There are an abundance of websites dedicated to Motor homes and RV’s, (as they are called in America), which goes to show their wide reaching appeal. If you didn’t already know, RV stands for recreational vehicle.

Quoted from Wikipedia:

“Recreation is the employment of time in a non-profitable way, in many ways also a therapeutic refreshment of ones body or mind”

That sounds good doesn’t it??

Now at one time, the motor home and perhaps more so the camper van, were greatly associated with hippies and students and were not a common sight. However, these days they are frequently seen on our roads and motorways and seem to be as much a part of our culture as the British Cuppa. The camper van, for example, has become an essential accessory for anyone into surfing. This has lead to a resurgence in its popularity.

So just what is so good about motor homes? Well personally, I think the most appealing aspect of owning (or hiring) a motor home or RV has got to be the fact that there is absolutely no agenda but your own. Even that can be changed at any moment. You can take off whenever you have any free time with only a little bit of preparation. A couple of changes of clothes and a few provisions are all you really need. You can pull in at any time for a rest and refreshments. You don’t have to queue for the toilets, or pay through the nose for your lunch, like you would at a service station. If your planned destination is not quite as good as you expected, you can easily remedy that by driving to another one. It is completely up to you just how long you spend in any location. There are many campsites in the UK and Europe, not to mention the many thousands in America, that cater for Motor homes and RV’s so your choice of destinations is vast.

Most motor homes and RV’s are equipped with everything you would expect to find as standard such as a shower, cooker, table, chairs, bike racks, awnings etc, plus some of the latest hi-tech equipment such as satellite navigation, TV/DVD, sound systems, climate control, and reversing cameras. Other optional extras are available and there are also many websites dealing solely with accessories for motor homes and RV’s. You really do have the best of both worlds with a motor home as you can benefit from having all your home comforts and yet be surrounded by beautiful countryside.

As you can imagine there are many makes and models of motor home to choose from, but to simplify things they do fall into the two groups:-

1. The American RV (which is also the original)

2. The European Motor Home.

They may look similar on the outside but that is where their similarity ends. The differences are indeed numerous, but perhaps the most obvious one is that the American RV is much bigger in size than the European version. Their construction is also different with the American RV being built with aluminium construction fibre glass sidewall, whereas the European version has a wood construction. Possibly the reason for the American RV being more heavy duty in general is because some people live in their RV’s all year round.

Prices do vary depending on which make and model you go for. So, like any other big purchase, it is worth while doing a thorough investigation of what’s on offer before you make your final decision. So think of this as the starting line on your long and wonderful journey with your motor home.