My attitude towards camping can be summed up in a short joke: “The boss asks his employee: ‘You don’t look well at all, Mr. Müller. Were you sick?’ ‘No, I was on vacation with the family in the motorhome!'”
For as long as I can remember, I’ve hated the idea of spending my summer vacation or even just a few days in a white yogurt cup where I have to sleep, eat and brush my teeth. Why should I do that? There are spacious holiday apartments, comfortable hotels or inexpensive guesthouses.
The vehicle that is supposed to change my attitude is called VanTourer and is an own brand of Eurocaravaning, a subsidiary of Intercaravaning, which claims to be Europe’s largest specialist retail chain for motorhomes and caravans with dealers in Germany, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Netherlandsn and the Switzerland. Anyone who does a little internet research and gets in the mood for the 600 L, the second largest model in the portfolio at 5.99 meters long, will find many words of praise. In particular about sleeping comfort and practical ideas such as the floor-mounted fresh water tank, which takes up a lot of space in the rear of other models.
I have to admit: The “Womo” group isn’t lying. The generous lying area in the rear, for example, does not have to hide behind the comfort of a star hotel. Under the bed? It’s almost as spacious as a basement.
The car based on the Fiat Ducato only becomes truly suitable for families with the pop-up roof, which is available as a package for 6,490 euros. Children love to crawl up to bed over the dining table in the evening, and in the VanTourer the mice dance on the tables.
The planners saved money in the dining area. With two gas burners, a refrigerator, a sink, three drawers and a wall cabinet, the kitchen block may correspond to the upper middle class standard. But space remains tight, at least for those who don’t like camping. At least the provider Intercaravaning tries to find good solutions: the bench can be widened using the pull-out function and the table can be extended. While driving, the table disappears under the bed; so the passengers in the back seat get enough air.
When the weather is good, it is advisable to cook and eat in the front garden and swim in the sea or lake instead of in the wet room, whose curtain can be unfolded all the way to the kitchen. After all, the Müller joke shouldn’t become a reality at the end of the holiday: children relaxed, parents stressed – from cleaning and various renovations.