The Really Big Trip

Jeffrey · Member

The Really Big Trip

villatranquilla · Guru

Hi Jeffrey and Marian - we are 2 weeks into our new life and loving it. Have met some very friendly, lovely people. Free camping where we can to save $'s. No real plan except that our unit is let for 2 years after which time we will re-evaluate our situation. Plan on holidaying for the first 6 mths then may look for casual work - also keeping meticulous records of all expenditure
If possible just get out there and DO IT

Jeffrey · Member

No real plan. I like that. I trust you'll keep all of us informed. Have a great trip.

NeilandRaine · Guru

G'day
We have been on the road full time for only two years. You will get plenty advise but its best to do what you want to do and to find out just what you want to do will come to you on the road.

Jeffrey · Member

Thanks for that. Good advice.

Spooky · Member

NeilandRaine wrote:
G'day
We have been on the road full time for only two years. You will get plenty advise but its best to do what you want to do and to find out just what you want to do will come to you on the road.

On the road for two years...and that is the best you can do...Hmmm I hope I never park my Hallmark De-luxe next to your treasure...That is full of secrets...What next read my sight and learn more...haha...Why are you here...???......Cheers...

dazren · Guru

Geeezz !!! Spooky ! why don't you just answer the man's thread ?? instead of making smart alec comments, Advise jeffery of your travels and experience ?? Or is that the best You can do ??? dazren

NeilandRaine · Guru

Spooky wrote:
NeilandRaine wrote:
G'day
We have been on the road full time for only two years. You will get plenty advise but its best to do what you want to do and to find out just what you want to do will come to you on the road.
On the road for two years...and that is the best you can do...Hmmm I hope I never park my Hallmark De-luxe next to your treasure...That is full of secrets...What next read my sight and learn more...haha...Why are you here...???......Cheers...

If you have been here for more than five minutes you would know I have helped and advised many times if the subject is appropriate to knowledge I have.

In this instance I have advised someone new to do what THEY want, not what every one tells them to do.. The subject was very general and my response was very general.

And BTW I dont care if you never park your Hallmark next to me.

Cheers

Ma · Guru

Good for you Neil !!!!!!

Jeffrey · Member

Now now, settle down everyone. I didn't want to stir things up, just get the benefit of experience.

JRH · Guru

Hey let's all play nice. It would be a boring world if we all thought the same way, each one is entitled to their opinion and entitled to express it on the forum.

Peterpan · Guru

AS far as I can tell, only being a relatively newby on this forum, advice is given freely for our choice to accept or not.

We can say "what a great idea" I will use that! or

We can say I will need to investigate that to see if it suits my style.

There appears to be no pressure on anyone to have an idea adopted regardless.

We are all different , but we should be able to accept anothers point of view, we may differ in our thoughts , thats what friends do.

Have fun, enjoy the trip. Love the people you meet. ( Platonically that is.)

Brownie.

JRH · Guru

Peterpan wrote:
AS far as I can tell, only being a relatively newby on this forum, advice is given freely for our choice to accept or not.
We can say "what a great idea" I will use that! or
We can say I will need to investigate that to see if it suits my style.
There appears to be no pressure on anyone to have an idea adopted regardless.
We are all different , but we should be able to accept anothers point of view, we may differ in our thoughts , thats what friends do.
Have fun, enjoy the trip. Love the people you meet. ( Platonically that is.)

Brownie.

You don't like some advice given fine ignore it and move on, the whole idea of the forum is the exchange of information in an effort to help your fellow Nomad.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Heres a different experience.... we were going to sell up but decided to wait till we'd been away for our 6 month trip to be sure we were making the right decision. Well, after 5 months we were very glad to get home, and we realised we might move house to a smaller one, but we could never live permanently on the road.

Each to their own, and I wish you the best of luck which ever way you travel, or not!

JRH · Guru

Gerty Dancer wrote:
Heres a different experience.... we were going to sell up but decided to wait till we'd been away for our 6 month trip to be sure we were making the right decision. Well, after 5 months we were very glad to get home, and we realised we might move house to a smaller one, but we could never live permanently on the road.

Each to their own, and I wish you the best of luck which ever way you travel, or not!

We could never sell up and live on the road permanently, coming home is such a nice feeling and knowing that home is there is a comfort when travelling. Only my opinion and the way both myself and wife feel.

Ma · Guru

We, or should I say "I", contemplated selling up (after a big family disagreement but Blue talked me out of it) but in hindsight I am pleased that we didn't.

In the current real estate climate, unless you were fortunate enough to be able to invest the proceeds of the sale of your home and obtain an interest rate that was comparable with inflation, you would never be able to afford to buy back in.

There will come a time to all of us when we will no longer be able to travel, probably due to health issues, and it is a comforting feeling knowing that you have somewhere to go back to.

Just my opinion.

JRH · Guru

Ma wrote:
We, or should I say "I", contemplated selling up (after a big family disagreement but Blue talked me out of it) but in hindsight I am pleased that we didn't.
In the current real estate climate, unless you were fortunate enough to be able to invest the proceeds of the sale of your home and obtain an interest rate that was comparable with inflation, you would never be able to afford to buy back in.
There will come a time to all of us when we will no longer be able to travel, probably due to health issues, and it is a comforting feeling knowing that you have somewhere to go back to.
Just my opinion.

Exactly Elaine, we cannot travel until we drop and as you say it is comforting to kow we have somewhere to go when we become too ill or frail to continue with the travels.

Helena · Guru

Yes I agree with you Elaine we have a unit to come home to and are quite happy with it it suits us but as has been said may not suit everyone each to his own Helena

valnrob · Guru

My Rob says he could do without the house, but me....... I like to know there is still a place we can return to. If illness should strike we can go home. Wouldn't like to live in a van when ill. I don't think I would like to rent the house out cause we never know when we might need it unexpectedly. I like the idea of travelling for a few months but not sure about full time. Not everyone thinks the same, some can do without a home base and others like myself cannot

cheers

-- Edited by valnrob on Sunday 27th of November 2011 08:53:27 PM

pauline · Guru

Val I think in a perfect world we would all like some sort of home base...............but as we know the world is not perfect , I know ours isn't so what do we do , live for today and enjoy the lifestyle or live for tomorrow.............might never happen, that is the question we all must ask ourselves I suppose.

Sheba · Guru

Have PM'd you Spooky.

Cheers,

Sheba.

justcruisin01 · Guru

JRH wrote:
Ma wrote:
We, or should I say "I", contemplated selling up (after a big family disagreement but Blue talked me out of it) but in hindsight I am pleased that we didn't.
In the current real estate climate, unless you were fortunate enough to be able to invest the proceeds of the sale of your home and obtain an interest rate that was comparable with inflation, you would never be able to afford to buy back in.
There will come a time to all of us when we will no longer be able to travel, probably due to health issues, and it is a comforting feeling knowing that you have somewhere to go back to.
Just my opinion.
Exactly Elaine, we cannot travel until we drop and as you say it is comforting to kow we have somewhere to go when we become too ill or frail to continue with the travels.

These are the exact points that I have tried to make in the past when offering advise, Where do you want to be when the travelling is over, for what ever reason like health, tired of travell, etc but hopefully it will be old age with good health.

Cheers;

JC.

pauline · Guru

One place I don't want to be is a nursing home, but that is the question none of us know the answer to..............doesn't matter if we have a home base or not eventually we could all end up there.

barrie · Guru

2 years on the road and still enjoying it and what's better than meeting new friends along the way.

Jeffrey · Member

Thanks everyone, for the points you've made so far. It seems a home (base), however humble, is a good thing to have when you're too old or tired to keep moving.

chris & terry · Senior Member

Whether to keep a base or sell, when to go & in & with what I found the best & first question to ask oneself was, when leaving the driveway do I turn left or right? The next was where do I stop for the first night? Then just repeat the first & second questions. Hang loose & don't take it all too serious & just enjoy whatever pops up. Just enjoy the here & now Jeffrey, Take care.

terry

Andrea · Senior Member

As you have seen, Jeffrey, there is no definitive answer to your question. Unlike several others who have kept a home base, John & I sold everything in 2008, had a 5th-wheeler van built for us in Brisbane, and have now been on the road for three years. We've seen lots, but only a fraction of what we could see.

As for returning to a house: we tried sleeping in a house while house-sitting in country NSW. We lasted two nights - we could only describe being back 'inside' as claustrophobic!

So, it takes all sorts! smile

Andrea

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Hi Jeffrey I'm aiming to hit the road full time indefinitely at the end of March/April next year and will not have a home base. I doubt if I will ever own proprety again but who knows. Don't know what happens to nomads at the end of their journey but wouldn't it be great to have a big coaster fitted out as a mobile nomad nursing home, perpetually driving us around the big block, burying passengers as they expire at various camp spots complete with memorial plagues.

Jeffrey · Member

What a fabulous idea, I love it. Hope to find you on the road somewhere, Ellen, I reckon we'd have a good laugh. Cheers. Take care.

animalcarer · Senior Member

Well it souns you got different advice at all ends of the spectrum.

Love Elles advice.

Whatever floats your boat.

Howard and I have 30 acres out chinchilla way with a concrete pad, two old caravans, and a shipping container loaded to the hilt, with a kitset shed etc,

that is our homebase. But have no idea when we will move there.

We have had the hiccup of howard with bowel cancer, NOW CLEAR.

Our big trip hopefully will start in feb next year, I find the best thing is not to plan too far ahead, just breathe in and out and take a risk, s.....t you only live once, and you cant take anything with you when you spin off.

Follow your gut feeling, enjoy your hobby whatever it is, be kind to animals, and experience new things outside your safe zone.

Most important be happy, the universe will provide you with everything you need. And free camp as much as you can.