USA & Canada but really Canada/USA

[jagmanx]

Looking at how the virus is still increasing in the USA and how the administration on a Federal level and in many states (including Arizona) is effectively just giving up on any kind of containment plan, anyone going there this year would be insane!

I read that there is a mandatory quarantine for visitors from the UK in place. I reckon that will protect the visitors more than the natives and just means delaying them catching it from an American for a couple of weeks.

Yes
Will wait and see and wait and see.
My plan is still to travel west in Canada and then south to Idaho Montana Wyoming ideally east to Vermont Then back to Halifax
BUT BUT BUT
We do not Fancy say flying to Calgary and hiring for say 1 month and just doing the Rockies (many reasons) so more waiting..
As you Imply the USA response (Government and population) is even worse than here in the UK..an observation rather than a political statement !

 

[wildebus]

Yes
Will wait and see and wait and see.
My plan is still to travel west in Canada and then south to Idaho Montana Wyoming ideally east to Vermont Then back to Halifax
BUT BUT BUT
We do not Fancy say flying to Calgary and hiring for say 1 month and just doing the Rockies (many reasons) so more waiting..
As you Imply the USA response (Government and population) is even worse than here in the UK..an observation rather than a political statement !

I'd be interested how your plans go. We are minded to go over to Canada (Saskatchewan) on a house swap next June or July (or thereabouts). Not been away for any length of time since had the cat and don't want to put her in a Cattery, but the swappers will love to look after after! ("How's the cat?" is a regular question from them )

 

[GMJ]

Interesting read - thanks. PITA that the virus has spoiled your plans. Hope you get to go soon (safely).

Out of interest did you, or has anyone else, priced up renting an RV when in North America versus the cost of shipping yours out for 6 months?

We did a 2.5 week RV hire around 10 years ago (Florida, Georgia, Sth Carolina and Alabama) and it wasn't too bad from memory. certainly cheaper than I thought it would be.

We always talk about returning and doing a longer trip but would certainly like some guldance on costs: renting v shipping

ta

Graham

 

[Tony Lee]

We judged it just right because we arrived back in Australia from the US two days before Oz went into international lockdown.
Our original booked flights were cancelled hours before, but luckily our agent was able to rebook. Our flight had no virus cases on board but flights day before and day after did. Lucky again or we might have ended up in quarantine for two weeks

Spent most of our time in the deserts of Arizona so doubly lucky to get out when we did.

Currently staying well away from crowds in splendid, but cold isolation in the middle of a forest in the NSW Highlands with this view out of our window.
Could have been worse.


In the meantime, our faithful old Airstream motorhome is languishing in a storage yard in Albuquerque, New Mexico waiting for things to return to normal - -
which might be never.

Given the American propensity for doing everything bigger and better than the rest of the world, their pain will likely continue for years, so I'm not holding my breath. Maybe back to Europe will be a better bet to rescue our Adria, also languishing in a dealer's yard, and do the return-to-Scandinavia trip we abandoned last year in favour of a trip south to sunny Greece.

Plenty of options except that Australia has a complete ban on overseas travel that is likely to continue for another 12 months, so looks like more exploring of Australia is high on the list

So Jagmanx, looks like the chances of a roadside meet-up somewhere in Canada or Northern USA have dropped from very slim to infinitesimal


Oh, and is anyone here going to chance travelling anywhere without having any travel insurance that covers covid 19. See one "lucky" survivor in the USA was handed a bill for close to a million dollars as he left hospital. Maybe I'll check which countries offer reciprocal medical care and plan around that. New Zealand is looking good.

 

[jagmanx]

Interesting read - thanks. PITA that the virus has spoiled your plans. Hope you get to go soon (safely).

Out of interest did you, or has anyone else, priced up renting an RV when in North America versus the cost of shipping yours out for 6 months?

We did a 2.5 week RV hire around 10 years ago (Florida, Georgia, Sth Carolina and Alabama) and it wasn't too bad from memory. certainly cheaper than I thought it would be.

We always talk about returning and doing a longer trip but would certainly like some guldance on costs: renting v shipping

ta

Graham

Hi Graham,
Have considered renting but too many silly extras to rent as well such as furniture and bedding
We woukd also have to put our vehicle in storage and associated costs
The flight to Calgary is longger that to Halifax
We like the comfort of our own vehicle
It gives (gave ?) us the optionb of 3 months in Canada and again 3 months in USA (yellowstone !)

So all in all happy to pay the £6000 to £7000 for seabridge and road insurance

All on hold at the moment
If crossing fron Canada to USA is no go (Ahead)
Or Virus in USA a problem
OR full insurance a problem
OR Isolation/quarantine
We simply will not GO

As others have pisted 2021 is too soon
2022 maybe OK or 2023 ?

 

[jagmanx]

We judged it just right because we arrived back in Australia from the US two days before Oz went into international lockdown.
Our original booked flights were cancelled hours before, but luckily our agent was able to rebook. Our flight had no virus cases on board but flights day before and day after did. Lucky again or we might have ended up in quarantine for two weeks

Spent most of our time in the deserts of Arizona so doubly lucky to get out when we did.

Currently staying well away from crowds in splendid, but cold isolation in the middle of a forest in the NSW Highlands with this view out of our window.
Could have been worse.
View attachment 54844

In the meantime, our faithful old Airstream motorhome is languishing in a storage yard in Albuquerque, New Mexico waiting for things to return to normal - -
which might be never.

Given the American propensity for doing everything bigger and better than the rest of the world, their pain will likely continue for years, so I'm not holding my breath. Maybe back to Europe will be a better bet to rescue our Adria, also languishing in a dealer's yard, and do the return-to-Scandinavia trip we abandoned last year in favour of a trip south to sunny Greece.

Plenty of options except that Australia has a complete ban on overseas travel that is likely to continue for another 12 months, so looks like more exploring of Australia is high on the list

So Jagmanx, looks like the chances of a roadside meet-up somewhere in Canada or Northern USA have dropped from very slim to infinitesimal


Oh, and is anyone here going to chance travelling anywhere without having any travel insurance that covers covid 19. See one "lucky" survivor in the USA was handed a bill for close to a million dollars as he left hospital. Maybe I'll check which countries offer reciprocal medical care and plan around that. New Zealand is looking good.

Yes almost no go anywhere
I have a small clain in with AXA at the moment
Will check their "virus cover" before renewing in August
All very tricky..but tricky is better than dead !

I suspect USA may become nogo thus if we want "to do the rockies" we may choose to fly to Calgary and hire for one month only but as in my reply to Graham not a favourite plan 1

 

[2cv]

We usually spend about 20% of the year in the USA, but certainly wouldn’t contemplate it without full medical cover. It takes a very short stay in hospital to run up a bill of millions. I fear that it may be some years before we can return there.

 

[jagmanx]

Yes will not go without full medical (and other) insurance !

 

[GMJ]

Hi Graham,
Have considered renting but too many silly extras to rent as well such as furniture and bedding
We woukd also have to put our vehicle in storage and associated costs
The flight to Calgary is longger that to Halifax
We like the comfort of our own vehicle
It gives (gave ?) us the optionb of 3 months in Canada and again 3 months in USA (yellowstone !)

So all in all happy to pay the £6000 to £7000 for seabridge and road insurance

All on hold at the moment
If crossing fron Canada to USA is no go (Ahead)
Or Virus in USA a problem
OR full insurance a problem
OR Isolation/quarantine
We simply will not GO

As others have pisted 2021 is too soon
2022 maybe OK or 2023 ?

Fair enough.

I can't recall what we did when we hired in the USA when we went re bedding. I suspect we must have used that provided (from memory you can pay for a bedding/towels package). I know I bought a cheap charcoal BBQ from Walmart which we used extensively as most sites we stayed on did not have restaurants. On the last night we gave it away to some other campers.

Next time we go I must remember to take an adjustable wrench and screwdriver bit set as I remember putting the BBQ together without tools was slightly dodgy to say the least!

Has anyone else priced up an extended trip to North America using hired RV's? If so I'd love to hear from you. By all means message me privately if you want.

ta

Graham

 

[jagmanx]

Harlequin ducks get a close up at Yellowstone - East Idaho News

Four drakes and a single female Harlequin ducks were swimming/flying against the roaring, rough LeHardy Rapids while they were looking for breakfast last Monday in Yellowstone National Park. Another male was resting on a rock in the middle of the frothy chaos while the other five scurried toward...

www.eastidahonews.com

aaarghh....
We were due to be there in JULY

 

[jagmanx]

yes Sad but not dead !

 

[MOJO]

Fair enough.

I can't recall what we did when we hired in the USA when we went re bedding. I suspect we must have used that provided (from memory you can pay for a bedding/towels package). I know I bought a cheap charcoal BBQ from Walmart which we used extensively as most sites we stayed on did not have restaurants. On the last night we gave it away to some other campers.

Next time we go I must remember to take an adjustable wrench and screwdriver bit set as I remember putting the BBQ together without tools was slightly dodgy to say the least!

Has anyone else priced up an extended trip to North America using hired RV's? If so I'd love to hear from you. By all means message me privately if you want.

ta

Graham

We shipped for 180 days allowing us to use our quality motorhome with all our gear. We compared like for like and was looking at £100 + per day x 180 days. Similar when we did Australia & New Zealand.
Can be cheaper looking at some rigs but nothing more than glorified mini vans. Some hire estate cars and sleep in the back. One couple in Oz did that in their seventies. Depends on how you want to travel.

 

[jagmanx]

I agree with MOJO but only if you have the time ! and indeed the funds.

to repaet from earlier posts.
1 Hiring works but too many added costs and inconveniences
2 maybe yoy hire x3 Once in say halifax foe 1 month
Then in Calgary again 1 month
Then again in USA (yellowstone 1 month)
Then you have to fly from Halifax to Calgary
Again from Calgary to ?
Then home to UK
all this time your vehicle is gathering dust and costing money.
The extra costs of transporting are
1 Seabridge maybe £3000 x 2
2 Road insurance for Canada and USA about £700
3 Other
So maybe £7000 so £7000 divided by say 180 days = less than £40 a days

Yes ther will be other costs
FOR us maybe 2 weeks extra accommodation £1000
but evem £8000 divided by 180 = £45 a day
As MOJO posts the convenience and comfort of your own vehicle
Rental vans mean extra costs such as bedding, Kitchen equipment external tables/chairs
MEGA hassle and a lesser quality vehicle

I would only consider rental as follows
We were to sell our vehicle and then a single 1 month tour from say Calagary..
BUT who knows

 

[2cv]

There are various sites doing deals to move RV’s like this, but they seem very quiet at present. The longer trips can sometimes be a couple of weeks.

 

[MOJO]

There is another option that many baulk at. Motorhome swapping.
Eight years ago we had a small 4 year old 6 mtr Autotrail. Using a site called Motorhomeholidayswap.com we could peruse many countries whose motorhomes wanted to visit Europe. Over 18 months we corrosponded with 4 couples and all parties got comfortable with each other to respect the vehicles. We visited Oz & NZ over two winter seasons for four months. Each swap lasted two months. West Oz followed by East Oz. Next year North Island followed by South Island. The vans were top condition and three were superior to our van such as slide outs. The thing is not to be precious over your van and view it as a asset. In our case we had planned to sell the van before this idea emerged and that is what we did after all the swaps with no detrimental effect on trade in value. They all swapped in our summer so we lost use of van during those moments. They insured us and we reciprocated and low cost. No other expenses. Work that out - 240 days x0 against 240 days x approx £100 day for anything decent from Maui, etc.
In fact it makes perfect sense to purchase a decent quality second hand van and use that as your swap vehicle and sell after all your adventures if your personal van is not a option.
I have a small article on our swaps printed in MMM magazine if you want to read.

 

[jagmanx]

Yes we swapped
1a NZ NI for 2 weeks immediately followe by
Retrn swapping was done before I retired so all vg
1b NZ SI again 2 weeks
Return swapping meant we has to hire a holiday home for 2 weeks ok but..

Swap 2 from Perth WA 3 weeks and timings were such that we only neede to rent in UK for 1 week
BUT the OZ van was very poor
So promised me and Nida..NEVER AGAIN.
I see the logic of a second vehicle but surely no real advantage

 

[MOJO]

Yes we swapped
1a NZ NI for 2 weeks immediately followe by
Retrn swapping was done before I retired so all vg
1b NZ SI again 2 weeks
Return swapping meant we has to hire a holiday home for 2 weeks ok but..

Swap 2 from Perth WA 3 weeks and timings were such that we only neede to rent in UK for 1 week
BUT the OZ van was very poor
So promised me and Nida..NEVER AGAIN.
I see the logic of a second vehicle but surely no real advantage

Hi
I suggest to prospective swappers a second vehicle value approx £10 or 15,000 instead of swapping your £70 or 80,000 personal van. The advantage being the cheaper van will sell at a small loss afterwards against the much higher rental costs and no risk to your pride and joy.

 

[jagmanx]

Not convinced by the overall deal/finances.
Just my thoughts..Insurance storage maintenance
Most UK insureres are reluctant to add non uK residents even more reluctant if they are the prime insurer
You still have to pay insurance as well. If a 2nd vehicle it may be regarded as a commercilal enterprise despite the claim you are swapping
NOT 4 us ! Too many complications , uncertainty and to much cash tied up etc etc

 

[Tony Lee]

We looked into hiring and into swapping, but eventually decided that the most convenient way was to buy vehicles overseas and keep them for several years and keep going back for a few months each year. It has been working very well for us over the last 13 years, at least until now.

 

[jagmanx]

We looked into hiring and into swapping, but eventually decided that the most convenient way was to buy vehicles overseas and keep them for several years and keep going back for a few months each year. It has been working very well for us over the last 13 years, at least until now.

Yes Tony,
agreed and 13 years makes it so worthwhile !
We only planned ( and still hope to) go to Canada/USA once for 6 months so seabridge works for us.
Our first 2 swaps in NZ (NI and SI) worked very well but woud not repeat
OZ (WA swap) was simply OK.
Hiring a total nonsense IMO

As you say Covid-19 !!!!!