Mick left yesterday and towed the van up to Cotton Tree caravan park up the Sunshine Coast. I trained it up last night after work and again back to work this morning. It is a lovely spot, even though it rained like all billy O last night.
Why I don't care about the weather.... I still have my wonderful Mick to share it with.

Last week Mick had a bit of a scare and ended up in hospital with chest pains. At the moment the results are inconclusive, but, other issues have arisen out of this to which he has been strongly advised by the Docs to cut down on a lot of things, including work. Right now he is taking a couple of weeks off.
So, it looks like we could be "on the road nomads" before we planned to, which is fine.
It made me think though, how often do we "wish" we had a bit more time with the people we love to tell them how we feel, and just to spend time with, it's too late when they are gone. Time is very precious and we don't know what is around the corner, and I for one want you all to know how much I value the friendship of my Grey Nomad on line friends. Your all wonderful and have given so much practical advice. So thank you all

Lets all remember, we are not here forever, and we should  appreciate what we have in family and friends.

Cheers
Ell

Ell, just let me give you one piece of advice, stop work immediately and go and see Australia and your friends, you, as i, have had a health scare, we may consider ourselves lucky, I am currently in prison, er sorry hospital with a few "complications", Mick has had his warning, the next may not be so gentle and may turn out to be more permanent if there is any possible way that you can cease work early then please do it, let someone else pay the damn taxman for a change, life is not work then die, we must have a bit of "me" time, even if you have to find a little work as you go just quit it while you are alive we work to live, not live to work, it has taken me a long time to figure this out and I still struggle with it but I am learning you have many "faceless" friends on here and another forum, use your time to come and see us

dont you dare give me a moments thought Ell, all is well with me........... just get yourselves to a good place, if the company quack see's it correctly then life begins for you fellers, tell Mick to not "play down" his illnesses, tell it like it is,...... my advice, play it to the max and grab the pension, disability if you can, then you grab the support pension and bingo life begins................... it's not a fortune but many do rather well on it, travelling when wanting and settling until pension day when broke, hell I could live with that, theres a heap of spots that I could "sit" for a week or two all over the joint i would be honored and pleased to know my taxes were going to fellers like yourselves rather than some others I could mention keep us in the loop, we are a nosy lot here!

Ell.
Good advise ther from Dave06,If you can make the break then take it as we only have one go at this.
I faced the same choice with serious back injuries that had ground me to a stop.There were two choices, put up or give up the work ,so with a stroke of the pen here we are.You will feel a little empty for a while when it happens suddenly like this, It took me a couple of years to recooperate to a point where i started to move around a little bit.It was the best thing I ever done & we are getting by,You dont have to be filthy rich to do some travell ,just have a look at what you have & do what you can with it.

All the best to Mick , look forward to seeing you's some where some day.
Cheers.

In the end , I believe,all you have is your relationships and your experiences...the rest doesn't matter.
Go while you can .....and have a fabulous time...we only get this experience of life once.. :)   All the best, Denise

Ell & Mick,

Go and do it while you can, life is not a rehearsal.

We travell on the pension but we do have a few and I mean a few dollars for emergencies.  If we run short we find somewhere nice to hole up for a little while until the pension comes in and then we are off again.

If it is at all possible get out there and do it now, you never know what is around the corner.

Regards

John & Irona

My having a heart attack last October decided Bob on buying a van that I have been trying to talk him into for a couple of years. Hopefully we'll have it by July and I will retire and we will be off! Everyone I talk to says go for it but I must admit I have been a physio for 42 years and will miss it a lot. I am counting on meeting a lot of new nice faces on my travels though. Maybe we will retire together Ell and Mick so all the best for the future.

scottynbulldog wrote:

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My having a heart attack last October decided Bob on buying a van that I have been trying to talk him into for a couple of years. Hopefully we'll have it by July and I will retire and we will be off! Everyone I talk to says go for it but I must admit I have been a physio for 42 years and will miss it a lot. I am counting on meeting a lot of new nice faces on my travels though. Maybe we will retire together Ell and Mick so all the best for the future.

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Hang around in some of the free-camps and you will get plenty of work.

This how Professor Ibbo and myself work. We stayed in a free camp area in Queensland for 2 weeks and from that site alone we got a double bypass, two hip replacements and a knee reconstruction.

Just between us.........maybe I should PM this to you but I don't think anyone is looking......the second hip replacement........we actually had to push the guy over in the gravel to get a result!!   The knee reconstruction.........?? well we had to convince the 65 year old that he COULD kick a watermelon 65 metres. Works every time. The Ego is a wonderful thing and we can make money from it!!

Just another little tip for earning cash........Tax Free dollars!!

 

Do it while you can - live! You seem to have a plan for retirement. You may just have to bring things forward and get on with it. Make the most of everyday, and if you can do it together you're very lucky. Life is too short. All the best to you.

We have had enough health scares over the last few years that we know early retirement and travel is the right thing for us. Friends who have been luckier with their health say they don't know how we can be so brave to make such a decision. We don't know how we couldn't. If you list the priorities in your life in order. Work shouldn't come first. Keep up the positive attitude . Thinking of you.

scottynbulldog wrote:

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My having a heart attack last October decided Bob on buying a van that I have been trying to talk him into for a couple of years. Hopefully we'll have it by July and I will retire and we will be off! Everyone I talk to says go for it but I must admit I have been a physio for 42 years and will miss it a lot. I am counting on meeting a lot of new nice faces on my travels though. Maybe we will retire together Ell and Mick so all the best for the future.

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There are plenty of bad backs and such out there so if you are feeling a bit lost for something to do just drop a few hints, you will be inundated with work.

Get out there and enjoy yourselves.

 

Since I've been in Cairns I've had about 60% of my health restored. Well, not quite so simple. It took surgery, and a little bit more to come, but hey, I'm gunna to leaving here 75% better than I arrived. I had towed the van around Oz almost twice by the time I got here though. Now I have chronic foot itch, and I think the only cure would be to walk over a map of Australia, or to drive the roads on the landscape. I'll take the driving. There's a lot of dirt between the dots on the map, so I've still got some miles to do. Just do it while you can. The Disability Allowance isn't a fortune, but handled carefully will keep you in a comfortable lifestyle on the road. You'll be able to eat, put fuel in the tug, pay for sites if you do van parks, and manage those emergencies with a little help from your super. If you go out early on disabilty, make sure you get your allocation towards your super fund. Check out your super policies for the "disability clause". It's worth quite a few tanks of fuel. Safe and happy planning and travelling.

HI We are very lucky health wise but as we are gettging on in years we take every opportunity to hit the road we are on the pension and as a few have already stated you can do it you just have to careful how far you travel with the petrol money and then find a nice spot (of which there are plenty) and sit it out til your pension comes in again Good luck with your travels. Helena.

Disco Duck wrote:

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Hang around in some of the free-camps and you will get plenty of work.

This how Professor Ibbo and myself work. We stayed in a free camp area in Queensland for 2 weeks and from that site alone we got a double bypass, two hip replacements and a knee reconstruction.

Just between us.........maybe I should PM this to you but I don't think anyone is looking......the second hip replacement........we actually had to push the guy over in the gravel to get a result!!   The knee reconstruction.........?? well we had to convince the 65 year old that he COULD kick a watermelon 65 metres. Works every time. The Ego is a wonderful thing and we can make money from it!!

Just another little tip for earning cash........Tax Free dollars!!

 

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Geez DD, I have a real bad knee, next Queensland trip can you let me know where you are so as you can fix it for me please!!!

Ell

 

You are all so right, and thank you so much for your words of wisdom.
It will be hard on Mick I know, but together we can conquer all. Once
he gets all the Docs appointments out of the way and they liase with
each other we will have a better idea of what is going on.

 I have no concerns about going on the pension, I did it when my
ex hubby and I seperated with 5 kids, and I can do wonders with
a kilo of mince  

With wonderful people on the road like we have on this forum, life
would never be boring. Love and hugs to you all

Ell xxx

chin up Ell, it will all come good in the end, just another page in the book of life, turn it with all your might!

hI we - Val n Rob are are new to this forum. WE have found it very useful and informative. WE have been doing a bit of travelling, brought an older van and have a 2000 Holden Rodeo xtra Cab. At the beginning of March 2010 Rob suffered a heart attack and had a stent implanted at RPA Sydney. It was good to read this particular post as it kinda relates to us. WE are waiting for Rob to get some of his strength back so we can take off! Had a trip planned to travel up to Longreach and have a look around Qld. in July, until ?? Looking at the forum there are lots of people that have had health probs and are still moving on. May catch up with some of you on the trail!!
regards Val n Rob  p.s we too are only on a pension, but will do what everyone else does....go when we have money and stop off somewhere till we get more!!!


-- Edited by valnrob on Sunday 21st of March 2010 01:36:51 PM

valnrob wrote:

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hI we - Val n Rob are are new to this forum. WE have found it very useful and informative. WE have been doing a bit of travelling, brought an older van and have a 2000 Holden Rodeo xtra Cab. At the beginning of March 2010 Rob suffered a heart attack and had a stent implanted at RPA Sydney. It was good to read this particular post as it kinda relates to us. WE are waiting for Rob to get some of his strength back so we can take off! Had a trip planned to travel up to Longreach and have a look around Qld. in July, until ?? Looking at the forum there are lots of people that have had health probs and are still moving on. May catch up with some of you on the trail!!
regards Val n Rob  p.s we too are only on a pension, but will do what everyone else does....go when we have money and stop off somewhere till we get more!!!


-- Edited by valnrob on Sunday 21st of March 2010 01:36:51 PM

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Only way to travel, holeup somewhere nice until the pension comes in and then off to terrorise the locals.

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it.

 

-- Edited by JRH on Sunday 21st of March 2010 02:33:53 PM