Thank you for the positivity, we're a couple of years from getting our van and retiring, your content is light, balanced and full of ideas we are banking! Best wishes.
Great video guys. You’ve still got a good bit of life in your lovely van yet for sure. We agree that the CL’s are definitely the better sites to visit and also agree with your opinion of the waste situation at the CMC & CCC sites. Thanks for sharing the history around Hedigham Castle Helen. It looks a very interesting place. Keep safe. Irvine & Karen.
Big decision to make to part with such a beautiful van x loved the photo ins the puddle and the castle is just stunning x take care x Debs and Mark xxx
Fascinating vlog as always guys. Bit late watching but we’ve been in your beautiful neck of the woods and haven’t had a spare second 😃. Grandkids do that don’t they 😃 I have four years to the big decision on the C1 licence. We were going to get a van conversion originally and maybe we will go back to that in a few years! Anyway, have a great week ahead M & H.
Great to hear you such a good time with the family, the pictures would put a smile on anyone’s Face. Our Grandkids are inbound again next week so we’ll to treading a few of the same spots. Thanks for watching much appreciated, we have some catching up to do with videos having been away for weekend end . Best wishes Helen and Martin
Helen & Martin, thank you for the update and inviting us on your journeys and experiences. It’s much appreciated and we look forward to your next European trip. Kindest regards
@@helenandmartinsTreks thanks you too, we always enjoy your positive vlogs, photography & music👍🏻Met you briefly at Malvern last year-did you ever buy a Thule sunblocker?
You guys are great. UA-cam is becoming, ummm frustrating but your videos are always fab, no sell, just great "normal" content, and I mean that in the best possible way. Our 2009 Hymer A claas flew through its mot 3 months ago, always a 🤞time! Cheers guys. Tim and Martha.
Hi Tim and Martha , thanks very much for your kind comments. Glad the MOT went OK , it is a relief isn't it. We love the Hymer A Class range , they are bullet proof generally it seems. Have a great weekend and thanks for watching . Best wishes Helen and Martin
Hi Louise it's been a shock this year insurance , I wouldn't mind if we'd had a claim 😂 . Nevertheless it's still a great life. Thanks for your comments about the photography it's made our dy. Best wishes Helen and Martin
Hi both, we've had our Hymer A class for a couple of years and are very pleased with it. I did a lot of research before buying from new - being 70+ I didn't want the faff of renewing the C1 licence (the ordinary licence is a lot easier to renew), so we opted for the Exsis i580 Pure, which is a 3.5t van with a good payload. It is 7 mtrs long, 2.2 mtrs wide and 2.7mtrs high which makes it great to handle particularly on narrower roads. Build quality is excellent and with the Fiat 9 speed auto box it's a dream to drive. All vans are about compromise of course but we love our 'home from home'.
Good morning , that is a great van and we're both really glad to hear you enjoy it so much. Thanks for commenting and watching , best wishes and happy travels Helen and Martin
Hi guys thanks for your reply Do walls have ears!! The Ships company of the Minerva have stuck to “What goes on tour stays on tour” for over 50 years. We have had papers , journalists, and Tv channels , all approach us for our stories. We all to a man have stayed away from it, thankfully . We always toast the now King every year when we still meet up for reunions. You two well know the importance of comradeship Keep putting out the stuff on your channle Love the phots as well 👍
Your Motorhome looks beautiful at 4 years old and very much a credit to you both, if it’s working for you and not costing you anything in breakdowns then why change, we downsized this year from 7.5mtr coachbuilt to a 6 mtr Burstner with fixed transverse bed, with the intention of more off grid hence the up grade electrics, solar and air con, we do miss the space but we’re leaning to live with it. As always great videos.
Good morning thanks very much for watching. It's very interesting to hear about your van choice , it's probably the way we'll go eventually and it sounds like you've put together a great option. We might have to seek your advice when we are ready , but I think we'll keep this another year at least as we're quite attached to it .Sentiment on its one won't do it of course , so we are likely to review each year. Have a great weekend Helen and Martin
I have just successfully renewed my C1 license at 70. It is really a non-issue, very basic ‘medical’ - a Q and A really plus basic sight test and blood pressure. My GP charged £100 to fill in the form, license back in a week or so. The real issue is whether you still feel like driving a big van. We are getting a bigger one! We both really enjoy your vlogs, hope to see you on the road one day.
Hi Chris , that's really good to know , apart for the £100 bit of course 😂 . Enjoy your new van , wishing you many happy miles best wishes Helen and Martin
Guys, you are so interesting to watch . Your insist into motorhoming is so helpful. If you guys ever plan on a trip to Ireland more than welcome to park up overnight on our property.. we are only 25 minutes from the ferry port in Dublin and just off the main road to the west .. keep up the good work . Clive & Grace
Hi Clive and Grace , thanks very much for your kind offer , that is so good of you. We haven't been Ireland for a few years , the last time to Dublin was to see U2 , two memorable nights that will never be forgotten. We are over due a return , thanks very much for watching best wishes Helen and Martin.
Hi guys , liked the bit about Cambridge,got a dit for you so a few years ago took a punt ride on the Cam ,really good as we were passing a certain building the guide started a story re the PoW (now King) and a certain body guard who attended Cambridge with the POW. Well presented , at the end of the trip when every body had got off , I had a chat with him on a few points about his story, and corrected him on a couple of points. He asked how I new so much about the story, my answer “he was a shipmate of mine for a year “, he never quite clicked on and I often wonder if he corrected those mistakes 😆😆 Great vlog cheers Bill .Ps I say change whilst you will still get a good price 👍
Hi that's interesting , I can understand that so many ways to look at it isn't there. Thanks for watching and talking time to communicate with us. Best wishes Helen and Martin
We have been checking out motorhome since we bought our last motorhome we love our van it’s had its niggles It’s 2008 model van And we have had it 11 years And not seen anything much better I can’t see us change our van for a long time Love watching your channel
Hi both. After spending the last 12-18months pondering to buy or not to buy my first motor home and very much thanks both your Channel and a few other top quality UA-camrs took the first tentative step and after much searching found a mint condition 6000ml Autotrail at a dealers 250 miles away! Now my question is around the choice of an A class, it was really what I wanted but thought by going s/h first if it was not for me the loss if needing to sell my Autotrail would not be too great a loss and my intention was to give it a go for a season and then possibly move up to a new A class. Well 2 months in with 3 trips under my belt I have found my “HAPPY PLACE” shall we say. So apart from the obvious issues around the larger width ( my Autotrail is already 7.4mtrs so length is not an issue), what do I need to factor in both good and bad before making the move. I know that both of you can be totally relied on for an honest no nonsense appraisal to help me possible take the next step before visiting the NEC show later this year. An Adria Sonic 700SL is so far the front runner and Scotland/France/Germany are my target destinations.Many thanks and hoping to replicate some of your adventures soon 👍👍👍
Good morning, thanks for watching. In your position, I’m sure we would be looking very closely at the Adria Sonic and, of course, the Hymer range (never to be discounted). We would also revisit Knaus, having been so satisfied with the current vehicle. Engine-wise, Mercedes is a cut above, but only just-the Fiats and others aren’t far behind. A 160 bhp engine is the best option if you want a reserve of power, in my opinion, but 140 bhp will do the job. Then it’s a question of layout. We like the dinette layout and compromise on the twin bed option to maximise boot space for the bikes and all of H’s shoes. 😂 Payload is crucial, especially if you’re considering a vehicle under 3.5 tonnes. I would suggest taking your current vehicle, loaded and ready to travel, to a weighbridge to work out the current weights with the payload you are currently carrying. This will give you some idea of what to expect. You can get caught out with sub-3.5t vehicles, as there’s not much room to play with. Another point-if you do buy an A-class, make sure your insurance covers unlimited windscreen replacement, as they can cost up to £10k to replace. I would also recommend an external screen cover, as in winter you can lose quite a bit of heat through the window on any A-class motorhome. Hope that helps! Feel free to come back to us if we can help further. Best wishes, Helen and Martin ---
We have been thinking about changing Desmond. Prices are still stupid and do not look like dropping up here. He is 3.4t as well which dodges the 70yr problems LOL. Definitely the way to go. Peace and light. See you next time.
Thanks , taking the lead from you on the peace and light front, your videos are an oasis in a storm that is UA-cam. Thanks for watching Helen and Martin
Hi a question about camera and photos. Do you ever use film or are you totally digital. I use both I find film gives a different feel and helps hone my photography skills . Excellent vlog as per usual.
Evening Dave , thanks for watching . I haven't tried film , but like yourself everyone I have spoken to rates the experience so I am intrigued. It would be good to look at some of your work Dave if it's on line , I'm always up for learning from others. Thanks for getting in touch , best wishes Helen and Martin
No website but can put a few together in an email I'm sure . Only b and w available I have two colour films still in the process of being used . So when I get more examples I'll let you know . Cheers
Good video, as usual. Just out of interest, is there some kind of protocol about taking photos of people? Do you ask first or are they fair game? Looking forward to your Spanish trip, thank you.
Hi Paul, Very interesting question. There are two parts to this: what is legal and what is ethical. The first part is straightforward. Legally, people in public places can be photographed or videoed without their permission, as there are generally no privacy rights in these circumstances. This is why people are filmed everywhere they go by CCTV. However, just because you can, doesn't mean you should, in my view. Personal ethics are required, and these vary between photographers. Our approach is as follows: we don’t take images that humiliate anyone, or show them in distress (such as homelessness), injured, or incapacitated in any way. We don’t take images that identify where people live without their permission. We capture street scenes to tell the story of a place; people are just part of the scene. However, if I want to take a portrait, I always ask for permission, and wherever possible, I always show the images to the person. I have a blanket rule: if anyone asks me to delete an image, I would do so without question. This has never happened so far. In most cases, people ask for a copy for their own social media, and we always oblige. No image is worth upsetting anyone over-life is too short, and it’s not what we are about. If you’re interested in this subject, I wrote an article that explains a bit more: www.helenandmartinsmotorhometreks.uk/blog/why-humanist-photography-matters-to-is-as-travellers . Thanks for watching. Best wishes, Helen and Martin ---
Thank you for the positivity, we're a couple of years from getting our van and retiring, your content is light, balanced and full of ideas we are banking! Best wishes.
You’re very welcome , thanks for watching. Exciting times ahead for you we hope. Best wishes Helen and Martin
Wells Next the Sea looks spectacular from that angle and from the sky, thank you for a great video 😘🙌🏻
Thanks it's one of favourite locations and fairly local as an added bonus. Thanks for watching best wishes Helen and Martin
Great video guys. You’ve still got a good bit of life in your lovely van yet for sure. We agree that the CL’s are definitely the better sites to visit and also agree with your opinion of the waste situation at the CMC & CCC sites. Thanks for sharing the history around Hedigham Castle Helen. It looks a very interesting place. Keep safe. Irvine & Karen.
Thanks guys much appreciated, best wishes H and M
Big decision to make to part with such a beautiful van x loved the photo ins the puddle and the castle is just stunning x take care x Debs and Mark xxx
Thanks guys much appreciated , we have got quite attached to our van. Best wishes Helen and Martin
Thank you for the 'Peace and Light' yet again.
Thanks Roger , best wishes to you Helen and Martin
Fascinating vlog as always guys.
Bit late watching but we’ve been in your beautiful neck of the woods and haven’t had a spare second 😃. Grandkids do that don’t they 😃
I have four years to the big decision on the C1 licence. We were going to get a van conversion originally and maybe we will go back to that in a few years!
Anyway, have a great week ahead M & H.
Great to hear you such a good time with the family, the pictures would put a smile on anyone’s Face. Our Grandkids are inbound again next week so we’ll to treading a few of the same spots. Thanks for watching much appreciated, we have some catching up to do with videos having been away for weekend end . Best wishes Helen and Martin
Helen & Martin, thank you for the update and inviting us on your journeys and experiences. It’s much appreciated and we look forward to your next European trip. Kindest regards
Good morning thanks watching and leaving such positive comments. Have a great weekend Helen and Martin
Peace and light 👍🏻
Good morning thanks for watching , have a great weekend Helen and Martin
@@helenandmartinsTreks thanks you too, we always enjoy your positive vlogs, photography & music👍🏻Met you briefly at Malvern last year-did you ever buy a Thule sunblocker?
We have a Burstner, no prob with ours, good German make, pleased your Motorhome home OK too, 😊
Hi thanks for watching , good vans are Burstners , glad you're happy with it. Happy travels Helen and Martin
You guys are great. UA-cam is becoming, ummm frustrating but your videos are always fab, no sell, just great "normal" content, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Our 2009 Hymer A claas flew through its mot 3 months ago, always a 🤞time!
Cheers guys.
Tim and Martha.
Hi Tim and Martha , thanks very much for your kind comments. Glad the MOT went OK , it is a relief isn't it. We love the Hymer A Class range , they are bullet proof generally it seems. Have a great weekend and thanks for watching . Best wishes Helen and Martin
Looking forward to hearing your plans for Spain for the winter. We too are heading off again for the winter.
Thanks we do look forward to Spain in winter. Happy travels Helen and Martin
Your photography is food for the soul. Will look forward to seeing more of East Anglia. Campervan insurance day for me today, ouch! Xx
Hi Louise it's been a shock this year insurance , I wouldn't mind if we'd had a claim 😂 . Nevertheless it's still a great life. Thanks for your comments about the photography it's made our dy. Best wishes Helen and Martin
Great that the Knaus is still working well for you. You could always consider a remap for that bit more umph.
It is an interesting thought , 140 bhp does the job but we could always use a bit of more power. Thanks for watching best wishes Helen and Martin
Hi both, we've had our Hymer A class for a couple of years and are very pleased with it. I did a lot of research before buying from new - being 70+ I didn't want the faff of renewing the C1 licence (the ordinary licence is a lot easier to renew), so we opted for the Exsis i580 Pure, which is a 3.5t van with a good payload. It is 7 mtrs long, 2.2 mtrs wide and 2.7mtrs high which makes it great to handle particularly on narrower roads. Build quality is excellent and with the Fiat 9 speed auto box it's a dream to drive. All vans are about compromise of course but we love our 'home from home'.
Good morning , that is a great van and we're both really glad to hear you enjoy it so much. Thanks for commenting and watching , best wishes and happy travels Helen and Martin
Hi guys thanks for your reply
Do walls have ears!!
The Ships company of the Minerva have stuck to
“What goes on tour stays on tour” for over 50 years.
We have had papers , journalists, and Tv channels , all approach us for our stories.
We all to a man have stayed away from it, thankfully .
We always toast the now King every year when we still meet up for reunions.
You two well know the importance of comradeship
Keep putting out the stuff on your channle
Love the phots as well 👍
Great ethics , wish there was more of that. Thanks once again for your encouragement H and M
Your Motorhome looks beautiful at 4 years old and very much a credit to you both, if it’s working for you and not costing you anything in breakdowns then why change, we downsized this year from 7.5mtr coachbuilt to a 6 mtr Burstner with fixed transverse bed, with the intention of more off grid hence the up grade electrics, solar and air con, we do miss the space but we’re leaning to live with it.
As always great videos.
Good morning thanks very much for watching. It's very interesting to hear about your van choice , it's probably the way we'll go eventually and it sounds like you've put together a great option. We might have to seek your advice when we are ready , but I think we'll keep this another year at least as we're quite attached to it .Sentiment on its one won't do it of course , so we are likely to review each year. Have a great weekend Helen and Martin
I have just successfully renewed my C1 license at 70. It is really a non-issue, very basic ‘medical’ - a Q and A really plus basic sight test and blood pressure. My GP charged £100 to fill in the form, license back in a week or so. The real issue is whether you still feel like driving a big van. We are getting a bigger one! We both really enjoy your vlogs, hope to see you on the road one day.
Hi Chris , that's really good to know , apart for the £100 bit of course 😂 . Enjoy your new van , wishing you many happy miles best wishes Helen and Martin
The hunt for seat covers continues 😊
Guys, you are so interesting to watch . Your insist into motorhoming is so helpful. If you guys ever plan on a trip to Ireland more than welcome to park up overnight on our property.. we are only 25 minutes from the ferry port in Dublin and just off the main road to the west .. keep up the good work . Clive & Grace
Hi Clive and Grace , thanks very much for your kind offer , that is so good of you. We haven't been Ireland for a few years , the last time to Dublin was to see U2 , two memorable nights that will never be forgotten. We are over due a return , thanks very much for watching best wishes Helen and Martin.
Hi guys ,
liked the bit about Cambridge,got a dit for you so a few years ago took a punt ride on the Cam ,really good as we were passing a certain building the guide started a story re the PoW (now King) and a certain body guard who attended Cambridge with the POW. Well presented , at the end of the trip when every body had got off , I had a chat with him on a few points about his story, and corrected him on a couple of points.
He asked how I new so much about the story, my answer “he was a shipmate of mine for a year “, he never quite clicked on and I often wonder if he corrected those mistakes 😆😆
Great vlog cheers Bill .Ps I say change whilst you will still get a good price 👍
Interesting Bill thanks , If walls could speak I'm sure Cambridge would reveal much 😂😂😂 . Thanks very much for watching best wishes Helen and Martin
3 years for us 👍😊
Hi that's interesting , I can understand that so many ways to look at it isn't there. Thanks for watching and talking time to communicate with us. Best wishes Helen and Martin
We have been checking out motorhome since we bought our last motorhome we love our van it’s had its niggles
It’s 2008 model van
And we have had it 11 years
And not seen anything much better
I can’t see us change our van for a long time
Love watching your channel
Thanks guys , it's great to hear you have happy with your van. Happy travels and thanks for watching Helen and Martin
Hi both. After spending the last 12-18months pondering to buy or not to buy my first motor home and very much thanks both your Channel and a few other top quality UA-camrs took the first tentative step and after much searching found a mint condition 6000ml Autotrail at a dealers 250 miles away! Now my question is around the choice of an A class, it was really what I wanted but thought by going s/h first if it was not for me the loss if needing to sell my Autotrail would not be too great a loss and my intention was to give it a go for a season and then possibly move up to a new A class. Well 2 months in with 3 trips under my belt I have found my “HAPPY PLACE” shall we say. So apart from the obvious issues around the larger width ( my Autotrail is already 7.4mtrs so length is not an issue), what do I need to factor in both good and bad before making the move. I know that both of you can be totally relied on for an honest no nonsense appraisal to help me possible take the next step before visiting the NEC show later this year. An Adria Sonic 700SL is so far the front runner and Scotland/France/Germany are my target destinations.Many thanks and hoping to replicate some of your adventures soon 👍👍👍
Good morning, thanks for watching. In your position, I’m sure we would be looking very closely at the Adria Sonic and, of course, the Hymer range (never to be discounted). We would also revisit Knaus, having been so satisfied with the current vehicle.
Engine-wise, Mercedes is a cut above, but only just-the Fiats and others aren’t far behind. A 160 bhp engine is the best option if you want a reserve of power, in my opinion, but 140 bhp will do the job. Then it’s a question of layout. We like the dinette layout and compromise on the twin bed option to maximise boot space for the bikes and all of H’s shoes. 😂
Payload is crucial, especially if you’re considering a vehicle under 3.5 tonnes. I would suggest taking your current vehicle, loaded and ready to travel, to a weighbridge to work out the current weights with the payload you are currently carrying. This will give you some idea of what to expect. You can get caught out with sub-3.5t vehicles, as there’s not much room to play with.
Another point-if you do buy an A-class, make sure your insurance covers unlimited windscreen replacement, as they can cost up to £10k to replace. I would also recommend an external screen cover, as in winter you can lose quite a bit of heat through the window on any A-class motorhome.
Hope that helps! Feel free to come back to us if we can help further.
Best wishes,
Helen and Martin
---
We have been thinking about changing Desmond. Prices are still stupid and do not look like dropping up here. He is 3.4t as well which dodges the 70yr problems LOL. Definitely the way to go. Peace and light. See you next time.
Thanks , taking the lead from you on the peace and light front, your videos are an oasis in a storm that is UA-cam. Thanks for watching Helen and Martin
@@helenandmartinsTreks Thank you
Hi a question about camera and photos. Do you ever use film or are you totally digital. I use both I find film gives a different feel and helps hone my photography skills . Excellent vlog as per usual.
Evening Dave , thanks for watching . I haven't tried film , but like yourself everyone I have spoken to rates the experience so I am intrigued. It would be good to look at some of your work Dave if it's on line , I'm always up for learning from others. Thanks for getting in touch , best wishes Helen and Martin
No website but can put a few together in an email I'm sure . Only b and w available I have two colour films still in the process of being used . So when I get more examples I'll let you know . Cheers
Good video, as usual. Just out of interest, is there some kind of protocol about taking photos of people? Do you ask first or are they fair game? Looking forward to your Spanish trip, thank you.
Hi Paul,
Very interesting question. There are two parts to this: what is legal and what is ethical.
The first part is straightforward. Legally, people in public places can be photographed or videoed without their permission, as there are generally no privacy rights in these circumstances. This is why people are filmed everywhere they go by CCTV. However, just because you can, doesn't mean you should, in my view.
Personal ethics are required, and these vary between photographers. Our approach is as follows: we don’t take images that humiliate anyone, or show them in distress (such as homelessness), injured, or incapacitated in any way. We don’t take images that identify where people live without their permission. We capture street scenes to tell the story of a place; people are just part of the scene. However, if I want to take a portrait, I always ask for permission, and wherever possible, I always show the images to the person. I have a blanket rule: if anyone asks me to delete an image, I would do so without question.
This has never happened so far. In most cases, people ask for a copy for their own social media, and we always oblige. No image is worth upsetting anyone over-life is too short, and it’s not what we are about. If you’re interested in this subject, I wrote an article that explains a bit more: www.helenandmartinsmotorhometreks.uk/blog/why-humanist-photography-matters-to-is-as-travellers .
Thanks for watching.
Best wishes,
Helen and Martin
---
@@helenandmartinsTreks Thank you
Expensive and increasing every year .