The benefits of motorhome and campervan travel

In the post- Covid world we’re tentatively emerging into, there are some aspects of life that will make us uneasy for a while to come.

Travelling by motorhome or campervan ( smaller self- contained vans) means you can control your circumstances. It’s possible to call the shots from beginning to the end of your journey in exactly the way you’re most comfortable with.

Even the largest motorhomes are easy to drive and simple to operate, and the fully equipped family-size ones have mod cons such as full fridges, heaters, ovens, microwaves, TV sets, comfortable beds and bathroom facilities. Regardless of which size vehicle you choose, the freedom is yours to stop and stay wherever you fancy (while observing freedom camping guidelines of course).

Of course, the beauty of a motorhome or campervan is that, if you choose, you can park up for a night or two in a campground to use the power source, cook in a kitchen and use the laundry and other facilities too.

Aotearoa has now opened up to New Zealanders in a way we’ve never experienced before. Now is the time to explore the vast countryside, throw snowballs at the open ski-fields and regenerate your love for the outdoors as we come together as a family.

As family time has been pared back to basics, with card games and backyard games galore, a motorhome trip is a great way to bond when the actual means of travel becomes part of the experience.

Imagine pulling up beachside, setting up the awning and a table and chairs and playing a game of cards in nature, before hopping back inside the motorhome to enjoy a family movie and some fish ‘n’ chips from the local. Or, making the journey to the Central Plateau or Central Otago and enjoying a day on the slopes skiing or just playing around in the snow, before moving onto the next mountain tomorrow.

Here’s a hot tip for roadtrippers — on the outskirts of Rotorua there is a natural hot spring called Kerosene Creek which is free for anyone to soak in. Pull up, put your togs on, then nip over to the creek for a quick dip surrounded by nature, before returning to the van for a shower and a cup of tea. Bliss.

The next morning, the family’s early risers can enjoy a walk on the beach before breakfast then, after a minimal pack-up (no wrangling an unwieldy tent here), the open road and next location is in your hands.

This form of travelling is a return to the Kiwi holidays of our youth, where nothing had to be done in a hurry and you could just relax and explore what was right in front of you.

And did we mention the benefits of not having to abandon your trip because of bad weather? You’ll stay warm and dry, regardless of what’s going on outside.