Cool...so you've booked your campsite. And you've decided to take the family glamping for the weekend (hopefully with SKiN&BLiSS Campers). So how do your ensure that your weekend away goes smooth, the kids love it & want to do it again (and you & your partner remain partners at the end of your 3 days away!!) Well, lets try & give you a Rough Guide to Glamping...How to Set Up, Enjoy & Relax.
1. What Should We Take in the VW Campervan
I always find transparency is good starting point. So lets be clear...the VW Campervan (or at least Berry, Grape & Rhubarb) are not meant for a family of 6. They are the perfect delux Campervan for outdoor exploring, they offer a great alternative camping & they allow you to cook & sleep in the wild with a touch of luxury. But the space is limited. So when you take your entire wardrobe, 5 bags, 7 pairs of shoes & the kitchen sink....you might be disappointed when the family start to bark at each other as the space you were expecting is not there.
So please pack sensibly...soft bags can be stored in the wardrobe or under the rock & roll bed. We supply everything you will need to cook & eat. We even supply tea, coffee & hot chocolate ( you may want to bring your own hot chocolate if your little ones have eating allergies). We also supply the mattress plus sheets for the pop top, bedding for the rock & roll bed, blue tooth speakers, heaters (which work with an electric hook up) & a propex heating system which will run off the gas & leisure battery. You might want to pack a couple of fold away chairs which can be stored in the rear of your Campervan. And the obviously a duvet or sleeping bags plus pillows. All of which can be stored in the wardrobe.
If you are going away for a few nights why not take the awning...it's inflatable & zips to the side of the Campervan. Great for eating, sleeping or just an extra chill out room. It's a great additional space & we charge only £35 for the awning, carpet & ground sheet.
2. Make Sure Your Campervan is Level
First of all, and to be fair most pitches will be...make sure you are level. Position your Campervan on level ground. The last thing you want is plates sliding around on your table & a bed thats not level. The other consideration is what side to pitch your awning. Some Campsites can have funny rules about what position you park & pitch the awning...so always best to check before you park & pitch.
3. Make Sure Your Thermal Wrap is in Place
Things work better when they are done in the correct order. So once you have parked & the kids have all ran off never to be seen again for days, you can start to get organised & set up your VW Campervan. So your first job is to open up your Thermal Wrap Bag ( black bag with silver sheet inside) & position. First undo your tension straps & carefully push up your roof...this should glide up & is held in place with the gas struts. Then push up your internal roof...you'll pull this down later when the kids are ready for bed. Then slide your thermal wrap around the pop top top inbetween the gas struts & canvas tent. Yes, the thermal wrap goes on the outside & connects at the back of the Campervan with a buckle. Great when it gets a bit windy or the weather turns sour.
4. The Eyes Have It
Once you have your wrap firmly in place it's time to place your Thermal Screen Cover on the outside of the front screen. This will give you privacy, block out the light at 6am and keep you warm (it will also eliminate any condensation of the inside). Simply throw over the front screen & then feed the door corners into the sleeves on the Screen Cover - this will hold the cover in place.
5. Get Your Inflatable Awning Secured
Good work so far...you're looking good. Next job is the Inflatable Driveway Awning. The big grey bag, kador strip, pump & pegs. You might need some help...so please work together nicely.
- Peg down your ground sheet...outside the sliding door to the side of the Campervan
- Feel along the top of the roof & you'll find a metal strip. This is where you slide your kador strip. Then attach the 3 sections of the figure of 8 to the kador strip
- Then get the kador strip on the awning & attach to the figure of eight. Now your awning is attached to your Campervan.
- Now locate your 2 arches on your awning & inflate...these should pop up super quick. If its windy make sure you get help & peg the ropes down to keep it secure
- Now inflate the grey tube & velcro to the roof of the awning - this keeps the roof stable
- All you need to do now is position your carpet in the awning
- Good work!!
6. Dinner in Your Campervan
Turn on your gas & get the kettle on. (or open the wine that was chilling in your fridge on route) Your Campervan has a gas bottle under the sink behind the tambour door. Turn the knob to the left to open & right to close. If the gas does run out just ask at the campsite & they can swap your bottle for a full one for around £18. The twin hob burner is easy to ignite with the small button next to the gas control.
Don't forget to spin the seats 360 so you can all dine together. Rhubarb has both driver & passenger seats that spin round & Berry & Grape's bench seats also spin right round.
7. The Electric Hook Up
We also supply an electric hook up cable which feeds into the side socket on your Campervan & then will connect to the hook up point on your pitch. Make sure you request a pitch that's fully serviced (electricity & water). Once your cable is in you can switch the Power Mgt System to off & all of your lights, USB and fridge will run off the hook up. This is also better for the PROPEX Heater as a low charge on the Leisure Battery can mean the heater will not start. But don't worry the Leisure Battery when fully charged should last 2 -3 days
8. Feeling Sleepy...Bedtime
Time to pull that internal roof down & turn the seats into your bed. Feed the mattress topper up inside the pop top if the little ones are sleeping up there. Or simply throw on the Rock & Roll Bed if it's just the two of you. And relax!! Good job!!
We've had some amazing feedback from our customers...from families of four touring Germany to customers who travel alone to Cornwall. If you need any help deciding on campsites or anything else regarding your Campervan Adventure please call Mark on 07867 316 422.
