We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing

I don't really see myself as old which is just as well, despite the body having matured in all the wrong directions the mind seems to have lagged behind by about 40 years. However, I'm well aware of the old proverb of time and tide and all that so this year seemed the right time to cross out something on the bucket list.

Possessions have little real value to us, we spend the majority of our money on holidays where we make memories between us and with friends. So although it's true to say we have travelled we never really explored. So with retirement looming how will we combine our love of holidays and our desire to explore all with a reduced income?

We had a few options that we considered but eventually decided the answer could arrive on four wheels. So, without ever having set foot in a motorhome and having no knowledge of the industry we took an uncharacteristic plunge and decided to go for it.

Step one involved endless youtube videos many of which were clearly made by people who thought a 10 minute stretch of Norfolk dashcam footage interjected by the occasional shot of their goofy dog would generate enough views and revenue to fund their weekends away. But we found good ones, subscribed and the learning started.

Creating a specification and a shortlist

We started looking at what they called 'pre-loved' but each time there was something slightly better in the yard and of course a little more expensive. So how do you overcome that, you buy new and with that our uncharacteristic plunge got deeper.

The next decision was layout and there were a few things on the shopping list that need the box ticked. We wanted a shower and a toilet, both separate that involved no clinging curtain, then the bed, it had to be either fixed or could stay made-up and disappear into the ceiling. We wanted to spend evenings acting juvenile or looking at each others warped face through a wine glass, not playing jigsaw with lounge cushions. Seven metres or under, some garage space and clothes storage - lots of clothes, not mine!

Here's what we went for; a day layout with a good size lounge that had an electrically operated bed above that could be lowered from above by a simple switch press and in its made-up state. The bed could drop to any height so if necessary it could still transform into a four berth if you beat the jigsaw challenge.

Final decision for now was manufacturer and dealer. Bailey made the Adamo, we headed off to the most local dealer but from the outset we were treated like we were an inconvenience, never taken seriously for a moment. Next we tried Swift and the 540 from the Voyager range, the dealer was further away but the experience was a complete contrast. So with confidence in after care being a consideration that's what we bought. 

We tend to name our cars, it's connected to that juvenile thing, and this was going to be no exception, what we bought was now Buster (the bus). And so, with a few things loaded onboard that we very wrongly assumed were going to be all that we would ever need we set off . . . .  after all, time was ticking and the tide was coming in.

If you are thinking of buying a motorhome then the chances are you will be parting with a lot of money even if you buy used. And it doesn't stop there, you will need security possibly a tracker, gas cylinders, a thermal screen cover, an awning or shelter maybe and a whole host of other things so be prepared. Take time to consider the most important thing which is layout, there are generally advantages and disadvantages to each so you will need something that best suits your needs and plans.

We had our own set of prerequisites. After visiting the motorhome show at the NEC we knew that we needed something bigger than a camper van but small enough to be manoeuvrable, we plan to tour Europe and some sites are not suitable for long motorhomes. It had to have a seperate shower and toilet, not a wet room with a wrap around curtain we also needed a good size comfortable bed. Finally, a decent size garage at the back so we could store bikes inboard and not rely on a rack on the back that extended the length further.

With the two front seats turned the lounge area of the 540 was large for a motorhome a fraction over 7M. The center table could be folded out to double its size and raised and lowered electronically. Stored above against the roof is the bed. This can be left made up and lowered down to seat base height or any point inbetween when required at night. The bed is raised and lowered electronically using a switch located just beside the hab door. 

There is a disadvantage to this layout, if one person prefers to stay in bed in the morning there is very little space left for the person who gets up and nowhere available to sit. I find this is only an issue in the winter, in the summer I prefer to make a cup of tea and then sit outside in the shelter, more on the shelter later.

In its lowest position a person can get into bed quite easily, it can be made even easier by using a small step. When the bed is raised you may need to use the ladder supplied. In this position the bed below can be used by folding out then lowering the table and laying the cushions flat. The lower bed is even bigger than the drop down but I suggest you use a matress topper to help make things more comfortable.