# What do we need abroad?



## pmcclure (Dec 6, 2011)

We've just bought our first motor home (2007 Burstner Solano) and we intend to go abroad for a few months around April or May.

The thing is we don't know what equipment/accessories we might/will need.

The only things we have so far are two gas bottles that came with the motor home.

Would appreciate any advice on what we need.

Thanks in advance.

Peter


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

No. 1 A corkscrew. 8) 

tony


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

everning all, 

A few
euros to keep movin on. 

norm


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## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

For compulsory equipment check out:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/compulsory_equipment.html

We woudl add an Aires book, Stelplatz book and a sense of adventure.

Oh and a good camera and set up a free travel blog so your friends can follow your adventures.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

have a look at this forum section 
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/forum-185.html
useful guides to various things, including travelling on the continent.

The main thing to have is some aires / sites guides, a few basic words of various languages, and time :!: also2 Red triangles, enough gas to get you there & back (unless you have a refillable system, in which case you can refill at LPG stations).


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Passport..... :roll: and the usual hi vis jackets, one for each person and as Andrews link says.... wine from the french supermarkets.... just enjoy your time while you can.... i'm off to Faro some time this week, not sure when yet....


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

I would suggest bikes to allow you to investigate places where your motorhome can't go.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Depend on what lifestyle you plan and where you are going to stop, if you intend to use aires etc. or camp sites, if using camp sites your gas useage is likely to be far less as you will most likely take advantage of electric hook up, for this you will need a hook up cable, if "free" or "wild" camping you will need to make a plan to change / refill your gas bottles, the various publications listing either sites or aires will be useful.
As to what else you need, best bet is to look at what you use indoors and think whether or not you need it to live in the van.


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

evening all, 


ky.



norm


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## waspes (Feb 11, 2008)

ACSI card  

Peter.


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Congrats on your new addition to the family - got a name yet or a photo?

One thing we have found very useful (kindly left by previous owner) is a an A5 sheet with the following: dimensions (height, width, length) in m/ft; reg no and weight (we found this out...see http://chrishodgetrucks.co.uk/useful-info/weighbridges.htm ).

We found visiting a caravan accessories shop, big camping shop and one of the regional caravan shows very helpful. Lots of things we hadn't even thought about, but used whilst away.

Best buy? Amazing circular folding chairs - bliss, when combined with wine and sun.

Please pm us if you need more specifics - we're newish to MHing and so understand where you are at. Oh, and happy to be a personal shopper - but have an eye for the expensive


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

If you are going over the summer, sun tan cream and glasses and a barbecue - we have a gas fired Cadec which is brilliant and works off a gas point on the outside of the MH.

The external gas point could be used to connect a local cylinder via a regulator as cylinders are NOT the same in the rest of Europe as the UK (Calor is not available) and differs between countries........

The refillable gas system makes life easy as it is cheaper to fill and readily available in most countries although there are differences between availability (many threads on here about such things).

Take a good map book AS WELL as GPS if you have one - it is not unknown for them to fail/get lost/dropped/broken refuse to come out to play or whatever - then back to the maps works well.

EHIC cards are a must "just in case" and if you take regular medication you may be able to get a long supply BUT GP's are not supposed to give more than 2 months (if you are away from the UK for more than 3 months you are supposed to de-register) so talk nicely to your Doctor.

Make sure you take plastic cards securely in different places in vehicle just in case you suffer from some sort of break in (not common but.......), if all your cards are in one place and that gets lost...........

Make sure all cards are registered with a central number so they can be quickly cancelled if needed.

Send yourself an e-mail with scans of important documents, V5, insurance, MoT, EHIC, telephone numbers for emergency use, family contact numbers.... that way you always have a backup available simply by logging on to your e-mail from somewhere (which can even be an internet cafe).

Plan roughly where you wish to go - but be prepared and able to change if you wish by what you find. Make sure you have a charger for things like mobile phones, iPods, camera batteries etc. - disposable batteries are VERY expensive e.g. in France.

Just a few ideas but do read the MHF guide as Bognormike suggested....

Dave


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

I would say you will need nothing more than you would need in the UK (Camping wise) that is.

Use your MH in the UK, get use to it, when you go over to France, remember that the French also have large supermarkets, petrol stations and the like, just use a little common sense, drive on the right, and you will be fine.

Don't forget ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Enjoy it !!


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## pmcclure (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies so far, and dare I say it "keep them coming"

JWW. Am taking two mountain bikes, hence a motor home with a garage.

Simandme. Still working on a name, but no photos yet as we havn't collected "her" yet

AndrewandShirley. Got a new Canon60D for Christmas for this reason. Not to sure about a "blog" or setting up a facebook account for the motorhome. What do most people do?

Will thank you all once I have a "full" account


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

icampsites USB 

http://www.outdoorbits.com/icampsites-usb-edition-cross-platform-campsite-database-p-1726.html

hmmmm

dashboard sign with lengths / widths / heights of your van (metres and feet and inches)

grip track

levelling blocks

high viz vests

warning triangles

spare bulb kit

plastic signal sign if not going to Italy / alu signal sign if you are (if you have a bike rack on the back)

thermal blinds (exterior)

corkscrew

water hose + extension

Hook up cable + extension

camera

ACSI Book is good as discounts available and includes carnet

lol most if not all available on our sister site of http://www.outdoorbits.com


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