# Meeting each other abroad



## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Many motorhomers are a mix of independent traveller and gregarious partygoer (or those who like an occasional bit of company). It's easy to do the first bit - that's why we bought a van. Second bit is harder - how do you meet up with people abroad, other than randomly?

Now that internet access is so easy, even on the road, using the web seems a good way of meeting up. This and other sites have been used in a general way for letting others know where you are or plan to be, but not on a regular basis, and usually only at the planning stage.

So what about a dedicated forum for those travelling abroad to post their current whereabouts?

I'm thinking one for continental Europe (rather than UK), in which you'd post either where you are if you're going to be there for another few days, or where you definately expect to be in the next 24 - 48 hours. The intention would be that it's a real time forum, rather than one along the lines of rally planning, like the current Spanish rally thread.

If this was supported, anyone without fixed plans but with an overview of where they're headed could log on to the forum. They could then check if anyone was in the locality they were going to.

It would also be useful for up to the minute reports on local sites, spaces, weather, crowds or whatever.

The forum could be used as much or as little as was wanted. Don't feel like company this week? Don't post your whereabouts. Looking forward to meeting new faces? P.M. the poster to set up a casual meet.

Intending to fulltime in Europe very soon, we feel that mhf is a very useful resource. But a specific forum for current location of members when abroad would potentially be a great way to meet up 'as & when'.

What do others think? Enough interest might persuade Father Nuke to start a new forum. . .

Bruce & Marion


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

kijana said:


> Enough interest might persuade Father Nuke to start a new forum. . .


Blimey! Has Nuke been elevated to the priesthood already? 8O

I like the sound of this. A bit hard to do, though. You could do a thing like our location map, where you update your specific location as you go. You could then see who's in your area, or in the area you're likely to be. A quick PM to check status of availability, weather, whatever you like, and away you go. The map is *** here ***

Gerald


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

Sounds like an excellent idea to me. When I launch off in a motorhome (not even got one yet!) it would be nice to know when a friendly contact is nearby.

Paul


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Hi Gerald & Paul 

Bit thin, then (support for the forum, Paul, not yer barnet!)

An actual map might be a bit tricky, but it could be just the country and nearest big town in the heading, with location details in the text.

If there's not enough interest to set up a dedicated forum, I suppose there's nothing to stop people posting in this one. It's just if you have limited internet access it would take too long to trawl all the posts looking for location reports. Would be good if enough people took up the concept, though.

Bruce


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Meet overseas*

Hi

Your first offer - if you are within 100 miles of Lake Garda, send us an e mail and we will take you for a cappuccino!

Rusky


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## 97201 (Jan 7, 2006)

Rapido

Only if Oscar is buying :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Seriously, I think it is an excellent idea as I plan to be away in the New Year and it would be terrific to meet up with other site members and to find out if they were going to be in my vicinity.

Can we give it a go?

Ian


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Thanks, Rapido. We don't have plans for Italy at the moment: we're looking at southern Spain or Portugal. Will defo have a crack at Italy somewhen, though.


Hi Ian

I C U R of the RV persuasion, & planning to head south about the same time as us.

Since we are only a county away, in Devon, do you fancy meeting up some time soon? Pub or suchlike halfway for each (we're 15 miles west of Exeter).

PM me if you think this could be worthwhile.

cheers

Bruce


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## GypsyRose (May 9, 2005)

We hope to be in southern Spain mid Dec to March approx....anyone??!! Hoping to meet up with C7Ken!!! Great to talk "motorhomes" with others!! Ana x


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

This being the case would you support the idea of a forum dedicated to real time location reports, GypsyRose?

Bruce


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

kijana said:


> Now that internet access is so easy, even on the road,
> Bruce & Marion


I don't want to rain on your parade as I think it's a great idea but I do wonder whether it's really that easy.

Having read all the posts on internet access while on the road, I didn't fancy using a mobile at download speeds so I looked into wifi. My "big" (ha! ha!) idea was to use Macdonalds as they are all over the Continent. So I called at my local one today, laptop in hand but I discovered you have to join BT Openzone who will then sell you a voucher for £6 which gives you 1 (yes 1) hours use. Alternatively you can subscribe at £10 or £25 per month (the former giving you 250 minutes per month). So far so good but what about abroad?

So I phoned them and, yes, they have roaming partners abroad but there are additional charges ranging from 8p to 14p a minute for France, Germany and Spain, these being the countries in which I was interested. So for just over 1 hour per week you end up paying £30 per month at the lowest rate.

The best idea I've seen on this site is Fon but their maps takes ages to load and do all those little flags mean that people are sitting there with their routers switched on waiting for me. Anyway I've joined and let's see.

The reason for my lack of confidence is that certain people have waved us goodbye on this forum and just disappear. ScotJimland for example.

Now there was a bloke that I thought would have his Apple up and running in no time at all. After 10? weeks away - not a peep.

Another one is Phil (can't remember his name here) in his Hobby. He has an excellent blog running but his last entry was three weeks ago.

See Blog

Will Rapide 561 just disappear when he sets off for Italy. Watch this space!

I'd be very happy if someone came back to put me right on this one.

Ian


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Hi IanHibs

Yes, I agree it would likely take too long to download a map thingy by mobile or dialup.

What I suggest is simply a thread headed with the country's name & nearest big town, with more detail in the message.

In this way, as soon as you logged on to the 'where I am' forum, the latest threads would immediately show countries of interest. And since the idea is for people to give real time info on whereabouts & site conditions, you wouldn't have to scroll through pages of threads because they'd be out of date.

If you see what I mean. . . 

Totally take your point on people disappearing once they leave. I've posted a 'where is Scotjimland?' thread on his own RV fulltiming site a few weeks ago, with no response.

MHF is a brilliant site to give people inspiration & the confidence to embark on prolonged touring. But it would be even more valuable if 'newbie fulltimers' posted their experiences having made the dream happen.

Oh well, hope to be one of those peeps myself very soon, so I'll find out if there's some sort of Bermudan Triangle into which fulltimers disappear!

Bruce


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

How about a blog linked to the forum. Blogs can be updated via email now and email can be sent via most phones, alternatively I reckon most campsites would send a simple email probably for nothing especially if they thought they might get more business out of it.

Members could simply send an email stating their whereabouts and what the site was like, weather etc. The blog would automatically be updated and would be one place to go to see where everyone was (at least those who wanted people to know :lol: )

stew


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## MikeE (May 1, 2005)

I like the sound of a "where am I" forum - we're off to Spain / Portugal early January through until end of March(ish) and it would be great to meet up with other MHFers.

I generally use internet cafes for the big browsing stuff and a mobile connection for email etc. (to get it onto the laptop....); this year I've got a "pay as you go" BT Openzone account at 20p per minute. The BT Openzone website does say that the roaming charges are "instead of" as opposed to "additional to", but I'm a bit suspicious as that means charges in France would be less than half those in the UK 8O 

Mike


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

Hi all

I think that Kijana and Artona have the bones of a really good idea here. A dedicated forum/blog (I didn't know you could you could update a blog by email) which showed country, town and possibly a GPS position and/or a mobile telephone number should be fairly easy to operate.

MikeJ
I think if you look at my earlier post you will see that that the roaming charges are in addition to BT's 20p - at least that's what they told me. I have been looking at an alternative. see Orange - France

If my French is correct you can buy a 2 hour pass for example for 10 euros but, unlike BT, you can use it during a period of 30 days. If you had 6 sessions of say 20 minutes (enough for a few emails, checking the bank and 5 minutes on Skype perhaps), That'll cost £1.20 a go.

Anyway, Mike, I would ask you to post on this topic while you're away to let us know how easy/difficult you have found access to the internet.

Cheers

Ian


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Ian

No problem updating blog via email. This is a test one I have set up to demonstate. 
Try posting on it by sending an email to [email protected]

then view the blog here

give it a few minutes to update if required. If you have viewed the blog prior to posting you might have to refresh your screen.

I have just sent an email from the email link in this post and it was instantly put onto blog.

I have a deal with 3 (mobile phone provider). Instant mail on the move is £5 a month. That includes emailing to phone and from phone. I use a nokia e61 handset and emailing is dead easy and very efficient.

Have fun

stew


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I would be wary of publishing my where abouts. It is not that difficult to obtain my name and address on the web. The tow rags of this world could have a ball in my empty house. I don't even like publishing the fact I am off on a trip let alone exactly where I am.:wink: 

peedee


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

IT WORKS STEWART!!!!!!


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Ian

Its great isn't it. Technology is really getting sorted

stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

peedee said:


> I would be wary of publishing my where abouts. It is not that difficult to obtain my name and address on the web. The tow rags of this world could have a ball in my empty house. I don't even like publishing the fact I am off on a trip let alone exactly where I am.:wink:
> 
> peedee


Real concern which I have when arranging to go on an MHF meet as well. But for the purposes of this blog why don't those going have another nickname just for that purpose only circulated to those in the know? You can tell us who you were later. Otherwise its encryption...... 

Frank


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

Good point Peedee but I think this is really for people who have not left an empty house back home.

Ian


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

1) Certainly it is more comforting when your house is occupied when you are away. 

2) The next best thing is a good burglar alarm and supportive neighbours.

3) A dog with the run of the house overnight cared for by neighbours.

4) The icing on the cake is technology. It's amazing what can be done with covert cameras automatically triggered, video/files over wi-fi networks extending to neighbours' houses, reassurance by interrogation over a broadband link, etc., etc.

Dave


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> 1) Certainly it is more comforting when your house is occupied when you are away.
> 
> 2) The next best thing is a good burglar alarm and supportive neighbours.
> 
> ...


A colleague told me of a computer program that you can control via the net and turn lights on etc

Russell


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## RobMD (May 9, 2005)

The Blog idea looks a starter to me!!! Why not have 2 distinct ones. One for UK travel and one for European travel (or has this been suggested???).

When on site and deciding where to go next (whether in Europe or UK), it would help if there was info as to what a site was like - and if it is open during the winter months - also of course ir is always nice to meet up with other MHF members   

I know it is there for the world to see, but as long as no personal info is posted, I don't see a problem.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Can you use new parchment? This old stuff is driving me up the wall with my feather quill?

Dave


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Stew, the phone blog is the perfect solution - well done!

All I need to do now is sort out what sort of phone & package to take away.

PeeDee, I think it's possible to worry a bit too much. Though your concerns would be addressed by selling your house in favour of an RV  

Bruce


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Nhaaa, I prefer both but better safe than sorry.

peedee


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

I've had a go and it worked which considering I'm a computer dunce surprised me. I think this is the start of a great idea so I hope the Rev. Nuke goes for it. Unfortunately I won't be traveling again till late 07, no 
motor home till then. But if up and running I'd post each time I could get web access Wobby


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi all

I will check with Nuke how he wants the travel blog set up then and get it all arranged. Probably take a day or two. I will leave the one metioned earlier in this thread open if anyone wants to play with it :lol: 


Stew


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