Scandinavian Trip

[Peter and Connie Bradish]

This is for anyone interested in RVing in Europe.

We went on a 30 day RV Trip with European Motorhome Tours. Dieter and Gaby Weigelt own the company and run the tours. If you have never RVed in Europe, it would be a good way to try it first to see if you like it.

I have just put up all my pictures from the trip. I used Picassa Web Albums. When you click on the website, you will go to the first album. To see other albums click on Connie B's Gallery or Connie Bradish's Gallery. This will give you all the photo albums on that site. I arranged the pictures on the site by days in the tour and 2 specialty albums (our coach and Dieter and Gaby, wagonmasters).
We had an upgrade, a 24 foot RV. Most others had the standard RV which was a 21 foot Class C.

The websites are:

https://picasaweb.google.com/101803219954221211684/BradishScandinavianRVTrip

https://picasaweb.google.com/112189853499927723365/BradishScandinavianRVTrip

If any of you have questions or just want to talk about the trip, just contact us. Our e-mail is in the BAC directory.

We can tell you this, RVs in Europe are small and just as stupidly designed as those in the US. Most Europeans are camping and not RVing. So it's a totally different style of using an RV. They use the shower block to not only shower but the building also has kitchen facilities (sinks, burners, microwaves), sometimes a lounge with a large TV, laundry, cubicles with toilet, mirror, hair dryer, etc. Basically they use the RV to sleep in and use the shower block for everything else.

Mixed in the with the scenery photos are pictures of campgrounds, electric hookups, gray water dump sites, toilet chem dump areas, etc. It really is more like camping there although we NEVER saw a campfire or even a firepit.

But just to let you know I literally KISSED our Beaver when we got home. While we loved the trip, after an American RV European RVs are definitely tiny and inconvenient. However, we made do. And we are even doing it again. This time we are going to New Zealand and Australia and their RVs are pretty much like European RVs. At least this time we have an idea of what to expect and it won't be such a shock.

So enjoy your luxurious Beaver Motorcoach. They are the very best!!!!!   Connie B.

[JR LaFrance]

This is a different Story than ours. We RVed all over Europe for a total of 5 years in a Rapido 25 Ft. It was not bad. It had 2 separate permanent  beds and an inside garage for our motorcycle. We stayed in campsites for a grand total of less than 20 times. We stayed any and everywhere like parking lots, cemeteries, soccer field parkings etc... We never felt threatened and saw ALL of Europe including the ex soviet countries, ex Yougoslavia countries Russia and Turkey. We are now back in America and  have a 2009 43 Ft. Monterey which I find a little big for our lifestyles which is to never stay in campsites.We drive everyday and visit. We have an outside lift for our motorbike and only one permanent bed which is less than we had in Europe. we  travel 3 months in the spring and 3 months in the fall, so we have little use for a generator as we travel everyday and our batteries are always charged. We never stay in campsites. I guess if your idea of Rv is going from one campsite to another Europe could be a bore. I  Use a RV to see things and not as a lifestyle. Otherwise, I would stay home. Our Rapido had a shower, watch TV every night and ate in it all the time. I am not so sure if I prefer my Beaver instead of my Rapido for the type of travel I do. To each his own I guess. But I would not like anybody to be put off by this negative assessment of visiting Europe as it is just a point of view. Our favourite country was Norway.

[Peter and Connie Bradish]

Bald Eagle,

I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. Peter and I LOVED the trip. The scenery and all the attractions we visited were wonderful and the caravan leaders, Dieter and Gaby, were super. And yes, Norway is FABULOUS.

What we were not used to was the small cramped nature of the European RV. I admit we have been spoiled by our Beaver (36 ft, no slides). We have not RVed in any thing small since the 1970s so I think we forgot just how small some RVs can be.

As I said we are going to go to Australia/New Zealand in 2012. We will be using small RVs again. It wasn't really bad but it was a shock to us as we hadn't really prepared ourselves for such a small RV. So I just wanted to bring to everyone's attention that if they are considering Europe or Australia/New Zealand to prepare themselves for the difference in RVing there from what we are used to in our Beaver's in the US.

Working on our bucket list. Hugs, Connie B.

[Keith Cooper]

In the late 90's we flew into Christ Church, Nz from Australia rented a motor home and did a self guided tour of both islands, returning to Australia from Auckland.  I have to say it was one of the most spectacular trips we have ever taken. Rental RVs at the time were based on either a Toyota or Mercedes chasis. Today there is a 3rd and 4th choice Fiat or Kia. I would suggest going with one of the deluxe units with an automatic transmission. Some of the towns on the south island are very hilly and manual transmissions on your left side can be a little challenging. Dunedin is a good example the hills reminded me of driving in Seattle. The only change I would make if we did the trip again would be to fly into Auckland first and return from Christ Church. The two islands are very different and the south island is one postcard photo opp after another.