Theres some wonderful folk on this Grey Nomads forum!

jack biggles · Senior Member

RE: Theres some wonderful folk on this Grey Nomads forum!

STEVO · Veteran Member

Hi everybody,
I have not posted any messages on this forum for more than twelve months but regularly read all the posts and I agree that you are a wonderful bunch! Always offering support especially to Happy Wanderer. My sister is currently contemplating buying a motorhome and heading off as a Solo Grey Nomad so I have told her about this forum in the hope that it will encourage her to go ahead. Due to family concerns i.e. aging parents and kids needing us as babysitters for the grandkids, we have been grounded now for nearly eight months! Have to wait for the sons wedding in August before we can hopefully get to WA and stay away from all the family dramas for at least six months. We are escaping for just three weeks come this Friday. That's all we can do as another two weeks babysitting is required of us while the daughter goes to Europe. I just want it to be our turn to escape and explore this wonderful country of ours!!

Firefly · Guru

smile smile

I know where you are coming from thats for sure but its amazing how quickly they all adjust their lives when you are final with you decisions on what you want to do with your lives. biggrin biggrin

I talked to a lady the other day on the road who spent the first two or three years of her retirement babysitting. She said she had decided she'd helped out enough and her and hubs told them they were hitting the road. Her words were something akin to "I was amazed how virtually overnight they re-orgainised their lives."

One of her girls had eight kids of her own so it was a full time effort for the grans.

Have fun guys and stay safe, its soooo much fun isn't it. wink

lilly31 · Guru

I have alaway wanted to do the solo nomad thing (would do it with partner but no one will have me lol) But been a solo women was bit worried about doing it on my own .. but sence i have found this forum and all the help everyone offers and also seeing all the solo people out there ..both women and men i feel like i can go it alone and have been for couple of years now .

Just doing small trip at this stage but hope to go full time soona rather then later .....

I have met lots of lovely people when i go out there ..seeing more and more solo women each time i go .. All i can say is if you want to travel and one you own go for it you soon know if it for you or not and this forum is the best one i have found for help ..information..or just a chat ...

Thanks to all of you .....

STEVO · Veteran Member

Thanks for your advice Firefly. I love my grandkids to bits and it is nice to be needed but I think after our sons wedding we are going to be completely selfish and do our own thing. They will all just have to survive without us and I will try not to feel too guilty about leaving.

lilly31 · Guru

STEVO wrote:
Thanks for your advice Firefly. I love my grandkids to bits and it is nice to be needed but I think after our sons wedding we are going to be completely selfish and do our own thing. They will all just have to survive without us and I will try not to feel too guilty about leaving.

They will survive without you they alway do and think how happy the be to see you when you are home again....and we all need out own time too ....i raise my two girls on my own they are now 30 and 22 and have two wonderfull grandbabies now who are 7 and 12 ..and for first few years i had them all the time.. but i did pull it up and now i have them when im home but when it time for me i go they understand that i need my space too ...

In fact just did a two week trip to qld and took my 12 year old granddaughter with me ..she love it was bit bored to begin with but once we go in to swing she love to stop look at thing she dosent see at home she was amazed at the free camps how every one was so friendly .. so dont feel guilty just go enjoy they will love you more for it ....

Happywanderer · The Master

Ooh Landfall, however are we going to guess who the one or two are. We will hurt all the others feelings.

briche · Guru

I know all the things that I could say have been said but here's my two bob's worth. As a couple of newbie's to the grey nomads community we have to say how much we appreciate the advice we were give in the early days when we were setting up and finally getting on the road. Without that support the job would have been so much harder.

Thank you to each of you who offered advice that now sees us on the road with the knowledge that there are many of you who are willing to help at anytime someone asks for it.

We are getting ready to head off for The Gippsland area for about 6 weeks or so before heading north into the warmer climate .

Hope to catch up with some of you then

Brian & Cheryl
briche

STEVO · Veteran Member

Thanks Lilly31, you have made me feel better already! I have three grandkids, Jade 9, Van 4 and Lillia 2 and they are all wonderful kids and fun to be around but to be realistic I know that if we aren't here they will spend more time with other extended family members and probably won't miss us too much. There is Skype as well which is a great way to keep in touch. If anything it is probably me that will have the problem as I will miss the special times we enjoy with them.

Firefly · Guru

Stevo, our first trip was only 5 weeks and my grandie was only two or three at the time and I missed her sooooooo much I ached at times. We rang one night and she chatted away for ages asking when we were coming home and what we had seen. She then asked to speak to my Other Half and all she said to him was "bring my nanny home!"

It was so cute and showed how much she missed me as well. Next trip was a lot easier and she was two years older by then, we don't get away often. Now all she wants is a trip with us so she can see the crocodiles. smile

Briche, great to hear you are about to set sail mate, have a blast won't you and keep us updated. wink

I have never been to the Gippsland area, sounds pretty though.

Esmeralda · Guru

Ditto ditto ditto. A great bunch of people and you Jack Biggles always make me smile. I too live alone (unless you count Charli (the cat) and although I have other interests, find myself on the forum with a cuppa feeling part of something good.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Happywanderer wrote:
Ooh Landfall, however are we going to guess who the one or two are. We will hurt all the others feelings.

HW, I know i'm one of them, and I'm not going to tell who the other one is biggrin

jack biggles · Senior Member

Esmeralda wrote:
Ditto ditto ditto. A great bunch of people and you Jack Biggles always make me smile. I too live alone (unless you count Charli (the cat) and although I have other interests, find myself on the forum with a cuppa feeling part of something good.

Are you smiling or laughing at the silly old fool.

Travel Bug · Guru

Jack, there's a big difference between laughing AT someone and laughing WITH them.

Your posts have given me many a giggle.... smile smile

Esmeralda · Guru

jack biggles wrote:
Esmeralda wrote:
Ditto ditto ditto. A great bunch of people and you Jack Biggles always make me smile. I too live alone (unless you count Charli (the cat) and although I have other interests, find myself on the forum with a cuppa feeling part of something good.
Are you smiling or laughing at the silly old fool.

I try always to smile and look at the bright side but very often do not succeed. Laughing with someone is more fun than laughing at them. I enjoy reading all your posts and sometimes they make me laugh but always make me feel interested and involved.

Happywanderer · The Master

wombat, thats you and me. Sorry to the rest of you, Landfall said you are not nice.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

OK HW, that's the two front runners sorted, bugga the others furious furious furious furious furious furious furious

Cruising Granny · Guru

It's wonderful to have a close family and to be able to participate in family events.
I'm not sure that it's the kid's God-given right to expect the grandparents to be the full-time child minders.
We love them, care for them, and try to help if we can, but we are allowed to have our own life. Unless you and your husband/partner/lover no longer have enough in common to be able to go it alone, without the kids being the common link, go right ahead and share the rest of the world, if that's what you want to do.
The kids should be excited for you pursuing new adventures through travel, and support your decision.
I'd like to see just a glint of pride in my children's eyes when I share my travel experiences with them.
Instead I see disdain and criticism of my lifestyle of living in a caravan in a caravan park, between travel adventures.
Why can't they be happy for me?

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

CG, I'm happy for you.

The problem is world wide you cannot pick your family but you can pick your friends and lovers etc

Happywanderer · The Master

CG, thats terrible. At least my family want me out there doing something with my life and want to know all about it.
When I told my daughter I was coming home early, she irately demanded to know why. But as I explained there are just too many things that Myrtle needs done so better to head home early, get them done and check out nothing else needs doing so I can enjoy next winter up north with peace of mind and stay a lot longer.

Travel Bug · Guru

Likewise Marj.

My family know how long I have been looking forward to this and they are happy for me.

I really do consider myself to be one of the lucky ones though. I know quite a few who face similar opposition to you CG.