Date:         Tue, 2 Jun 2015 04:43:38 -0400
Reply-To:     mdrillock@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: camped on a beach in France
Comments: To: Richard Golen <rgolen@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

I don't have time for a full description right now but the shipping process was simple. We shipped from the East Coast to save time on the water. West Coast ships take much longer and cost more. We did not have any difficulty with shipping to Belgium. We are tourists, shipping a personal vehicle that is in our own names and has been for a while. We bought liability insurance in Germany at an ADAC Auto Club office as we passed through Germany to Belgium to pick up the van at the port. We paid an  Antwerp customs broker who handled everything at the port and when it was ready we took a cab to the port and drove the van away.  We shopped around for the shipping options and the lower bids started at about $1000 from a Southeast USA port to Northern Europe port. Transit insurance is extra on top of that.  We heard from several sources that Belgium was an easy way to go so we did. We flew to Copenhagen and spent a couple weeks traveling by train and bus, working our way to Antwerp to meet the van when it arrived. By that time we were worn out from juggling our luggage every day. We took as many as 7 trains in a single day. We are too old for that. Westy travel is the way to go for us. Plus we can see places that you can't easily get a bus or train.

We have no arrangements yet for shipping home. Shipping back to the US may be more difficult and expensive. We may store the Westy and return for more travels. That way we can better justify the shipping expenses.

For shorter trips it is cheaper and easier to just rent a camper van here but we wanted to do things our way, in a Vanagon camper.

Mark




---- Richard Golen <rgolen@hotmail.com> wrote: 
> Mark,
> 
> I'm planning on spending 9 mos to a year in France. Can you give me an idea on what it cost to ship your van (I also have an 87 Westy), did you have to post a bond to ensure you took the van back home, what about insurance?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Ric
> 
>