Toilets always come up! Just to add a different perspective, I have health reasons for wanting constant access to a toilet and am happy with the traditional cassette arrangement.
We certainly wouldn’t be without a toilet. When we bought our first MH, in 2011, it was a key requirement. True, we have always had motorhomes, ie larger vehicles rather than van conversions, but even when we considered those, a toilet was essential- even though we always stay on sites. Others have different ideas of course but, for those considering their first vehicle, especially a small camper, it is something you need to get right. Modern Thetford ( the most common type) cassette toilets aren’t really unpleasant to empty.
My goodness that mortgage took me back! I was married in 1982 and our first house was £27,500 but it fell through and the only other house available was £32,000 but thankfully we managed to secure it for £30,000 and that was our absolute maximum, £44,000 was a fortune 🤣🤣. We didn’t stay in that house because when I was growing up I lived in a colliery house and in the mid 60s Leech built a large estate on the outskirts of our village. All the posh people lived their my headmaster, our milkman my piano teacher. Every time I went fo my piano lesson I pointed at the biggest detached house on the estate, number 1 and said I’m going to live there, from a six year old it was very funny. Then when I was 30 we bought that house. Sadly my husband now lives there with his second wife 😳 but it’s all good, things change and we’re all happy now. 😊
This made us laugh. It just goes to show if you set your mind on something and ignore the doubters you can get what you want. When I was a young PC before we were married the police houses were being sold off. There was one in a village I loved. I should have moved heaven and earth to buy it but didn’t. Every time I drive past I think about it. 😁👍
Lots of interesting questions answered so far. I enjoyed your Isle if Man series the best. You have a good down to earth attitude with sensible advice.
Always interesting listening to people who speak 'commonsense' 👌you two have your heads screwed on & have got to retirement & are enjoying the fruits of your labour 😀 😊 when you look back at house prices & looking at the cost if things now,we have lived through the best years & lord help the upcoming generations..great seeing pictures from your earlier years, it's always great to look at great memories. 👌👍
Sorry about that, I haven't laughed so hard in quite a while! Looks like I might have to get an apple phone or iPad later on then. Thank you for letting me know.😆🤣😂
The Point of Ayre in 5he Isle of Man is still ok to overnight at. It's the area further west at Smeale which has been closed off to overnighting, as it's a nature reserve, and vehicles were causing too much damage to the area.
Oh my gosh! Housing prices!!! That is crazy! I had no idea housing coast that much in the UK. I’m older than you two, and my first of four houses was only $130,000 US. Be happy you are not house poor. It allows you to now do what you enjoy, travel. Since then, I’m retired right on the Georgia Coast in a 100 yr old cottage, which in the UK, would be considered “New Housing”. 😂
@@LifeistooshortCK , oh how I agree! And you are on an island. Homeownership means so much to our values. Even if modest, it’s ours! My estate goes to my nieces for exactly that, large down payments towards home ownership. Living where I have retired, property values have simply soared over the last eight yrs, due to being right by the sea. But young urban couples starting out, it’s very scary! We are blessed to own the roofs over our heads! Even if a cottage like mine, I own it! We are indeed blessed to have our own homes 💕
If you are in the UK I am not sure how much composting actually occurs. I think getting rid of the solids is even more difficult that a chemical cassette as campsites don’t provide for that. Never had one so can’t quote facts. You would also be carting the weight around. 👍
Hi you two! Tonight I watched another British channel for the first time called Mel’s Big Van Small World. He talked about the advantages of using cork for insulation. He mentioned that it was damp proof, doesn’t support mold growth and was an all-around excellent insulation product. I thought I would mention it in case you were curious about it for your new van build.
I’d have to say Ireland was my favorite place you visited. Probably because that’s when I started watching your videos. I can’t get enough of Ireland! Mary
We have moved a lot- military family. Hubby left it in 1985 & we have moved 4 times since. Longest in 1 place was 12 yrs & 17 yrs. My M & D bought first house in 1978 always rented till then. Paid £14,000. When Dad passed 38 yrs later, I sold it for £730,000. We're happy to move - got it off to a fine art! Last did that 7yrs ago. Happy Easter Carole what did you do for work?
From watching Midsomer Murders, one would get the impression that people move constantly in the UK. I can't even keep up with the number of houses that both Barnaby detectives have lived in. I have wondered if that was normal in the UK - moving a lot.
Loved the tale of your first house purchase, especially the bit about your mum. We’re both RAF Veterans and when the kids were young, we moved around quite a lot and like your mum, I’d just get the house & garden sorted and along came a posting 🙈 We’ve been in our currant house for 12 years now and we’ve both got itchy feet 😂😂
I'm not surprised you picked the isle of Man and at the end of pine forest ,both looked great park ups and really enjoyed watching those trips. Thank you for answering my question x
I loved the wedding pictures 😊. I'd like to know if you have plans to go abroad without the van or do you only plan to travel with it? Thank you for the all the questions, which were good and all your honest answers 🖐
You do well with the gas. Merlin needs more after about 5 days when it’s freezing. Love the wedding photos❤we remember those mortgage interest rates.😬We find our washroom makes a very nice drying room too which is quite handy when you have to walk dogs 3 times a day ! Sad about the overnight parking
We started with an endowment mortgage in the 80's, luckily we came across a financial adviser who told us ditch it when we bought our next house as it will never pay your mortgage off (he was right). Best bit of advice I have ever been given. Nothing wrong with staying put if you like the area, keep up the good work with the video's I really enjoy them and looking forward to seeing the new van take a trip to Northern Spain which we toured back in 2003 in a lovely Swift Sundance 530RL.
Really enjoying these Q&A’s and your photos too. You can’t believe houses were that price. So glad I bought and made the sacrifices. I relate to always moving about and we’d had a dozen moves or more by the time I left home! Wishing you both a happy Easter. We may just do our first ever wild camp in Wales! It will be 5 star accommodation with sleeping bags, bivvy loo and stove in the back of the panel van! All fashioned together courtesy of Carol and Ken’s invaluable tips and info! X
Enjoyed your Q&A, we have a 6m van 🚐 (have just uploaded a van tour) our cassette loo capacity is larger than the average size, so we can get longer before we need to empty it. 😎 Thanks for sharing, Em 💜 happy Easter 🐣
Thanks for all the great info and a real sight into campervanning in the UK currently. You are very lucky, as here in New Zealand (due to past troubles created by some tourists) to be fully certified 'self-contained' to be legally allowed to 'freedom camp' (wild camp), from July 2023 the main change is you have to have a fully plumbed in toilet (like a Thetford cassette toilet or similar - NO porta potti), otherwise you can only stay in camping grounds or paid for designated camping/caravan sites (may have a 'long drop' toilet and usually no power). It will be a major change for many and to have a suitable sized vehicle with space for such toilets, adds thousands to the costs. Good luck and happy camping, Kia Ora from New Zealand. 💜💜 NB: "2. Toilets 2.1 Toilets shall be manufactured by a reputable manufacturer and be fit-for-purpose for the expected number of occupants of the vehicle and the certified containment period (i.e., the three-day minimum). 2.2 Toilets shall be permanently fixed to the camping vehicle with the seat rigidly mounted in position and not required to be removed for the emptying of human waste. 2.3 Toilets shall drain or flush directly into a suitably designed and fitted cassette or black water tank." [Ref: NZ Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.]
@@LifeistooshortCK Unfortunately this could be starting a global trend, it will affect mostly NZ residents, who have NOT been the culprits, but have no choice with today's climate issues. If this is what we are having happen here, I hate to see what develops in UK & Europe, with much smaller sized countries, but much larger populations!!! This is much lesser than was originally planned, done mostly through consultation and help from NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Assn). This can happen when some visitors/tourists to your country think they are 'owed', 'entitled' and 'allowed' to pollute wherever they so choose!!, sadly.
15% mortgage blows people’s minds today , I remember paying a mortgage for 25years went to pay it off and it was almost the same as I borrowed. I guess people are spoiled today and don’t realise how good it’s been, but then it’s a shock these days when it goes up . Good luck both loved the Q&A and the old photos 👍🏴
Regarding the constant moving: My dad was raised in a military family, which required frequent moves all of his childhood and teen years. He decided that when he had children, his children would grow up in the same area for family relations, stability, and to build lifelong friendships. My sister and I lived in the same zip code (postal code) until we, as adults, moved. We never moved schools and built those friendships. My dad is proud of that.
We have a 50 litre tank. There is actually very little grey waste because we are so frugal with water. It gets emptied when we go to a site to fill up with water.
Indeed, the mortgage rates even 6 yrs after you guys got married took me back. We married 1991, endowment mortgage as well, value same now and when we went to Cyprus in 93 the rate was 11.25 going out and 14.25% coming back....still in the same house, buy once buy right 😅
Amazed you’ve never moved, we married in 87 & had a 1 bed above a shop, we went through two 3 beds & a 4 now, but we had way less luck with an endowment & I’m still working.. no retirement in sight here.. :)
Good size gas tank you have for sure Great pictures of you two shared - blimey endowment there is a nasty taste in the mouth lol I always remembered the best party promised at the end Thanks for sharing
We married in 77 and our two bed two reception workers cottage in HH, built in 1908 cost a budget stretching £10,500. Within 7 years I had replaced every thing from water main to ridge tiles… and then we moved! We got £45,000 for it🎉. Our next one, and still only our second, has gone up x 10 times. Definitely our best investment, and like you paid out the pension mortgage early, and now live rent free!
Hey :) Wil you come back to Norway and drive in the east not the west who all other drive? it's like inland drive and we would love to se you back here and se you two relaxe and have a good time at the lovly lakes we have and drive around i think it is not much parking restriktions here either so love to se the red car or the new one you get . Velkommen til Norge from me :)
Toilets always come up! Just to add a different perspective, I have health reasons for wanting constant access to a toilet and am happy with the traditional cassette arrangement.
Millions of people are happy with the normal cassette toilet. Our system just happens to make the most sense for us at this time. 👍
We certainly wouldn’t be without a toilet. When we bought our first MH, in 2011, it was a key requirement. True, we have always had motorhomes, ie larger vehicles rather than van conversions, but even when we considered those, a toilet was essential- even though we always stay on sites. Others have different ideas of course but, for those considering their first vehicle, especially a small camper, it is something you need to get right. Modern Thetford ( the most common type) cassette toilets aren’t really unpleasant to empty.
I agree on the need for a toilet now but we managed fine without a chemical toilet for 4 years.
My goodness that mortgage took me back! I was married in 1982 and our first house was £27,500 but it fell through and the only other house available was £32,000 but thankfully we managed to secure it for £30,000 and that was our absolute maximum, £44,000 was a fortune 🤣🤣. We didn’t stay in that house because when I was growing up I lived in a colliery house and in the mid 60s Leech built a large estate on the outskirts of our village. All the posh people lived their my headmaster, our milkman my piano teacher. Every time I went fo my piano lesson I pointed at the biggest detached house on the estate, number 1 and said I’m going to live there, from a six year old it was very funny. Then when I was 30 we bought that house. Sadly my husband now lives there with his second wife 😳 but it’s all good, things change and we’re all happy now. 😊
This made us laugh. It just goes to show if you set your mind on something and ignore the doubters you can get what you want. When I was a young PC before we were married the police houses were being sold off. There was one in a village I loved. I should have moved heaven and earth to buy it but didn’t. Every time I drive past I think about it. 😁👍
Lots of interesting questions answered so far. I enjoyed your Isle if Man series the best. You have a good down to earth attitude with sensible advice.
Thanks Linda 🙂
Always interesting listening to people who speak 'commonsense' 👌you two have your heads screwed on & have got to retirement & are enjoying the fruits of your labour 😀 😊 when you look back at house prices & looking at the cost if things now,we have lived through the best years & lord help the upcoming generations..great seeing pictures from your earlier years, it's always great to look at great memories. 👌👍
Thanks David 🙂
Love these Question and Answer the topics are interesting, your wedding pictures were lovely. xxx
Thanks 👍
Love your question and answer videos.
Cheers Larry 🙂
Sorry about that, I haven't laughed so hard in quite a while! Looks like I might have to get an apple phone or iPad later on then. Thank you for letting me know.😆🤣😂
The Point of Ayre in 5he Isle of Man is still ok to overnight at. It's the area further west at Smeale which has been closed off to overnighting, as it's a nature reserve, and vehicles were causing too much damage to the area.
Thanks for letting us know 🙂👍
Oh my gosh! Housing prices!!! That is crazy! I had no idea housing coast that much in the UK.
I’m older than you two, and my first of four houses was only $130,000 US. Be happy you are not house poor. It allows you to now do what you enjoy, travel.
Since then, I’m retired right on the Georgia Coast in a 100 yr old cottage, which in the UK, would be considered “New Housing”. 😂
Our first house cost £44,000. Feel very sorry for the younger generations as home ownership is beyond reach for most. Rents are also ridiculous.
@@LifeistooshortCK , oh how I agree! And you are on an island. Homeownership means so much to our values. Even if modest, it’s ours! My estate goes to my nieces for exactly that, large down payments towards home ownership.
Living where I have retired, property values have simply soared over the last eight yrs, due to being right by the sea.
But young urban couples starting out, it’s very scary! We are blessed to own the roofs over our heads! Even if a cottage like mine, I own it! We are indeed blessed to have our own homes 💕
So glad you mentioned the Isle of Man, definitely my favourite place 😍🇮🇲🇮🇲
I use a bivvy too.. although if I had the space or more/full time, I think a composting toilet would be my choice!
If you are in the UK I am not sure how much composting actually occurs. I think getting rid of the solids is even more difficult that a chemical cassette as campsites don’t provide for that. Never had one so can’t quote facts. You would also be carting the weight around. 👍
We love to hear from you! 🥰
Hi you two! Tonight I watched another British channel for the first time called Mel’s Big Van Small World. He talked about the advantages of using cork for insulation. He mentioned that it was damp proof, doesn’t support mold growth and was an all-around excellent insulation product. I thought I would mention it in case you were curious about it for your new van build.
Thanks for the tip. 👍
I’d have to say Ireland was my favorite place you visited. Probably because that’s when I started watching your videos. I can’t get enough of Ireland! Mary
We loved Ireland too ☺️
We have moved a lot- military family. Hubby left it in 1985 & we have moved 4 times since. Longest in 1 place was 12 yrs & 17 yrs. My M & D bought first house in 1978 always rented till then. Paid £14,000. When Dad passed 38 yrs later, I sold it for £730,000. We're happy to move - got it off to a fine art! Last did that 7yrs ago. Happy Easter
Carole what did you do for work?
From watching Midsomer Murders, one would get the impression that people move constantly in the UK. I can't even keep up with the number of houses that both Barnaby detectives have lived in. I have wondered if that was normal in the UK - moving a lot.
Every night 👍
you two have your priorities spot on
HAPPY EASTER 🐣 have a lovely weekend , great wedding photos. 😊
Thank you! You too!
Loved the tale of your first house purchase, especially the bit about your mum. We’re both RAF Veterans and when the kids were young, we moved around quite a lot and like your mum, I’d just get the house & garden sorted and along came a posting 🙈 We’ve been in our currant house for 12 years now and we’ve both got itchy feet 😂😂
Love that!
I'm not surprised you picked the isle of Man and at the end of pine forest ,both looked great park ups and really enjoyed watching those trips. Thank you for answering my question x
Your welcome Lisa. Thanks for the question 🙂
I loved the wedding pictures 😊. I'd like to know if you have plans to go abroad without the van or do you only plan to travel with it? Thank you for the all the questions, which were good and all your honest answers 🖐
You do well with the gas. Merlin needs more after about 5 days when it’s freezing. Love the wedding photos❤we remember those mortgage interest rates.😬We find our washroom makes a very nice drying room too which is quite handy when you have to walk dogs 3 times a day ! Sad about the overnight parking
Yes quite a challenge when the dogs are wet 👍
We started with an endowment mortgage in the 80's, luckily we came across a financial adviser who told us ditch it when we bought our next house as it will never pay your mortgage off (he was right). Best bit of advice I have ever been given. Nothing wrong with staying put if you like the area, keep up the good work with the video's I really enjoy them and looking forward to seeing the new van take a trip to Northern Spain which we toured back in 2003 in a lovely Swift Sundance 530RL.
Thanks 🙂
Really enjoying these Q&A’s and your photos too. You can’t believe houses were that price. So glad I bought and made the sacrifices. I relate to always moving about and we’d had a dozen moves or more by the time I left home! Wishing you both a happy Easter. We may just do our first ever wild camp in Wales! It will be 5 star accommodation with sleeping bags, bivvy loo and stove in the back of the panel van! All fashioned together courtesy of Carol and Ken’s invaluable tips and info! X
Very exciting to hear you might try your first wild camp. Have a great time. 😁👍
@@LifeistooshortCK Thank you, wish us luck...! X
Enjoyed your Q&A, we have a 6m van 🚐 (have just uploaded a van tour) our cassette loo capacity is larger than the average size, so we can get longer before we need to empty it. 😎 Thanks for sharing, Em 💜 happy Easter 🐣
Thanks Em. Happy Easter 🐣
Loving the Q&As guys. Keep 'em coming x
Thank you! Will do! 😁
Thanks for all the great info and a real sight into campervanning in the UK currently. You are very lucky, as here in New Zealand (due to past troubles created by some tourists) to be fully certified 'self-contained' to be legally allowed to 'freedom camp' (wild camp), from July 2023 the main change is you have to have a fully plumbed in toilet (like a Thetford cassette toilet or similar - NO porta potti), otherwise you can only stay in camping grounds or paid for designated camping/caravan sites (may have a 'long drop' toilet and usually no power). It will be a major change for many and to have a suitable sized vehicle with space for such toilets, adds thousands to the costs. Good luck and happy camping, Kia Ora from New Zealand. 💜💜
NB: "2. Toilets
2.1 Toilets shall be manufactured by a reputable manufacturer and be fit-for-purpose for the expected number of occupants of the vehicle and the certified containment period (i.e., the three-day minimum).
2.2 Toilets shall be permanently fixed to the camping vehicle with the seat rigidly mounted in position and not required to be removed for the emptying of human waste.
2.3 Toilets shall drain or flush directly into a suitably designed and fitted cassette or black water tank." [Ref: NZ Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.]
I am very sorry this is happening as it will only impact law abiding campers. I would vote those buggers out asap. 👍
@@LifeistooshortCK Unfortunately this could be starting a global trend, it will affect mostly NZ residents, who have NOT been the culprits, but have no choice with today's climate issues. If this is what we are having happen here, I hate to see what develops in UK & Europe, with much smaller sized countries, but much larger populations!!! This is much lesser than was originally planned, done mostly through consultation and help from NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Assn). This can happen when some visitors/tourists to your country think they are 'owed', 'entitled' and 'allowed' to pollute wherever they so choose!!, sadly.
15% mortgage blows people’s minds today , I remember paying a mortgage for 25years went to pay it off and it was almost the same as I borrowed. I guess people are spoiled today and don’t realise how good it’s been, but then it’s a shock these days when it goes up . Good luck both loved the Q&A and the old photos 👍🏴
Thanks Micky 🙂
Regarding the constant moving: My dad was raised in a military family, which required frequent moves all of his childhood and teen years. He decided that when he had children, his children would grow up in the same area for family relations, stability, and to build lifelong friendships. My sister and I lived in the same zip code (postal code) until we, as adults, moved. We never moved schools and built those friendships. My dad is proud of that.
Interesting how our parents life experiences have an effect us growing up.
Great 👍
How do you get rid of your grey waste if you are not on sites? Sorry for the questions, just interested in wild camping and learning more.
We have a 50 litre tank. There is actually very little grey waste because we are so frugal with water. It gets emptied when we go to a site to fill up with water.
@@LifeistooshortCK thanks for your reply. Enjoying watching your travels.
Ireland was my favorite and then Norway.
Hari OM
Am really enjoying these bite-size vids with bits and bobs! YAM xx
Thanks YAM ☺️
The WEDDING PICS!!!!!!!!!!
Love the photo inserts you look like Angie from Eastenders (Anita Dobson) in your wedding photos
Thanks Sam 🤗
Is there a way to get a list of the songs on y'all broadcast. My wife and I enjoy the trips and the songs. Friends from Georgia. USA
We list them in the description 👍
Indeed, the mortgage rates even 6 yrs after you guys got married took me back. We married 1991, endowment mortgage as well, value same now and when we went to Cyprus in 93 the rate was 11.25 going out and 14.25% coming back....still in the same house, buy once buy right 😅
At least we have saved having all the stress and expense of moving house ☺️
Amazed you’ve never moved, we married in 87 & had a 1 bed above a shop, we went through two 3 beds & a 4 now, but we had way less luck with an endowment & I’m still working.. no retirement in sight here.. :)
Wishing you all the best 🙂
@@LifeistooshortCK Thanks! 😊
Good size gas tank you have for sure
Great pictures of you two shared - blimey endowment there is a nasty taste in the mouth lol I always remembered the best party promised at the end
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching 😁
fascinating, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Love it
We married in 77 and our two bed two reception workers cottage in HH, built in 1908 cost a budget stretching £10,500. Within 7 years I had replaced every thing from water main to ridge tiles… and then we moved! We got £45,000 for it🎉. Our next one, and still only our second, has gone up x 10 times. Definitely our best investment, and like you paid out the pension mortgage early, and now live rent free!
Well done. That certainly paid off for you. Houses were always a good investment in the past 👍
Great vid and Questions 😁
Thanks! 😁
QUESTION - Where do you guys go to the toilet and have a shower??????
🌻🌻
👍❤️🇦🇺
Where would you live if you had a lot of money and could choose ?
Happy Easter
And you 🐣
Hey :) Wil you come back to Norway and drive in the east not the west who all other drive? it's like inland drive and we would love to se you back here and se you two relaxe and have a good time at the lovly lakes we have and drive around i think it is not much parking restriktions here either so love to se the red car or the new one you get . Velkommen til Norge from me :)
First to like this!! ❤ 😂.
👍
❤❤
You can use pocket on a PC or laptop, and I believe pocket earth pro is no available for Android 2023
I have never tried it on a PC. 👍
@@LifeistooshortCK It will not download maps on a PC. But the new Android version will Ken.
When you are away for some time, three weeks. how do you deal with your grey waste? Thanks
Will add to the list 👍
Don't care how close you are🤪 don't want to hear someone or hear me 😄
Well we always step outside when the need arises but plenty don’t 😁👍
I like the new opening tune you’re playing on these Q & A videos, is it your new theme tune?
it will be over time. Some already made have the old version.
The moustache must have fallen off on your travels somewhere.
There is a reward for its return
Sorry what is O Y S.?
I said IOS. The Apple software system 👍