Wow! That is terrible! I think that just sealed the deal for me. I’m good at driving my little car, but I am a HORRIBLE (all caps isn’t big enough) parker and maneuvering in tight spaces. I would be a terrible RV driver. But, when we were in Canada, there were so many smallish campers that people had rented driving up and down. I thought well maybe I would try something like this. But nope… I can totally see me pulling over to let someone pass (I did that enough in my little Nissan Kicks rental) and tipping over.
My big boss once asked me to get my CDL so I could drive a snow plow. I told him that he absolutely did NOT want me driving a snow plow. No way, no how. I know my limits. I’d hit every mail box, sideswipe vehicles…
Probably right @sabaray as tending the flock can have some interesting moments but is probably a lot more mundane. I don’t think he would want to retire from it, because his personal economic return will come from guiding these companies to a successful economic exit.
Interestingly, like some of our other friends, this couple had their entire trip to Japan planned by a travel agent in the US with guides spending the full day with them in each city and getting them on trains and subways. This must add a ton of cost to the trip (they can afford it). We do a bit of bumbling around. It is hard to get taxis from city to city. We are on an island now and wanted to take a taxi from the ferry port on the other side to our next hotel. It is easy to get a taxi to the big local city only (that would take about 45 mins). We want to take a taxi to our next hotel, which is about an hour and 45 mins and that can’t be done. The taxis won’t go there for some reason. I was able to arrange for a car service at a pretty high price, but it avoids a local train or bus, a Shinkansen (bullet train) fare, and at least one more local train (and maybe a ferry) multiplied by three (for ShawWife, ShawD and me). So the economics are not crazy. A travel agent could have helped with that, I guess, and maybe found a lower price. But overall, we prefer not having a guide the whole time – we did use one for Kyoto day trips and she was superb. Maybe we see less (maybe not,actually), but we experience the place more. We did find a local restaurant with 8 seats that probably should have a Michelin star. Just found it via google.
I grew up in NJ and for some reason, we never visited the NJ Shore (I think once when I was very young but don’t remember it). No doubt my loss, though I had no control.
As an aside… there sure seem to be some unusual ads here. For some reason I am seeing an animated mouse and the line “do you have a mouse in your house? Do this”. No we don’t have mice and the critter running in the ad (which has posted in this thread several times) is creepy!
My friend found us a private guide for Japan that we hired for a day. She picked the 4 of us up at our hotel and took us to all the places my friend had picked out and waited for us and then on to the next destination. It was a nice intro to Japan and we could leave things in her van. It was like $100 per person for each of us or something like that. she spoke English. She found her as a highly rated guide on Trip advisor or similar.
A fair number of people seem to travel around New Zealand with RVs, especially on the South Island.
I can totally relate to the “you don’t want ME driving a snow plow.” (Or an RV, or whatever).
I used to think it might be fun trying an RV and driving around, especially in Canada. But as I’ve gotten older I’m less interested.
When my Dad was in his 80s, he and his wife had an ancient little motorhome purchased cheaply. They considered upgrading (til the sticker shock). One of the salesman pointed out that he typically does not recommend drivers over age 70 purchasing a motorhome, especially if they’ve never driven one before.
I can’t imagine having to drive a giant RV like the one pictured! I did spend most of the year after college with a friend living in a Ford Econoline van that had been tricked out to be a camper. We did stay with friends and relatives when we could. My honeymoon was in a VW camper van. It belonged to a friend and we moved it from Pasadena to San Francisco for him. (With some detours to wineries in Napa and Sonoma.)
My parents considered an RV (long ago) because they loved to travel with the family. Dad finally decided we could stay in many hotels for a lot less cost and hassle than the cost of an RV. It also makes some roads much harder to travel.
On the other hand, a coworker LOVED their RV, and said she would never stay in hotels, because she’s much more comfortable in her own space.
SO, for those who enjoy RV’s - what is your primary reason vs. staying at inns (BnB’s, hotels, etc.)?
My in laws had two RVs. One, they bought while on a trip to CA (they flew out). Bought an RV and drove it back east. It never really got used for any trips (was built on a van platform and really was nice). It was sort of an extra bedroom at their house.
So…they traded that one in…and got a second one build on a VW van platform. It was great. They took it on exactly one trip to the Florida panhandle area where they stayed for about a month just one time.
It was then never used again and was eventually sold.
In both cases, my MIL (who was an awful driver) used it as a second car🤦🏻♀️.
Members of the family had suggested they rent one and try before buying, but that wasn’t exactly heard. But I guess they enjoyed it on some level.
Don’t want to buy one but sure would like to rent one right now for a football game in the fall that is a huge rivalry - all the hotels double the price per night and charge a minimum 2 night stay in the college town and several towns away. Ridiculous when the price of the NoTel Motel is more than the price of your season football tickets! Geeeeesh!
Our primary reason for having a travel trailer is that we like visiting national parks and other remote areas, where accommodation and eating out is scarce and/or expensive (and camping on the ground would be unpleasant for aging limbs). We chose a travel trailer instead of an RV because we like to drop the trailer at the campsite then drive the car around the park on its own.
It’s also convenient when you want to visit lots of places for a couple of days at a time and don’t want the trouble of packing and unpacking every time. A similar rationale to taking a cruise to visit a whole bunch of places rather than flying between them and staying on land. However it isn’t about saving money, especially with the gas prices in CA.
What I wouldn’t do is take an RV/trailer to a specific location for an extended period of time. Even for a stay of a week in one place I’d rent an AirBnB or similar. I would want to cook at least some of the time so a hotel wouldn’t work either for a week plus stay.
While @HImom ‘s story is a terrible one, I would think an accident like that is rare.
I love that some people have that sense of adventure to take on the task of an RV vacation or lifestyle. I mean, to me it beats camping in a tent!
I have a friend who has one - actually she and her H have one and then both of their kids have one each. And a bunch of other family members. This is how that vacation. All booking various campgrounds - many in Ohio or Michigan and setting up camp right next to each other, taking turns making meals and having a lot of fun (at least to them!)
I will have to say though it often seems like a LOT of work. Loading it up with supplies before leaving and also reversing the process and cleaning it when home. Figuring out where to store it. All the things.
BUT I will say while I wouldn’t want to own one (in retirement or when we had kids at home) I would choose to rent an RV and take a trip that way before I’d ever take a big cruise ship. Just my own preference! An RV experience just once could be fun.
