all depends how long you want to go away for Paul
there are plenty of nomads moving from house to house to look after them, maybe you should look into that ( I dont know if there is any money involved in that )
and most stay in there own Caravan on site

Live today, tomorrow can be to late

Cheers John

what a bugger  ,

The mind tells me  that there is much to see and do but

alas  there is that dam job that gets in the way of having a great trip away,

  What is the answer,  a few more lousey dollars in the kitty  or do it now,

a good trip away.pack up now  and head off to some place  .......where   ?   ..... somewhere.

Meet up with some  strangers  who I might become acquainted with and perhaps never meet again.

I have noticed all the vans  heading North  and each day, I am so tempted  to join the mood,

Escape  ....  escape  from it all I think.

I am thinking of retirement in July  for tax reasons  .

July can't come soon enough.

Is it all sooooo good  travelling about  with no where in particular to go

except the next night camp, at a roadside  stopping area .The constant and  annoying hum of traffic   wizzing  past.

Boil the billy   and look about nearby area  for something that might be interesting enough

to ponder upon for a few moments   or evan enter  a few words about it it into a traavel diary .

Waiting to see who and what will arrive next, to park  their  prize camping vehicle near by. 

A few more exciting days at work  might not seem  so bad after all

 I do know this,   at my job I do know whom  I will meet up with , day after day.

Same  oll , same  oll   routein  

Travelling solo  is .... well it can be   sort of  ok,   ........   I guess .

What a difficult choice this is,   My job  

or an escape to the open spaces. meeting so many interesting and like minded people   ???

Perhaps this is what we were put on this earth for ,  to break away from the routein  

Not too many  travellers complain about this life style,  I  have noticed.

 Well  it's  ..... back to work to earn a few more dollars . so I can indulge  on my future solo  travels.

I'm pretty sure I could not do it solo and I figure the answer may be a dog....not a lap dog or a blue heeler, just reliable old bitzer with a bit of labrador in her. The type of dog that will sit by your side at the campfire and listen to whatever you wish to say with an ear co*ked sharing your talk and the surroundings. They never complain and you are always their number one.
Re the house, I think I'd clean it all up, get rid of what I'd mean't to throw away years ago, put the rest in a container in a secure location and rent the place out for 2 years. That gives you a steady income and 2 years to do whatever you want to.
Good Luck.

John

That is something that is a real worry ,

what to do with the house

A reliable house sitter who does not steel everything 

Some one to reliably colect mail and pay bills

Is there such people  available

Staying at home and working seems to be a good  hasel free way

my van wrote:

---

John

That is something that is a real worry ,

what to do with the house

A reliable house sitter who does not steel everything 

Some one to reliably colect mail and pay bills

Is there such people  available

Staying at home and working seems to be a good  hasel free way

 

 

 

---

 Most pay their bills on the road through BPay, etc there are ways if you really want to do it. Online billing! I agree it can seem so hard and easier to stay at home but no fun. I do understand, sometimes we need to push boundaries and it isn't easy.

I think  the solo bit is a worry  ,

  not having any one or thing to be there  when some one is needed .

I have been out younder  a few times  and found it a concern that I was "it" quite often

the only person  for many  km..

I had a car break down on a very desolate  road to Innamincka  , years ago .

( I was on a short holiday , not a long term trip )  .I can say now that the feeling of

isolation was  terrifying.

Absolutly a   lifeless atmasphere.. There seemed to be no certainties about anything

  in such a lifeless place.

Seeing Australia  is great  but solo in  the hard  bit.

Making the decision to leave the  job,  income , house and home    in a populated  suburb

  is  nearly as insecure  as being on that desolate road. to Innamincka.

I think  retireing  would be an overwelming issue for most people when the time comes ,

to be the unemployed or ever  more. and  counting  the daily dollar spend.

Going to work each day  is often a good feeling .

It can be just as isolated in your own home, I was in a leg cast for nearly 4 months, couldn't shop, drive and when I slipped noone to help me up.  Then I broke an ankle 400 klms from home and a person even offered to wipe my backside (a nurse) at a rest stop.

Your fears are quite valid, but you do all you can to minimise those risks.

It doesn't cost a lot to be happy and live within a budget. If you want to dine out at good restaurants keep working for sure. Good home cooked food and occasional club meals are affordable on a pension IMO while travelling.

Up sticks and go now!!!!
No one on their death bed has yet been heard to say, "I wish I had spent more time at the office"
I looked forward to retirement and have never regretted it, there is so much to do other than work.

David

Well Christine that is a big move, I think you are  brave.

Golddetectornomad wrote:

---

As a former Real Estate Agent I have seen first hand the substantial number of couples who were close to selling and fulfilling their life held dream of travelling round Australia....even had their RV's all set up and then fate steps in and either ill health or worse, removes all chance for them both to travel as they had anticipated...I was determined it would not happen to us so decided to hit the road over 3 years ago while we still could.....most workers work for the taxation Dept for the first 3 months of every year with the tax they pay....how sick is that?.....we have found simple actually is better......there is also little doubt lifes ills can be brought on by stress particularly by working in later years unless you are fortunate to be doing exactly what you want and when you want to..which very few achieve in any working capacity......my advice is do it now, the extra money by remaining in work in our 60's is largely irrelevant......I have lost count of the number of ex Bank employees who used to choose to work to 65 who invariably died within a few years whilst those that retired or terminated at 55 or 60 have gone on to live long and fruitful lives...what does that tell us...I'm also a former Bank Manager so knew many personally.... I saw an acturial report of life expectancy compliled in U.S. on the large Boeing Corporation and similar Companys and it was staggering to see those that opted to continue to work past 60 were actually reducing their life expectancy with uncanny predictability...I still have that report and it should be mandatory reading for all those who continue to work in perhaps unsatisfying jobs just for the money.....you wont be round acturally speaking to enjoy it....its also why a Cash strapped Government would love to see us all working into our late 60's and 70's.....it tends to kill us off from any long term Government dependancy IMO....do it while you can....death is certain every thing else remains a gift of time to enjoy..Hoo Roo

---

Brilliant post. Lets hope it motivates people to "JUST DO IT"...

Statistics can lie, but not in this case. We had an employee defer retirement for five years to gain a benefit from Centrelink.

He died with a new caravan and boat in the driveway

Life is too short and unpredictable to waste time talking about what if! Been there done that!

When my wife was given the "all clear " after lung cancer, we decided to set our selves up to do some traveling and concequently knocked over our house, subdevided and built aur retirement home. Purchased a caravan etc to travel with. Half way through the building she was diagnosed with terminal braincancer and given 8mths, she lasted 7. Shortly after I decided i was going to DO IT. slod my business, sold the new house the caravan etc and bought a motor home. Dont know if it was the right thing to do or not but I did it. Things havnt run according to plan since then but can only get better! Dont waste your life thinking about it just bloody do it!

Thanks  Scotty01  Yep... I am picking up what you are putting down ,

I think I will start taking a few short trips  . I will start with the meeting  at the dam, 

getting there  about April 18 th.

Still might retire in July this year.

I don't have much   resources  except a old 13 ft van

Vk6tnc Chris, If you're interested I have scanned the 4 page U.S. report on Longevity Vs Retirement Age which I am happy to email you. Shoot me your email addy if you wish...my email is larry@penalvagold.net    The report 'Optimum Strategies for Longevity' carried out in 2002 by Sing Lin,Ph.D. Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA/Greater New York Chapter etc...I found almost life changing in my approach to 'living to work' for many many years....the report basically was carried out because there was a 'Changing Trend of U.S. Pension Plans' where large Corporations like Boeing,Lockheed,Ford Motor Company, Bellcore etc..were finding their Pension Funds were "Over Funded" due to the employees electing to work through to 65 and they were dying within 2 years on average.....Pension Funds such as Boeing Aerospace made available overviews/details of cheques being sent to their retired personnel......he lists from 49.9 years age of retirement with average age of death 86 in 15 increments to Age of retirement 65.2 with average age at death of 66.8!......Boeing personnel who elected to work to 65 received cheques for only 18 months...Lockheed Corp received cheques for only 17 months for those who worked through to 65....how sad is that?.... and no doubt the Government has even better information available to them when they urge us to keep working past 65 years.....the Doctor also states Japanese people retire at the age of 60 or earlier which was one of the factors contributing to their long average life spans....the U.S. Pension fund synopsis shows that...' late retirees are small in number,tend to die quickly after retirement and disappear from the population of old people beyond the age of 70 and late retirees therefor,have very little weight on the statistical average life expectancy of the population of old people dominated by the earlier retirees'.....Pension funds have now been re-designed to give much greater benefit to the younger employees "cash balance plans' and are very unfavourable to the long term older employee....he concludes earlier retirees are not really idling after early retirement they still continue doing some work on part time basis at more leisure pace so they do not get 'stressed out' and they tend to have the luxury to pick and chose the types of part time work of real interest to them so they can regard as 'fun' and at a more leisure pace....
Sounds almost like 'we lot' here on GreyNomads..does it not?.....
P.S. by the way in the chart those that retire at 60 can expect 78.5 years before possibly pegging it....but I suspect our lifestyle will see many Centarians in our ranks....perhaps having 'happy half hours' and doing things in moderation....trust you found this short synopsis interesting and thought provoking as it was intended....not to scare the pants off anyone....Hoo Roo

-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Sunday 31st of March 2013 04:40:41 PM

Travelling solo is different for each of us .. Its taken me four years since getting on the road as a solo traveller to find the peace that I now enjoy .. My wife passed nearly 10 years ago .. and then a few years later I chose to sell a home of 30 years .. the lads were young adults and I was on my "pat malone" as they lived away from home sharing with friends... all those lovely memories in my face (the home) had to go so that I could move on .. I still have all the memories but without the "clutter"

Initially I travelled at a fairly hectic pace and without really experiencing what I wanted to .. now I just plod along linking up with my great GN friends from all over Oz ..

Time will govern your wellbeing .. and for some it can be just a little bandaid that is needed, yet others might wear a small bandage for some time .. this mad bunch of guys 'n gals  here will help you fill in that time .. time with friends works  Scotty and you're doing good !

cheers

Jon

Vk6tnc   Chris

Sometimes we find it hard to do what we want to do ,

I am starting off today to write down a plan  and see if that  helps me work out 

where to head in the near future .

Health is always a major factor  as well as state of mind   to cope and plan .

I have arthritus  which is a problem at times , my legs  don't  want to behave 

the way I would like them to . My third leg is often a big help when my back is  failing .

I need to be  more happy  with  the retirement thing.

thanks Chris  for your message.

I have a brother who retired at 60 and is now 79. He seems to be in pretty good nick. My oldest bro has never retired and he's 83. He still works 3 days a week as a hairdresser. Maybe it's because he likes what he does, and enjoys the company of the ladies. A snip, snip here and a snip, snip there, and "darling you look absolutely gorgeous". Hehe. As to me, I love writing and photography, and "work" 7 days a week. The main reason I wanna travel Oz is to give me an excuse to do more writing and take more piccies.

So, if you love what you do I guess it's not really work. When people recently asked what I had planned for the Easter break I shrugged and said, "Same as I always do."

BTW, I meant to add that the stories told on this thread of coping with the death of a loved one, assorted health issues, and other challenges, is most inspiring and I think you people deserve a huge round of applause.