Old School Vacation Dates
Ah, things used to be so simple. I always had a box in my garage with a stove, basic staples like salt and oil and the like, dishes, kitchen knives, pans, and more—all within easy reach. On top of that, there was a table and folding chairs, a gas lantern, a kerosene lamp (which is still in my car today), wax torches, a scented candle to keep the mosquitoes away, and, of course, a laundry basket that just needed to be stocked up. That's how it always went—usually with no idea at all where I'd end up.
In 1995, it was the Jura Mountains above Yverdon, at the Les Clouds campground. Of course, the VW bus was our dream vehicle, taking us wherever we felt like going. I should add that back then, you were far less likely to come across a T1 than you are today. Besides, driving a VW bus wasn't considered particularly cool or hip—it was more of a practical choice—and the T1 had the decisive advantage of not having a sliding door.
Quite often, I heard campground operators complain that the VW buses kept drawing negative attention with their extremely loud sliding doors. But my bus has hinged doors, so we were always given the all-clear to show up at a campground later in the evening. And even if we hadn't been allowed in, it was still possible to settle down for the night in a parking lot or at the edge of the forest.
The distance of a trip depended mainly on the travel budget. There was always a “Couvert”—for German readers, an envelope—in the car, containing the necessary change for gas for the return trip. You never knew, after all.
The car always held up; the budget, not so much. But I usually made it to the sea, even back in 1995—or at least to Paris.
