Camuyano’s European Campervan Trip
Introduction
Although this trip may not really qualify as an “expedition”
in that we will be traveling primarily over paved highways on a regular
campervan, any self-guided driving tour of a foreign country can be an
adventure and camping allows for the kind of cultural exchanges
that are at the core of overland travel. It is also a reconnaissance trip for
more ambitious trips from Western Europe to Northern Africa, Eastern
Europe and beyond.
Background
I don’t know when the idea of a European campervan trip
began. Perhaps it was during my first and only trip to Europe
as a teenager with my father and sister. We were on a guided bus tour of the
“essential” European sights. Trying to cover all of Europe’s
main attractions in twenty-one days required a schedule as intense as that of a
rock band on a world tour. The excursion also featured many “un-scheduled”
stops where we would be funneled into some souvenir shop or restaurant that no
doubt had an arrangement with the travel company. I hated these stops and felt
that we were missing the “real” Europe so I
vowed to return on my own and explore the continent at my own pace now that I
knew which places I wanted to see more of.
Most college students choose to explore Europe
traveling by train while living out of a backpack and staying at hostels. While
this is probably the cheapest and most adventuresome way of seeing Europe, it seemed just a bit too “exposed” for me. I
wanted to have a place I could retreat to at times when the road got to be too
much for me. I’ve always had a fascination with vehicles that also serve as
living quarters, such as cruising sailboats and, of course, campers. If I could
have such a vehicle with me in Europe, I
thought, it would be the perfect means to see the continent the way I wanted
to. Later, when I got married, I was certain that the backpacking/hostel thing
wasn’t going to work. After some initial hesitation, my new bride came to
embrace the campervan idea and grew to be even more exited than I was about the
trip.
This article outlines our preparations for the trip and will
eventually link to on-the-road updates and photographs.
Research
Since I had been thinking of the trip for many years, much
of the research has been done years in advance. The first thing I did was get
on the Internet and Google “Europe camper van
rental”. There are many campervan rental companies that have websites as well
as sites that allow you to search for vans by country.
Through my Internet search I found a book, which I consider
an invaluable reference for planning a campervan trip through Europe.
It’s called Europe by Van and Motorhome by David
Shore and Patty Campbell.
The book contains information on the different options such as renting, leasing
or buying new or used, from a private party or an agency that caters to tourists.
It also discusses campsites, driving techniques, trip preparation and
country-specific information.
I recently came across another book called Traveler’s Guide to European Camping
by Mike & Terri Church that is on its 3rd edition. This book
contains more information on campsites by country and is a good reference to
take along in order to help locate campsites and know which are
the better ones.
Another useful reference is the AA
Caravan & Camping Europe Guide, a directory of campsites throughout
mainland Europe published every year by the
British Automobile Association. (The 2005 guide hadn’t come out as of this
writing. If camping in Scandinavia be advised that the comments in Amazon.com
say that the books doesn’t include campsites in Scandinavia.)
In addition to the campsite directory, the latest Michelin
Europe Tourist and Motoring Atlas is also essential if you want to be able
to locate the campsites.
Finally, other useful references to study beforehand and
carry with you on the trip would be the Haynes
Driving Abroad guide as well as a good guidebook of Europe
to know where to go and what to do once you arrive at each destination. Taking
travelers language courses before leaving is also good practice as well as
carrying phrasebooks for the languages you will encounter. Even though you are
not likely to become fluent in all (or any) of the languages that you will
encounter in your trip, people are always much more willing to help if you make
an effort to communicate in their language.
Documents
When traveling abroad, it is important to have a valid
passport (though some countries might not require it). It’s best to apply for a
passport and/or renew sooner rather than later since a rush passport
application can be expensive. If you are only traveling to countries within the
European Union (EU), there is no need to arrange for travel visas beforehand if
you plan on staying less than 90 days (in most cases); however, if you plan to
travel to countries in Eastern Europe such as Ukraine or Russia arranging for
visas prior to travel is extremely important. Border crossings into non-EU
countries can be very time consuming and complicated and all the van’s
documents need to be in order. (I am not sure if you can even get a rented van
into some of these countries.)
In addition to the usual documents required for travel
abroad, campervan travelers may wish to apply for an international driving
permit and international camping carnet. The international driving permit is
available in the US through AAA and in Canada through CAA. Although some question the
usefulness of the international driving permit, it may be useful as additional
identification; however, always carry the license issued by your home country
since the international driving permit is not valid without this
license.
The international camping carnet, on the other hand, may be
more useful for the campervan traveler. Many campsites will offer discounts to
camping carnet holders but, more importantly, the camping carnet may be used in
place of a passport when checking into campsites. It is important not to leave
your passport at the campsite office even if requested to do so, not only to
prevent its loss but because one should carry a passport at all times when
traveling abroad. (A money belt worn inside your clothes is the safest way to
carry identification papers, credit cards and traveler’s checks.) The
international camping carnet is available to AAA members through the CAA.
Van Rental
There are many van rental agencies throughout Europe. A good website to locate camper rental agencies
in Europe and throughout the world is MotorhomesWorldwide.com.
The website allows visitors to locate motorhomes by
country and compare the features of different vans and motorhomes.
It is always a good idea to do an Internet search on the company, check out their
website and contact them with questions to gage the responsiveness of their
customer service.
The two books mentioned above also contain lists of van
rental agencies; however, these may be obsolete by the time of print as
companies go out of business and new ones appear. We were all but decided on a
company called BW
Campers based in the Netherlands
since I had found their prices to be the best during my previous research and
they seemed to be an established company with offices worldwide. However, we
later found a relatively new company called McRent that had better prices and whose compact vans
had a better layout than the VWs and Ford Nuggets offered
by other companies.
The following is a list of some of the camper rental
agencies in Europe by country:
United
Kingdom
·
Sunseeker Rentals Ltd.
·
Turners Motorcaravan
Hire
Ireland
·
Motorhome Ireland Ltd.
The Netherlands
·
Braitman & Woudenburg
·
Campanje Campervans
and Campers
·
Volkswagen Campercentrum
Nederland
Germany
·
DRM
·
Reise-Profi Service
GmbH
·
McRent
France
·
Hertz Trois Soleils
Italy
·
Freedom Holiday
·
Camper Tours Italy
Spain
·
Autocaravan Express
Switzerland
·
Moby Campers
Van and Equipment
Selection
Most agencies have several different levels of vans
available with different equipment and amenities. European motorhomes
vary from the ubiquitous VW van (called the California in Europe) with a canvas
pop-top or fixed high top to motorhomes build on a
cut-away van chassis similar to American Class C motorhomes
to larger coaches similar to American Class A motorhomes.
In general European motorhomes tend to be smaller
than American models and there are reasons for that. For one, fuel is almost
three times as expensive in Europe so bigger rigs with more powerful engines
will most-likely consume more fuel. Additionally, roads near villages and
cities may be narrower than roads in the States and parking spaces and pitches
in campsites are smaller. For these reasons it is wise to pick the smallest rig
that would meet your needs and one that has a diesel engine if possible.
The differences in European camping will also affect the
choice of equipment for the camper. Pump out sites for RV sewage systems are
few and far between in Europe so a cassette
toilet is generally the wisest choice since it can be emptied in any public
restroom. Electric hookups are also less common and tend to be of amperage
suitable only for running lights and smaller appliances so you may not be able
to use a microwave oven even if the van is equipped with one. (I don’t know why
you would want to eat TV dinners with all that great food around, anyway!) I
don’t of any European rental motorhomes equipped with
generators either; however, even if one was fitted, strict emission standards
may prevent running the generator for any length of time. During my previous
tour of Europe I remember that the bus driver wasn’t allowed to idle the bus to
run the air conditioning while waiting for passengers at a pickup point in Germany
because emission laws were strictly enforced.
The typical equipment on a compact van is a double bed on
the pop-up or high top roof, a dinette that converts into a single or full bed
and compact kitchen with propane range, refrigerator and sink. A porta-potti may be rented as an option; however, European
campsites tend to have good facilities so the porta-potti
may only be used for emergencies or midnight trips to the head. There are also
extended compact vans that have an enclosed bathroom and permanent double bed
in the rear in addition to a convertible dinette. These may be a good
compromise, offering comfort in manageable package.
The bigger vans have an enclosed bathroom with shower and
more bunk space with the addition of the cabover bed.
This may be a good choice for a family of four with small children. I would not
get a coach unless traveling with a larger group of six or more due to
increased cost and the complexities of handling a large vehicle in Europe. Even though it is always better to leave the van
outside of cities and towns and travel into town using public transportation
and/or bicycles, it is always better to have a smaller van in case one was to
unwittingly wander into a tight spot.
In addition to the standard equipment that comes with the
van rental, optional equipment varies from company to company. On some
companies, linen service and cooking utensils may be optional. Additionally, an
awning and portable chairs and/or tables may be rented as options. European
campsites may not have picnic tables so it may be a good idea to rent these or
ship your own ahead of time. (In addition to picnic tables, fire rings are
normally absent from European campsites as campfires are rarely a part of European
camping.) Bike racks and/or bicycles may also be rented beforehand; however, I
have read that bicycle rental may be expensive and that it may be worth it to
ship your own bikes. (Many camper rental agencies no longer rent the bikes but
only the racks and you must rent the bike from a different company or ship your
own.)
For our trip we decided on a group 1 compact van from McRent like the Globebus. This van offers more comfort than the regular
compact vans while still being relatively small and manageable. In addition,
prices for rental vans seemed to be much lower in Germany. (This is also reported in
the Traveler’s Guide to
European Camping.) Picking McRent would mean that
we would have to start our trip in Frankfurt
so our schedule would have to adjust accordingly as described below.
Route and Schedule
Once decided on a particular rental agency, a tentative
schedule for the trip may be outlined. One of the advantages of traveling by
campervan is the flexibility to change plans on a whim or alter the planned
route when conditions dictate. Despite this, it is a good idea to have a plan
and research the possible routes, campsites, local transportation and lodging
beforehand. (If traveling during the high summer season, reservations may be a
necessity to guarantee space at certain campsites.)
In developing a schedule, the first step is to make a list
of places that one wishes to visit and their relative priority. Once the list
has been compiled it may be necessary to make adjustments because of
constraints imposed by the duration of the trip and the distances that must be
traveled. In deciding where to go and how long to stay, I have found it useful
to consult a travel website such as expedia.com
that offers driving directions.
First, look at a map of Europe
in the Atlas and imagine a circle connecting all the destinations you wish to
visit. Then, get driving directions for each leg of the journey from the
website and write down the mileage and the time in route. Try different routes
by changing the order in which you will visit nearby destinations as true
mileage may hard to judge looking at the big map and the mileage calculations
of the mapping software for the website may show that a particular route is
more efficient.
The following is the mileage chart for the destinations for
our upcoming trip:
|
Leg
|
Route
|
Distance
|
Time
|
|
1
|
Frankfurt/Dettenheim
|
142 mi.
|
2 hrs. 8 min.
|
|
2
|
Dettenheim/Stuttguart
|
63.0 mi.
|
1 hrs. 9 min.
|
|
3
|
Stuttguart/Munich
|
137 mi.
|
1 hrs. 58 min.
|
|
4
|
Munich/Salzburg
|
88.3 mi.
|
1 hrs. 20 min
|
|
5
|
Salzburg/Prague
|
238 mi.
|
4 hrs. 42 min.
|
|
6
|
Prague/Vienna
|
203 mi.
|
3 hrs. 29 min.
|
|
7
|
Vienna/Venice
|
370 mi.
|
5 hrs. 20 min.
|
|
8
|
Venice/Rome
|
329 mi.
|
4 hrs. 56 min.
|
|
9
|
Rome/Florence
|
171 mi.
|
2 hrs. 42 min.
|
|
10
|
Florence/Nice
|
260 mi.
|
3 hrs. 42 min.
|
|
11
|
Nice/Paris
|
580 mi.
|
8 hrs. 26 min.
|
|
12
|
Paris/Brussels
|
190 mi.
|
2 hrs. 49 min.
|
|
13
|
Brussels/Frankfurt
|
348 mi.
|
4 hrs. 54 min.
|
Here is the preliminary route that we have chosen for our
month-long tour:
Date
|
City
|
Arrival
|
Departure
|
Comments
|
9/29
|
Washington D.C.
|
|
1630
|
|
|
9/30
|
Frankfurt
|
0625
|
|
Check into hotel/Rest day
|
|
10/01
|
Frankfurt
|
|
|
Pick up campervan at McRent
main office
|
|
10/02
|
Frankfurt
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Frankfurt
|
|
10/03
|
Frankfurt
|
|
0800
|
Early departure for Dettenheim
|
|
10/03
|
Dettenheim
|
1300
|
1600
|
Visit Unicat factory
|
|
10/03
|
Stuttguart
|
1730
|
|
Stay at campsite near VW Autostadt
|
|
10/04
|
Stuttguart
|
|
1300
|
Visit VW Autostadt
|
|
10/04
|
Munich
|
1530
|
|
Stay at campsite near Munich
|
|
10/05
|
Munich
|
|
1500
|
Sightseeing/BMW museum
|
|
10/05
|
Salzburg
|
1700
|
|
Stay at campsite near Salzburg
|
|
10/06
|
Salzburg
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Salzburg/Rest day
|
|
10/07
|
Salzburg
|
|
0700
|
Early departure for long leg to Prague
|
|
10/07
|
Prague
|
1300
|
|
Check into hotel in Prague
|
|
10/08
|
Prague
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Prague
|
|
10/09
|
Prague
|
|
0800
|
Early departure for drive to Vienna
|
|
10/09
|
Vienna
|
1300
|
|
Stay at campsite near Vienna
|
|
10/10
|
Vienna
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Vienna
|
|
10/11
|
Vienna
|
|
0600
|
Early departure for drive to Venice
|
|
10/11
|
Venice
|
1300
|
|
Take ferry to campsite on the Lido
|
|
10/12
|
Venice
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Venice/Lido
|
|
10/13
|
Venice
|
|
0600
|
Early departure for drive to Rome
|
|
10/13
|
Rome
|
1300
|
|
Check into hotel in Rome
|
|
10/14
|
Rome
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Rome/Vatican City
|
|
10/15
|
Rome
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Rome/Vatican City
|
|
10/16
|
Rome
|
|
0600
|
Early departure for drive to Florence
|
|
10/16
|
Florence
|
0900
|
|
Stay at campsite near Florence
|
|
10/17
|
Florence
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Florence
|
|
10/18
|
Florence
|
|
0600
|
Drive to Nice/Stopover in Pisa
|
|
10/18
|
Nice
|
1200
|
|
Stay in campsite near Nice
|
|
10/19
|
Nice
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Nice/Monaco
|
|
10/20
|
Nice
|
|
|
Rest/beach day in Nice/Monaco
|
|
10/21
|
Nice
|
|
0400
|
Early departure for long leg to Paris
|
|
10/21
|
Paris
|
1500
|
|
Stay at campsite near Paris
|
|
10/22
|
Paris
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Paris
|
|
10/23
|
Paris
|
|
|
Sightseeing in Paris
|
|
10/24
|
Paris
|
|
0600
|
Drive to Brussels/Stopover in Versailles
|
|
10/24
|
Brussels
|
1200
|
|
Stay in campsite near Brussels
|
|
10/25
|
Brussels
|
|
|
Sightseeing/Shopping in Brussels
|
|
10/26
|
Brussels
|
|
0800
|
Stay in campsite near Paris
|
|
10/26
|
Frankfurt
|
1500
|
|
Check into hotel in Frankfurt
|
|
10/27
|
Frankfurt
|
|
|
Rest day/return van/ship luggage
|
|
10/29
|
Frankfurt
|
|
|
Board flight for Washington
|
This is quite an ambitious schedule; however, we can always
change our plans if we find we are getting worn out mid-trip.
Personal Gear and
Packing Checklist
As with any overseas vacation, it is important to make sure
that one takes along everything that is either difficult or expensive to obtain
abroad. A packing checklist is a good way to make sure that nothing is left
behind. Before compiling a checklist one must decide what is being brought from
home, either as luggage or shipped ahead of time, what will be rented or
obtained from the camper rental company, and what will be purchased abroad.
I have already mentioned some items that may be obtained
from the camper rental company, such as pots, pans, dishes, cooking and eating
utensils, camping chairs, folding table, linens, and towels. These are items
that you would not normally take along on vacation but remember that you will
be “living” abroad for a short period of time. In our case, we have decided to
rent a “camping kit” from McRent
that includes kitchen equipment as well as chairs and a folding table. Renting
these items makes sense since they are bound to be heavy and difficult to ship
or carry along on the plane. We have, however, decided to take our own linens
and towels to save on rental fees.
If you take any prescription medications, you will need to
bring a large enough supply to last the duration of the trip. It is better to
carry these in your carry-on luggage where they are less likely to get lost. It
is also a good idea to bring the prescriptions themselves in case you need a
refill or you loose some of the medicines. Ask your doctor to spell out the
chemical components of the different medications and/or use symbols that may be
easily understood by foreign pharmacists. For any extended stay abroad,
purchasing travel medical insurance is a good idea in case of any illnesses or
accidents. In addition to prescriptions, take along a well stocked first aid
kit that includes antiseptic cream for treating cuts, aloe for burns, pain
medication, cold/sore throat medication, allergy medication, pain medication,
etc. A strong multivitamin supplement may also help keep you healthy on the
road.
The selection of clothes to take along is also important.
You do not want to pack too much since storage space in the van will be
limited; however, you want to have a few outfits that are versatile enough to
meet all your needs in Europe. Traveling to Europe means visiting
many churches, cathedrals and religious sites. Some of these sites may
not allow visitors in shorts or tank tops so convertible pants such as those by
The North Face and Exofficio are a
good choice. In addition to allowing you to show respect for local religious sites,
if you will be traveling in the fall or spring, two of the best times to visit Europe, you must be ready for varying weather.
Convertible pants as well as travel shirts from the companies mentioned above
allow you to adapt quickly without carrying two many additional garments.
Travel shirts feature multiple pockets, sleeves that can be rolled up and
buttoned to quickly convert from long-sleeve to short-sleeve and underarm
ventilation for when it gets hot.
Layering is also important for when the weather turns
colder; therefore, if there is any chance that you may encounter colder
weather, a breathable waterproof shell as well as mid-weight fleece and a
moisture-wicking base layer are also nice to have. The North Face and Columbia offer great three-in-one jackets
that are perfect for traveling. Even though you will not be climbing Mt. Everest
(well maybe you could go climbing in the Alps),
technical clothing will make life a lot more comfortable while sightseeing in
uncertain weather.
You probably also want to carry at least one pair of dress
slacks, dress shirt and sport coat or a nice dress and heels for the occasional
dinner in a fancy restaurant or visit to the casino in Monaco. Since you will
probably be using the bathroom and shower facilities at the campsite, a pair
flip flops and a robe are a must as well as a small hanging bag for carrying
toiletries. While on the subject of clothes and packing, there is some advice
that charter boat captains always give their guests and which also applies to
travel by campervan. It is important to take along soft luggage only (preferably
duffle bags) as hard luggage may be impossible to store in the camper.
In addition to clothes and personal items, there are some
electronic devices that will make life easier on the road. European power grids
use a different voltage and frequency to transmit power and wall outlets are
also different in many countries; therefore, a power converter/socket adapter
is a must. Many newer devices are designed to run on power from different
grids; however, anything with a motor, such as blow drier, may have trouble
with the different phase of the power grid. It may be better to buy such
devices over there and give them away at the end of the trip.
A portable computer has become almost essential for travel
as the Internet and email have become ubiquitous in our daily life. A computer
with wireless (802.11, Bluetooth, or both) networking capability will allow you
to connect to the many hotspots now common in cities around the world to browse
the web and check email. GPS receivers have also become more common and prices
are so reasonable that there is almost no excuse to not carry one in a trip
like this. A unit with built-in mapping capability will be much easier to use
than one that just displays your coordinates and direction of travel. Be
advised that US units may not come with maps of Europe
already loaded and you may need to purchase the electronic maps on CD, so make
sure that the unit you buy can be updated with maps for different countries. Garmin units with mapping
capability can be updated with MetroGuide® electronic maps and data for Europe.
Another useful feature on a GPS unit is the ability to load
waypoints and routes from a computer. If you’ll be taking a computer along
anyway, this feature will allow you to plan your trip and make changes to your
route on the computer, which is easier than on the GPS with its tiny buttons
and screen. If you have a GPS with computer connectivity, make sure that you
bring along the interface cable and that the navigation software is compatible
with the computer you plan to take along. (My wife’s Mac PowerBook is great but
the Garmin software will not run on it.) The same
goes for any digital cameras and/or other devices that you may want to connect
to the computer.
A cell phone can not only be time-saver but it can also save
your life in an emergency. If you have a tri-band GSM phone, you will be able
to roam with your phone throughout most of Europe;
however, this can be expensive. It is possible to buy pre-paid SIM or
Subscriber Information Module cards in Europe
at a lower rate. A SIM card is a small chip that fits into you phone and allows
it to communicate with the cellular network. Unfortunately, most US
cell phones are “locked” and will not work with European SIM cards.
It is possible to buy or rent an international GSM phone that
will take prepaid European SIM cards from a company such as Cellularabroad
or Telestial.
Prices for international GSM phones start at $99 and rental prices are about
$69 for 4 weeks. SIM cards are around $60. Make sure that whatever SIM card you
get can roam in the countries you intend to visit. For more information on
cellular phones for travelers see www.slowtrav.com.
Another thing to consider is how to charge all these
electronic devices. Even if the devices run on regular batteries, these can be
expensive so it is always better to run the devices on external power as much
as possible. Buying 12-volt adapters to keep all the devices charged and/or
powered in the car can be expensive. We have found it more cost-effective at
home to run a power inverter to convert from the DC power from the cigarette
lighter 12-volt outlet to AC and use the AC adapters that come with the devices.
It seems silly to have to convert DC to AC in order to power a device that runs
on DC power anyway but, since manufacturers almost always sell the DC adapter
separately, it can be an expensive proposition to buy DC adapters for every
single device that one can take along. Travel inverters such as the APC Travel
Power 75W DC/AC Inverter 120V can be plugged into the DC outlets on
airliners.
