical reasons - hope for next year though.
 
Just smiffy said:
Are you serious...😳

you really want half of this lot following you around in real life.... :doh:

That cold snow must have frozen ya brain....

JACKIE, GIVE HIM A GOOD BASH ON THE HEAD...🤯
Click to expand...
Well there would be a very strict vetting process done first lol ...and they'd have to answer a questionnaire on flt practices etc 😉
 
StephandJohn said:
I don't see anything wrong with these tours. You get a lot of value from them and it may give you confidence to have a go yourself. If not - who cares. Just enjoy your motorhome and all the lovely places yu can go.

We sold up everything in 2007 and went touring and full timing for three years. We followed an excellent article in MMM which suggested going from Plymouth to Roscoff because its a much quieter port (Calais would be hard work if it's your first time abroad). It gave exact details of how to get out of the port (turn right at the top, going right around the roundabout not left etc etc). Directed us to a campsite at St Pol de Leon (only a few miles). It said the next day at 12 when its quiet in French towns take the van in to the centre of the village so you get used to being on the wrong side. It worked like magic and we found a lovey creperie open. Sooo French. we couldn't believe what we'd done.
Since then we've been all over Europe.
Can't wait to go again but it wont be this year for medical reasons - hope for next year though.
Click to expand...
We happily tour France and Spain on our own but Norway was a bit outside our comfort zone as would the Balkans have been. At least 6 of the couples on the Norway trip had booked the Balkans trip like us so I think that tells you how good it was.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
carolyn said:
We happily tour France and Spain on our own but Norway was a bit outside our comfort zone as would the Balkans have been. At least 6 of the couples on the Norway trip had booked the Balkans trip like us so I think that tells you how good it was.
Click to expand...
We haven't done Norway but two years ago did Slovenia and Croatia. Wanted to do more of the Balkans but ran out of time.
 
carolyn said:
We happily tour France and Spain on our own but Norway was a bit outside our comfort zone as would the Balkans have been. At least 6 of the couples on the Norway trip had booked the Balkans trip like us so I think that tells you how good it was.
Click to expand...
6 ? Was it all in convoy? That must be a logistical nightmare lol

Although that said its quite common with the French

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
StephandJohn said:
We haven't done Norway but two years ago did Slovenia and Croatia. Wanted to do more of the Balkans but ran out of time.
Click to expand...
Thats very easy to do

I can say that 90 days is nowhere near enough to do greece ...ive done more than 90 just in peloponnese and only done the lower half of that
 
Northernraider said:
6 ? Was it all in convoy? That must be a logistical nightmare lol

Although that said its quite common with the French
Click to expand...
No thank goodness. You’d all just make your own way there. There were two vans who tended to stick together but the rest of us just made our own way. You knew your destination and could decide your own route. Sometimes there were recommended routes with not to be missed things to see. Some people just wanted to get to the next destination ASAP. We’ve got a PVC which was nice on some of the roads which were a bit narrow for the bigger vans.
 
carolyn said:
No thank goodness. You’d all just make your own way there. There were two vans who tended to stick together but the rest of us just made our own way. You knew your destination and could decide your own route. Sometimes there were recommended routes with not to be missed things to see. Some people just wanted to get to the next destination ASAP. We’ve got a PVC which was nice on some of the roads which were a bit narrow for the bigger vans.
Click to expand...
Ah that makes more sense ....i did wonder as ive had jackie following me around for the last 2.5 months and i we generally just agree on a spot to meet up at and then head off on our own time ... sometimes shes right behind me others one has arrived a good while before the other but much easier than trying to follow someone which ive had folk trying to do before.

Same thing here ...jackies little vw can nip through some of the small villages quicker and easier than my MH
 
I have the Hobbit in cabin outside in garden - very good and pumps out lots of heat 👍
Well made fire and big window to see fire.
 
15edward said:
You could do your own tours Tam
Very Small groups - wild camping
You’d never stop working !
Click to expand...
Yes VERY small groups...like Tam and...well...and even Tam might cancel !
 
Well it looks like i may or may not get my vario at the minute.

Having spoke with the owner on sunday and him saying he was delivering it today my mum had been asking if she needed to unlock the driveway gates tjis morning and move her car etc so i thought it best to give him a call to confirm delivery

On the phone i get a very agressive woman who started ranting from the off that it wouldn't be delivered today as i hadnt paid for it

I tried to explain to her that john ( the owner ) and i had discussed this on sunday regarding payment methods and that i had offered to pay a large deposit up to half the cost etc upfront via bank transfer and the rest on delivery

And before i could finish she interrupted ranting that they didn't want a deposit they wanted the full amount etc

Totally shouted over me everytime i tried to speak and then hung up the phone on me 🤷🏻‍♂️


So im now in a quandry with what to do

Ive sent a message via ebay to the seller which i believe was the owners daughter asking john to phone me as the person on the phone could not hold a conversation without being rude but ive no idea whether she has access to those messages.


I still want the bus but im reluctant just tk pay nearly £4k to a perfect stranger in the premise they will deliver the vehicle and that it will be in the condition its in now etc .... different if i was collecting it but they could crash the bus on route or simply not deliver it etc and claim its up to me to collect.

I could pay it via paypal and let them encounter the huge fees for receiving that amount and that would give me some form of protection etc
Or i could walk away lose the bus and probably get a non paying bidder strike from ebay.

I didnt get the impression from the owner that he was in anyway untrustworthy etc but there are certain risks involved which id like to minimise.

Im already acceptant of the fact i haven't seen the van etc before bidding and i was happy to take that chance at the price.

But anything could happen between me paying for it and it being delivered in my mind.


So whats people's opinions?


Im aware when you buy new MH etc you often pay for it before receiving it but this is a new one on me

Ive never paid for a vehicle without actually being there to receive the keys etc ...nor have i ever asked anyone else to do that .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top