Let’s buy a Motorhome!

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 For some years Ian and I had talked of having a Motorhome and taking off all over Europe, but we never acted on it. We had a pandemic in 2020. We were locked down, couldn’t go anywhere. It ran into 2021. In October 2021 we decided to bite the bullet and give motorhoming a try, see if we liked it. We hired a lovely Rollerteam 590 from Big Dave at Dicksons of Perth (highly recommended) and set off to do the NC500. As documented elsewhere (The Walters Two’s Scottish Sojourn) we absolutely loved it. 


Somewhere lovely in Scotland

By November 2021 we had decided to do it, we were going to buy a Motorhome! The nice windfall from Uncle Phil (thank you Uncle Phil) meant we could afford a brand spanking new one. Great, Easy, No Problem? Wrong. It transpires that everyone in the Uk had the same idea. The problems travelling abroad and the high demand for holidays here meant that brand spanking new Motorhomes were rare as hens teeth. There was also the fact that we wanted a Rollerteam. One just like the Rollerteam 590 from Big Dave, only bigger! After weeks of research on the internet we decided that only the Rollerteam Zefiro 696 would suit. Exactly the same as Big Daves but with a double bedroom at the back. Perfect! 

The Rollerteam Zefiro 696

Now to find one, in Britain. Turns out that there were only two available in the country. One in Cardiff and one in Holmfirth. The Cardiff one had a smaller engine for more money and a longer delivery date. So one Sunday morning in December, Ian and I, and Ian’s wallet, headed for Holmfirth and a meeting with Big Ed of Peter Roberts Caravans. They had one Rollerteam Zefiro 696 on order for a customer who had cancelled but showed us around a ‘sold’ one in the warehouse. We too were ‘sold’. We decided on our specifications, money changed hands for the deposit, Ian and Big Ed shook on it, and we came away the proud owners of a Motorhome. Yay! Now we just had to wait for it to arrive from Italy. 

So we waited.Christmas came and went, as did New Year. No word from Big Ed






February came and went. Some people went skiing, some stayed at home. No word from Big Ed.




We went to Hillsborough to watch the Millers win in the ‘Not a derby!’ Derby. No word from Big Ed



We went to Wembley (again) to see The Millers lift the Papa Johns Trophy. No word from Big Ed.









Kathy and Einar bought a House. No word from Big Ed


We had a weekend in London during which we travelled to Gillingham to watch the Millers win promotion. No word from Big Ed



Ian took up running and did the Rotherham 10k with Vicky. Still no word



Me and Irene took a trip down to Rickmansworth to visit Heather and David. Word? No


Me and Ian had a long Jubilee weekend in Guernsey. Silence




Kathy and Einar bought a Beagle puppy, little Samwise. Not. A. Word.



Me and Vicky headed to Leeds to volunteer at the triathlon. Alex competed (very well) and Ian watched. Still, still, still, still, no word from Big Ed


I was becoming despondent. I no longer wanted to look at camp sites or camping Kettles. I had booked, and cancelled, sites in Northumberland, Runswick Bay, and South Wales. I had also booked a site near Sutton Coalfield for my Commonwealth games volunteering in August, so things were becoming perilous. Until, that is, Wednesday the 15th of June. I was stood at a bench checking a prescription for glycerine suppositories when I got this text from Ian.


IT HAD ARRIVED. The Motorhome was here (or soon would be). I wanted to whoop and holler around the dispensary and sod the little old mans constipation! Ian arranged for us to pick her up on Monday 27th and then the world would be our lobster.

For the next instalment of Motorhome Madness, including the official naming, equipment problems, and were we chose for our first weekend, watch this space.

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