My first ever “RV” Experience

We were holidaying in Michigan, Sleeping bear dunes national park. After trekking bear dunes and trails around it, we headed back to Grand Rapids, our hotel. It was a quickly planned trip, a weekend gateway to Michigan. We wanted to cover two main attractions, Sleeping bear dunes National Park and the Parasailing. After fulfilling the first wish list, we were charged up for the next day to do Parasailing over Michigan lake and were looking forward to it. At the same time, we were exhausted after covering miles on dunes on a sunny day and wanted to enjoy our dinner & drink in a nice, family restaurant. After all discussions and arguments, we headed to TGF.

We settled down at a corner table and the music filled our ears. It was comforting and I ordered a glass of wine. While waiting patiently for it, we started reminiscing the activities we did throughout the day and were also discussing the upcoming Labor Day holiday plan. We had planned to fly to Washington and drive to Philadelphia on Labor Day. My son had already prepared a detailed list of Museums he wanted to cover there and the Liberty Bell in PA. We both were indulged in History discussions and my husband was as usual hooked to the phone. I could sense, he was not with us but lest I bothered. Then out of the blue, his phone rang, and he got a call from his friend. Usually, he avoids picking up the phone at the dinner table, but he attended the call and started discussing our Labor Day trip and something else too. I didn’t pay much attention. I was absorbed in history and wine in a relaxing ambiance. I and my son were talking about the Smithsonian museums, White house buildings, and other monuments in Washington. I had my first trip to Washington D.C when I was pregnant with my son and I was looking forward to this trip to walk down memory lane with him by my side now. I didn’t have the slightest hint that this is going to change in a few minutes.

My husband hanged up his phone and with all the excitement in his voice and twinkled eyes, he broke the news and asked, if we would like to go for an RV trip soon. My son jumped to hear this as staying in a mobile home was way too ecstatic for him than museums. My mind immediately wandered off and I recalled the movie “RV” and the plights of Robbie Williams. I still remember how he struggled with the sewer hose and more he tried to make RV camping fun for his family, it grew intense and disappointing. On the other side, I recalled Sandra’s Bullock in the movie “Two Weeks’ Notice” and her weird trip to RV’s washroom in an emergency on a highway. The human brain is amazing, within a fraction of a second it can cross miles and take you anywhere in the entire universe. The moment he broke the news about the RV trip, I started thinking about the RV experience as depicted by others and basically in a negative way. I wasn’t as thrilled as my son and hubby . I was full of doubt and didn’t want my Labor Day vacation to become like Robin William’s experience.

I was quite puzzled and confused. No wine or beer but my husband was already high and proposed to go on this trip on Labor Day. I grew agitated and angry. I was thinking why his friends called up in the first place. I hoped he would’ve missed that call. I questioned him about the Washington DC trip and all the memories we wanted to create before our son turns 13. Most importantly, what about our Air-booking? All dreams were washed out after a call from his friend and a proposal to go on an RV trip at the last minute. My arguments fell on deaf ears and I guessed, Gaurav already made up his mind and desperately wanted to go on this trip. Innocently, he said, he could never plan this trip all by himself and he needed a crew to do this for sure. So, this was the time, either we onboard or miss the boat. Somewhere in his heart, he didn’t want to miss the boat and wanted to soak this experience very much. Akshat was already on his smartphone and researching about living in RV. Well, then how could I say “No” to two crazy boys, whose happiness is my world. We took an hour to decide, and we were on for an “RV” trip, no matter what.

After the decision was made, I started reading about living in RV and my biggest worry was hygiene and bathrooms. I consumed hundreds of articles on RV bathrooms, the weird smell inside RV, and how to keep it clean. I was excited but worried too. We breezed through the preparation of 2 weeks for the RV trip and thanks to our friend who called and invited us to join for this trip. He ensured, we all had enough information about the RV and campsite too. It was well needed for beginners like us. There is a ton of information and checklist available on google as well and I would say if you are planning this trip for the first time, please refer them.

Finally, on 4th Sept. we got our Rental RV, and it was parked on our driveway. It looked magnificent and cool. I kept my fingers crossed as I didn’t know how it looked from inside. Well, the moment arrived. I took a deep breath, prayed to god, opened the door, and stepped inside. I know there are many luxurious RVs in the market, but we were 7 families who were going on this trip. To arrange a similar RV for such a big group was not an easy task. Knowing this, I had anyways kept my expectations way too low. I didn’t expect it to be out of the world from the inside. However, I would say when I entered inside, I was satisfied to see the cleanliness. It was quite basic but well planned, organized, and roomy. No aesthetics but that was an opportunity to dress this thing. The bathroom was quite small, but it was expected. I wish it had better quality curtains but no complaints. It was not grand, but I was pleased. This was going to be my home for the next 3 days and I knew I had some work to do in a limited time. We all 7 families wanted to start the trip at the same time, so I had only 30 minutes to turn this place into our cocoon, our comfort zone. I was determined to live this experience for a lifetime ensuring, we would be living in a “Mobile home” not just an RV and who knows when I go next. I have already kept my rugs, carpets, candles, air freshener, cozy blankets, pillows, table mats aside to infuse some life into this compact rectangle.

I feel it is critical to have the warm atmosphere inside the RV like your own home else it is almost like you are traveling in the boogie of a train which is cold and dark. It took me almost 30–45 minutes to set up an RV with all the colorful and decorative stuff, but it was worth it. My son made a beautiful poster titled “Home Away Home” and added our family pics in this. It was a beautiful piece to add enough warmth to the coffee table. I decorated the coffee table and Kitchen platform with wooden message boards which were a great addition to create a homely environment. I used red & blue, vibrant colors to create harmony and a lively world. I am a moody person, and these colors generate positivity and vibrancy for me. Without forgetting, I installed an electric air freshener and candles to subdue the smell inside. Then I covered the hard, dull, gray flooring of the RV with soft rugs. I used old comforters as a mattress for the bed and covered them with bright-colored bedsheets, pillows, and blankets. Trust me, doing all this was worth every effort. After 30 minutes of touch-up, our abode on the wheel got ready and we embarked on our journey. Certainly, it was a wonderful trip and there are many more fun facts about the whole trip that I will surely cover in my next upcoming blogs.