Just to introduce myself, I retired from the workforce in 2013 and was living in the Blue Mountains NSW. I had planned to travel Australia with my wife. We also decided to sell our home and move to the Newcastle area of NSW to be closer to family. We bought land at Cooranbong and organised a builder. Everything was put in storage and we lived in the caravan waiting for the land to be released and the build to start.
Sadly during this period my wife of 27 years was diagnosed with stage four asbestosis. She past away 10 weeks after the diagnosis. Most of that time she was hospitalised. Plans of caravan touring and holidays seemed an unreachable dream. I can fully sympathise with the victims and relatives of this terrible disease.
However, time is the greatest healer and life goes on. Having become very lonely and living in the caravan, the house build started and time seemed to be taken up with building, landscaping, fences etc. also sorting through all the possessions in storage.
I then had the good fortune to meet a lovely lady who also had been through a lot of sadness, disruption and anxiety in her life. Eventually we married and thankfully my new wife loves the caravanning life and had been a caravaner in her earlier years. We now spend most winters in far north Queensland. We also have plans for future trips to South Australia, NT and WA.
We have met many fellow grey nomads over the years with some fantastic memories and funny times. We now make sure we spend time at our selected favourite caravan parks and mingle with friendly caravaners having a good time. There's never a dull moment.
Tony Bev said
01:26 PM Jul 9, 2020
May I be one of the first to welcome you to the forum, van-loose (Martin)
Sorry to hear about your previous sadness
Hope that the future, has many good road trips, ahead of you both
van-loose said
01:58 PM Jul 9, 2020
Thanks for your kindness Tony. The good news for us in NSW is the QLD border opens tomorrow the 10th. We'll try not get stampeded in the rush.
Possum3 said
03:46 PM Jul 9, 2020
Welcome to GN's,get a couple of bumper stickers so we can find you when you're out and about www.thegreynomads.com.au/shop/
van-loose said
04:15 PM Jul 9, 2020
That's a great idea, thanks.
Dougwe said
04:26 PM Jul 9, 2020
Welcome to the gang van-loose, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I know exactly how you feel as cancer decided to take my wife of many moons from me back in 2011 and I have been fulfilling our dream by myself since. I am a full time GN and live in my aluminium teepee.
I also love meeting fellow travelers and have met many members of this great forum over the years. I might be on my own but never lonely. So just keep on keeping on but,
Keep Safe out there.
van-loose said
08:46 AM Jul 10, 2020
Hi Doug, yes the best thing is to keep on going. We both love the caravaning life and intend to travel for many more years. Our next trip is to Airlie Beach, Bowen, Rollingstone and Port Douglas. I'll get some bumper stickers and start looking for them too. Stay safe.
Just to introduce myself, I retired from the workforce in 2013 and was living in the Blue Mountains NSW. I had planned to travel Australia with my wife. We also decided to sell our home and move to the Newcastle area of NSW to be closer to family. We bought land at Cooranbong and organised a builder. Everything was put in storage and we lived in the caravan waiting for the land to be released and the build to start.
Sadly during this period my wife of 27 years was diagnosed with stage four asbestosis. She past away 10 weeks after the diagnosis. Most of that time she was hospitalised. Plans of caravan touring and holidays seemed an unreachable dream. I can fully sympathise with the victims and relatives of this terrible disease.
However, time is the greatest healer and life goes on. Having become very lonely and living in the caravan, the house build started and time seemed to be taken up with building, landscaping, fences etc. also sorting through all the possessions in storage.
I then had the good fortune to meet a lovely lady who also had been through a lot of sadness, disruption and anxiety in her life. Eventually we married and thankfully my new wife loves the caravanning life and had been a caravaner in her earlier years. We now spend most winters in far north Queensland. We also have plans for future trips to South Australia, NT and WA.
We have met many fellow grey nomads over the years with some fantastic memories and funny times. We now make sure we spend time at our selected favourite caravan parks and mingle with friendly caravaners having a good time. There's never a dull moment.
Sorry to hear about your previous sadness
Hope that the future, has many good road trips, ahead of you both
Thanks for your kindness Tony. The good news for us in NSW is the QLD border opens tomorrow the 10th. We'll try not get stampeded in the rush.
That's a great idea, thanks.
I know exactly how you feel as cancer decided to take my wife of many moons from me back in 2011 and I have been fulfilling our dream by myself since. I am a full time GN and live in my aluminium teepee.
I also love meeting fellow travelers and have met many members of this great forum over the years. I might be on my own but never lonely. So just keep on keeping on but,
Keep Safe out there.