Counting......

[BerndRos]

Clocking up my 206th different ' sleep place ' on my Europe, Asia & Africa trip this eve, and the roof has gone up trouble free every time......

 

[calikev]

That's awsome mate. Where are you now :?:

 

[BerndRos]

As far south in Sicily as you can be, will pass into Tunisia in a couple of weeks. UK and back to work by end of March.....of those 206 sleep places, about 35 in campsites and the rest free and waking with the locality as it happens. Seen some amazing places. Last time I saw a Cali was last April in Portugal.....

 

[Iain&Shani]

This sounds fantastic. Have you "blogged" it?

 

[leitchy]

What sort of extra gear did you find useful for that long in the wild?

 

[BerndRos]

Not a Blog that I will publish but both electronics and paper records, all very detailed. As for equipment, when I got the Cali I sat down with a pad and pen and then proceeded to rack my mind and make a list, purchased and it's worked out ok.

As for free camping, the Cali gets away with so much that the normal ' white ' motorhomes can't. Whereas the white ones are considered a pain it's the opposite with the Cali. People are so interested and taking pics that they forget to complain about where you have plonked yourself for the night.

Tonight I have parked right by the Duomo ( Cathedral ) at Piazza Armerini, surrounded by lovely Baroque buildings and no one cares that the Cali's here, apart from the usual pics and hellos.

When in city's I tend to park by Government buildings, my thinking is that in effect I have my own security as most are well guarded, that way I can go off for the day knowing I should be secure, plus of course the same thinking applies to the night. Have even slept a couple of nights right next to the Reichstag in Berlin, set up the table and chairs, made spaghetti and coffee and sat out the next morning eating porridge with a cuppa, no one cared a hoot.

 

[Paulro]

Amazing. I'd like to read a lot more about your trip and experiences.

I'm going away for my first trip in my newly purchased Cali. I'm going to Portugal via France and Nothern and North Western Spain. I like the thought that I might be able to stay off sites and like you, wake up with the locals and sometime on my own in isolation.
It's July so perhaps that is asking a bit much.
Reading of gassings and robberies is quite disturbing but I am positive about using the Cali like this. I think that's what they should be used for.
You are an inspiration, let's see more of your adventure.

 

[Fin]

Great read, sounds like you've had an excellent time! We also do a fair bit of free camping usually when heading off over to the Netherlands or Belgium and usually for one night in each place and then if staying longer we'll find a site for a shower and other facilities. Like BerndRos, we find it quite easy to just pull up in the middle of a town often in the main square and park for the evening. We normally quickly check with a local cafe on the square to clarify about parking restrictions and to check that we won't be surrounded by a market the following morning and they usually just say as long as you are away by 9am the following morning you will have no problems. Have done this in Veurne, Dixsmuide, Stene and others. The beauty of the California is that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like motorhomes.