So, what did we learn on that first major foray with Horatio and Kymi. Quite a lot actually….
We can now
Empty the grey waste water Empty the toilet cassette (helpful, that one) Fill the water tank
We learned to
Buy drinking water in 5l containers which fit perfectly into a step compartment Buy wine in 5l containers which tastes good and doesn’t last as long as you think Fill our gas bottles with LPG (see below) Top up the fuel regularly to avoid panicking when the fuel gauge goes a bit bonkers below a quarter full.
Next time remember to pack
A mallet to go with the awning pegs… A small bucket (for washing all the bugs off the enormous windscreen) A small ladder (same) Plenty of supermarket carrier bags to use as bin bags A hose*
Don’t be too clever
Keeping the key for the fuel cap separate to the ignition keys may not be the best idea, though its convenient for the passenger** Packing the doormat in the gas compartment may not be the best idea either***
*filling a motorhome water tank from a tap using a 1.5l water bottle takes a long time and makes you soggy and stroppy, particularly if its chilly.
**this led to us leaving the fuel cap, with key still in it, at a fuel station – thankfully in the UK and only 20 miles from home. The fact that we didn’t even notice until we took it to a garage to rectify the source of the fuel starvation means that this is a vital lesson to learn.
***the idea behind this was to remind us to turn off the gas before moving on from an overnight pitch. The last thing we pack is the doormat which goes on the ground at the foot of the steps, so, we thought, put it in the compartment with the bottles. Sorted.
Then we went to a garage to top up with LPG. The first problem was that the pump was on the wrong side for us so we had to reverse into the forecourt. A tad embarrassing to be facing the opposite direction to everyone else (French) in the station.
Then we took the mat out, put it on top of the fuel pump and spent 20 minutes faffing during which time we found out that you need to get an adaptor from the Caisse. There are 3 possibilities and they make you guess which one instead of allowing you to take all 3 and try them out. (I guessed right – a small victory at the time). We also found that you need to tap the gauges on the bottles quite hard to get them to register the intake of gas. Increasingly more embarrassing.
We finally sussed it all out, returned the adaptor and paid the patient lady at the Caisse before performing a multi point turn and leaving the doormat on top of the pump, only realising some 80 miles down the road what we had done! Alors!
And finally
We loved it !