Any RV is a good RV

It doesn’t really matter whether you have a camping trailer, caravan, motorhome or even a tent, there’s a delicious feeling of freedom that comes with owning a mobile living space. 

My wife and I have owned a couple of campervans, four motorhomes and I spent plenty of time in caravans and tents as a child. Sure I’ve had some favourites but I’ve loved them all.

One of the most fun was a tiny tent I took on a ‘camping trip’ with the lovely girl I ended up marrying. Our trip was a six week bicycle tour around England and France and despite the rudimentary accommodation, it was absolutely fabulous.

That tent gave us access to areas a larger vehicle would never have allowed.  Even a postage stamp worth of available space let us set up ‘home’ for the night. 

The point is: no matter how you choose to travel or what you choose for your ‘mobile accommodation’, there are positives to be had for every available option.

A tent, or even it’s big brother the camping trailer, is simply first class for out of the way places. You can pitch a tent almost anywhere and get away with it!

Camping trailers are a little less subtle but a whole lot more functional for longer term stops. I have friends who did a lap of Australia with a trailer over a period of 18 months. Their little outdoor kitchen and outdoors orientated camping style could easily cater for unexpected guests and they felt it gave them a much richer connection to both the people and the places that they encountered along the way. 

For those seeking a quicker set-up time and a little more comfort and security, a caravan is the obvious choice. Of course all that comfort comes at a price and that price is weight, size and manoeuvrability. But on the other side of the coin, once you’re set up, you can unhitch your vehicle and be free to explore, tour, shop or visit new friends without towing your house everywhere with you.

Caravans certainly seem to make a lot of sense if you plan on travelling to a place and on arrival, settle in for a week or more to really immerse yourself. 

Rob and Terriann Martin have been living the caravan high life for the past 12 years and wouldn’t have it any other way. Rob still works as a truck driver and he and Terriann will often stay at one location for months at a time.

The current job, a large road construction project, is set to span 18 months or more and Rob and Terriann are just fine with that.

They’re on their fourth van (a Jayco Sterling Outback) and this one is a real palace on wheels although Terriann has come to realise the kitchen is a little small.

“If you’re going to buy a caravan, get one with the kitchen in the front,” she suggests.

Rob looks horrified when I ask if he is a caravanner ‘through and through’ or does he secretly covet a motorhome. No chance of that, he assures me.

But there are people who do change. Chris and Tania Gill with their three children owned a terrific, twin axle, three bunk caravan and recently made the switch to a six berth motorhome with no regrets.

“With the caravan, it felt setting it up like a road train just to have an overnight adventure at the local camp ground half an hour away,” explains Chris.

The Gill family’s style of touring rarely has them in one place for too long. Eldest son Angus (17) is a rising star on the country music scene and the new motorhome allows them to travel to venues and accommodate everyone affordably without all the fuss.

Chris explains: “We just hop in, go, come back home, wipe out the fridge, do the toilet… We’re finished in 20 minutes when we get home,”

So if you’re an outdoorsy type and like the idea of visiting places off the beaten track, a camping trailer could be a great choice for you.

For people who like to park and stay a while, a caravan is a strong contender. While a motorhome or camper van is a good choice for those who like a fresh view every day and want minimal effort to set up or break camp.

These are only guidelines of course. Everyone is different and the layout, size and style of the RV you buy can influence how well it fits in with you and your travel choices.

The good news is, you’re spoilt for choice on Caravancampingsales. Just plug in your requirements using the filters on the site’s search function and you’ll have a list of suitable RV options faster than you can put the billy on…