Travel Tips from Ian Shires

Ian Shires
Budapest
June 2010

Introduction by Barry and Margaret Williamson

We first met Ian and Judit at Camping Fifi in Edirne, on the Turkish side of the Bulgarian/Turkish border in the summer of 2003. They were heading east, towards the border with Iran; we were on our way into Romania, Bulgaria and a second meeting with Ian and Judit back at their home in Budapest. Since then Ian has written six illustrated articles for this website: access and enjoy them through the list of Fellow Travellers.

In this article, Ian summarises the valuable lessons he has drawn from many years of travel. Although his vehicle is a Land Rover Defender, his accommodation a tent and his bailiwick Eastern and Southern Europe, much of what he writes will be of value to motorhomers and to cycle tourists.

We have slightly edited the article and added a few comments (in italics): its original home is on Ian's new website: Travels with a Land Rover.

Ian writes:

Vehicle-based Camping Tips

Before you go

Arrange care for the house and garden. Empty fridge and freezer. Turn off water and electricity, or ensure central heating can cope with winter conditions. Stop all deliveries. Leave trip itinerary with a friend. Ensure passport has at least 3 months' life on it.

Well, I'm a Land Rover man so I am biased. However, a Defender 110 has certain advantages for expeditions. First of all, it is spacious and economical. The excellent off-road ability of a Land Rover is not very important on a typical trip around Western Europe - but on the small dirt roads and tracks of Eastern Europe it is invaluable.

The load carrying capacity and flexibility are useful. I remove the seats behind the driver. Then I place 3 or 4 equipment boxes between the 2 side bench seats. These boxes are the same height as the bench seats. One or two other boxes to hold various items and I have a level area, exactly the size of a double air bed.

The air bed serves three purposes: it hides the boxes from curious passers-by, it protects the contents of the boxes from harsh sunlight, and it is a bed in emergencies. For example, you are driving through the Romanian mountains, it is dark and raining and there is no suitable campsite available. A lorry park for Turkish truck drivers is just the place. You can park between 2 trucks and sleep in the Defender. There are toilets, even if they are the low type, maybe a shower, but most important there is usually a security guard roaming around all night. For 50 pence you cannot complain.

Try to keep everything tidy in boxes. Old cardboard boxes are OK for a one-off but strong plastic or aluminium boxes are better. Aluminium boxes will last a lifetime. It is important to have everything held in place. Big boxes sliding around are a distraction and potentially a danger with emergency braking. Have one box just behind the driver for items needed frequently, such as a flask to make coffee, drinks and biscuits.

Another advantage of a tidy vehicle is that border officials seem more friendly than if everything is in a heap.

Look for a level site with enough room to spread your gear.

Make camp before dark. Travelling after dark has resulted in many accidents from falls over tent pegs and the like.

Tie a piece of fluorescent tape to guy ropes to avoid tripping.

Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check thoroughly for glass, sharp objects, large ant nests and the like.

Don't forget to look up. Are you putting your tent directly under a dodgy looking branch?

Camping under trees can provide shade. However, when it rains water can keep dripping on you hours after the rain has stopped.

In Europe there are only a few places where bears can be a problem, but it pays to keep your camp tidy. Many animals feed at night so keep your campsite clean and do not leave food, garbage, coolers, cooking equipment or utensils out in the open.

Avoid attracting stinging insects by avoiding perfume and cologne.

Wear long sleeved shirts at night to keep off the bugs.

Earplugs: If night noises bother you, you'll love a good set of expandable foam plugs.

Clothes line: Take 10 meters of thin rope. Strung between two trees, or two Land Rovers, makes a great clothes line.

Duct tape: Makes an excellent aid to packing, tent repairs, sealing leaking roof windows, etc. Also known as gaffer tape in the film and TV industry.

Sleeping: In addition to a tent you will need a mattress of some sort. We prefer an airbed. It is blown up on the first night. After that it sits on top of the luggage boxes. There it can perform several duties. You can sleep on it when a campsite is unavailable. It hides the boxes from nosey parkers. It insulates the boxes from the hot sun. And you don't have to blow it up every night.

Avoid the damp patch

Floods and heavy rain can be serious threats to campers. We have been caught out twice. Once when the rain rushed down a tarmac road into the campsite and almost washed us away. The second time was next to a lake. The ground water was just below the surface and an overnight shower left us floating on our air bed!

Vehicles are just as prone to flooding as tents. Never attempt to drive through standing water. First of all, it only takes 18 to 24 inches to float most vehicles. Secondly, you never know what is hidden under the surface.

Needless to say, Land Rovers can wade deeper water but once it gets level with the top of the wheels it's time to select reverse and go home. Water in a petrol engine is bad news. In a diesel engine, it is terminal. Stay away from water.

I always take a large sheet of heavy duty vinyl to place under the tent groundsheet. It smoothes out the bumps and prevents stones tearing the groundsheet. It's also a place to change shoes and leave mud and sand outside.

Cold weather

Warm weather camping is desirable, but some nights on the way to your destination may be in mountains. Prepare for the cold. Remember that you need to be off the ground. One layer of blanket under you is better than three on top.

Power

A reliable power source is very desirable when touring with a tent. Electricity - we rely so much on it.

Use the vehicle as a power source. Buy extra power take-offs, or cigarette lighters as I call them. Buy adapters for the battery charger, another for the laptop. Use one cigarette lighter for the Sat Nav.

Gas, another source of power, is great for cooking so check your bottle before leaving home. I find a 5 kilo bottle of propane is good enough for 5 or 6 weeks of camping. If your bottle runs out on tour you may not be able to get it refilled. Check the countries you will be passing through.

You can camp rough in some countries if you want, and can find a secluded spot. Choose carefully though. A few years ago we were in Eastern Turkey and were desperately tired and searching for somewhere to camp. It was very dark. I turned down a narrow lane and found an area behind a hill that was quiet, flat and away from any village lights. It seemed perfect but the ground was very rocky so we moved on to a reasonably quiet field. In the morning we were woken by a massive explosion. Last night's potential campsite was a stone quarry and they were blasting just where our tent would have been!

Co-ordinate your clothes around one or two basic colours. This way you can mix and match without looking stupid.

Take as few clothes as possible and plan to wash once a week.

I never take jeans as they take so long to dry. Lightweight clothing such as Rohan is excellent. It packs small and dries in no time.

A Royal Marine friend of mine introduced me to the delights of masking tape. He folds and rolls his clothing then secures them with masking tape. It works; the clothing is much less creased than when just resting in a suitcase.

Try to look as if you know where you are going. Look confident, as IF you know.

Carrying maps around, looking perplexed, shows that you are from out of town. You may attract the wrong type of attention.

Do NOT pull large amounts of cash out of your pocket. This will catch attention, no matter what country you are in.

Split your money between the driver, the passenger and the 'office'. This reduces the chance of losing it all in one go.

The driver should have some small denomination dollars or Euro in a separate wallet, especially for the persistent policeman and other problem people. 'Sorry, but you can see that I only have 10 Eeuros and I need 5 for the border.'

Another essential item is a small wallet you can hang around your neck and hide under your shirt. I made mine from an old piece of canvas and velcro. This holds personal documents and yet more cash out of sight of pickpockets.

Both passenger and driver should have a car key on a string which loops through your belt. It stops you dropping the keys in the sand and it makes life difficult for the pickpocket.

Some shirts, such as Rohan and Craghoppers, have very good security pockets.

Check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or Centre for Disease Control when travelling to new countries.

www.fco.gov.uk/travel

www.cdc.gov/travel

You should consider a dental appointment for a check up before you leave.

Be careful what you eat and drink. Learn the names of foods you are allergic to.

If you have a long term illness, carry complete health information with you on your trip.

Traveller's diarrhoea

 * Drinking another country's water can be dangerous.

 * Stick with bottled water, beer and carbonated soft drinks.

 * Remember that ice is made from local water, so order drinks without ice.

 * Ideally use drinking straws when drinking from cans. A stack of cans around the back of a restaurant is a great temptation to a passing dog.

 * Avoid raw foods.

 * Brush your teeth with bottled water (or even without water).

A pack of Immodium is worth a lot. It does not cure diarrhoea but it stops the process for a while. Essential if you need to drive for a day. Interestingly, the treatment recommended by Turks and backpackers is to drink only Pepsi-Lite for a day. It has no sugar to feed the bugs, replaces lost liquid - and have you seen how it can clean a copper coin!

Cold/flu medicines: 'Contac' stops runny noses and hay fever without drowsiness.

Insect repellent: DEET based.

Prescription medicines: Carry a note from your doctor for drug-conscious countries.

A good hot shower after a sticky day is not always possible when camping but it is possible to wash in one mug of water with the aid of a small sponge.

The first dip of the sponge is for soap, the second dip is for rinsing. It saves water and keeps the atmosphere in the car friendly.

For the same reason leave your training shoes outside the tent sleeping area. Check for creepy-crawlies in the morning.

Know the local laws and abide by them.

Look Happy: Try to maintain an upbeat attitude and do everything with a smile. It works much better than a confrontational manner. You are likely to receive better service than fellow travellers who act like know-it-alls and treat people like servants.

Dress conservatively and try to blend in.

Don't draw attention to yourself, avoid wearing flashy jewellery and don't display large amounts of cash.

Be careful about sharing your travel plans with strangers.

Stick to the main roads and avoid taking shortcuts down narrow alleys and/or poorly lit streets.

Always be aware of what is going on around you.

Only use taxis with official markings. Only select transport from official pickup points.

Never accept packages from unknown parties. Don't accept items from locals to carry out of the country and deliver to someone they know.

Only use official exchange facilities. This is an area that can get you into trouble fast.

Assess the risk by reading embassy guides, watching the TV news, talking to travellers. Generally, village people are very hospitable. Cities are more difficult all over the world. Take precautions. Keep documents and money with you. Split them into different bags/pockets. An opportunist thief is likely to be the only problem. Violence is rare. Do not be aggressive yourself and respect other people's customs and way of life. Be firm but polite if faced with a problem.

Travellers cheques, cash, credit cards. Depends on length of trip and countries visited. Dollars and Euros are always useful but do not take large denomination notes because dollar bills are easily mixed up.

Make sure your insurance covers you for where you are going (both personal health and vehicle insurance).

Muslim customs

If you plan to visit countries such as Turkey you should respect the local customs and religious restrictions. Basically, dress modestly and show respect. Women may consider the need to cover head, arms and legs (especially to visit mosques and other religious sites).

Communications

CB radio or a walky-talky between two vehicles is very useful.

Vehicle matters

Throughout Europe, make sure you carry all vehicle registration and insurance documents (originals, not photocopies), as well as your driving licence and passport.

When entering Turkey you will have to buy a 3-month visa in hard currency (currently €15 per person) at the border. Your vehicle details will be entered in the driver's passport and you won't be allowed to leave the country without the vehicle (not even on a day trip). The passport will be thoroughly checked as you leave and, if you're not in the same vehicle, you will have to pay taxes as if you had sold the car. Hint ... don't lose your car.

For Morocco or Tunisia, there is no visa requirement for UK or EU citizens but again details are entered into the driver's passport, as a guarantee that the vehicle will not be sold before leaving.

In more exotic countries you will need a Carnet (pronounced car-nay) de Passage. This is a sort of passport for the car (and it's expensive. For more information, see for example the RAC website). The Carnet will allow you to import your vehicle for a short period without having to pay duty and taxes at the border. It should cut down the hassle. Arrange it in advance and make sure that everything is stamped as it should be at the border. Don't lose it or your car, or you will have to pay as if you had sold the car in that country!

Keep documents safe and make several photocopies of them. If you lose your passport a photocopy is a great help. Make sure that you are allowed to drive your car. For example, is it registered to a company? If so, you will need several copies of letters from the company saying that you are allowed to drive the car.

Filling Stations

You do not need an extra fuel can in Europe. If you run out of fuel in Turkey (or Greece) you must be crazy. Filling stations are everywhere. Turkish Shell filling stations have the extra benefit of cleanliness and have two types of toilet, the high type and the low type. (Fuel is generally cheaper in Eastern Europe and North Africa but – surprisingly – more expensive in Turkey than anywhere in the West!)

Many filling stations accept credit cards but some – especially in Eastern Europe – will demand cash, so keep a supply for emergency. They will usually take Euros. Another problem with cards is that in some countries 'foreign' cards are rejected by automatic pumps. For example, this has happened to us in France and Finland.

Know your vehicle. Make sure it's suitable for the terrain. Have it well serviced and equipped. Become a defensive driver. A collision in a far-off land can quickly become a nightmare, especially if someone is injured.

Documents

Make sure you have all your personal paperwork and vehicle paperwork. Make photocopies. Have extra passport photos with you.

Eating and drinking

We all need to eat at regular intervals. Eat where the locals eat where possible, because it will taste wonderful, you will meet local people and it will be cheaper. However, for your own cooking take a double burner gas stove with a large gas bottle. The blue Camping Gaz is ideal. Tins or Packets? Tinned food is good but heavy. Don't forget the can opener! Packet food is also good but you need water for it. Here is where the water balancing act begins. You will need to carry clean water. Generally speaking, east of Hungary water from taps is not suitable for drinking. Mineral water in sealed plastic bottles is always safe if the seal has not been broken. It is readily available in Turkey.

A most useful tip is to make a flask or two of hot water every morning. This means you can have a drink or make a packet soup anytime in the day without having to drag the stove out. Do not make coffee in the flask as it is very difficult to keep the flask clean and you are limited to coffee.

A folding table and chairs sounds like real luxury. But if you have the space take them. Parked on a cliff top, cooking dinner, eating it and watching the sunset is wonderful with a table and chairs. Without them it is tiring and a bore.

I find that two 10-litre plastic containers of water is JUST enough for 2 people for 2 weeks. Remember we would also be drinking bottled water and beer! Also remember that one litre weighs one kilo. It is easy to get carried away and take 60 litres. That is the equivalent of another person and when containers become empty they become a nuisance.

Lightweight are OK but real ones are better on long vehicle-based trips.

Stove

For a vehicle-based journey, take a 2-burner gas if refills are available. It's light, clean and safe.

Washing up

A square bowl packs easier.

Do not be neurotic about food. Most food in restaurants and cafes is safe and very tasty. We always look for the busiest restaurant. The food is most likely to be fresh. But be aware of dangers - even a washed salad can be a hazard. What was it washed in?

Tea and coffee are great because the water has been boiled. The danger is the extra glass of water you get with Turkish coffee. In a moment of carelessness I drank the water and spent 3 days sitting on the high-type toilet. Familiar drinks such as Sprite, Fanta and Cola are all safe, as is the wonderful EFES beer from Turkey. Ice is a danger. Many people forget that ice is made from water - don't!

You do not need a GPS to find your way around, but it does help. Planning a route involves more than directions. Think of the time of day. Will you be able to camp somewhere for the night?

A good GPS (Sat Nav, if you prefer) should allow you to enter POIs (Points of Interest). These POIs could be an interesting ruin, a famous restaurant or a list of campsites. When it gets to tea time, just ask the Sat Nav for the nearest campsite. Job done.

But do not follow a Sat Nav blindly. The accuracy depends on the quality of the map supplied to your Sat Nav maker. The map of Greece supplied to Garmin also supplies hours of entertainment for the weary traveller. It once asked me to enter a motorway that I could not see. On a paper map it was clear that there was a motorway in a tunnel, 500 feet below me.

Another time the main road I was driving on was not on the Sat Nav. But every little 'street' on the local campsite was marked.

It's these little peculiarities that make me switch from a 3D view to a “North up” view. Using this view I can get a better idea of my location and direction of travel.

Basics

Keys: On a string, on your belt, for everything that locks. Passenger carries spare car keys.

Toilet paper: You only forget it once!

Wet Wipes: Keeps hands and other parts clean when no other facilities.

Plastic bags for dirty clothes, dirty pans, rubbish.

Extra batteries for cameras, etc.

Head lamp: Keeps hands free. Excellent piece of kit. LED now so good and light.

Matches or lighter.

Small sewing kit.

Appropriate spares: Things not available locally, fan belts, etc.

Cash box: Mini-safe bolted through bodywork.

Fuel can and funnel: Need depends on area.

'Leatherman' type knife: Cheap ones do work and can be lost without too much pain !

Small toolkit: Enough to get you out of trouble.

Swiss Army knife: Not just for car.

Survival kit: Buy or make your own in pocket-size tin, for when everything goes wrong.

Take briefcase to hold all the documents you may need.

Address book.

Magnifying glass: Great for maps and splinters.

Pens/pencils and paper.

Pocket calculator, for currency exchange, etc.

Receipts. For cameras, etc. Some Customs officials may demand it.