"I often ask myself how long I have been practising the camping lifestyle. For as long as I can remember, I have been travelling around campsites. As a toddler, I already travelled with my parents on a scooter 400 from northern to southern Italy. So I started early to get to know other cultures and discover other places. So the desire for freedom and travel has always been there. On family holidays, we always travelled in a caravan. At that time, we were not only travelling in Italy, but also in other countries. When I was 17, my family decided to sell the caravan and buy a motorhome. At that time, a big dream came true, because I couldn't imagine anything better than exploring foreign countries this way. Unfortunately, there was one problem: Giuseppe, my boyfriend. He couldn't do much with the subject and didn't have much desire to travel with a camper van - a big problem for me!
But then my father Aldo had an idea: a trip by motorhome to the island of Sicily. Giuseppe is a big fan of Sicily, of the history of Sicily and simply loves this island. So he couldn't refuse the offer. On this holiday, he experienced Sicily as he had never experienced it before: the sunset and a night directly on the sea without hotel walls, but directly on the coast. The smell of the sea right in the camper, fishing boats in the sea where you could buy the fish directly. My now husband Giuseppe was thrilled and he was fascinated by travelling in a camper van (thank God...I dread to think how it would have gone otherwise...).
So that's how our life together as campers began. We had children who were with us on our travels from the beginning. They called the camper "Mammer", a mixture of mum and camper. Our children were with us everywhere: Cape Town, Turkey, Scotland, Germany and many other great places. They were able to enjoy a great childhood and through their travels they learned a lot: tolerance, appreciating and experiencing cultures.
More than 10 motorhomes
In total, we have had 10 campers with which we have great memories and have driven quite a few kilometres. Our first purchase was a second-hand, petrol-driven motorhome, with which we then drove to the North Cape. It was a great experience. The landscape is beautiful and we couldn't hold back our emotions. It was clear to us that you can only have such experiences with a motorhome.
The years passed, the children grew up and didn't want to travel with us so often anymore, or only when they were allowed to take friends or acquaintances with them. We soon realised that our needs had changed and that we didn't need a motorhome for the whole family. I always say that a motorhome is like a piece of clothing: As you get older, your body changes and the models you wear change too...However, the passion and desire to travel in a motorhome and discover places remained.
How we landed at Carthago!
And so we changed motorhomes according to need. Then came 2019: at the Salone del Camper in Parma, we had the opportunity to take a look at a chic e-line I 51 QB. We were immediately excited by the comfort for two people, but also by the possibility to take more people (thanks to the large lift bed). We took a catalogue with us and at home we were already mentally settling into the motorhome. We started to feel that it was already "our" motorhome. We knew exactly what we wanted: the exterior colour, the interior, the accessories... On the way back from a trip, we stopped at the dealer. There was a chic e-line, just like the motorhome we wanted. We didn't hesitate for long and bought it. Unfortunately, the pandemic threw a spanner in the works and we had to wait longer than expected for our chic e-line. But when the big day of handover arrived, I could hardly believe it: so much happiness, joy and excitement.
The first long journey was home
We had motorhomes before, but the ride and view from the 51 QB is unbeatable. A large windscreen that gives you an incredibly wide and early view of the road.
After so long, the desire to experience the motorhome was strong, so what to do? When we arrived in Rome, our hometown, we did not return home, but stayed in the motorhome for days at the rest area nearby. There we got to know the motorhome. We were surprised at so much space! We tried out the shower, the living settee and slept in the motorhome. Drove during the day and at night so we could get used to our motorhome for our first holiday.
We have always considered any motorhome as part of our family, and the same goes for the newcomer. By the way, we haven't even revealed the name of our chic e-line I 51 QB yet!
Introducing: HERR GRAU (Mister Grey)!
By the way, we didn't choose this German name because our chic e-line is a German vehicle, but because we love the country and our "HERR GRAU" is distinguished by its special colour."
Stefania and Giuseppe