[darkbrowneggs]

Ok the house is still not sold, and the last of the auction sale items are still to be collected, but I went for another look at a motorhome I like on Sat and got them to take me out in it.  Must say it looks a bit big to handle, but as they say if you can get a dust cart down the road then the van should fit.


Once I have finally made my mind up I will put some details of it on, but I am feeling half excited and half nervous at present.


I am probably jumping the gun (as I say - nothing signed on the house as yet) but I always tend to jump in a worry about it after.  So assuming it will all be ok and I will be heading for a look at the Northern Lights next year I have gone ahead and booked in for a Burns Night supper which is being held at Burns Cottage on the actual night.  How exciting is that!  Well its exciting for me anyway - bear in mind I haven't had a holiday since sometime in the 1980's 


I haven't been able to get out of the house much in the last 8 or 10 years so no real evening clothes type things but wanted to make a bit of an effort for my first trip away but there wont be much space for clothes


I am thinking long black stretch velvet skirt (need to buy) black jumper (got one) and some sort of tartan sash?


Shaw is part of my name but I couldn't find any tartans to do with that..... but I have been half looking at a plot in the West Highlands so would an Inverness Tartan be the ticket - I quite like the red ones...  See I am driveling on.... you can see I am excited


Oh and on Sat  I booked in for 3 nights at Cropredy

[doganjo]

Have you test driven the motorhome yourself to see how it feels?  I made the mistake of letting the salesman drive mine not me - and I hated driving an old, van with a long gear stick, so I sold it and haven't bought another one.  I had the choice of a smaller but newer van and I made the wrong choice.

Burns Cottage is in Alloway, Ayr (http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk/) - are you driving up in the new motorhome?  Bad time of year up here if we get snow so take care.

Here's the Shaw tartan - http://www.scotclans.com/scottish_clans/clan_shaw/tartan.html

You're entitled to get excited    We're excited for you too! 

[Fleecewife]

I agree with doganjo - make sure you've had a proper go with the motorhome, on small roads as well as large.  Driving something so big will be tiring physically and not much fun, and driving it for long distances could soon become a bore.  Maybe something which won't create a traffic jam wherever you take it could be wiser. The amount of traffic on the tourist routes is hard to believe and I for one hate driving anything with four wheels up the west coast of Scotland.  The dustcart analogy works both ways - would you like to have to drive one of those far enough to see the northern lights?  If you are sure then it will give you maximum space and independence.  There's no rush for you to finalise your choice but it would be such a shame to get it wrong.
 
Sorry this sounds so negative - I think it's a lovely trip you're planning and I'm dirt jealous 

[Bionic]

It's all very exciting    and good that you have booked a couple of things to get you started.


I used to live in Alloway, just down the road from Burns cottage and remember it well.

[shygirl]

why don't you travel round in one of these, you make a fortune everything you park up 

http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html

give yourself plenty of time to get used to driving it before you decide. I hired a horselorry. my first journey was through the city in the dark/pouring rain. I was terrified I was going to crash but by the next evening - after 300 miles - I found it so easy to drive. it was the biggest thing iv ever driven though.

[Rosemary]

Nice tartan :-)

Maybe you can join us at the Scottish Smallholder and Grower Spring Gathering at Inverurie at the end of May 

[madchickenlady]

Good to see you excited, hope all goes well  

[happygolucky]

I am strangely excited for you, I love anyone doing something unusual!!!! That tarten is lovely, long before I moved up here or actually thought much about my Scots roots, I have loved tartan, now there are so many lovely colour ways.....I would love Tartan carpets, even though some people think they are naff!!!

[darkbrowneggs]

why don't you travel round in one of these, you make a fortune everything you park up 

http://www.thebubblebus.co.uk/Gallery.html

give yourself plenty of time to get used to driving it before you decide. I hired a horselorry. my first journey was through the city in the dark/pouring rain. I was terrified I was going to crash but by the next evening - after 300 miles - I found it so easy to drive. it was the biggest thing iv ever driven though.

How do you know it isnt one of those I'm buying 


Do you remember how big the one you were driving was?  The most difficult thing is going to be the width which is maximum for the UK roads 


And Rosemary - that sounds good, I dont think I will be heading for the continent that soon


My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa.  I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year 

[shygirl]

actually it wasn't a real horsebox - it was the transit style ones - but it was much bigger than it appeared in the picture, and much bigger than the smaller transit van I had hired to collect goats. I truth I have never been so scared driving something as I had to go through 7 roundabouts in the dark in Aberdeen rush hour straight away. but by the time id gone to dingwall and back it was easy peasy.
I did drive the bus at work a few times but didn't really like it. they wanted me to take my license so I thought great - that will help me to drive a horse box etc but the license was a council version not the real macoy so I didn't bother.

just be brave and give yourself time. id love to go round Europe in a campervan once the kids have left home so I admire you ! 

[doganjo]

Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England  ) anyone know how many there are between the caravan/motorhome sales place at Errol, Perth and Old Rayne (past Inverurie)? 

I know - 22!  Try that on a wet night in motorhome you've never driven before.   S C A R Y!!!!

[Mammyshaz]

  it's important to plan ahead for fulfilling dreams     and what a great place to start.  I'd love to see the northern lights. Went all the way to northern Lapland and still didn't see them. They were seen the night before we arrived 
It's exciting following your plans, have you started a blog about it. Id love to follow what you do and where you visit.  One lady and her Dane on the road of freedom and adventure   

  your house sells quickly for you.

[shygirl]

how about this one?
a much handier size!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4928887/-worlds-smallest-campervan.html

 

[Backinwellies]

Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England    S C A R Y!!!!

They are not Islands in England .... not in the south anyway. My ex used to call them islands .. he was from Birmingham..... took ages for me to connect  turn left at the island with the roundabout ahead!!

[ballingall]

Definitely try driving yourself- I drove Annie's motorhome, and the first time I went round a roundabout I was terrified! The most important thing is that they have a different centre of gravity to cars. We have a transit van as one of our vehicles, and it is more like the motorhome, but even being used to the transit, the motorhome was still very scary to begin with.


The other thing is to get used to the general size, so you know what spaces you can park in for example!


Beth