Doh , check before you leave

[Compass Point]

Our trip from south London to Thetford forest CMC site went well . Did basic setup , and stopped for coffee .

Then on to awning , err , humm , took the black holdall out of car to unwrap the half awning , Oh dear , the holdall for the awning and the holdall for daughters tent are almost identical , aaannndddd , yeeeesss I had picked up the wrong one .

The thing is we use our 2 berth caravan as a bedroom , leaving the double bed made up all the time ,and live in the awning , so the awning is quite essential .

There was only one thing to do , a 4hr round trip to pick up the correct holdall . Luckily  traffic was light and the return trip went well .

Note to oneself , CHECK BEFOR YOU LEAVE HOME !!!

So what are your stories ?

[swirly182]

4 hours... hopefully you'll never do it again!

 

Like we'll never forget the bedding again after realising at 9pm on the first night. However it was only our second trip as new caravanists. 

[Johnaldo]

We’ve forgotten many, many items over 40-odd years of tenting and caravanning … … but we’ve never, ever been back for them, even though we’re often less than an hour from home.

 

If the missing item is cheap, say a towel or awning pegs -  we just purchase another one.  If it’s expensive, we just do without!

 

John

 

PS, we did once almost forget something important - the caravan … I’d set off from home towards North Wales and after about 5 minutes SWMBO asked why we weren’t heading towards the storage yard - in the opposite direction 🙂

[daveat92]

47 minutes ago, Compass Point said:

Our trip from south London to Thetford forest CMC site went well . Did basic setup , and stopped for coffee .

Then on to awning , err , humm , took the black holdall out of car to unwrap the half awning , Oh dear , the holdall for the awning and the holdall for daughters tent are almost identical , aaannndddd , yeeeesss I had picked up the wrong one .

The thing is we use our 2 berth caravan as a bedroom , leaving the double bed made up all the time ,and live in the awning , so the awning is quite essential .

There was only one thing to do , a 4hr round trip to pick up the correct holdall . Luckily  traffic was light and the return trip went well .

Note to oneself , CHECK BEFOR YOU LEAVE HOME !!!

So what are your stories ?

If they look the same, time to put some labels on the bags!

[Compass Point]

The awning bag DID have a Kampa label , just did not look , leason learned !!

[MalH]

Turned up at site to find I'd forgotten to pack the EHU cable. Luckily I had a short length and the warden allowed us to swap to a pitch close enough to a bollard if I sited the 'wrong' way round. 

[joanie]

we are very much like Johnaldo, if it's cheap buy another  or do without,  no way would I have made that  4 hour journey .  We often forget something, even forgot the dogs meds once but the local vet phoned our vet and it was sorted.  Forgot the OH walking stick once so he had to hold on to me for support till we got him another one, do you notice each time I said that we only forget it once

[daveat92]

I drove an hour to a site and set up ready for a few days cycling. Only then to realise I had forgotten my cycling shoes. As I had specifically gone to cycle the local, hilly area, and riding my bike without being cleated in is nearly impossible, I had to drive home again and back that night.

I now keep an old pair in the back of the car.

[utccman]

Many years ago we decide to go to Scotland (we lived in Bucks at the time). As I had to work in the morning we set off at lunchtime and had an overnight stop near Penrith. As we were getting ready for bed SWMBO owned up to leaving all her holiday clothes on our bed at home. She had packed mine and the kids. So, next morning a trip to Penrith where she replaced her wardrobe. Thankfully she is not one for designer clothes and doesn't mind doing laundry when we are away.

Over 15 years later she still tells me she has remembered to pack her clothes.

[icepuffin]

Sometimes nothing goes right.

We had booked a weekend in a hotel for Christmas shopping, left the house and only when we arrived did we realise that we had left all our clothes behind the bedroom door, so a 1 and half hour trip back.

Got to hotel and decided to spruce up  I'm in bath wife just finished when fire alarm went off, so out in cold winters night with just a towel on.

Next evening thought we would make use of the swimming pool so had trunks on and removed my specs before walking down to pool area. Doors were open as they had been painted and no-one on desk so I went right wife went left . As I walked through changing area I heard a scream from a naked woman coming out of the shower, we had both gone into the wrong changing areas, in my defence I couldn't see much as I had removed my glasses. 

We did manage to sort out the Christmas presents though. 

[Hort2074]

I had something similar on Friday.

 

Got to the van @ 12:30 to get the heating on, awning up and everything ready for the wife and daughter to arrive separately at about 5pm.

 

Got a call to say the wife's car had broken down at 4pm, so a 3hr round trip to pick them up and then back to the caravan.

[Fireman Iain]

It seems common for Kay to forget something on most trips. Her meds and specs have been left out more than once, she now keeps spare in the van. Her purse doesn't always travel with her, although that seems suspicious to me. Oh, and she forgot to bring any underwear once....

 

Best one though, and I take joint responsibility for this, was when we forgot the dog. I thought Kay had let her in the boot, she thought i had, and since she settles so well in the car, neither of us thought twice until we arrived and went to let her out and.....no Ruby. Fortunately, we weren't too far from home, when I went back for her, she was fast asleep on her bed upstairs.

[Jacko1]

13 minutes ago, Fireman Iain said:

Best one though, and I take joint responsibility for this, was when we forgot the dog. I thought Kay had let her in the boot, she thought i had, and since she settles so well in the car, neither of us thought twice until we arrived and went to let her out and.....no Ruby. Fortunately, we weren't too far from home, when I went back for her, she was fast asleep on her bed upstairs.

Did that only last Saturday when we went for our weekly beach walk... 

 

Worse one (so far) with the caravan was, remembered the beer bag and the frozen food bag but somebody.. forgot the bag of everyday stuff i.e. tea bags and milk and only found that out on our normal set up routine of steadies down, ehu on, kettle on. Mind you enjoyed the beer while OH nipped to the local shops..

[GaryB1969]

Leaving home in dry weather and arriving in the Lake District 4 1/2 hours later in the pouring rain and realising you left all of the coats at home!

[meadowsweet]

Where do I start? 

 

1. Insulin. Had to find surgery, make appointment, register as temporary patient etc etc

 

2. Awning poles. Had to improvise a makeshift tarpaulin shelter. 

 

3. Food box. In France so had to find a supermarket next morning which meant a very long day travelling the next day and no curries for the duration of the holiday. 

 

4. Left caravan keys on jockey wheel as we set off. That did involve a 2 hour round trip back to get spare keys. 

 

Plus, other useful things like shorts, hats, rucksack and yes have also forgotten the coats. 

 

Now have checklist. 

[Babstreefern]

First of all, tie a coloured ribbon around the handle or other part of your awning, so you will know which one is the correct one.  Simple, but effective.

 

Now then.  My story.  Not so bad as yours.  We live in Manchester, and decided to take a long weekend to Buxton.  Only an hour away, but obviously, no motorways, which is usually good.  Got to the site, unhooked the caravan.  Don't bother with awning on weekends.  The weather is usually bad or very warm, so we either sit in the caravan or not.  Got the cups out, the kettle on, and made a couple of bacon butties, and sat in bliss.  By the way, this was Friday evening in early April.  Me and OH was having a chat.  I then took Timber (the cat) on his daily walk on his lead and harness.  At about 7:00, we went into the caravan, as it was getting a bit on the chilly side, and I went to get my Kindle.  Hmmm, where did I put my Kindle.  After searching the caravan and car, I was near to panicking.  I cannot survive even a night without my Kindle.  So, in the car, and off we went, back home.  Looked around, no Kindle, I couldn't find it.  I was hysterical by this time.  I told my OH, to lets go back.  I'll just have to have lots and lots of exercise to keep my mind off of no Kindle.  I did keep thinking though, that I was very, very sure that I'd brought it.  Anyway, we got back to the caravan.  By this time, it was around 10:00, and everywhere was in darkness.  Got back in the caravan.  Looked in one of the drawers (the drawers at the front between the seating.  Took everything out, and there it was, sitting there looking oh so innocent, as if butter wouldn't melt on it.  And the rest is history.  I now keep my Kindle when going anywhere, in my handbag.  I don't mind forgetting the car, the caravan or whatever, but not my Kindle

[Doosan]

Last month we were driving from Kent to Dorset and as I was approaching  Wareham it hit me that I forgot to put my hook up lead in. A quick diversion to Hunters Moon CMC and purchased a new one. Then back on the road to the site I was going to that was about 5 miles away but it's only a basic site and no shop. 

 

[Pickled Onion]

The first important thing we forgot to take with us was the steps, however, we managed to beat that on a later trip when, on our way home we stopped at a Services for a break and a brew. Totally refreshed we sailed off home to discover this time that I had  left the Milenco double step behind on the caravan park,

 

Dave

[Mr Plodd]

I have a pal who often forgets things, mainly because he insists on totally emptying his caravan after each trip despite the fact that it's stored on his driveway 

 

We on the other hand leave the caravan fully “equipped”  all we need to remember are clothes, food, and most importantly, wine! Not too sure what we would do if our caravan was in storage rather than on our drive though! 

[joanie]

it's easy if your van is in storage, when you get home you launder all the bedding and towels and put it all back into the van and once the clothes are washed they go into crates ready to go back to the van. We then go through the tick list for the things to take on the day we go. I admit I keep a lot  of things in the van like dogs leads, dishes, toys and brushes. It's all so easy and yet we still forget something. 

[Joe1002]

1 hour ago, Mr Plodd said:

I have a pal who often forgets things, mainly because he insists on totally emptying his caravan after each trip despite the fact that it's stored on his driveway 

 

We on the other hand leave the caravan fully “equipped”  all we need to remember are clothes, food, and most importantly, wine! Not too sure what we would do if our caravan was in storage rather than on our drive though! 

We do the same as you, but our caravan is in storage, albeit only 10 mins away.

 

Last year, the very, very warm August Bank Holiday weekend, I managed to forget all my shorts, other than the ones I was wearing. Rather than returning home I bought some more, which was rather more difficult than expected. Apparently it was the end of the season and the shops had switched all their stock.

[Jezzerb]

First time out in a caravan, wine with a Cork, no corkscrew. A neighbour happily helped.

Left the awning pegs and mallet at home, as above bought new ones but being stingy bought cheap and the wood handle on the new mallet only lasted 5mins on the Welsh slate hard standing. The shop were great and gave us a second  that has lasted.

No chance of forgetting our dog, as soon as we look like going anywhere he's on the front seat of the car but we did forget his food once. Local coop helped out with a cheap substitute till we found his under a blanket in the boot!

[toby6033]

last year we were going to the Dordogne and I loaded the car, and always have a 12 volt cool box in the boot for my insulin. I keep it in a Tupperware box for travelling and put the said box in the cool box and off we set. Waiting at Portsmouth for the overnight ferry to Caen, my wife asked if I had my insulin for the cabin, I said i had, and said the spares were in the tupperware in the cool box. to which she replied," the tupperware has pasties in, in case I need food whilst driving. Panic stations!! The insulin was still in the fridge at home! Our Son was already in the Dordogne so we texted him to say we may miss the ferry, but would see him at some point when we had sorted my insulin. Our daughter shot over to our house and got a box of both insulins i take, and said she'd send it recorded express delivery so we got on the ferry at the last minute. when we arrived at our site, our Son was waiting for us with 2 boxes of insulin which he bought over the counter at a local pharmacy without any problem at all!!! you don't get that in the UK! The insulin my daughter sent was there the next day, but postage was £60.. Another lesson learnt!

[JohnPat]

One time many years ago, when I was an expat in West Africa, I arrived back in Lagos, and went through immigration only to find my Yellow Fever vaccination was out of date ! !  Now, in Africa that was a big problem! I won't go into details but I was arrested!

Edited October 20, 2020 by JohnPat

[Flat_at]

Our last "adventure" was a little spoilt by us forgetting to take tea,coffee and sugar from our home kitchen. The first cup of tea after erecting the awning was a little delayed.