The ultimate travel freedom for dogs & owners
Like many, we had to look for a new way of traveling during the corona period. We knew Vanomobil because of the striking building in Deerlijk, where you can see the campers on the roof from the E17. The dogs were already allowed into the showroom, which immediately gave us a good feeling. After viewing a number of models, we chose the Chausson Nordic Edition 640. The feeling of space was crucial, the four of us wanted to be able to travel comfortably, even in bad weather. With a small heart I asked if our dogs could also travel with us? We were surprised and happy to hear that the dogs are more than welcome! From then on we were immediately reassured by the smooth service. When we picked up the camper, we received a detailed explanation and the instructional videos were useful for brushing up on a few actions along the way. We enjoyed all the convenience that the extensive equipment, automatic gearbox and driving comfort brought.
This was of course a very new experience for our Nelson and Niño, but they quickly got used to their new house on wheels. They had their pillows and blankets from home available, which immediately reassured them. While driving, Niño layed on my lap and Nelson slept on his pillow. But what convinced us most: we could visit so many beautiful places with the dogs!
During our first weekend away we went to Bokrijk. We did not regret our choice for this spacious camper. During one of the walks, the floodgates suddenly opened up. All four of us were so happy when we could finally close the door of the motorhome behind us. We threw off our wet clothes and quickly turned on the heating. With a glass of bubbly in hand (we received a bottle upon departure!), we watched the other tourists flee into their cars from our warm camper and start the return journey, soaked. We were so happy that we were already “home”. What a luxury this house on wheels was!
After that first adventurous weekend we really got the hang of it. The next trip planned: the Spanish Pyrenees. We again opted for the Chausson Nordic Edition 640 and traveled from village to village for two weeks. We have never actually reserved a parking space in advance. We used an app to find the nearest parking spaces and were able to fill up without much effort. What a difference from how we used to travel! Then we had to adhere to a strict schedule of check-in and check-out at each hotel and we would have missed so many beautiful places. Now we could simply choose at the moment whether we wanted to stay somewhere or whether we would continue driving. This way we were able to visit a really beautiful part of the Spanish Pyrenees and went from one beautiful place to another. The feeling that we were not dependent on a fixed location was really the ultimate feeling of freedom.
Soon a morning ritual also emerged. While we got ready, we left the pavilion bed down for a while. From there, the dogs could look outside through the windows and smell fresh air.
For us, the image above is the ultimate travel freedom: spending the night at this hidden gem. We could only reach the dam via a very small track, a bit stressful, but it was more than worth it.
4 tips for dog owners who travel with the camper:
- Make sure you can always give them fresh drinking water when traveling.
- Bring a basket or blanket from home so that they have that smell of home with them.
- Make sure their passport is in order and they have had the necessary vaccinations. A vaccination against rabies is mandatory as soon as you cross the border.
- Also pack a first aid kit for your pets.
Written by Eva Hoste, the face behind Baasje (dog boarding, walking service and dog boutique).
