Monday, Apr 12, 2021 at 16:23
You are right, it does feel like a huge step. I'd almost forgotten! About 15 years ago we bought a small bus & converted it over 3 years & travelled around Australia in it full time for 18 months + lots more shorter trips over the next 10years. It was as much
home as any bricks & mortar. Lots of folk either thought we were were crazy, or said things like "I wish I had the courage to do what you are doing BUT...... & there were a *lot* of buts ( finance, leaving friends, ageing parents, grandchildren, jobs etc etc etc). The biggest thing for us which made it easier (apart from the desire - like you have) was talking to others who were already doing it. There are so any folk out there on the road, part time & full time, you have no idea until you get out there. Finding them & talking to them was an immensely validating experience, it served to normalise our dreams & added all sorts of practicalities. I found a (now long defunct) online
forum of travellers & DIY vehicle converters & still know many of the folk from back then. So I can very much identify with your concerns & I enjoy posting as I have to you because it is a form of 'giving back' in the way all those who did similar for us when we were in the situation you are now in, plucking up the courage to 'let go'. I have never yet met anyone who having made the decision regretted having done so. We only get one life! We felt the same when I gave up employment at 40, & we went from two salaries to one salary, & a semi self sufficient small
farm life out in the bush. Another big step which we never once regretted. Same when we left our families behind in the UK & migrated to a Australia when neither of us had even been on a plane before, let alone visited Australia. We came with the view of 'making it work' & have never looked back. We are not the types to be totally & irresponsibly carefree, no matter how much we might desire that. We do plan. Not obsessively, but 'for example' we could have sold up everything,
home included, after our 18 month jaunt around the country to stay 'on the road'. It was very tempting, but instead we worked out how we could do it for as long as we want to, our safety net was a
home to return to if/when needed, it was a 5 year plan, which actually took 7 years, but we were committed to making it happen. Lots of conversations over that period began with 'When we are travelling again". Step one - decide & commit, fixing a date helps enormously, gives you something concrete to work toward. Step two. Do it. Step three- Smile with each other when you have your first conversation along the lines of "How on earth could we ever have worried about doing this". :) Safe travels.
FollowupID:
913799