My first camper experience: on the road with a Hymer Exsis
There you are as a fresh camper with a Hymer Exsis I 644 from Bruggink Campers & Caravans. All this to be introduced to the world of campers and caravans.
On Ascension Day, a number of friends had arranged a camping spot at Camping Den Driesch in Valkenburg. They also invited us, but we do not have a caravan or camper. What are you doing then? You are looking for a B&B or hotel. I discussed this with my colleague Maarten van CampersCaravans.nl. He suggested to see if Bruggink Campers & Caravans was willing to rent a camper there to experience the real camping life. Also a must to better understand and advise our readers, website visitors and business relations.
Your route is the destination
Leon Bruggink listened to my story. He thought it was a good idea and also a bit funny. The first questions I asked were also very recognizable to him. The most frequently asked question he receives from people who want to buy a camper was: "How do I get around during my holiday now that I don't have a car with me?" Leon laughed and replied: “with a camper, your route is the destination”. He indicated that with a camper you pass all the shops and sights, so you experience and visit everything “en route” to get some rest at your pitch.
His advice was to take a tourist route to Valkenburg and avoid highways as much as possible. This makes you experience the camper feeling even better. In fact, he indicated that you often had to stop along the way, for example along the water, to enjoy a quiet moment.
The start of the journey
With this advice I started making a plan. We decided to leave an evening earlier and make a stopover at “Camperplaats marina 't Leuken” in Well (Limburg). With this Botentekoop relationship we were allocated a beautiful camper spot directly on the Leukemeer.
On Tuesday, May 8, we were able to pick up our camper in Almelo. When you see the Hymer Exsis-I 644 for the first time without camper experience, you think “what a big thing, how will it drive?”. After a thorough and good explanation by Leon about all the do's and don'ts and all the functionalities in the Hymer Exsis, we were handed over the keys. There we went, the first meters on the road. Driving wasn't too bad at all. You will notice that the camper is large and high, but if you follow the advice given, take turns calmly, keep an eye on your width and watch out for quick steering movements, then you will be fine.
Decorate well
An advantage that we also experienced with the Hymer Exsis was that you don't actually pack suitcases or bags for a holiday, but you furnish the camper. With all the hanging options and cupboard space, all the things you take with you can be neatly and properly stored. However, you must lock all drawers properly before driving away to prevent a wild noise at the first bend. A real “garage” in the camper was also ideal. But the most fantastic thing was of course the full size fridge with freezer compartment. Always well-chilled drinks at hand and food that does not spoil.
Sleep like an angel
After a nice quiet route from Enschede through Germany to Well we arrived at our first stop. Camper place 't Leuken was really fantastic. Nice weather and a nice camper spot. The strange thing is that the grandeur of the Hymer Exsis was immediately outweighed by the even larger campers that were already there. The first night in the camper was also great. A good fixed bed and an excellent pull-down bed. My daughter in the pull-down bed had the feeling that she was sleeping like an angel on a cloud.
With Hymer Exsis to Valkenburg
The next day we left for camping Den Driesch in Valkenburg. We did this route via the highway. There you notice that this Hymer can keep up with the traffic. A pleasant speed is then approximately 110 km/h. Then you will also be least bothered by the rattling in the camper. Upon arrival in Valkenburg, we were kindly received by a campsite employee and taken to our pitch. Here too, a beautiful spot on the edge of a mountain with a direct view of Valkenburg and the castle ruins.
Camping Den Driesch is a small-scale city campsite with good facilities. Well equipped for campers. The pitches are approximately 50 m2, semi-paved and suitable for campers up to 9 meters. They also have standard pitches for campers, caravans or tents of 100m2, possibly semi-paved. There are also comfort pitches of 100m2, semi-paved and some even with their own hammock.
Towards the beginning of the evening, the friendly families also arrived at the campsite. Unfortunately not all at the same time because one family had a breakdown with their caravan near Venlo. They had to wait more than five hours for roadside assistance due to the prevailing holiday crowds. They didn't arrive until half past two in the middle of the night. For this, extra thanks to the campsite employees and security who took care of this family and brought them to their location.
Have fun
Even though we used our camper here as a refined caravan, this did not detract from the fun we had with it. The stay at the campsite was also a very special and positive experience. You quickly get to know new and interesting people. People who had a great time watching two teenage boys setting up two dome tents. They had no experience with tents, but of course they are stubborn. The Geurts family had a great time with this special spectacle.
Tractors with a lot of attention
We also saw that a campsite attracts people who look at camping differently than we do. The Alders and Rongen family, both from the Boxmeer area, came with 2 old-timer track towers and authentic gypsy caravans. The tractor of the Alders family is a Hanomag R55 Nato from 1956 and the tractor of the Rongen family is a Polish Ursus C45 from 1952. The latter is a so-called glow head tractor that must first be heated with a glass bottle before you can start it.
The arrival of these families attracted a lot of attention. The children at the campsite were even allowed to sit on the tractors. She also used a stationary engine during their barbecue. With this they powered a spit on which a whole chicken and ham could be cooked nicely. In our view, this is a major advantage of camping. You quickly come into contact with other people and you also notice that everyone experiences and practices camping in their own way.
On Saturday, May 12, we left for Enschede again to empty and tidy the camper and return it to Bruggink Campers & Caravans.
Conclusion of our trip
Have we become campers now? I don't think we are yet, but we probably will be. We now plan to purchase a family tent so that we can spend more short and longer holidays at campsites. Personally, I think a camper is ideal as a camping tool. But not yet suitable for our family in combination with our current lifestyle. Renting a camper is then a better option. We can see ourselves purchasing a camper in the future, as soon as we have more time and therefore the opportunity to go away spontaneously more often.
I would like to thank our friendly families; Heuvels, Damhuis and De Jonge/Kamphuis for the pleasant week in Valkenburg. Extra thanks go to the employees of Camping DenDriesch, Leon Bruggink and his team from Bruggink Campers&Caravans and to Linda and Martien Valckx from camper place/marina 't Leuken.
Specifications Hymer Exsis-I 644
Year of make: 2012
Make of car: Fiat Ducato 2.3 Mjet
Construction length: 6.70 meters
Width: 2.15 meter
Headroom: 1.97 meter
Total height: 2.70 meters
Weight: 2.740 kg
Number of beds 3
2-person bed 200 x 129 cm
2-person bed 188 x 150 cm
2-person bed 178 x 90 cm
More information
www.campingdendriesch.nl
www.brugginkcaravans.nl
www.valckxwatersport.nl/Camperplaatsen
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