Preview: We're Becoming Campers

In Kiel, Germany, couples in motorhomes competed in a training course focused on maneuvering and parking skills. The event aimed to improve safety and precision in driving large vehicles.

The new Campingwelt Baden camping center opened in Emmendingen, Germany, drawing around 7,500 visitors over the weekend. The two-story facility sells Carthago motorhomes, includes a workshop and an academy. The project cost 6 million euros.

On the A8 motorway towards Munich, a 21-year-old driver under the influence of alcohol (approx. 1 per mille) collided with a car towing a caravan driven by a 65-year-old man. The caravan overturned and was completely destroyed, with total damage estimated at around 70,000 euros. Traffic was restricted to one lane for three and a half hours. The driver, a Bosnian-Herzegovinian national, faces charges of endangering road traffic.

Dethleffs has introduced the Summer Edition special series based on the updated Camper line. The 500 QSK features classic furniture design reminiscent of its predecessor and an expanded standard equipment package. The starting price is €25,999, matching the standard Camper 460 EL.

A 2015 RJH 675 caravan, built by the Swabian manufacturer RJH/Roland Bauer, is listed on Kleinanzeigen. It features an electric slide-out that expands the interior. The asking price is €69,900, down from an original equivalent of €149,900.

Fabian Duwanoff from Haldensleben, who travels in a converted Ford Transit Custom, spoke about the gap between the romanticized image of vanlife on social media and reality. He noted that stealth camping is virtually illegal in Germany and that the costs of outfitting and maintaining a motorhome are often underestimated.