Hi everyone ! I've been devouring this forum since I discovered it recently. I've been thinking about doing this for a while but as many first timers mention, it is scary. I am in Darwin and a couple of years ago I left, although I love it, its very hot !! I thought I'd find somewhere cooler to live and sold my house, packed up my dogs and moved interstate, four times !The grass seems always greener etc. I spent thousands moving my furniture and renting places, mainly so my dogs could have a 'home'. I ended up back in Darwin after 18 months, but I realise I enjoyed the travelling more than the actual getting to know new towns. My question is : is there anyone out there who packed up, bought a van and went travelling only to regret losing their home base. As one person has said, it would be extremely difficult to get back into home ownership once the big step has been taken. Has anyone done this and then put it into reverse.
I think it would be very difficult to sell everything and then try and start again, i'd always prefere to have somewhere to comehome too... but I'm sure others would have there thoughts. and welcome to the site..
I have thought about it but know I would regret it. If my health went downhill and I had no where to come back to or just couldn't travel again I would want to come back to the comfort of my home. It might only be a rented unit but I know it's my base. If I gave it up I would have double the amount of money to travel on and would be able to do much more but as much as I think about it often, just wonder if I could cope without my home to come back to. Maybe if I had a bigger van and more creature comforts while travelling it might be a different story. Every nomads story will be different.
I had a friend years ago who used to say "If they tell me tonight that I will die tomorrow, will I spend the night wishing I had more time to do this?"
She made most big decisions this way.
When I would rush home to watch "days of our lives", she would say "When you are on you death bed will you be asking for time to see just one more episode of DOOLs?"
It helps me that I'm a sagittarian..... do it, and if its a mistake, fix it later.
Oh Rip and Rosie, Did you miss last nights episode. Brooke and Thomas were on their way to Australia for a promotion when they ran into bad weather and their plane has come down in the Pacific. Ridge is in a state of shock and I don't know if they will survive!!!!
Myryle, You get yourself fixed Now, and get HW away from that tele quickly, as HW is starting to show signs of going Gaa Gaa. She is a nice lady so you help her out now before it is to late, So myrtle i want you to get better, take HW shopping for a new Little Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, and get her up to those 'hot springs' she is talking about, Do it NOW before she gets fully addicted to the dreaded '' DROOLS'' dazren
Haven't watched days of our drearys for some 20 odd years now. I did happen to hit the wrong button on the telly the other day and there they were, Brooke, Ridge and all the gang and they didn't look any different to what they did way back then.
Pity real life isn't the same.....................Oh, to look that young again.........
-- Edited by Ma on Saturday 23rd of July 2011 05:40:12 PM
Hi Beverly and welcome. I have met quite a few nomads who have sold up and took to the road, and not one of them has ever regretted it. There are many who maintain a "base" to come "home" to, but hardly ever do. They either rent or leave it empty for the family to monitor during their absence. It's always a personal, very personal choice. Some people are attached to real estate and furniture, and others are not. You've obviously learned that you're not attached to real estate and furniture, and enjoyed the relocating better. That's travel. All you have to decide is what to keep and what to dispose of or distribute to the family. What you'll sell and what you'll keep. What you need and what you don't. Van living full time is my lifestyle of choice, but once again, it's a personal choice. Only you can decide.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Don't normally watch it but the tv is on the background about that time. Don't worry, I won't get addicted. When I was away at Easter it didn't worry me at all being without the tv, found plenty to do.
I also watch DOOL and B&B when I'm hanging around home. When I'm away on the job or travelling, I don't miss it at all. When I get to watch again I catch up really quickly. These soaps are an interesting entertainment phenomenon. Life is just not like that, we know it, yet we still watch.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Rob says we should sell our house, get a bigger van and hit the road permanently. We would not be able to get back into the housing market if we sold, house values are not so big in the country. Buying a bigger van would take a substantial chunk of the money we would get for our house. Lots of people do sell their homes and live in their van. I like to have a "homebase" but...... the last two times we have been away the hws has mucked up and we have had to do quite a lot of repairs making me think I'm giving it one more chance and then I might think about the big sell!!
We also have tossed this around, and at present prefer to have friends and neighbours keep an eye on our place - had it leased some years ago, but could not face that again. Perhaps in the next twelve months when the market might (?) pick up a bit, we will consider selling and down-size to an over 50's or something like that. The one thing it will have to have though, is a place to put the van!!
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Pejay are travelling in a 2014 Holden Colorado LTZ Twin Cab Ute + 2013 Coromal Element van
Regrets are what you get when you know you should have done something and didnt, as for selling up, and living the dream, you are the only person who can make that decision.
The only thing I know is that when my wife and I start our adventure, we dont have to worry about a house as we have been renters and are looking forward to the freedom of the travel.