CARAVANS POPULAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1940, Page 14

CARAVANS POPULAR

USE DURING HOLIDAY SEASON COMFORT ALL-THE-YEAR-ROUND. ADVANTAGES OF MODERN TRAVEL. Growing popularity of the caravan as a means of enjoying holiday motoi touring to the utmost has been clearly demonstrated during the recent Christmas holidays. The variety and number ci caravans observed on the highways and encountered in the camping grounds has been far in excess of previous experience. The object of a holiday is change of scenery and contrast of life. A caravan gives all this, being completely mobile, so that one can follow the sun. visit new places inaccessible by other means, and pack up and move on in half an hour to suit the whim of the moment. Further, a modern catavan gives sufficient comfort to make all-the-year-round use possible. Handy men And pleasure in planning and building their own caravans, which can be made for a reasonable sum. The greatest problem in this work is in keeping the weight ratio to an absolute minimum. However, caravans can be hired, and. although they are fairly expensive during the holidays, they still remain the cheapest overall way of taking a holiday, especially for a family.

Quite a small caravan will suffice for two persons. For four a 15ft or IGft caravan is essential for comfort. Most models look tidy enough in the showrooms of hiring agents, but in actual use they do not remain so tidy in the mornings when four or more persons have to wash and dress in them, while breakfast also has to be cooked. With beds folded down. Aoor space is limited, and a tent is very useful for bulky stores. Choose, then, the biggest caravan you can afford, having regard to the size of the car. If you intend to drive to a particular spot and stay there for the

duration of the holiday, even a 10

horse-power car will draw a IGcwt load. But if you intend to break camp daily and travel about the country on long journeys, it is well to remember that the best touring country is usually hilly, so that you should keep the load down to a ratio of about lewt of caravan unladen to one horse-power of engine rating.

There are countless beautiful spots where a caravan holiday will prove ideal. It is therefore wise to plan your drives to bring you to your destination at a reasonable hour. If you have not selected a place, never wait too late before deciding where to stop for the night. Caravans are unwieldy, and if they become bogged or jammed on a tree stump as night draws on many unpleasant difficulties may arise. There is a golden rule in packing a caravan, that the weight should be placed forward of the axle. If driving with, a caravan in tow, consider other traffic, and do not block the road. Keep a lookout for cars wishing to overtake and signal them on. They probably cannot see the road ahead because of the bulk of the caravan. There is no hurry on a holiday, so do not exceed the legal speed limit; and lastly refrain from reversing or trying to reverse through narrow gateways with caravans until you have learned the arc.