Essen-Burgaltendorf.
With the mobile home into the world: This is what a couple from Burgaltendorf does and wonders why there are no parking spaces in Essen. they have ideas.
Claudia Schäfer and her husband Anthony Christopher live in Burgaltendorf. The 84-year-old, who was born in Bornemouth in southern England, and his wife, who is eleven years younger, travel the world in their “Fuzzy III” mobile home. You are not alone, this form of vacation is booming. More and more people like the freedom to spend the night somewhere else and still have a bed and kitchen with them. The number of mobile homes registered in Essen has doubled to around 2,200 since 2019.
The couple just got back from a three week tour. This time the two were in Scotland and have a lot to report. But they are angry about the lack of parking spaces in Essen and make suggestions for improvement. The two statements were noticed in a report by our editors, in which residents of the Karnaper Lohwiese complained about mobile homes parked in front of their front door. Spokesman Florian Hecker explained for the Essen marketing company: “Pure parking spaces without supply would be a first step and a clear profit.”
Parking spaces are fenced-in areas without water or electricity
First of all, the terminology must be clarified, says Anthony Christopher: “Parking spaces are not parking spaces, but usually specially equipped, usually fee-based areas for overnight stays in a mobile home. This often includes fresh water and waste water as well as chargeable power connections. On the other hand, parking spaces are fenced off areas without water or electricity, for example by farmers or campsite operators. Overwintering there is subject to a fee.”
The accumulations of caravans and camper vans that can be found along the roadside all over the city are parked in parking lots that are blocked in this way. Although the owners have the right to park their mobile homes in public spaces, this is not a good solution. There are also tourists who don’t know what to do with their often very large vehicles.
Claudia Schäfer and Anthony Christopher ask themselves: “Why is it not possible in Essen to create conditions like in other countries? Park&Ride works excellently there. Almost everywhere you can drive back and forth from the parking space on the outskirts of the city with a ticket for little money. That would also be something for food. Every visitor brings money to the city.”
The couple have been passionate about traveling in their camper van for 16 years
The two widowed couple met and fell in love 18 years ago. Claudia Schäfer was always adventurous: “The more exotic, the better. I was trekking in Nepal, also in Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Greenland, India.” Her husband smiles: “I was employed by the Royal Air Force and got to know the whole world as a result. In the end I got stuck in Germany.” The couple have been passionate about traveling around the country in their motor home for 16 years: “Our first vehicle was a 5.80 meter long Frankia, now we drive a 6.40 meter long Pössl. With a trailer that transports our e-trikes.”
The very first trip went wrong: “We were complete amateurs and we did everything wrong. In January we were the only ones in the square and the toilets were closed. Then we ran out of gas. But we learned quickly.” After their windows were pried open in Maastricht, they got burglar-proof window frames for their “Fuzzy III” mobile home. Once it went through France, Spain and Portugal for 65 days.
In England, the Esseners got to know model pitches
The tour to the Baltic States was very impressive: “That’s on our plan again for next year.” It’s already been to the Czech Republic, Sweden and Denmark. The couple found Iceland and Morocco very impressive. And also England, Ireland and Scotland. Most recently, they wanted to marvel at the northern lights there, but were unlucky with the weather: “It rained and stormed, at some point we gave up and went to southern Scotland.” There, in the shadow of Stirling Castle, the couple was presented to an official representative of the English crown as ” very special guests” and had to go on a souvenir photo.
In England they got to know flagship pitches: “In Canterbury we paid four pounds a day. But that included a ticket for six people for the shuttle bus into the city. The buses ran every eight minutes. A super service for tourists.” In Perth, the space was even free for three nights, but not the shuttle bus: “But it wasn’t expensive.” Not only in Germany are parking spaces often found at baths or spa parks, often with toilets, showers and electricity : “Sometimes for up to 50 mobile homes, even in smaller communities.”
The city of Essen should be inspired by the many positive examples
The quietest parking space was next to a crematorium, says Claudia Schäfer: “Cemeteries are always good, there’s water there.” Husband Anthony grins: “By far the loudest was in Inverness, Scotland.” And the marketplace in Leer is planned, but always otherwise occupied. But the city of Essen should rather be inspired by the many positive examples. There is plenty of space, for example, in the rarely used trade fair car park at Essen-Mülheim Airport.
And why there shouldn’t be room for mobile homes at the Zollverein doesn’t make sense to the couple either: “That would be ideally connected to public transport.” The Christophers will now bring their “Fuzzy III” to their winter quarters in Bochum: “Until now it was in Wattenscheid , in a huge hall for up to 700 mobile homes. But that is no longer the case and we are trying a new parking space.”
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