Tell us your about your worst caravanning experience

[FiveInAVan]

Ok, so all the gorgeous scenery photos tell us about your best caravanning experiences but lets hear about your worst. I know a lot on here free camp as they don't like the caravan park experience so tell me all about your worst caravan park (or free camping) experience. I want to know what you hate about caravanning and those annoying inconsiderate vanners who make your blood boil. I have only ever stayed overnight in caravan parks and mostly had good experiences (the other vanners probably sighed with relief after us and our early rising noisey kids moved on the next morning LOL). I consider myself a considerate person and try not to annoy other people but even I am sometimes amazed at the human existence...hit me with your best so I can prepare for my caravanning journey

 

[twscoot]

This was too painfull to recount....

 

[achjimmy]

This was too painfull to recount....

I was thinking of you and that thread the other day @twscoot as I was sitting in car waiting for the hail to pass so we could set up at crescent head.

 

[FiveInAVan]

This was too painfull to recount....

Oh dear! You must have done something terrible in a past life. All and all I think you took the experience rather well. I'd have needed a stiff drink or two and some memory deleting pills to recover from that ;-)

 

[Smirke]

Not a too bad an experience, but April 2014 we were at coral bay (WA) , our usual holiday since 2007. 2nd last day and I think a cyclone was heading along the coast. Didn't hit us, but we got rained on. The caravan park flooded and a few of their roads got washed away. Some people left that afternoon as it didn't look like easing up. That plus they didn't want to get stuck when the Lyndon river flooded and roads got closed. Anyway.....all was good. Kids were boogie boarding out in the Main Street as you couldn't tell where it ended and the beach began. Channel 7 filmed them, which they though was great (their nana laughed when she saw them on the news that night). We drove around the caravan parks to check out how others were doing. Let's just say I'm glad we weren't in a tent. They had all turned into swimming pools on the inside as the water was too high. We stuck it out, I mean it was only rain. Back from our sticky beak we opened the door to the swan to discover it was wet inside. All the mats I have on the floor were soaked. We think rain was coming in from the fridge vent and on one of the corner joins. Unscrews and took off the little step by the back bed to find it flooded. The water was everywhere! The big clean up began. The last day was still raining and we had a lot more water in the swan. The day was spent packing up in the rain. We had no dry towels and the only dry clothes we had were the ones we were saving to get into after the pack up wa done. (Using the clothes dryer was out of the question, as there were people sitting waiting for their turn to use it.) at 3am that morning I woke up to the sound of no rain. Woke hubby and said 'let's get going while it's not raining'. Got the kids up, put the swan down and off we went, along with most of the other people who had the same idea. Amazed that the Lyndon river had only water next to the road when we went thru, but had heard that it was shut an hour and a half later because of flooding.
When we got home and opened the van....it stunk. It was that wet, musty icky smell. Vowed not to go thru that again, and to get a bigger van as it was obvious that we had outgrown our swan. That Chrissy we picked up the panda wagon. Hate to say it, but it rained on us after picking her up, and what do we have.....a food in the van! Yep, the silly fridge vent wasn't given protection and water ran off the slide out awning, down the van and in thru the vent. Thank goodness for plastic bags. Made a poncho for it, and all was good.

 

[Dobbie]

Best?

Free camping along the Murray.....no one else around except houseboats drifting past. Quiet and, as were totally set sufficient, we stayed an week before we absolutely had to leave.

Also Kilkivan caravan park. Again quiet, spacious and totally relaxing.

Also free camping along SA coast....beautiful area and peaceful.
Also around Esperence .....also quiet and peaceful.

Lots of others as well but all in quiet rather remote areas as we avoid caravan parks if possible and favour those that provide only power and facilities (and dump points)

Worst?

Pulled into a free camp late and then were surrounded by a posse of motor homes on their way home from some music festival.
Noise, abuse of the site and total lack of consideration for anyone else...used all the water, tripped the power in the toilets (piggybacking power leads from one to the next to pinch free power) and their music was vile. I cringe just thinking of it but it won't be repeated there as the council closed down the site.

We were packing up to escape when they suddenly left so we breathed a sigh of relief and took all day to recover.

One thing I do...it may help...is keep a list of places people have recommended or that I've read about..with comments, questions etc then check them out on Wikicamps. When we are in a particular area we look again and check them out if suitable. Then add to the list. Our old Camps book had so many comments scrawled next to sites it's almost falling apart!

 

[twscoot]

Oh dear! You must have done something terrible in a past life. All and all I think you took the experience rather well. I'd have needed a stiff drink or two and some memory deleting pills to recover from that ;-)

Still drinking. Memory starting to fade now. I'll try again this afternoon.... ;-)

 

[Dobbie]

There are a few of us who upgraded after being swamped in a Swan.

In our case it was at noosa northshore ...two years in a row. We took all day to pack up in the rain and a week to dry out when we got home. Cyclonic conditions. We did read a lot of books and drank some wine.

We ended up putting a side awning on the Patrol just to give us some shelter when packing up In the rain. It works well.

We now have an extra tarp we can attach to the non awning side wall which gives us the option of protecting that side and opening the window when it's pouring.

Nothing worse than stinking hot weather, loads of rain and no ventilation.

 

[FiveInAVan]

There are a few of us who upgraded after being swamped in a Swan.

In our case it was at noosa northshore ...two years in a row. We took all day to pack up in the rain and a week to dry out when we got home. Cyclonic conditions. We did read a lot of books and drank some wine.

We ended up putting a side awning on the Patrol just to give us some shelter when packing up In the rain. It works well.

We now have an extra tarp we can attach to the non awning side wall which gives us the option of protecting that side and opening the window when it's pouring.

Nothing worse than stinking hot weather, loads of rain and no ventilation.

Some great tips there. Will store those away for a rainy day

 

[mrsmfexpanda]

Our worst was at the grampians council park when we where in the jayco Swana few years ago now and this looser in a tent next door wanted to have a fire in a pit under the front of the van near the gas bottle. Lets say after a few times of telling mfexpanda that this guy was going to light a fire and he said, "he would not be that stupid". I said, "he was stupid", the van quickly filled with smoke and a few quick words by mfexpanda and a hose full of water the fire was quickly extinguished. He said," the guy in the office said I could have a fire" and we said, "not under our bloody van".The next morning packed up his tent and up the hill having a large fire to himself.

 

[MDS69]

2010 we were camped at Montecollina Bore on the Strzelecki Track in a tent though not a van. Went to bed with some light cloud and a beautiful sunset. Woke up at 2.30 in the morning with water running through the tent from a huge storm that came through. Bailed out and the wife and daughter went into a friends Swan and me and the son went into another friends Swan. Next day stopped raining so packed up wet and attempted to leave. It took an hour to drive 500m along the Strzelecki Track to the 500m sign mentioning the camping area and then back to camp. Turns out the road was closed (a road train on the track with a sat phone told us) so we set up again and dried everything out. Spent 4 glorious days "stranded" just eating and drinking but then ran out of proper food and alcohol, milk, bread etc. Had plenty of tinned type stuff.
In hindsight this turned out to be the most enjoyable and memorable part of the trip with the forced relaxation.

This long weekend just gone we were in Dubbo on our way home from a 2 week trip around the NSW outback. Stayed at the Big 4 as we have done previously and there was a Indigenous league tournament on. Place was packed. Pool was packed with kids bombing and diving and no parental supervision. Kids running amok in the park after dark. Kids banging on vans and tents after bed time. Around 2.30am there was heaps of yelling and banging coming from the cabins area. Cops were called who in turn called the ambos. Apparently the park has employed security but they were nowhere to be seen.
The race of the kids IMO had nothing to do with mischief going on, it was just heaps of kids who knew each other from the footy team and there being multiple teams and clubs it created a perfect storm.

The above 2 examples are as not extreme as some of the great stories above but just my experiences.

 

[Tricky]

Any caravanning experience is better than being at work...

 

[Smirke]

Any caravanning experience is better than being at work...

Exactly! Wouldn't change it for the world. Just wish I could have gone somewhere these holidays.

 

[dagree]

Only bad experience caravanning was on our first WA meet up at Toodyay (And no it wasn't meeting @bigcol if anyone asks )... Storm came in on the Saturday night and we found out our skylight leaked..... A strategically placed plastic bin bag sorted that for the night then it was back to the bonfire

Worst camping trip would have been the last one in the tent. Booked in down south for two weeks and blew the head gasket on the 100 series V8 cruiser on the last week..... The only mechanic that could fit it in said might take a while as we'll be working on it as and when we can! Long story short is the cruiser wasn't ready by the time we had to depart and no sites available after then So pack up the tent, load the camping gear in the boat and move into a small chalet that the parks owners let us book on a night by night basis

What's so bad about another week away you say? Not complaining about two weeks turning into three but having a loaded boat and only a hire corolla with sunshine and windless all week didn't help....... Now for the bit that really hurt:
Cruiser repairs $4,400
Extra accommodation $880.00
Hire car $800.00
Extra time away from work and the Rat Race......... "Priceless"

Option 2 was hire a larger vehicle, load the boat with everything and head back home to work then head down the following weekend and pick up the cruiser.... NAAAAAAH that would never have happened

 

[Dobbie]

Ain't it wonderful how we look back on those experiences with a smile?

Not smiles at the time but now they are just part of the great camping canvas.

But we learn...we learn.

 

[SimonM]

Our first trip in our Swan was Easter to Busselton 2011.
Stayed at my brother in law's place on his front lawn , 7 kids (my two and his 5) racing around on Marine tce. Traffic felt like they were driving through the van as was that noisy. Big bbq with family for easter.
Packed up following day , headed for Augusta and some peace and quiet , just my wife , kids and I. Now the relaxing family time starts.
Stopped in at marg river cheese factory for "afternoon nibblies" cheeses once we set were up in Augusta caravan park

Small hose under inlet manifold blew on the 80 series , Steam spewing underneath bonnet.
Stranded at cheese factory carpark at 3pm. RAC man advised they will only free tow to marg river as closest town.
NO car , van would be dropped outside mechanics yard with the car. . .
Decided to fund a tow back to Busselton myself instead.

Called up brother in law to come (in his prado) and collect kids and wife , take back to busso for dinner and wait for me hours later.
I wait for tow truck to take car and van back to front lawn in Busselton.So I end up having the cheese and crackers (and a cheeky drink given I wasn't driving again that day) whilst waiting for the tow truck in the marg river cheese factory carpark . Cos I had the engel in the car full of cider and beer. . . . .
Arrived back in Busselton about 8.30pm.
Traffic from marine terrace still no better.

Booked into kookaburra c'van park following day . Used my brother in law's car to take van to park (1km) .

Car goes to Toyota Busselton. Used the RAC free tow this time , same tow truck co-incidently.

Cost for car = $450 (always replace every hose when you recondition head is the lesson to be learnt) for a $25 hose.
Cost for tow back to Busselton = $350.

In the process I think I warped the new (1000km old) recon head that blew again 2yrs later , 6 months after I sold it. Felt bad for the new owner , but I had it compression tested before I sold and all pressure were even.
Bad karma to sell a vehicle with known defects , especially a $3000 repair bill defect. Doesn't sit well with me ever. . . .

So we still have not made it to Augusta yet , maybe the expanda and 100 series turbo diesel will get us there incident free..

 

[bigcol]

way too many good ones to list
as said earlier, any time camping is better than being at home - or work............

lots and lots of bad ones
my son doing a back flip into the water at Glen Mervyn dam (Collie) and landing on a rock, nearly breaking his back

or the time,
I had been working Night shift, got home from work, packed the car, loaded the kids and Dove and headed off to Port Gregory (lovely place) 5 hours driving, get to Caravan park, set up everything, then head off for a sleep (been awake for about 24hrs by this time)
about 2 hours after I go to sleep, my wife wakes me to say - Son is very sick, very very very sick
throw him into the back of my car chucking up everywhere
race off at 900miles an hour (oh thats right, it was a 47 series diesel personal carrier - so it would have been closer to about 80kms an hour, flat out with the wind behind me..............)
52kms to the Hospital at Northampton
get to Hospital, ahh, you may have to take him to Geraldton (another 50kms away) as the Dr is not feeling well
after a small talk with the Dr, reminding him of his Hippocratic oath, telling him about my lack of sleep and sense of humor at that time and showing him I can and will lift Drs by the throat into the air if I need to

he looked at my son
pumped his stomach
gave him Charcoal to drink
and watched him all night

he had eaten some poisoned berries as a dare from a bigger kid............................

another time (early 80's) we were camped up at Lancelin in the dunes, got woken up at 3.00 am by the RAAF doing their bombing practices
never saw any signs, as some tosser had taken them down

ahhhhhhhhhhhh the memories.................

 

[FiveInAVan]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Seems like Mother Nature has a part in most bad camping/vanning experiences.

@bigcol OMG!! You must be a way better parent than me to have gone through all that and still be sane! The memories indeed :jaw:
:jaw:

 

[Dobbie]

That reminded me of being woken by the F111s practising their bombing runs when we camped at Bubjalung NP.

Could have sworn they were about 10 metres away so dashed outside to look and they were 10 metres away.

 

[bigcol]

having grown up at Holworthy, I was "slightly" used to things that go BANG in the night

@bigcol OMG!! You must be a way better parent than me to have gone through all that and still be sane! The memories indeed

all the fun of having kids I suppose

my son, between the ages of 5 & 12, has seen nearly every Hospital in WA pretty much (nothing north of Karratha thank goodness) almost every time we went camping, now I think of it................