Leaving for a trip is always exciting, a mixture of excitement and nervousness that reaches its peak when it's time to pack your suitcase. What should I take, what will the weather be like, should I pack my flip-flops, my mackintosh...? Only when we have locked the door of our house and have moved a few metres away from home sweet home do we say: ‘I'm taking my passport and my wallet, that's it! The rest can be arranged’. If our trip is also in a camper van, whether it is our first experience or not, the tension is multiplied. Will it have towels, a torch...? Well, we are going to try to clear up your doubts about the essential things for your Camper van trip and the most advisable things to take in your suitcase to enjoy your holidays in an unforgettable ‘road trip’.
ESSENTIAL CAMPER EQUIPMENT
Equipment included in the Caracolvan camper vans for hire
Almost all camper vans or motorhomes, rental or not, are equipped with a series of basic elements to allow us to live a comfortable nomadic life. Caracolvan camper vans for rent also include a full range of extra equipment included in the price, which means that you don't have to bring or pay any extra to get your little house on wheels ready to enjoy a holiday.
BED COVER or BEDDING COAT?
We start with the basics, a bed to sleep comfortably and comfortably. Most people take their sleeping bag with them when they go camping, but in the camper we prefer to take our own duvet and sheets. Why? Because the bed stays made up and you sleep better with sheets. That's why we include bed linen, sheets (fitted sheet and duvet cover) for the duvet and a couple of pillows. This is basic and is included in all our rental vans. Only if you are three or four people you have to tell us to add a ‘pack’ more for all occupants that does carry a small surcharge. What are you more of bag? then throw it in the backpack, it will always allow you to sleep a day under the stars.
Insider tips: Pack only half of the clothes you plan to take with you on holiday - you'll never use it all!
BATH, TOWELS AND SHAMPOO
Beach or mountain? It doesn't matter, the shower is included in your van (hot water and inside if you have chosen the Maxi Camper or outside and weather water if you go in a Vw California or Eco Camper). That's why we include a couple of bath towels per person, one shower towel and one hand towel, and of course a beach towel in case you take a dip in the sea or river. Regarding hygiene items, we recommend you bring your complete toiletries bag, shower gel, shampoo... and a pair of flip-flops always helps and takes up nothing in your suitcase. Toilet chemicals are included in the rental price, whether you take a Weisnberg Carabus (Maxi Camper) or rent a portable toilet in any of the other vans.
Towels for two people are included in your Caracolvan rental van. Also a beach towel to enjoy Cádiz to the fullest. As well as bed linen.
EATING AND SCRATCHING
It's all about getting started, as you know. Our camper vans are equipped with a fully functional kitchen. So you can make your own lentil stew if you feel like it and have the time. One or two gas hobs (the first load is included), a sink and a compressor fridge (the real kind), which cools and keeps beers nice and cool. We also include everything you need for eating (plates, glasses, cutlery...) and for cooking (frying pans, casseroles, cutting board...) ahhh the pressure cooker for the lentils is optional ;-). Important, Italian coffee maker for the coffee lovers. From there, whether you want to eat every day in the van or enjoy the regional specialities is up to you. Our recommendation is to make a mix so that the budget doesn't shoot up, alternating eating in the van with some lunch/dinner out. Of course, do your shopping in the local shops, there are always surprising things in the gastronomy of each village.
TROUSERS OR SKIRT
Clothes are different for everyone, but one thing is universal. We always carry more things in our suitcase than we need. Taking into account the time of year we are travelling and the destination, we will pack the most usual things. That's the logical thing to do. But then the ‘just in case’ is what ruins us at Ryanair. The best thing to travel in a campervan is comfortable and versatile clothes, some warm clothes and of course a swimming costume. And all this stuffed in a soft suitcase, as the camper has its own cupboards where we can arrange it and then fold the suitcase in the boot. Hard suitcases are a nuisance when they are empty, they spend the whole day going backwards and forwards. Let's not forget that there are laundrettes in most campsites and villages, where, if our holidays are long, we can do the laundry and we don't need to carry a clean change of clothes for each day of the trip.
A soft suitcase is a good option for travelling in a Camper, as it allows you to store your clothes in the wardrobe and not have them in the way.
ADVENTURE AND LEISURE
The best thing about travelling in a Camper is that it allows us to get as close as possible to our hobbies, whatever we like the most, whether it is kitesurfing, caving or eating in 3 Michelin star restaurants, nothing is incompatible with travelling in a Camper. If you like diving, then you take the equipment with you. If casinos are your thing, then you take the dinner jacket and the 500€ notes. Our camper trip can be in full contact with nature or 100% cultural, we can sleep lost in the countryside or in the middle of a city. Wake up on a beach or at the foot of a market or a fish market .... whichever we like best. Depending on this, each person has to carry what he/she needs to enjoy his/her passion. We provide you with a table and a couple of chairs outside to enjoy the environment, whether it is a forest or a dune. #vanlife
A camper or motorhome allows you to be in full contact with nature, we provide the van, the table and chairs outside, you choose the place.
A pair of country boots for a walk, a good book or some music for the journey are never a bad thing. Our vans and motorhomes have cable connection (USB or mini-Jack) or bluetooth (depending on the model) to enjoy music on the road. We also include a torch, but if you are a night owl it never hurts to have a headlamp to keep your hands free when the sun goes down...
PLANNED OR UNPLANNED TRAVEL
You can have a fully planned trip, with the route, the places to sleep (motorhome areas or campsites) and the tickets for the cultural visits already taken out, or you can arrive with your backpack and go wherever the wind takes you. There's a bit of everything, and you need to do both, either to have time to plan your trip and imagine it or to avoid getting nervous if you don't know where you're going to end up until late at night.
A little pre-planning of the trip is not a bad thing, but remember, you are travelling in a van, you are free to choose your destination every day. Don't make your planning too tight, you never know what or who you'll meet along the way.
Our recommendation is to have more or less looked at the area where you are going, the best options to visit and then go closing plans in the short term, because you never know the wonderful place you can find... The good thing about travelling by camper van or motorhome is that you can afford the luxury of improvising, because everything you need you take with you. #homeiswhereyouparkit , nowadays, with mobile applications for maps and places to spend the night (Park4night, Campercontact...) we can design our trip at the moment.
Mobile and tablet apps are very useful for deciding which route to take or where to sleep tonight. We recommend Park4Night or CamperContact.
We provide you with a paper map and some recommendations of the area, and of course, if you ask us, we will tell you the best places to enjoy with our/your camper van. To sum up, before starting our trip we have to prepare some essentials for your trip in a camper van: -Soft luggage. -Half of the clothes you were planning to take. -Swimsuit. -Flip-flops. -Comfortable trainers or boots. -Sunscreen. -Toiletry bag with gel and shampoo. -Something warm. -Music on your mobile or USB. -Headlamp or flashlight. -Mobile applications (Park4Night, CamperContact)
