There’s a lot for grey nomads to love about life on the open road … and there’s also a lot not to love. Here, caravanner Kev P explains why he’s driven bonkers by missing hand basin plugs
‘Have returned from another van trip and just have to vent my spleen re caravan parks where no shower curtains and hand basins missing plugs are almost the norm, including in the more expensive parks and parks belonging to “groups”.
All too often the absence of a shower curtain results in one’s possessions, (change of clothes, footwear, towel etc) getting wet while one in showering. Surely, plastic shower curtains don’t cost too much? Also, frequently there is a lack of bench space and hanging hooks within the individual shower cubicle. Not so bad for males. But for women who often have more possessions, such as shampoo etc, lack of a dry bench space is annoying and uncomfortable, to say the very least.
For those of us males who use a razor blade rather than an electric device to shave, the absence of plugs in hand basins is not only a pain, but surely costs the park operators much more than necessary in water and electricity usage (one tends to leave the hot water taps running to some degree as we shave). Those plugs that you press into place and then press again to release the water surely are not all that expensive to buy and fit.
Am I just an old grouch? Or do I make valid points?’
Quite often the reason these items are missing is because people keep stealing them! We stayed at one small community campground where the caretaker said she installed new shower curtains and plugs and they were gone within 48 hours. One motorhomer said he knew people who had a souvenir board in their garage covered with stolen plugs, all painted with the name of the town they came from.
Shower curtains I have to agree about, although we use the shower in our van all the time anyway.
Missing plugs – went do you need to keep the water running? I wash my razor under the tap after each stroke and the water I use isn’t enough to even quarter fill the basin!
Have to say that I carry my own sink plugs as I too have found the same issues in the parks I have been to.a pack of two different size ones cost under 4 dollars at Big W.
I found that a 10c piece firs most hand basins and is a good temporary plug.
Ye i agree Kev. Easiest way is to take your own plug. Unfortunately, lots of caravanners to steal the plugs. The pop up plugs can be unscrewed and used in caravans. This nis one of the main reasons parks do not bother with plugs.
I agree entirely. The other point is tap adaptors for the hose. I have forgotten more than I care to remember but my solution would be that if every one left one adaptor on the tap no one would be short. I believe someone must go round collecting them and repackaging them for Bunnings or Big W
I always carry a plug that suits various diameter drains, have done so for many years going back to when I was travelling for work and staying in motels.
Good points mate. You would think that if a park charged you 45+ per night they could afford a shower curtain and a few plugs, but know, most are just there for the dollar. We carry our own
Plugs get stolen as does loo paper, hand towels and even the hand lotion!!!
Trouble is some people will everything that is not bolted down and will try to steal them as well!!!