Comparing Caravanning in UK vs NZ... Which One Is Better?

This whole trip, I've been thinking about caravanning in New Zealand compared to caravanning in the United Kingdom. Some things I'd love to see in New Zealand (like the chemical waster points) and some things I think the United Kingdom could copy (like our camping apps).
I talk about:
- the roads
- towing mirrors
- driving speeds
- licenses
- cars needed
- the clubs
- how to find campgrounds
- different waste points
- laundry
- driving to warmth
- pets
- check-out times
Have I missed anything?

[@vaughanellis7866]

The towing addition to your licence is something that is relatively recent addition courtesy of the EU, If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can: Drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM. Tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg. The one day course consists of a 6 hour session costing £210.00. The test fee will be £115.00 and a £70.00 fee for the pre test and use of car and trailer for the test itself. The total for the training will cost £280.00 but don't forget you will have a test fee of £115.00 to pay the DVSA! If you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997, you’re basically allowed to tow what your vehicle is capable of towing and your comfortable doing it.

[@TravellingK]

This is great!! Thank you for this. And I had wondered about the prices of the tests.

[@notaclue]

@@TravellingK Otherwise known as Grandfather rights :) There are certain exemptions for driving larger vehicles also based on when you obtained your licence.

[@caravanstoragecentre5046]

Vaughan Ellis & @@notaclue None of which applies to holders of Non-UK driving licences and none of which is ANYTHING to do with the EU. Non-UK/EU licence holders are limited to

[@caravanstoragecentre5046]

And what K says about her NZ towing rights coming here with her and her NZ licence is wrong. Whosoever at DVLA told her that is in error.

[@audreyfforbes-hamilton]

Hi Karen! I live in a very rural area of the UK and there is an unspoken assumption that if you meet a vehicle that is towing on a narrow lane, then the one who is not towing will back up to a passing place out of curtesy. On main roads, lorry drivers almost always help each other by flashing their lights when another lorry overtakes them and it’s a natural extension to do the same for someone towing . Of course, there are some inconsiderate drivers to be found everywhere! Interesting video as always! Thank you!

[@TravellingK]

I like how no one seemed angry when they had to reverse to let me through. Don’t think it would be the same here!

[@iangrice329]

@@TravellingK our towns and roads are old, built hundreds of years before vehicles, leads to interesting situations for all drivers at times.

[@popuptoaster]

@@TravellingK I drive a lorry, occasionally you do get stubborn people who try to refuse to reverse or insist on trying to squeeze past rather than find a wide part but on the whole the UK folk are very good at queueing and taking turns (outside of London of course.)

[@IanRM]

Karen, most of us are used to small roads here BUT - maybe you should have considered using a SatNav specifically for Lorries. You would have avoided many of the smaller roads. Your video was fair and accurate. xx Ian UK

[@TravellingK]

I really wish I’d had a lorrie SatNav 🤣 Glad you feel it’s a fair video.

[@Justin52wales]

Or you can buy satnav especially for people with caravans or motorhomes which even give you the sites

[@tinajones4644]

Tom tom go camper is excellent and you can get maps for other countries as well There are campsite maps for sites with all the clubs in uk they tell you where all sites inc cl

[@nanabettyg]

Love watching your videos, and your describing of the different types of campgrounds, I’m living your adventures through you, and can’t wait til you take us on your travels in NZ!

[@TravellingK]

That’s lovely to hear Betty!

[@SRVACE]

Fascinating video, I really enjoyed the differences between them, thanks also for the advice on the fitted tanks

[@TravellingK]

Glad you enjoyed it Kevin 😀

[@dragonfly8080808]

Very interesting comparison, thanks for sharing.

[@TravellingK]

Glad you enjoyed!!

[@jeffjohnson847]

Hi k thanks for comeing over here and sharing your journeys with us

[@TravellingK]

I’ve overall enjoyed the journey 😀

[@lesdunn736]

Constructive and very helpful. That is a quality caravan you have. Good choice. Thank you for sharing. UK

[@tonks1968]

A wonderful comparison Karen and really interesting to hear how caravanning differs on NZ. Many thanks and keep up the wonderful videos. Tony x

[@TravellingK]

So glad you enjoyed this Tony 😀

[@paulandsarahcaravanlife]

It's been great watching you go round the uk. X

[@TravellingK]

Glad you’ve enjoyed them 😀

[@waynecompton7612]

Good morning Karen, Thank you for the information and video, very interesting. Take care and catch you next time 👍😎🇬🇧.

[@TravellingK]

Glad you found it interesting!

[@marklyons3003]

As me ol' m8 Max used to say, "Very inter esting!" ;-) Thanks Karen ... you have raised a few controversial and stimulating topics for conversation. Well done, your journey and learning curves continue to be a source of great entertainment!!

[@TravellingK]

Oh controversial! Unintentionally 🤣 It’s been a great learning curve.

[@chrisfigiel1150]

Great vlog Karen it’s very interesting to see both sides of caravanning,in The UK,and Newzealand. ,hope the Bailey has been a good caravan for you. Keep the good work up .Kim& Chris

[@TravellingK]

Glad you found it interesting 😀 The Bailey caravan was so lovely. Made mine seem tiny!

[@Panzeresq]

I truly enjoyed this vlog and the comments below it. Comparing this to Norway, it seems like our campgrounds are very much like those in the UK, but with more of a mix between RVs, caravans and tents. It is also my impression that one in Norway combine camping with hiking, bicycling and especially fishing, and most campsites are located near points of interest. Often the campsites also offer breakfast and dinner, some with high quality. Norway is a dog friendly country, and dogs are allowed on all camp sites, in public transport and even in many hotels. Lastly, i would mention that we have a tradition and legal protection for «freedom camping» and hiking, much like in Scotland.

[@TravellingK]

So interesting to hear! So many extra options in Norway.

[@jennynairn2927]

This is very helpful information thank you so much

[@noproblem2big337]

Interesting video, here in Australia there are two different types of caravan enthusiasts, the sealed and good dirt road types ( European caravans would fit in this category) comfortable but low clearance and average suspension (but much cheaper setup) then there are the off road go anywhere (almost) caravans which are normally built here which are great but expensive to buy and add a decent 4x4 to tow it, and expect at best 18litres per 100km with this heavy rig... I opted for the first option and love my Adria caravan.

[@lincslensman]

Fellow Adria owner in the UK, towing with a VW saloon :)

[@noproblem2big337]

@@lincslensman ... exactly, with a lighter caravan you don't need to fork out more money for a fuel guzzling vehicle👍

[@TravellingK]

A great explanation 😀 We are slowly getting more Australian caravans in NZ too.

[@goldenstardust]

For some reason when you said UK caravanners have somewhere to go in winter, I visualised them all sitting in a cosy snug at the local pub! 🍷🍺🤣🤣🤣

[@TravellingK]

Haha there too!! 🍻

[@Fictitious-Videos]

This is a nice video. It's very informative.

[@AndysmGray]

Very interesting to hear your views on both countries with regards to caravaning Karen. It's just a pity you've not had time to visit up here in Scotland and see the amazing views that are very reminiscent to parts of rural New Zealand. Safe travels..........Andy.

[@TravellingK]

I wish I’d had time! I have previously raced around parts of Scotland in a tiny rental - very very beautiful

[@CaraVanOlogywithBecky]

Great summary, I enjoyed that :)

[@TravellingK]

Glad you enjoyed 😀

[@ginajones6719]

Great to hear the pros and cons of caravanning in New Zealand versus UK. We don't realize how lucky we r at times. I thought I see u yesterday heading to picton with a classic nz caravan

[@TravellingK]

Did you 😉 We are lucky in a way.

[@ginajones6719]

@@TravellingK I was on stop go in koromiko

[@snootystu]

Thanks Karen for showing Hull as the centre point of your site finder site

[@TravellingK]

Hehe that was the location that appeared when I opened the website. Not sure if it’s because I searched a lot around there?

[@gavinmathew7491]

Great video. Thanks.

[@janetjohnson445]

Hi Karen it’s lovely to hear your thoughts and comparisons of our Uk camp sites with those of New Zealand. We had a trip to the NEC caravan show in Birmingham, met Andrew Ditton for the first time and lots more lovely people from Twitter and KZbin

[@TravellingK]

Oh that sounds fun!! Wish I could have gone.

[@stehume]

Very enjoyable watch. You must have got lucky not having many roadworks. My other half's brother and his wife have just become wardens on a caravan park over the in NZ. All the best to you

[@MadMonk_]

Hi Karen, One thing about friendliness of the UK sites, I've always found that everybody is prepared to help each other out if need be. One thing you didn't experience on your visit was the county groups, who generally meet up at lest once, often more often, where you meet the same people on a regular basis. These are a fantastic experience and everybody gets to know each other :) This is true in both clubs. I'm fortunate and have grandfather rights for towing as I passed my test in the dark ages (ok maybe not that long ago - just feels it) and have no restrictions on that side of things. I used to drive a 17 seater minibus and tow a converted horse box when taking the Scouts away to camp - so pretty experienced :) I beleive there are minimum requirements from the local councils in the UK before land can be used to a campsite. These have got stricter over the years as some sites would cram as many units (tents/caravans/motorhomes) in as they could physically get onto the ground available, with no regards to safety zones for fires. This is now rare, thankfully....

[@lynnrixson1094]

That was really interesting- thank you ! 😁😁

[@TravellingK]

Glad you found it interesting!

[@suethomson6013]

Being a Kiwi who has been involved with caravanning in both NZ and Uk,, I much prefer the interesting highways and byways of UK. I found in general, drivers were very courteous. A very important lesson, use the satnav on the correct setting, preventing trying to negotiate tiny roads and low bridges. We always used CL sites and found them wonderful. A limit of 5 vans. Often in a farm field, very private. Electricity, water, and usually a dumpstation provided. I find NZ, while much easier traffic wise, everywhere is , blue water, mountains, green grass etc, driving for miles seeing the same thing. In UK, so much history and many places of interest. So much towing and stress for you, I would have stayed in one place longer and driven out to places of interest. Well done anyway Karen.

[@TravellingK]

So great to hear your experience! CL sites are great, aren’t they! And all the history was so enjoyable. Yes, I’ll agree that I should have travelled slower...

[@juliemear5585]

Hi Karen, Great to see your journey in the UK , we are so close to being on the road now, I look frwd to meeting up in NZ , Will be after Christmas for us, Take Care love your videos, Hopefully get to meet up soon

[@TravellingK]

Oh how exciting!! Let me know how you find it and hopefully catchup at some point.

[@juliemear5585]

@@TravellingK Yes I deffinately will, I would love the opportunity to meet with you sometime , Keep up the great videos , We love watching your journey Take care and have a great Christmas

[@thenoworriesnomad]

I drive truck in the UK & Europe so being flashed in after overtaking another truck is common practice so I hope you say thank you by flashing you hazard light or giving one flash of your indicators (both sides)...Great videos too 👍

[@TravellingK]

I wish we'd flash our lights like that in NZ! I did do a thank you hazard light flick back 😀

[@BobEarnshawMoHo]

Spotted Poppy! Interesting video, quite a few differences.

[@TravellingK]

Hehe, Poppy is my best cute dog footage! 🤩

[@vicmiller7191]

My goodness Girl that was a lot of points to cover. I can only speak of the US. But many of the points that you covered are valid in almost all over the US. I would love the opportunity to discuss it all over a few cold ones. I suspect you would have so much more to elaborate on all of your points...thanks for sharing...Vic and enjoy the rest of your day.

[@TravellingK]

I’m very curious to know the differences for RVing in the US too! And feel like I could have added yet more points to the video.

[@surfindaddio]

Thanks Karen. Great video and channel. I’ve been caravaning in the UK for the last 35+ years so have kind of got used to the roads and occasional site ‘access issues’. The additional test came in fairly recently and most of us old timers are exempt from the additional test. Mirrors are a must and I wouldn’t want to tow without them. Power is not always available on smaller 5 unit sites. We actively look for these and use solar to recharge our battery. We recently spent a month in Pembrokeshire without power and never had a problem with running our van on a combination of gas and battery, Not all chemical toilet empty points are as nice as you found in the UK. Some of the small farm sites can be a bit sketchy especially re splash-back... Yuk.. We’re looking to take our van onto the continent next year to chase the sun. Not all CL’s have power as I say, at least those on the CAMC. We find that people staying on the smaller sites are more likely to chat and be social. But I wouldn’t count on it... 😂 You’re right, not everyone has space to keep their van at home and often an insurance company will provide a discount if you store at a certified storage ground.

[@TravellingK]

So great to hear you’re still enjoying it 35+ years later. I hadn’t heard of many having solar in the UK. Glad to hear it works well for you. Overall great info here - thank you

[@robinmills5827]

As far as meeting people in NZ campgrounds go, I've found the small domain sites which are usually operated by a local community or council are the best places for meeting friendly kiwis. They cost less so people often stay several nights. They are usually in smaller 'heartland' towns, not tourist centre's, where even the locals are more open to casual chats and to suggesting interesting places to visit. The campers themselves often share recommendations. Happy hour gatherings aren't common but chatting over a 'cuppa' happens quite a lot. Peak season and busy holiday weekends, stay home or lay low.

[@TravellingK]

Oh nice! I’ll agree that the campgrounds not so known by the tourists seem more friendly 😀😀

[@cnlinton1993]

Very informative!

[@TravellingK]

Glad to hear!

[@janmortensen9314]

For the last 20+ years my parents have been using 2-3 months a year, on the roads of Europe. In a autocamper, from North Cape to Portuagal and Greece. They quickly learned to get a SatNav with lorry features. For several years they have signed up for "CampingCard ACSI" and using their apps to plan their way forward. Not only using campgrounds but also the many stellplatz. 10 years ago they did a 6 week roundtrip of England, Wales, Scotland; remembering my dad cursing the narrow roads

[@TravellingK]

This is interesting! Your parents sound adventurous 😀😀

[@pqsaservices]

Thanks Karen for a very insteresting vlog. Its nice to hear how things are different in different countries. As far as matching your tow-car to a caravan goes here in the UK, the recomendation, especially for novice caravaner's, is that the MTPLM (fully laden weight) of the caravan should be no more than 85% of the Kerb-weight of the tow-car. The kerb-weight is the weight of the car with a full tank of fuel, one person (the driver) and nothing else in it. The kerb-weight is also known as 'the mass in service' weight. For experienced caravaners going above this 85% ratio is OK, so long as you don't exceed the manufacturer's maximum rated towing capacity. As an example my own rig is a VW Passat Estate, with 2.0 TDi diesel (140 bhp & 6 speed manual), it's kerb-weight is 1,571kg, so if I stick at the 85% ratio I should tow a caravan with a maximum technically permissable laden mass (MTPLM) of 1.335kg. In fact, as I'm pretty experienced in towing, our caravan, a Lunar Clubman SB (2012 model), has an MTPLM of 1,440kg, which works out at just under 92% ratio. Just like you we carry our heavy awning in the boot of the car, and usually have at least 3 people in the car, so the car is much nearer to it's fully laden maximum weight of 2,180kg, so we've never had any stability problems when towing, even at 60 mph on fast German autobahns. Jonathan.

[@TravellingK]

Hello! Glad you enjoyed this one. It really has been interesting seeing the differences. After a day of struggling to drag the caravan up some of our NZ hills, I really believe you need a different type of towing vehicle in NZ.

[@jennynairn2927]

Great that you keep it real

[@MostCommentsAreFake-ud8by]

I am not a caravanner, but I have really enjoyed watching your adventures travelling in England.

[@TravellingK]

Really glad to hear that you enjoyed this anyway!

[@robnicholson4942]

Great effort in comparing sites, rules, behaviour, perceptions etc between NZ and UK. Hope you enjoyed your UK experience...it seems you have!

[@TravellingK]

I did enjoyed my experience 😀😀 Although needed to come back to NZ just to recharge 🤣

[@Kyletransit]

Karen your voice is 👌👌👌 you make everything sound so beautiful your pretty much spot on with the uk facts there iv been caravan since I was 22 now I’m 30 still love it like yourself hope to cross paths one day 👋

[@TravellingK]

Thank you! Good to hear I’m pretty close to the facts. And inspiring to hear you’ve been caravanning since you were 22 😀

[@fookdatchit4245]

I'm not particularly interested in caravans, nor narrow boats or for that matter soviet bus stops. However the style of presentation on these channels, is honest, heart warming and entertaining. Just subb'd

[@katz2912]

Hi Karen! I've enjoyed all your NZ and UK adventures. You'd love towing a caravan/trailer here in Canada. A lot of wide open spaces and big roads! I look forward to more of your videos! 😊👍🏼🇨🇦

[@williambranham6249]

Katz :Yes my wife and I traveled from North Carolina to Nova Scotia in our Casita(Scamper, Boler) last year. No problems anywhere except trying to get into a Tim Horton at A.M. rush. Ha! Ha! Great trip.Extremely nice folks, drivers were extremely civil to us. No tailgaters.

[@williambranham6249]

@@marengtech313 I hate to say it, but it's true. Although I do love dogs, all sizes.

[@katz2912]

@charlie cheeseface....Karen would love the drive from Banff to Jasper! It's an amazing drive through the Canadian Rockies. We did it summer 2017. As for setting up a gig for her...I don't have the pull Andrew Ditton had setting up her caravan deal in the UK, haha. She would have to rent a motorhome like a lot of Europeans do when they come here.

[@katz2912]

@William Branham...I love Casitas! I have a similar fibreglass trailer called an Escape built here in BC. Glad you enjoyed your trip and you were very lucky to get through the Tim Hortons towing a trailer!

[@katz2912]

@Mike Walker Funny thing is I only have a 19ft trailer and two Labrador retrievers! They love camping! 🐶👍🏼

[@garethjones1448]

Loved this video Karen, you really spoke from the heart. I really enjoyed it, as I have friends in NZ and are trying to work out how to visit. Im from Wales, did you come here when you visited the UK?

[@olliebodman9771]

I’m late to your videos have you finished your tour now? They are great your voice is so calming.

[@TravellingK]

Thank you! Yes, I'm back in New Zealand and my own caravan is currently our kitchen while we build a home!

[@stephenlittle7534]

I hope your still enjoying yourself. Interesing about the difference between here and there. Thanks. K.

[@TravellingK]

Still enjoying myself but was starting to get tired!

[@grahamhawthorn7177]

Great vid K. Cars for towing caravans is all about weight and torque not engine size.

[@TravellingK]

Thanks Graham! And you are right about the correct towing requirements 😀

[@craigkristen3550]

Hi Karen, We have a skoda octavia scout wich is a 4x4 this allows us to tow 1800kg mtplm, our van is 1600kc mtplm it copes quite well,, the only thing is because of the gearing we quite often don't go any higher than 5th gear, but it works fine. Craig, Kristen & Scooby (* the dog ).

[@TravellingK]

Ah good to know!

[@lizleonard3681]

Hi Karen, interesting video I enjoyed watching you tow around the UK I think if we were to come to New Zealand we to would have are likes and dislikes each country works differently look forward to your adventures at home 😉

[@TravellingK]

I’d love to hear a UKs views! There’s a Canadian blogger who had such entertaining contrasts... like our houses are so cold 🥶

[@twogotikitouring6940]

Hi Karen, We have only just been made aware of your vlogs and have already been enjoying your vids. My wife is a Kiwi from The North Island and has been here in the UK for about 20 years now. We are finally planning our escape to NZ for good and have a hankering for a caravan. We both ride motorcycles and have travelled all around Europe but the attraction of a van is getting stronger. We were amazed to see how expensive Van's are back home in NZ. Would you recommend buying g one in the UK and shipping it over with the rest of our stuff or buy one in NZ? Looking forward to watching some more of your episodes. Stay safe David & Rachel

[@ericglass952]

Hi Karen very good to compare the two contree . One thing to think about is by storing your caravan at home burglars may know when you are not at home plus you can save on caravan insureanc may be cheaper on a good storeage site

[@TravellingK]

That is a good point...

[@alannorman6166]

Well done having lived for many years in Auckland now living france you are spot on with the hills in nz that's why you would need a much larger engined tow vehicle

[@TravellingK]

Oh glad to hear you agree!

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

This might sound crazy but a badly performing absorption fridge can often be brought back to life by turning it upside down and leaving it for 24hrs to redistribute the coolant which has a tendency to settle after years of getting bounced around in a caravan. I did it to my 35 year old fridge in my last motorhome,it worked perfectly after that. Woops just realised I put this comment on the wrong video,sorry.

[@TravellingK]

I have heard of that! Although mines all connected with the gas pipes still and no way am I touching those!

[@andrewbaines8760]

In the uk if you passed car test before 1996 you got the trailer category on you license, after they you had to do any test with a trailer on to get the license unless the caravan/trailer weighs less then 750kg

[@TravellingK]

Gosh 750kg is light!!

[@LittleCamperNZ]

Great video again Karen. Just a couple of points. There are two organizations in New Zealand with the other being All Points Camping. And with Regards to the park over properties there are plenty that are not connected to any organization. There is a fb page for them. Love your feedback and keep the great work.

[@goldenstardust]

We are expat Kiwis who travel to NZ each year and hire Wilderness motorhome for 3 weeks. Would we eligible for All Point Camping membership?

[@TravellingK]

Ah yes! Sorry I missed All Points Club. Oh I’d love to find that FB group.

[@LittleCamperNZ]

@@goldenstardust I can't see why not. Con8them direct. They have a fb page.

[@LittleCamperNZ]

@@TravellingK Hello Karen it's under All Points Camping in the fb search and you should get it.

[@mtauckland]

Hi K. Have really enjoyed your videos as I am a keen caravaner and retired New Zealander living in the UK. We now do most of our caravanning in Europe and find it much less restrictive than the UK but you must do your research on each campground before checking in. Some French campgrounds for example are really excellent with their restaurants, bars and pools. Driving is also much easier on the continent compared to the UK and NZ. You must have a decent caravan dedicated GPS however, to avoid trouble. Caravaning in Europe another adventure for you?

[@TravellingK]

Wow - that’s great to hear you’re caravanning around Europe 😀 Yes, my next video is about heading over 😀

[@markh3720]

Great vid👍

[@TravellingK]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@Caravanningwiththehoopers]

With a lot of uk sites you can actually ask for a later check out, some charge but most don’t, we regularly leave around 2/3pm, regarding driving in the uk I think we are just use to our roads, it doesn’t bother us with the narrow roads but planning and having a dedicated sat nav is a big must. We regularly complain about the state of our roads 😂

[@TravellingK]

That’s a great tip! Would be handy if you want to see something that morning.

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

Please come to Canada and go rv’ing... you would absolutely love our National or Provincial parks... most parks have a ton of large wooded sights wth lots of private space. I’m sure you would enjoy exploring here.

[@TravellingK]

Canada does look amazing for RVing!!

[@paulknox999]

if you passed your test in uk pre 1997 pretty much you can tow anything up to 8,500kg which would be a caravan the size of a large house

[@oilburner225]

Gross weight (combined weight of car/caravan) is 7,500kg for a pre 97 licence, above that you need an HGV licence (now LGV).

[@TravellingK]

Best description about caravan the size of a house!

[@rwiliamson8051]

Hi K, a lot of CL, CS sites aren't electric hookup, just the basic water tap & dump site. In UK it's the weight ratio of car & van/trailer that limits you.. A biggish engine is nice though.

[@TravellingK]

Ah, good to know about the CL / CS sites! My mechanic had suggested the engine size for me. Weight ratio makes sense!

[@Arkdisplaygraphics]

Hello Karen, one of the best apps but little known is called Archies, It's a website, "POI" downloads for all sat navs and you can download everything into Google maps if you want. It covers all club Cl's and Cs's It really is brilliant I have used it for more years than I care to remember. Keep the video's coming, wonderful to watch and sometimes even listen to. Kind Regards.

[@TravellingK]

Ah this sounds great! Will have a look.

[@cheryllinnegar485]

Interesting to hear the differences between UK and NZ and your experiences Karen. There is a Facebook group dedicated to going off-grid here in the UK called CAMOG (Caravanning and Motor Home Offgrid) which is growing very fast and gives all sorts of information and tips how to be self sufficient. For those who don't want all singing, all dancing sites it is good to find options. I also like to look for Adult Only sites too!!

[@TravellingK]

Gosh that sounds like a helpful group!!

[@brianthomsen1163]

What’s next for you? I’ve really enjoyed your time in the UK. Not sure you could manage it, but I think a big US trip would be amazing!

[@TravellingK]

A big US trip WOULD be amazing 😀

[@nanrod981]

Just an FYI - in the US there's no age discrimination - so as long as you can see and drive safely, off you go until slumping over the wheel - in the UK your license ends at 70 then they hit the reset button - so for towing you have to apply again with two health forms - one from your doctor and one declaration. (As these rules came in after Maastricht suspect the bureaucracy is EU.)

[@TravellingK]

Hmmm ok. I think there are some checks in NZ from 70? But not sure!

[@anthonyking489]

Hi With the rule on the towing vehicle it is advised that the caravan gross weight is 85% of the cars weight for safety

[@willgeorge5644]

1) I agree on the chassis myth! 2) "beefy cars", In NZ we expect to not feel the caravan load i think. I was born in South Africa, we towed a caravan with a Renault R8, 1100cc, no problems.

[@TravellingK]

It was strange seeing the tow vehicle differences!

[@koshtie]

Hi Karen a long time ago people used to get together, chat, drink, that seems to be all gone now! and today I find there to be a bit of caravan snobbery !! such a shame, guess its the times we live in, ATB Wayne.

[@TravellingK]

Ah ok, so maybe when it was a smaller caravanning community?

[@DavidWhite-rf1ki]

Tow cars in uk, alot of people use the 4x4's for towing could be to do with safety. I towed our Sterling caravan with a 1999 Vauxhall Frontiers 2.2 diesel 3 years ago without any issues we sold that last year after 5 years of ownership, now we have a Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 diesel and we towed the same caravan without any issues again. The are excellent at letting you know when to pull in front of them.

[@TravellingK]

This is good to know!!

[@lincslensman]

Towing in the UK, we don't have as many steep slopes, but we tend to work on the torque as well as the engine size. I used to tow with a Vauxhall Astra ( Holden in NZ) 2.0 Auto Deisel with 350 torque and it pulled my 6 berths 1400 Adria caravan with ease and absolutely legal. Would not however want to tow it up the Kaimai's in NZ however!

[@TravellingK]

Hmmm that’s interesting to hear!!

[@AlaskaErik]

If you come to the US, you'll find the western states offer a much different RVing lifestyle, even when compared to the eastern states. So much so, that some manufacturers build one trailer for the eastern states and another for the western states. Should you ever find yourself on this side of the pond you'll be amazed at how different trailers here are, compared to those in the UK, Europe and NZ. I don't think anything between them is the same. Same goes for tow vehicles. So if you ever come to the US, your best experience will be the western states in the US and the western provinces/territories in Canada. And, of course, Alaska.

[@TravellingK]

Oh that’s interesting to hear! I’m now curious about the differences between eastern and western RVing styles.

[@AlaskaErik]

@@TravellingK Eastern states are very crowded and there is very little federal land, so most people stay at RV parks. There's a lot of open land in the western states, so people do a lot of off-grid RVing, or boondocking, as it's called. There are RV parks in the western states, but boondocking is much more popular in the west. That's why western trailers will have bigger fresh water tanks, because you don't have water hookups off grid.

[@victorjennings3004]

Hi Karen Love This Vlog And Love All Your Vlogs Ive Just Uploaded 3vlogs From My Weekend In Kielder Northumbland I Can Highly Recommend Kielder And Kielder Campsite

[@TravellingK]

Oh that’s great!!! Hope you’re enjoying vlogging 😀

[@lightningleaf23]

In Europe there is a continent wide campaign to clean up air quality and as a result big engined cars are getting heavily taxed. As a result all manufacturers are downsizing using small engines and turbos to get the same power as larger cars with less co2 emissions. In you video about the Peugeot you said sometimes it was slow to get going before picking up. This is a classic symptom of turbo lag, the engine feeling gutless and slow until the turbo kicks in.

[@TravellingK]

That's interesting to hear. Feel like maybe NZ is a little behind in this. I'm happy with a slower start if it improves air quality!

[@lightningleaf23]

Travelling K New Zealand is quite big a country for the size of the population so less of an issue I suspect. In London there are 9 million people alone so smoky diesels in populated European cities isn’t good.

[@leesmith9299]

CL/CS's do not always have power. Rather annoying to find but plenty are cheaper with no hook up. Just have to browse the two club websites in their map view and click onto each site in an area then read about prices and hook up details. Then ring to confirm price because they are often out of date.

[@TravellingK]

Good to know! I must have accidentally picked the good ones 🤣

[@hotpotato5638]

Hi i love your videos.

[@crasher303]

You had go at stopping with the Travelers on playing fields, car parks, & shopping centers yet ?

[@TravellingK]

Missed that experience 😜

[@hasankoyuncu3813]

All your video is fantastic! I have to give you some of my experience, you have to use Garmin Navigator with detailed map and then you will be enjoying.

[@TravellingK]

Thank you Hasan! Sounds like I was using the wrong navigation then?

[@hasankoyuncu3813]

Dear Karen; According to you, are a professional camper, I can recommend for you Garmin's Drivesmart 65 model. This device also has a wireless backup camera facility. This is the link: buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/612620/pn/010-02038-02

[@user-kb1ir7dy8j]

Awwww, I hope the uk has been good to you ...and wow what an over crowd are island we are compared you NZ...if I was younger I would consider living in NZ...supprised we haven't sunk into the sea ,lol... Take care xx

[@TravellingK]

Just a slight population difference 🤣

[@zero-lpds]

I'm a caravaner myself (not full time, but aim to do it a lot) and found your observations accurate. One point though: re: land is more expensive here - well.. as you said the two countries are roughly the same in area, but here there are 66 million to share that same land opposed to NZ's 4.8M people. And the other thing is most of the UK (believe it or not) is private land. I would be hard-pressed to find 2 acres of land near me which is not owned by someone. That's really weird.

[@TravellingK]

That’s a good point. Talking to people in the UK, it does sound challenging to find land to buy?!

[@zero-lpds]

@@TravellingK yes, it is challenging. Tried to find some decent one myself and failed. Especially near the southern coast... Mate, that's just impossible 🙅

[@alandray5282]

For me you can't bet the caravan and mortorhome club. ..have a good day Alan. ..

[@TravellingK]

Good to hear you like it!

[@rastasrotties839]

Great video. What is next? Route 66?

[@TravellingK]

Ha that would be so amazing!

[@stevecampbell7589]

one of your subscribers Paul Fox who said hello at the Sheffield meet up on one of your vlogs actually has a video of where he is driving a HGV in narrow country roads and a car forces him to reverse his truck! I see if I can link the video.

[@TravellingK]

I’ve watched a couple of his videos but must have missed that one! Yikes!

[@judithhobson2807]

Hi Karen we have 8.5metre 5th wheeler which is a bit of squeeze on some south island roads. I'm guessing you haven't seen many of those on your travels

[@TravellingK]

Which roads have you found were narrow? There’s been a few times when I’ll stay at a convenient campground then explore the gravel roads from there.

[@williambranham6249]

If towing there are several considerations. Some viewers may not know tow vehicles are rated by the manufacturer as to how much weight the rear bumper and or chassis can handle. Also the tow vehicle is rated by the manufacturer as to how much weight the vehicle can tow.(The weight of the trailer plus the payload). The tow ball is also rated for weight capacity. This information is printed on the vehicle as well as on the ball. The trailer is also rated for max weight the trailer can haul. Tires on the tow vehicle and trailer are rated for weight capacity (consider the weight of passengers, 5 passengers can top 1000 lbs) printed on the tire. One of my main concerns is can this tow vehicle tow my payload(including passengers and dogs) up the mountains I am likely to climb without overheated the engine as well as the transmission and can the vehicle be stopped without overheating the brakes? With all this information at hand, since I am risk averse, I always go beyond the allowances and have my tow vehicle and payload checked frequently. Also are there brakes on the trailer to help?

[@TravellingK]

It’s so great that we can get this information now. And interesting to know about the tyres contributing too.

[@HannahandMyron]

Have you used the Park4Night app? That’s what we use in UK and Europe and think it’s great! We’re from NZ but haven’t campervanned there yet.

[@TravellingK]

Oh nice! I’ll have a look.

[@dukenukem5768]

There is in UK (for newer drivers) a towing limit of 3.5T total weight of car and trailer unless you take a further test. Supposedly for safety reasons but counter-productive because it encourages towing caravans with cars that are too light for the job. A lighter towcar is more likely to become unstable with the tail wagging the dog, and the whole outfit snaking and crashing. Also there is a strong anti- 4x4 and anti-big car lobby in the UK, especially with the climate extinction stuff going on.. If you park a 4x4 in a city for long it is likely to get a protest sticker on it, or worse.

[@TravellingK]

Oh this is interesting to hear! Particularly about the bigger vehicles.

[@Rphasmid]

You must come to Western Canada to do a fair comparison. We have mountains, eh. We also have grizzly bears, mosquitoes as big as sparrows, and frost in July, but hey, who worries about little things like that...except grizzly bears. They aren't little. (Just kidding. Always enjoy your videos)

[@TravellingK]

Ohhhh sounds a bit challenging! Haha. Would be great to explore Canada and compare.

[@TheEulerID]

You can tow a caravan on a UK driving licence, although the limits became much tighter for those who passed their test after 2013. Those who passed a class B test are limited to trailers of up to 750kg or, if it's over 750kg, the combination of car and trailer must have a recommended Maximum Authorised Mass of 3,500kg. That will be enough for a small/medium sized car and caravan, but not some 4WD behemoth with a large caravan.

[@TravellingK]

Ah good to know. I was wondering if I got it right!!

[@TheEulerID]

@@TravellingK I think that combination you had just falls under the 3.500 kg limit. The car has a gross max of a little over 2,000 kg and the single axle caravan about 1,400 kg according to specs. However, if you were driving a big Range Rover, then it would be over. As I passed my test back in the paleolithic times my licence goes up to class D1E, and that allows me to drive a vehicle with up to 16 passenger seats and tow a trailer as long as the combination doesn't exceed 8,500 kg.

[@karenjeffery9900]

The reason why people are warned off uk caravans is because their cassis are not strong enough to hold water tanks. As a result, they are usually installed under seats within the caravan. A nz caravan is strong enough to handle heavy tanks (we have a zephyr caravan that has two 100l tanks underneath.) Jayco are the same in that they are designed to handle heavy water tanks. Also, uk caravans tend to leak here as well so people usually have to fix that. In saying all that, they look fantastic and I really enjoy your videos

[@chrisjh1982]

Karen Jeffery oh yes all uk caravans tend to leak 🤯

[@TravellingK]

Ohh I don’t know if I completely agree! There are overall weight restrictions in UK caravans, because of chassis and keeping them light for towing. NZ, OZ & US caravans do seem designed for fitted tanks. Many other brands seem to have leaking issues... like some of the Australian and US brands.

[@karenjeffery9900]

@@TravellingK I agree with your comment about aussie caravans. They seem to be designed for dryer conditions

[@kissmygrass1202]

I love the way you pronounce your R's xxx

[@TravellingK]

haha thanks!

[@garth2876]

Check out the NZ made dump mate product, recently released to make emptying a toilet cassette much easier.

[@TravellingK]

Oh, is that the tube? Think I spotted it on FB?

[@garth2876]

That's it. A couple in Blenheim developed it, and it's been advertised on the NZMCA site

[@petertrethewey1790]

Very informative & interesting presented in a chatty way. Avoid the words ‘kind of like’

[@TravellingK]

Glad you enjoyed it! Ohhh did I say that phrase a lot? Didn’t even notice 🤣

[@buffplums]

Speed limit quite rightly so. I’ve seen people towing a caravan at 80mph in the U.K.! Absolutely crazy

[@TravellingK]

Yikes!!!

[@northlancsscotsman7475]

You have to remember that a lot of the roads were designed many hundreds of years ago and designed for horse and cart and many of the roads will be older than New Zealand it’s self!. I just think you’ve been spoiled in New Zealand when it comes to towing but at least you’ve experienced it.

[@mysterymete]

The world evolves. Leaning on nostalgia is no excuse for shitty roads.

[@TravellingK]

And I love all the history in the UK. It does make sense.

[@Haze1434]

Current UK law is that if your car and caravan equal more than 3.5 tonnes, you require an additional license to tow. If they equal less than 3.5 tonnes (fully laden), you can tow on a normal driving licence.

[@TravellingK]

So good to know! Thanks

[@wallsend_wildcamper]

In uk if you passed driving test befor 1997 you have max combined weight of 8250kg if you passed 1997 onwards you can tow 3500kg max combined weight if you want to exceed this you have to do a towing driving test known as b+e. The 3500kg combined max weight is very restrictive so most do the test. Hope this makes sense

[@TravellingK]

Thank you! So good to know.

[@eugenetrollip751]

What exactly is the issue with grey water in NZ? In south Africa, we divert grey water into the garden without any problem

[@TravellingK]

It’s to do with faeces that MIGHT be in the grey water 🤷‍♀️

[@Parknest]

It is interesting what the differences are between the UK and NZ. Here in the UK, you don't need a 3 litre 4x4 to tow. It is all dependent upon the towing capacity of your vehicle and the weight of your caravan. My C4 Grand Picasso (7 seater MPV) has 2 litre diesel engine (more suitable for towing than petrol) and can tow up to 1300 kgs (according to the handbook) so it can easily handle my Lunar caravan which is about 1000 kgs. I would also be able to tow my caravan with my 1995 E36 BMW 318i saloon. It is always best to consult the vehicle handbook to determine towing capacity. There is also the "85% rule" where you shouldn't tow anything that's more than 85% of the tow car's kerb weight and is just a general rule of thumb. You're right about the truckers, they will flash you after you've overtaken them to let you know it is safe to move back over to the left lane. I try to thank them with a quick flash of the hazard lights.

[@hicktownguy2]

the difference between the uk and nz is that nz is a hilly country, hence why you need a 3 litre, in Holland you could probably tow a caravan with a mini 😂🤣

[@Parknest]

There's no shortage of hills in some parts of the UK!

[@TravellingK]

It really is good to hear about the correct way to check your cars towing capacity!

[@dukenukem5768]

Re- Satnavs, I bet NZ does not have the rabbit warrens of minor roads the UK has. For this reason a satnav in the UK can give multiple different routes between A and B even if you re-interrogate it from the same spot within minutes. Then it can change its mind as you drive. Many of its routes can be inappropriate even for a solo car. The Satnav needs "supervision" by consulting a map and pinning it with waypoints. BTW, I use www.ukcampsite.co.uk to find sites.

[@TravellingK]

I tried out the waypoints option at one point and managed to thoroughly confuse the poor sat nav... and me too 🤣

[@theShamrockShepherdWagon]

It blows me away thinking about people in the UK using regular cars to tow caravans (RV travel trailers they're called here in the USA). Are most roads flat in the UK? Here, that combo would be a quick recipe for disaster. On highways our trucks (lorries) also do the light flashing thing as courtesy which we try to do also. Considered good RV etiquette here.

[@wrong-unkim9080]

Consider that the 24feet long (overall) Bailey 640 that Karen had on her trip in the UK only weighs 2700 pounds (yes pounds not Kg)

[@TravellingK]

And I think the vehicles US tow with are larger again than what we use in NZ?! UK caravans are designed to be surprisingly lite.