Traveling by motorhome - What's it like? Find out all about this adventure here.

Indescribable freedom

I've always been curious to know what it's like to travel by motorhome, and every time I heard about the adventures I'd been on, that desire grew. I was pretty sure I was born to travel like this, but this experience managed to surprise me even more.
Seriously, I discovered magnificent places, I was able to stop for lunch and dinner in cinematographic locations! All because the kitchen was always with me.
I slept in the starlight, in the snow and my family and I enjoyed every second of it. Traveling with the house on my back not only won me over, it made me fall in love.
I want to be able to travel like this all the time, I want to wander around aimlessly and make a thousand discoveries, I love this lifestyle!

What a motorhome is like

A motorhome is also known as a traveling home, recreational vehicle or, as we say here in Portugal, a motorhome.
There are various models for traveling by motorhome, some larger than others.
We rented ours with INDIE CAMPERSWe love the option because they're a little smaller than the traditional ones, but they're still as comfortable as the big ones.
This made our journey through the Portuguese villages much easier. The model Active Plus is based on a Fiat Ducato that has been completely adapted and turned into a real home, with capacity for up to 4 passengers in comfort.

We had two double beds, a sink, stove, fridge, dining area, shower and a mini chemical toilet as an optional item.

Roads and their charms

Getting to know the roads and enjoying the views is one of the best things about traveling by motorhome.
Get away from the main roads, enjoy every moment and see beautiful places, sometimes there's a surprise waiting for you on the side roads.

Study the routes and consider the accessibility of the roads, some roads are narrow and not recommended for motorhomes, that's where the advantage of renting a small van lies.
Another thing to remember is that taking a motorhome into the center of big cities can be a problem. It's not always easy to find a parking space and you can waste a lot of time.

We recommend taking the opportunity to get away from the big centers and explore more of the smaller villages, not least because you don't have to worry about hotels, for example, you already have your own on wheels!

We slept at the top of the Tower of Serra da Estrela, magical!

Bathroom

Some motorhomes have complete bathrooms, but not in the case of the model we took.
A Indie Campers There is the option of renting with or without a "sanita", as the toilet is called here in Portugal. We preferred to take the sanita, which is nothing more than a very portable chemical toilet.
That's right, while we showered, we left the toilet outside the bathroom and when we'd finished, we just put it back.
It has a reservoir and comes with a preparation kit, some tablets dissolved in water. Emmanuel was the one who used it the most, I liked it, there's no smell at all.

You don't have to dump the excrement and refresh the water with diluent, but if you need to there are places for it. You can't dispose of sewage just anywhere, but some campsites usually offer this option.
For larger motorhomes with full bathrooms, this procedure is also necessary.

Water and toilet

No matter how busy you are at home, saving water is always a good idea, right? The reservoir is enough for 2 or 3 days of conscious use, but we opted to save water for cooking and washing dishes. Water for showering was a last resort, so we ended up showering in the changing rooms at the campsites, which are also more comfortable.
Aside from camping, we also went to the toilets preferably in bars and restaurants, as well as in the museums we visited.
But don't worry, you can refill your water both at a campsite and at a gas station. At gas stations, it will depend on the goodwill of the staff, and there may be a charge for this.

Refrigerator

The motorhome fridge is very small, so don't buy too many things at once. I suggest going to the market every couple of days, so that you don't overload the fridge.
After all, you don't want to travel by motorhome with that sour smell and spoiled things, do you?

Cleaning

Remember that you'll be sleeping in the motorhome, so keeping it clean and smelling good is essential. Nobody wants to sleep with a bad smell or a bed full of sand. Doing a mini-cleaning every day will save you a lot of work later on, not least because you have to return it clean!

Store your things well

Storing things well on a motorhome trip is super important. After all, you're going to be moving around, making turns and you don't want anything flying around, do you?
So leaving everything in cupboards or hammocks is a must.
The lockers have locks that prevent them from being opened during the journey, all well thought out.
What I was most careful with were the wines, can you imagine them rolling around until they broke and dirty everything?
Of course, that's the last thing we want, isn't it? So don't forget and keep everything in
safety.

Insurance

When you actually go to rent, they always ask about the insurance you want.
I suggest getting the most complete one, especially if it's your first time with a motorhome.
Accidents and incidents happen, but even if it's more expensive, it may be worth it in the future. Believe it!
Remember that motorhomes are much bigger than traditional cars, and no matter how well you drive, this can make a difference.

Does this style of travel really suit you?

This way of traveling doesn't suit everyone, especially if you want luxury everywhere, or if you don't like changing destinations very much.
Or even if you love that full hotel breakfast on vacation.
In the motorhome, if you don't prepare your food, it won't be ready and your coffee won't be on the table.
However, if you really want an adventure, have been camping and love being on the road and driving is at least ok, I'm sure you won't want another life!

Documentation

In Europe and the USA, you can drive a motorhome with your normal B license. In Brazil, however, you are limited to vehicles weighing up to 6 tons. But remember, not all European countries are part of the European Union and you may need a visa to enter these countries.
Your passport has to be valid for the entire journey, it's not because you're traveling by car that the laws don't apply as if you were traveling by plane.
There are countries where the Brazilian driver's license is not valid, so it's worth checking that as well.
So check your route and make sure your documentation is in order!

Advantages of renting

Of course I would love to have a motorhome to call my own! Especially after I've had a taste and seen what it's like to travel by motorhome.
But when you rent, some worries are left behind, such as: annual fees, maintenance and parking space.
Not to mention the time it spends idle, since you can't travel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, can you?
I think it would only be worth buying one if you were actually going to live in it, which by the way is MY DREAM, lol Seriously! I'd love to live in a motorhome for a while.
But while that's not possible, we rented and I loved the experience with Indie Campers.
They are a huge Portuguese company, but they are present in almost all of Europe.

Expenses

Normally a motorhome trip is no cheaper than a conventional trip.
You have to bear in mind that the vast majority of campsites with a structure charge per person and vehicle.
Plus, of course, the price of gas and tolls you'll encounter along the way. Roads in Portugal are not cheap.
In fact, this is a very interesting point: check in advance how many tolls you'll encounter, so you won't be surprised.

Avoid the high season

Especially if you're traveling by motorhome in Europe, the Europeans really know what's good and the campsites are packed.
So avoid the dates from June to August and bear in mind that in winter, in addition to the cold, some campsites don't work.

Best time to travel by motorhome

Without a doubt, spring and fall are not only beautiful, but the temperature is also pleasant.
We traveled in spring and because it wasn't high season, we were able to sleep in incredible places without too many cars to compete with. For example, we slept in the parking lot right in front of the Pedro Álvares Cabral Castle! If it had been high season, that would have been impossible! As there are so many motorhomes roaming around Europe, stopping outside campsites is impossible.

Where to sleep

Traveling by motorhome means having incredible freedom, but it also means having a minimum of planning.
We mapped out a route with everything we wanted to see and possible campsites along the way.
Can you imagine having nowhere to sleep? I mean, to park, lol.
Well, along the way we changed our plans for the first two nights, we found better places to park, but there was a "card up our sleeve" in case we didn't find one.
You can't just park up and sleep, feeling safe is essential! No matter how safe you feel in Europe, you can't be too careful.

Natural hazards should also be taken into account. Avoid locations near rivers and cliffs, especially on rainy days. Check if it is forbidden to park a motorhome or if it is private property.

Energy in the motorhome

Motorhomes have sockets and even USB ports, but not all of them work unless the motorhome is literally plugged in.
There are power areas at some campsites, where there is a huge socket to plug the motorhome into and then run all the sockets. As we took everything very well charged and a few power banks, we only needed a campsite with a power area after two days and as soon as we plugged our trolley into the socket, we were able to charge all our equipment.

A motorhome is also a car

Don't forget that a motorhome is a car and you need to fill it up.
Also, checking the oil level and everything else a car needs is important, after all, we want to keep moving, right?
Or can you imagine standing still?

Camping

There are two types of campsite: public and private.
Of course, the public ones don't always have everything we need and are usually the basics lol, just space.

Remember to check if your campsite has one:

• Electricity - with sockets to plug in your motorhome
• Water supply - to replenish the motorhome's water tank
• Sewage disposal - to dispose of the motorhome's sewage in a suitable place.
• Opening hours - some campsites are not open 24 hours a day.

Very tasty

Seriously, I loved the possibility of waking up in a different corner every day.
We woke up, had breakfast and went to a beautiful place, had lunch in paradisiacal scenery and then went on to another wonderful place, and that was the end of our day.
There were so many surprises that we were able to discover places we hadn't even imagined! That weren't described anywhere.

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