NOA DE LA TORRE
@ndelatower
Valencia
Friday, June 5, 2020 - 01:40
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Summer 2020. The summer of the new normal. The summer of the post-pandemic vacation. Those that we never wanted to imagine. Terraces with a mask, beaches with grids, airports without people ... What do we have left? Where to take refuge to avoid contact with people? How to escape from home without leaving home? In short, how to see the world, surrounded exclusively by your world. Travelers, all is not lost.
There is an option that guarantees a dose of adventure without having to give up our sheets or dishes. It is the time of the motorhome. They say that whoever tests it no longer gets off it. Who is going to resist moving around the world without worrying about where he will sleep each night. And why not try it then, the summer that we need the most freedom, but the summer, after all, when we get out of confinement and want the world to ourselves. So no, everything is not lost, but you have to hurry because summer is coming to the door and promises to be that of the motorhome. Who needs to be convinced?
Those who were able to leave everything to get on one of them know it well and today they recommend them, of course, more than ever. Fabrizio Muzzati is one of those entrepreneurs who can tell the story of how one day he decided to completely change course. After a lifetime working as a journalist - and traveling around Europe in his own motorhome - he took the step of launching himself with Aquiestoy Caravaning because he saw an opportunity in a market that few paid attention to: the thousands of European motorhomes who consume their retirement touring the continent -and Spain- during a good part of the year.
In his case, he hardly remembers his days without a motorhome. In 2003 he bought the first one and in 2005, 15 years ago, he helped the current president of the Valencian Generalitat and then Mayor of Morella, Ximo Puig , to set up the first motorhome service area in the Valencian Community.
Muzzati, like everyone else, was caught by the pandemic. Although paradoxically I can save him now too. Because when he and Mireya Palau started with their travel agency and motorhome services in January, nobody could imagine what would come two months later. "On January 2, I signed up as a self-employed person, and suddenly, in March, the pandemic comes," Muzzati explains.
"A month ago the expectations were very worrying due to the break and today the truth is that it is already difficult to find a motorhome for August ." What has happened is as simple as that "the motorhome is one of the vacation options that best suits current psychology: confined and safe 'at home' but moving and traveling ."
Muzzati's experience confirms a reality: the motorhome boom for this summer. And this is confirmed by the president of the Spanish Association of Caravanning Industry and Commerce (Aseicar), José Manuel Jurado : «We were devastated, but as soon as the Government began to recommend private trips avoiding crowds, many people have told us called and who had never considered moving in a motorhome ».
The demand for motorhomes to rent has exceeded the offer, which is limited to 5,500 vehicles in Spain
The fashion of traveling with the house in tow is not new, although the pandemic has disrupted everything. Only in the first month of confinement, in March, the number of registrations was reduced by almost 47% compared to the same period in 2019. The Covid-19 crisis has meant significant losses for a sector that, according to Aseicar, had been three years old. historical records of vehicle sales. In addition, in recent years the demand for motorhomes to rent has exceeded the offer, which is limited to 5,500 vehicles in Spain. At an average of four people per vehicle, it means that there are about 22,000 travelers and more than 2.6 million overnight stays per year (the average number of rental days per vehicle per year is 120).
In the new normal it seems that there is also a desire for adventure. According to Jurado, the avalanche of reserves aims to hang the poster in full in August later this month, when it would be normal to close 100% of reserves in July. By now, 50 to 60% of August's reserves are already made.
The de-escalation has awakened the desire to plan vacations. Of course, for fewer days, which is expected to be able to move more people in motorhome this summer. That is why the companies themselves have rushed to launch the "Caravaning Anti Covid" seal , a whole protocol of measures with which Aseicar guarantees customers that the motorhome, for example, is completely disinfected.
The other side of the coin is the one pointed by Pedro Madera , author of Travel for Free. 50 van routes through Spain, the GeoPlaneta guide to tour the country on four wheels (and not get lost). "Prices are going to skyrocket," says Pedro Madera. For an obvious question: if the motorhome was already gaining presence on Spanish roads, the new normality has placed it as the option to explore for many. In high season, a family with two children can spend between 150 and 190 euros per day for rent.
The motorhome adapts to current psychology: confined and safe 'at home' but moving and traveling
The motorhome boom coincides in Spain with a "movement of young people with few means to prepare the van with which the father works", as recounted by Madera. And to the highway. It is still curious if it is compared, as Muzzati highlights, with what happens in the rest of European countries that love this way of traveling. "France has traditionally been the country of camping, with the caravan in the garden, and from there it has evolved into the retired motorhome." If in Spain it is more an option for young people and families with young children, in central and northern Europe it is the retirees who enjoy hanging out with the house.
Whatever our case, what counts is getting behind the wheel. And start. So we got into the motorhome with the essential guide of Madera and a basic advice: you have to be flexible. That today we can shower in a hostel and tomorrow at a gas station. It's what traveling without a plan has. Or with a plan to improvise.
At the moment, we stay with Madera and select ten of its best routes. If it is about being baptized in this caravanning , why not start big and go to the end of the world. Touring Galicia and its Costa Da Morte, from Malpica to Finisterre, where the Romans believed they reached the finis terrae when the land seemed to end before the immense Atlantic. Not to be missed is the Camiño dos Faros or the hórreo de Carnota.
If we go to the coast of Guipúzcoa, between ports and fishermen we will make the road from Getaria to Hondarribia . For the Basque Country it goes without saying that we open our stomachs for pintxos and txakoli and our eyes, for the Aiako Harria Natural Park.
In Aragon, the wild wild Huesca awaits us , with towns as hidden as they are wild. And the Salinas de Naval, the ravines of Mascún ... Until reaching Arguis, "the sanctuary of the good life in Huesca".
In Catalonia, the Romanesque style of Boí is essential. A route from Pont de Suert to the National Park of Aigüestortes. And from cultural to gastronomic heritage. Who is not tempted by a winery route through the land of the Duero in Castilla y León: starting in Peñafiel and ending in Aranda de Duero. While the famous Jerte Valley can be a good reason to visit Extremadura, on a road that takes us from Hervás to Plasencia.
From west to east and we head towards the Mediterranean and the Valencian Community. Valencia is much more than a beach, as evidenced by the Albufera Natural Park . More beach? The Cadiz coast, without a doubt. Road and surfboard until conquering Tarifa. Or a trip to the interior of the Balearic Islands, from Capdepera to Manacor.
But if there is a desire for a beach and we are in Madrid, we also have the perfect route. Wow, there is no beach here, but there are swamps. The best excuse to get to know the north of the province, from El Altazar to Pedrezuela.
If we have already begun to shape that route that finally takes us out of the house, surely there is a doubt that assails us. Where we sleep. The answer is almost anywhere unless it is prohibited, but there is a basic rule: when the motorhome is parked, nothing can protrude from its structure . No taking out an awning in the middle of the street.
Hence, the most common is to resort to service areas for motorhomes or traditional campsites. In the first case, Aseicar denounces that the approximately 1,000 in Spain fall short. Double that would be needed for a summer transit of 150,000 vehicles. Camping, therefore, is the other alternative.
According to the president of the Spanish Federation of Campings, Ana Beriain , "the pandemic has reaffirmed the values of these spaces, which are the same as always: enjoy nature and friends outdoors, without stress ." It turns out that the summer of our lives can be just as it was before.
BASIC TIPS FOR RENTING A CARAVAN
1. What type of motorhome to choose? There are several models, for which we must opt according to our needs (if we are few or many travelers, if we give priority to a manageable vehicle or to have all the 'luxuries' ...). First, there is the camper van, the most economical and surely the most fashionable among young people and adventurous travelers. It is the typical surfer van, very manageable and only suitable for when one or two people are traveling. They are not valid for families with children, but they are for couples with a desire for adventure.
The profile is larger but still manageable. With more storage space, it is perfect for traveling with your partner, family or friends. The integral is characterized by being spacious and integrating everything in a single space, that is, the driver's cabin is incorporated into the rest of the motorhome. Before, it was mainly associated with the high range, although they are increasingly adapted to all audiences. Therefore, highly recommended for families with children.
Finally, the nasturtium is very characteristic for adding a bedroom space over the driver's cabin. It is ideal for large groups of travelers, perfect for five or six people, making it also a very good option for families with children. As a general rule, the larger the vehicle the more fuel it will consume. It is an aspect to take into account when planning the cost of the trip, since this will have to be added to the rental price.
2. What do you have to take into account to rent? The first advice for beginners of those who already have experience in this caravanning is to always opt for rent as the first option. That is, do not buy a motorhome if you have never tried the experience of traveling with the house in tow.
From there, the next recommendation is to always resort to an authorized motorhome rental company, and not be tempted to go to private rental. In the face of any problem, it is always better to have a company behind that responds, since it should not be forgotten that ITV is the responsibility of the driver, for example.
It will also be necessary to see that the motorhome has insurance and what type of coverage, without ruling out improving it in case of doubt. It is better to have comprehensive insurance if we are also inexperienced, because getting used to driving a motorhome takes time and repairs are usually expensive. Precisely for this reason, it is best to choose a motorhome with little time of antiquity. The newer and the fewer kilometers traveled, the better. And, if you can, a good tip also for the inexperienced is to rent a motorhome with some extra space. We will gain more space and comfort.
3. Where to spend the night? As a general rule, with a motorhome you can stop and sleep almost anywhere, at least unless local regulations prohibit it. But it is important to also be aware that the parking on public roads of a motorhome must respect the valid rules for any other vehicle (for example, if it is a blue zone, the corresponding fee will have to be paid).
And above all, parking is not synonymous with camping. Therefore, we can park the motorhome in a parking lot as we would a car, but nothing can protrude from the structure of the vehicle. This means that we cannot extend the awning or open swing windows, and of course we cannot remove absolutely anything on the road (chairs, table ...). If the motorhome remains completely closed, nobody can tell us if we sleep inside (except express prohibition). Now, it is advisable to look for parking areas for caravans or campsites, where camping is obviously allowed and, above all, services are offered for emptying waste and gray (from the shower or sink) and black (faecal) water.
4. Is any driving license worth it? No. The category B only serves to drive vehicles that do not exceed 3,500 kg with a load, that is, most motorhomes.
5. The essential apps. Those that everyone recommends yes or yes are those that report the rest areas for motorhomes, campsites and parking lots. AutoC en Ruta or Campercontact, for example. Another good idea is to know where we are going to find a gas station. For example, GasAll. Another basic is Google Maps, to plan the route.
6. When to book? Sooner. Motorhomes were already in fashion and the 'boom' that is expected for this summer due to the coronavirus will make demand surely exceed supply. The fleet in Spain is about 5,500 vehicles. The companies have already reserved practically half of the motorhomes for August, so it is calculated that reservations until the end of June leave the 'full August' sign hanging.
7. And finally, the attitude ... Traveling with your house in tow is synonymous with freedom, moving around without closed hours or planned trips. So you also have to be flexible and assume that you have to improvise many times. We must appreciate that living together in a small space may not be easy, but this way of traveling has its dose of adventure and, therefore, of charm.
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