New to this, so will give it a go. Just wondering if anyone else has had this same feeling...read on...
My husband and I did a trip to Cape York for a month last year and that changed our whole perspective on life. We came home looked around and said when did we us that or that last when we had been away for a month surviving on 4 plates 4 knives etc sleeping in our camper. We were so unsettled for months while back at work and just wanted to take off again-not possible! Rob is self employed and I have a full time job which is demanding. We sat down, reassessed our finances and at what stage we were in in our lives. I had 3 months long service due in 2014 so thought we would like to do the Kimberley's for 3 months. Decided that the camper was too small and wanted a few more comforts of home so We sat down and made that decision, yes to buy a full off-road van, well it is being made now and should be ready end of March. Time cannot come quicker enough as both of us are very unsettled. If all goes well for the 3 months, we have decided that we are going to sell up and take off for 12months or more. Have already started to downsize around the home. Not time to retire yet but have heard it so many times by people that they left it too long and something happened to either one.
Interested to hear if others feel this way? Gets in the blood...
Dougwe said
06:28 AM Jan 30, 2014
Welcome to the gang KI, enjoy here and out in the playground.
How and when you choose to travel and if you sell up or not is a personal choice, only you two can decide that.
Me, well I choose to be what I call a "Part Time Grey Nomad". I choose to keep my base camp to come back too if I feel like a break from being out in the playground but when at base camp for a short time want to get back in the playground. That way I get the best of both worlds.
For me to be in the playground full time would mean up grading the Avan Camper to something bigger and more comfortable and When I got to the stage of not being able, for whatever reason to travel I would have to live in whatever I was travelling in and be comfortable in that for whatever time I had left. I don't think I would be able to afford a similar base camp to now so choose to do what I do. If there were two of me, well things might be different but there is only this little black duck.
Works well for me anyway and I am a happy camper.
RosieW said
10:49 AM Jan 30, 2014
G'day! :)
Yes, once the bug bites you, the wait to get out there is interminable. We did a 3 week trip home from Adelaide to NW Tassie after we bought the bus, slept on the bus seats, ate of paper plates, cooked on BBQ's, showered at truckstops, and, except that I actually had to be back for an exam (was too late to change where to sit it), we would have kept going like that.
Admittedly, the last 13 months have seen some major improvements, but now the wait for government paperwork is all that's holding us up, the wait is starting to really bite.
scottynbulldog said
10:59 AM Jan 30, 2014
Welcome from us too KI. I am sure you will love every minute of your travels no matter what you decide.
We are the same as Dougwe and go away for one long trip and lots of short trips in between times.
I had a heart attack whilst still working and that decided us. Spent my recuperation looking at vans and ordered one. Both retired once it was ready as we were both of retiral age. That was four years ago. We have tossed the decision to sell up back and forwards many times but have now decided to keep our home. Bob found after 4 months in the van he wanted to come home but of course once home wanted to go away again. I was quite happy to stay away longer but then I don't like house work!!!!
We are happy with our decision and are about to leave for 3 weeks, then home to get ready to go north for a few months.
I am sure you will make the right decision which suits you both. Safe travels.
Hi All,
New to this, so will give it a go. Just wondering if anyone else has had this same feeling...read on...
My husband and I did a trip to Cape York for a month last year and that changed our whole perspective on life. We came home looked around and said when did we us that or that last when we had been away for a month surviving on 4 plates 4 knives etc sleeping in our camper. We were so unsettled for months while back at work and just wanted to take off again-not possible! Rob is self employed and I have a full time job which is demanding. We sat down, reassessed our finances and at what stage we were in in our lives. I had 3 months long service due in 2014 so thought we would like to do the Kimberley's for 3 months. Decided that the camper was too small and wanted a few more comforts of home so We sat down and made that decision, yes to buy a full off-road van, well it is being made now and should be ready end of March. Time cannot come quicker enough as both of us are very unsettled. If all goes well for the 3 months, we have decided that we are going to sell up and take off for 12months or more. Have already started to downsize around the home. Not time to retire yet but have heard it so many times by people that they left it too long and something happened to either one.
Interested to hear if others feel this way? Gets in the blood...
How and when you choose to travel and if you sell up or not is a personal choice, only you two can decide that.
Me, well I choose to be what I call a "Part Time Grey Nomad". I choose to keep my base camp to come back too if I feel like a break from being out in the playground but when at base camp for a short time want to get back in the playground. That way I get the best of both worlds.
For me to be in the playground full time would mean up grading the Avan Camper to something bigger and more comfortable and When I got to the stage of not being able, for whatever reason to travel I would have to live in whatever I was travelling in and be comfortable in that for whatever time I had left. I don't think I would be able to afford a similar base camp to now so choose to do what I do. If there were two of me, well things might be different but there is only this little black duck.
Works well for me anyway and I am a happy camper.
Yes, once the bug bites you, the wait to get out there is interminable. We did a 3 week trip home from Adelaide to NW Tassie after we bought the bus, slept on the bus seats, ate of paper plates, cooked on BBQ's, showered at truckstops, and, except that I actually had to be back for an exam (was too late to change where to sit it), we would have kept going like that.
Admittedly, the last 13 months have seen some major improvements, but now the wait for government paperwork is all that's holding us up, the wait is starting to really bite.
We are the same as Dougwe and go away for one long trip and lots of short trips in between times.
I had a heart attack whilst still working and that decided us. Spent my recuperation looking at vans and ordered one. Both retired once it was ready as we were both of retiral age. That was four years ago. We have tossed the decision to sell up back and forwards many times but have now decided to keep our home. Bob found after 4 months in the van he wanted to come home but of course once home wanted to go away again. I was quite happy to stay away longer but then I don't like house work!!!!
We are happy with our decision and are about to leave for 3 weeks, then home to get ready to go north for a few months.
I am sure you will make the right decision which suits you both. Safe travels.