Do I, don't I, do I, don't?

[Stan53]

That is the question. Or as Shakespeare put it: to be or not to be.
I have a slight dilemma. You see the wife decided about 12 months ago that caravan and camping and touring is just not her thing.
Yesterday my children and I decided to do a run to Kurth Kiln and back. On this trip the never ending saga of travel sickness reared its ugly head again. Not as bad as last year, but still dreadfully uncomfortable for Michele. Michele and I had a good chat about that. It has occurred to me in times past that if she could get out of going on any trip she would.
That's two now not going. That leaves Cathy, who is also not all that keen and me. Oh and Timothy who takes no encouragement to climb in the car.
I like the Swift. Keeps me dry. Cooking is easy. Setting up is getting easier. But, it's a bit big for Tim n me. Also it's the on road version. And then if I stop on the side of the road for a cuppa I gotta crank it up and pull the beds out. You know the drill.
So what to do. Do I go look at the off road version of a Penquin? I like Jayco. The penquin has a double bed and the table becomes another bed. If I want to have a cuppa on the side of the road I just crank it up.
Or, do I bite the bullet and buy a camper trailer?
Oo, and I don't think there is an Expanda small enough for me.

 

[macca]

A old 12ft expanda.?

 

[Adam G]

A new family?

 

[Thirstyviv]

I reckon the 14ft expanda with the Ensuite would be good and maybe with bunks to encourage the rest of the family to the comforts they will enjoy.

 

[macca]

So reading your post it seems to me you have a couple problems to solve before changing the swift.
In any order:
- Get wife to enjoy going away in camper/van, this could involve much shorter trips, ensuites in nice caravan parks etc. Maybe a nice beachy place close to home, somewhere you can get to in 2 hours or so.
- Travel sickness can sometimes be the car. We had a BF Falcon Wagon, kids nicknamed it the sick car. Anyway I left that job so that problem was solved. We have a BT50 and it does not have air in the back, we divert all front air to get down the back and so far no problems. Are they playing electronic devices or reading? This causes travel sickness. Maybe even a travel sickness medication.
- Involve others interest into a trip. Ie we have a kids basketball comp coming up so we are taking the van, instead of staying in a motel.
- Do the wife and kids honestly like the swift? Maybe hire a small expanda and try on out. The set up will be quicker and more enjoyable. I don't think another camper will solve you problem. Happy wife, happy life .

 

[hamish22]

Maybe a van with some creature comforts like an innerspring double bed, air conditioning and a toilet shower could coerse her to have something to look forward to when you get there and ease the sickness!

 

[Stan53]

I like your response Macca. Good a good giggle out of it.
1. Replacing the current model wife with a new model would be very expensive. Besides I rather like the current model. She is comfortable and it took her long enough to train me. Not sure I want to go through all that again.
2. We had a Mitsubishi Challenger which we all named the sick car. Air conditioning was useless and no air in the back. So we "down graded" to an 80 series Landcruiser. That certainly helped with the car sickness but didn't cure it.
3. We did do the "interest" thingy. It was getting there and getting back that was the issue.
4. The wife doesn't mind the Swift. That also isn't the issue. The simple thing is that she doesn't like travel and or camping. We have been married 12 years and that has been consistent all the way through. You see she is blind. So she sees nothing and, as she said to me the other week, even though we all describe things to her, it is all just words. She has nothing to relate to.
We had a big discussion about this. Her thing is classic music. I don't mind classic music but I can more leave it more than take it. I like travel and the bush and getting dirty and the whole discovering thingy. So, we have different interests. Therefore we can and will follow our interests. for her, classic music; for me travel. So that issue is settled. All done and dusted. The eldest daughter doesn't much like travel. She likes the destination but not the getting there or getting back.
My decision purely relates to what to do with the Swift. All the rest is pretty well settled.
And no, and Expanda for me really isn't and option either.

 

[macca]

Well I think keep it for now, arrange a forum trip somewhere next year close by and we can discuss camping etc. I know nothing about classic music but I can bring my old records. By the way, I didn't say replace your wife, Adam G said something like that! . Also, I have a friend who is training to be a train driver!

 

[brotys]

14 footer sounds like what you need , not a camper cant stop and go inside for cuppa in one of those lol

 

[17triton]

I agree with Brotys go the 14.

 

[Stan53]

Umm, Brotys actually that is one of the things that made me look at the camper trailer. Some have a slide out kitchen. And it is the kitchen that has made me consider the Penquin. Crank it up and walk in. Crank it down, make sure the walls are folded as you go and drive off.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

personally id rather open a door and enter rather than crank it up and down =time and ease .... happy wife happy life

 

[Graeme]

We started out looking at the eagle, then we thought oh isn't the expander nice. Then friends said to us 'it's nice to have the bed already made up'. So we ended up with our 13ft Starcraft outback and we love it. Think hard about what is important and lots of research.