About us
About us
About us
Over ons
Hello. We are Dirk and Monique. We are both retired police officers and live in the Ghent region - Belgium. I, Dirk, retired on 1 August 2018. The last 15 years of my career I have always worked in IT (how to turn a hobby into a profession). Unfortunately, Monique was already retired in 2003, due to illness. Since she worked in the social sector of our profession, the lack of social contact was a tough one to deal with.

Camping was in Monique's blood quite early on. She regularly went camping with the tent with her parents. They even stayed in an old tram. Later they stayed more at one place and they first owned a wooden house at the “Donkmeer” (a great lake in Flanders). Then a residential caravan at the lighthouse campsite in Heist-aan-zee.

Until I met Monique I had only camped with the boy scouts. Together we also owned a residential caravan for 12 years. Our sons Paul and Jeffrey spent that way, throughout their childhood, during the holidays by the sea.

We owned dogs all our lives. Together we always had two. However, our last dog - a Spanish greyhound (galgo) - we had to put to sleep in September 2017. We will probably not bring any more dogs into the house in the future.

Traveling with a camper has been on our wish list for quite some time, but as long as we worked, owning a motorhome was not a good choice. You should be able to use a large investment regularly!

This year - 2018 - was the day. Our first motorhome was delivered on 4th April! A Benimar cocoon 463. Bought from DC motorhomes in Drongen (Ghent). You can view our camper further on this page.
We can perfectly combine our hobbies with our motorhome. We both like to walk and we like to visit nice places during our travels. Beach or pool holidays are not really for us. In between, Monique likes to read, knit and sew, true works of art with the cross stitch. She likes being at the waterside!
I really enjoy taking pictures myself, which happens extensively during our holidays and trips. I process this on the computer, that other hobby of mine. I also made this website myself.

Another common hobby we have is dancing. Ballroom and Latin dancing. This in dance club Evergem. We obviously don't have enough space in the motorhome to do this, but who knows, we might be able to demonstrate this on one of our trips.

2018 is the first year that we make trips and travel with the motorhome. It is also the first year that we travel without children or dogs. So, plenty of changes.

Given our enthusiasm to travel with the camper, we would like to share our experiences with others. And preferably with other motorhome owners. Hence this camper blog!

Here you will find travel reports with, among other things, the description of our overnight places. All kinds of tips that can be useful for traveling with the motorhome. Do you have any suggestions, tips, comments? Please let us know.
Hello. We are Dirk and Monique. We are both retired police officers and live in the Ghent region - Belgium. I, Dirk, retired on 1 August 2018. The last 15 years of my career I have always worked in IT (how to turn a hobby into a profession). Unfortunately, Monique was already retired in 2003, due to illness. Since she worked in the social sector of our profession, the lack of social contact was a tough one to deal with.

Camping was in Monique's blood quite early on. She regularly went camping with the tent with her parents. They even stayed in an old tram. Later they stayed more at one place and they first owned a wooden house at the “Donkmeer” (a great lake in Flanders). Then a residential caravan at the lighthouse campsite in Heist-aan-zee.

Until I met Monique I had only camped with the boy scouts. Together we also owned a residential caravan for 12 years. Our sons Paul and Jeffrey spent that way, throughout their childhood, during the holidays by the sea.

We owned dogs all our lives. Together we always had two. However, our last dog - a Spanish greyhound (galgo) - we had to put to sleep in September 2017. We will probably not bring any more dogs into the house in the future.
Hello. We are Dirk and Monique. We are both retired police officers and live in the Ghent region - Belgium. I, Dirk, retired on 1 August 2018. The last 15 years of my career I have always worked in IT (how to turn a hobby into a profession). Unfortunately, Monique was already retired in 2003, due to illness. Since she worked in the social sector of our profession, the lack of social contact was a tough one to deal with.

Camping was in Monique's blood quite early on. She regularly went camping with the tent with her parents. They even stayed in an old tram. Later they stayed more at one place and they first owned a wooden house at the “Donkmeer” (a great lake in Flanders). Then a residential caravan at the lighthouse campsite in Heist-aan-zee.

Until I met Monique I had only camped with the boy scouts. Together we also owned a residential caravan for 12 years. Our sons Paul and Jeffrey spent that way, throughout their childhood, during the holidays by the sea.

We owned dogs all our lives. Together we always had two. However, our last dog - a Spanish greyhound (galgo) - we had to put to sleep in September 2017. We will probably not bring any more dogs into the house in the future.
Our camper
After months of waiting (un) patiently, our motorhome was delivered on 4 April 2018. We went to collect him full of enthusiasm. After receiving an extensive explanation by the supplier Peter (DC Motorhomes), we left home. Once parked in the driveway, the discovery of the interior and the appliances could begin.

Our camper is a Benimar Cocoon 463. The basis is a Ford Transit with an upgraded 170 hp engine. Hopefully enough to brave the European mountains.
The interior

The living area
The driver's cab with special darkening (present on all windows)
The sitting area
The panoramic window
The living area seen from the sleeping area
The kitchen island (the fact that the three gas basins are next to each other is a great added value. This means that three pans can be placed on the gas fire without any problem)
The fridge (140l)
The sleeping area
The shower cubicle
The toilet and sink
The sleeping area (we specifically chose twin beds because there is more space to move around in the sleeping area)
Above the sitting area is a double bed that can be lowered electrically.
Our enthusiasm soon got a first damper. Barely a week old, after refueling, I wanted to park our motorhome backwards in the driveway. It is bordered by 2 concrete posts. I carefully maneuver between them. Monique suddenly shouts STOP. There was not enough room to continue driving. I wanted to get back out of it. Then I made a mistake and it went wrong. Presumably I turned my steering wheel slightly in the wrong direction, causing the rear of the vehicle to move to the right and rub against the post. This tore the corner of the rear bumper and damaged the side at the level of the garage door.

My heart sank into my boots!
I can't hit that same pole now. Two days later we had the poles and the fence cut off!
Schade kan uiteraard hersteld worden (gelukkig hebben we een full omnium verzekering), maar mijn zelfvertrouwen heeft een enorme klap gekregen.

Hopelijk blijven we nu gespaard van pech en ongevallen en kunnen we genieten van onze nieuwe thuis!
Traveling with a camper has been on our wish list for quite some time, but as long as we worked, owning a motorhome was not a good choice. You should be able to use a large investment regularly!

This year - 2018 - was the day. Our first motorhome was delivered on 4th April! A Benimar cocoon 463. Bought from DC motorhomes in Drongen (Ghent). You can view our camper further on this page.
We can perfectly combine our hobbies with our motorhome. We both like to walk and we like to visit nice places during our travels. Beach or pool holidays are not really for us. In between, Monique likes to read, knit and sew, true works of art with the cross stitch. She likes being at the waterside!
I really enjoy taking pictures myself, which happens extensively during our holidays and trips. I process this on the computer, that other hobby of mine. I also made this website myself.

Another common hobby we have is dancing. Ballroom and Latin dancing. This in dance club Evergem. We obviously don't have enough space in the motorhome to do this, but who knows, we might be able to demonstrate this on one of our trips.

2018 is the first year that we make trips and travel with the motorhome. It is also the first year that we travel without children or dogs. So, plenty of changes.

Given our enthusiasm to travel with the camper, we would like to share our experiences with others. And preferably with other motorhome owners. Hence this camper blog!
Here you will find travel reports with, among other things, the description of our overnight places. All kinds of tips that can be useful for traveling with the motorhome. Do you have any suggestions, tips, comments? Please let us know.
Our camper
After months of waiting (un) patiently, our motorhome was delivered on 4 April 2018. We went to collect him full of enthusiasm. After receiving an extensive explanation by the supplier Peter (DC Motorhomes), we left home. Once parked in the driveway, the discovery of the interior and the appliances could begin.

Our camper is a Benimar Cocoon 463. The basis is a Ford Transit with an upgraded 170 hp engine. Hopefully enough to brave the European mountains.
The interior

The living area
The driver's cab with special darkening (present on all windows)
The sitting area
The panoramic window
The living area seen from the sleeping area
The kitchen island (the fact that the three gas basins are next to each other is a great added value. This means that three pans can be placed on the gas fire without any problem)
The fridge (140l)
The sleeping area
The shower cubicle
The toilet and sink
The sleeping area (we specifically chose twin beds because there is more space to move around in the sleeping area)
Above the sitting area is a double bed that can be lowered electrically.
Our enthusiasm soon got a first damper. Barely a week old, after refueling, I wanted to park our motorhome backwards in the driveway. It is bordered by 2 concrete posts. I carefully maneuver between them. Monique suddenly shouts STOP. There was not enough room to continue driving. I wanted to get back out of it. Then I made a mistake and it went wrong. Presumably I turned my steering wheel slightly in the wrong direction, causing the rear of the vehicle to move to the right and rub against the post. This tore the corner of the rear bumper and damaged the side at the level of the garage door.

My heart sank into my boots!
I can't hit that same pole now. Two days later we had the poles and the fence cut off!
Damage can of course be repaired (luckily we have full comprehensive insurance), but my self-confidence has taken a huge blow.

Hopefully we will now be spared bad luck and accidents and can we enjoy our new home!

E-mail: info@dmcamperreizen.be

Copyright © DMCamperreizen 2018.
All right reserved.
Traveling with a camper has been on our wish list for quite some time, but as long as we worked, owning a motorhome was not a good choice. You should be able to use a large investment regularly!

This year - 2018 - was the day. Our first motorhome was delivered on 4th April! A Benimar cocoon 463. Bought from DC motorhomes in Drongen (Ghent). You can view our camper further on this page.

We can perfectly combine our hobbies with our motorhome. We both like to walk and we like to visit nice places during our travels. Beach or pool holidays are not really for us. In between, Monique likes to read, knit and sew, true works of art with the cross stitch. She likes being at the waterside!
I really enjoy taking pictures myself, which happens extensively during our holidays and trips. I process this on the computer, that other hobby of mine. I also made this website myself.

Another common hobby we have is dancing. Ballroom and Latin dancing. This in dance club Evergem. We obviously don't have enough space in the motorhome to do this, but who knows, we might be able to demonstrate this on one of our trips.

2018 is the first year that we make trips and travel with the motorhome. It is also the first year that we travel without children or dogs. So, plenty of changes.

Given our enthusiasm to travel with the camper, we would like to share our experiences with others. And preferably with other motorhome owners. Hence this camper blog!
Here you will find travel reports with, among other things, the description of our overnight places. All kinds of tips that can be useful for traveling with the motorhome. Do you have any suggestions, tips, comments? Please let us know.
Our camper
After months of waiting (un) patiently, our motorhome was delivered on 4 April 2018. We went to collect him full of enthusiasm. After receiving an extensive explanation by the supplier Peter (DC Motorhomes), we left home. Once parked in the driveway, the discovery of the interior and the appliances could begin.

Our camper is a Benimar Cocoon 463. The basis is a Ford Transit with an upgraded 170 hp engine. Hopefully enough to brave the European mountains.
The interior
The living area
The driver's cab with special darkening (present on all windows)
The sitting area
The panoramic window
The living area seen from the sleeping area
The kitchen island (the fact that the three gas basins are next to each other is a great added value. This means that three pans can be placed on the gas fire without any problem)
The fridge (140l)
The sleeping area
The shower cubicle
The toilet and sink
The sleeping area (we specifically chose twin beds because there is more space to move around in the sleeping area)
Above the sitting area is a double bed that can be lowered electrically.
Our enthusiasm soon got a first damper. Barely a week old, after refueling, I wanted to park our motorhome backwards in the driveway. It is bordered by 2 concrete posts. I carefully maneuver between them. Monique suddenly shouts STOP. There was not enough room to continue driving. I wanted to get back out of it. Then I made a mistake and it went wrong. Presumably I turned my steering wheel slightly in the wrong direction, causing the rear of the vehicle to move to the right and rub against the post. This tore the corner of the rear bumper and damaged the side at the level of the garage door.

My heart sank into my boots!
I can't hit that same pole now. Two days later we had the poles and the fence cut off!
Damage can of course be repaired (luckily we have full comprehensive insurance), but my self-confidence has taken a huge blow.

Hopefully we will now be spared bad luck and accidents and can we enjoy our new home!
Hallo. Wij zijn Dirk en Monique. Beiden zijn we gepensioneerd politieambtenaar. Ik, Dirk, ging op 1 augustus 2018 met pensioen. De laatste 15 jaar van mijn loopbaan heb ik steeds in de IT gewerkt (hoe men van een hobby zijn beroep kan maken). Monique werd jammer genoeg in 2003 al in pensioen gesteld, dit wegens ziekte. Gezien ze in de sociale sector van ons beroep werkte, was het gemis aan sociaal contact een harde dobber om te verwerken.

Kamperen zat bij Monique al vrij vroeg in het bloed. Met haar ouders ging ze regelmatig kamperen met de tent. Zelfs in een oude tram verbleven ze. Later werden ze honkvaster en bezaten ze eerst een houten huisje aan het Donkmeer. Daarna een residentiele caravan op camping de vuurtoren in Heist-aan-zee.

Tot ik Monique leerde kennen had ik enkel gekampeerd met de scouts. Samen bezaten we ook een residentiele caravan en dit 12 jaar lang. Onze zonen Paul en Jeffrey vertoefden op die manier, hun gehele kindertijd, tijdens de vakanties  aan zee.

Ons gehele leven bezaten we honden. Samen hadden we er steeds twee. Doch, onze laatste hond – een Spaanse windhond (galgo) – moesten we laten inslapen in september 2017. Waarschijnlijk zullen we in de toekomst geen honden meer in huis halen.

Het reizen met een camper stond al geruime tijd op onze verlanglijst, doch zolang we werkten was het bezitten van een motorhome geen goede keuze. Van een grote investering moet je regelmatig gebruik kunnen maken!
Dit jaar was het zover. Op 4 april werd onze eerste motorhome geleverd! Een Benimar cocoon 463. Gekocht bij DC motorhomes in Drongen (Gent). Onze camper kan je verder op deze pagina bekijken.
Onze hobby’s kunnen we perfect combineren met onze motorhome. Beiden wandelen we graag en bezoeken we graag leuke plaatsjes tijdens onze reizen. Strand- of zwembadvakanties zijn niet echt aan ons besteed. Tussendoor leest Monique graag, breid ze en maakt ze al naaiend, ware kunstwerkjes met de kruissteek. Genieten aan het water, daar houdt ze van!
Zelf fotografeer ik zeer graag, wat tijdens onze vakanties en uitstappen zeer uitgebreid gebeurt. Deze verwerk ik dan op de computer, die andere hobby van mij. Ook deze website maakte ik zelf.

Nog een gezamelijke hobby die we hebben is dansen. Ballroom en Latindansen. Dit in dansclub Evergem. In de motorhome hebben we uiteraard te weinig plaats om dit uit te oefenen, maar wie weet, kunnen we dit op één van onze reizen demonstreren.

2018 is dus het eerste jaar dat we uitstappen maken en reizen met de motorhome. Het is tevens het eerste jaar dat we zonder kinderen of honden op reis gaan. Dus, veranderingen genoeg.

Gezien ons enthousiasme om te reizen met de camper, willen we onze ervaringen graag delen met anderen. En het liefst met andere camperaars. Vandaar deze camperblog!
Je zal hier reisverslagen vinden met o.a. de beschrijving van onze overnachtingsplaatsen. Allerhande tips die nuttig kunnen zijn voor het reizen met de motorhome. Heb je voorstellen, tips, commentaren? Laat het ons gerust weten.
SONY DSC
Onze camper
Na maanden (on)geduldig afwachten werd op 4 april 2018 onze motorhome geleverd. Vol enthousiasme gingen we hem afhalen. Na het ontvangen van een uitgebreide uiteenzetting door de leverancier Peter (DC Motorhomes), vertrokken we huiswaarts. Eénmaal op de oprit geparkeerd kon de ontdekking van het interieur en de toestellen beginnen.

Onze camper betreft een Benimar Cocoon 463. De basis is een Ford Transit met een geüpgrade motor van 170 pk. Hopelijk voldoende om de Europese bergen te trotseren.
Het interieur
Het woongedeelte
De bestuurderscabine met remisverduistering (is aanwezig op alle ramen)
De zithoek
Het panoramavenster
Het woongedeelte gezien vanuit het slaapgedeelte
Het keukeneiland (dat de drie gasbekken naast elkaar staan is een grote meerwaarde. Zo kunnen zonder probleem drie pannen op het gasvuur staan)
De koelkast (140l)
Het slaapgedeelte
De douchecabine
Het toilet en lavabo
De slaaphoek (wij kozen specifiek voor twinbedden omdat er meer ruimte is om te bewegen in het slaapgedeelte)
Boven de zithoek is nog een tweepersoonsbed dat elektrisch naar beneden kan gelaten worden.
Ons enthousiasme kreeg al vlug een eerste domper. Amper een week oud, na een tankbeurt, wou ik onze motorhome achterwaarts op de oprit parkeren. Deze is begrensd door 2 betonnen palen. Voorzichtig manoeuvreer ik er tussen. Monique roept plots STOP. Er was geen plaats genoeg om verder te rijden. Ik wou er terug voorwaarts uitrijden. Toen maakte ik een fout en ging het mis. Vermoedelijk draaide ik mijn stuur iets in de verkeerde richting, waardoor de achterzijde van het voertuig naar rechts uitweek en vol tegen de paal schuurde. Hierdoor scheurde de hoek van de achterbumper en beschadigde de zijkant ter hoogte van de garagedeur.

De moed zakte onmiddellijk in mijn schoenen!
Diezelfde paal kan ik nu niet meer raken. Twee dagen later lieten we de palen en  de afsluiting wegslijpen!
Schade kan uiteraard hersteld worden (gelukkig hebben we een full omnium verzekering), maar mijn zelfvertrouwen heeft een enorme klap gekregen.

Hopelijk blijven we nu gespaard van pech en ongevallen en kunnen we genieten van onze nieuwe thuis!
Damage can of course be repaired (luckily we have full comprehensive insurance), but my self-confidence has taken a huge blow.

Hopefully we will now be spared bad luck and accidents and can we enjoy our new home!

E-mail: info@dmcamperreizen.be

Copyright © DMCamperreizen 2018.
All right reserved.
E-mail: info@dmcamperreizen.be

Copyright © DMCamperreizen 2018.
All right reserved.
E-mail: info@dmcamperreizen.be

Copyright © DMCamperreizen 2018.
All right reserved.