Climbing the Hump, Again, 1 Week to Go Folks
It strikes me from time to time just what an odd life we live.
Ju and I took part in a club trail race a few days ago, which I really enjoyed. Two decades ago I could run a half marathon in under 76 minutes, which isn’t anything special, but I doubt I’ll be running that kind of time again, not in this life. The sensation of being in among other runners though, struggling past someone about as fast as me, and having them come back at me, really got the juices flowing. It was only a 4.6 mile race, and I came about half way down the 450-strong field, but it’s fired me up for more races in the future. Huuuaaarrrggghhh!!! :-)
At the end of the race I stood with one of the club’s other runners and mentioned we’d be away for three months so would miss some of the club’s spring and summer races. I didn’t want the club to think we’d just dropped them. He asked what I was doing and I told him we were going travelling. This (almost) always elicits the same response among those who don’t know our self-engineered-weirdo-lives: “how?”. I’ve given up going on about financial independence, which bores and confuses folks equally, so I just said I’m a contractor. “Huh, how the other half live eh?” was the response. Coming from a heavily working class background, I’ve never thought of myself as ‘the other half’! I guess that’s what I am now? I just nodded and walked back up the trail with him.
Anyway, I digress, sorry. The hump, that’s what I should be writing about.
‘The hump’ is the term we’ve come up with to describe the stuff you have to get over in order to get out. Taking off for months or even years of travel is a romantic notion when you’re fed up with work, and are sat in the pub shooting the breeze. It’s also a romantic notion once you’re on the ferry, your packed motorhome below deck, and are peering off across the sea to adventure, new friends, wine, mountains and beaches which await. In between, is the hump.
We’ve done our best to set up our lives to enable us to simply head off whenever we want to, and come back and slot back into life at home, just like that. Zagan has an all-year reserved storage spot a mile away. We share the house with tenants who accept we come and go. Letting agents make sure any problems with the houses and shop are nailed quickly. But even without the temptation of a work contract, the hump still won’t go away.
I’m not after sympathy here by the way – that would be nuts – I’m just after trying to tell anyone gearing up for a long tour who’s finding it hard work that it’s entirely normal, as far as we can tell, to feel that way. In addition to the problems of renting out or selling a house, buying a motorhome, taking the kids out of school and so on, ‘the hump’ is also the mental challenge of stepping away from a safe, entrenched life.
Life at home is easy. We have friends here we can go for a beer with in one of several great local pubs (The Stag: we’re going to miss you). Our families are a short drive away. We know where the doctors and dentists are. Everyone speaks English. We have use of a washing machine and an oven. The toilet empties itself and the shower supplies never-ending water. We’re in a running club who organise lots of events. We have a safe, flat bed each night which doesn’t bounce around in the wind. Saying goodbye to loved ones, is hard. This will be my 7th multi-month trip now (some weren’t in a motorhome), which I know is a massive privilege but it never seems to get any easier.
We’re a week away from the ferry. The Tunnel is by far Ju’s favourite but was so much more expensive we just couldn’t justify it. Fingers crossed for flat seas. While I’ve been hammering away at a keyboard slowly pulling together a book, Ju’s been sorting all the stuff that needs sorting: scanning up-to-date documents, buying travel insurance, buying Internet with Legs cards, updating our park4night and campercontact apps, updating our packing list and using it to check we have everything. And a hundred other things which I pretend don’t need doing but know do.
We may need a bigger van for all of Charlie’s medication!
Our worldly possessions, such that they are, are gradually making their way into the van. We coughed up for an AeroPress coffee maker, to clean up the job of making a decent brew of a morning, a replacement Camping Chair for the one I finally broke last year, and a copy of the Overlanders’ Handbook to scare myself witless with. Other than a few replacement clothes, and half a ton of various Charlie dog medicines, we’re travelling with much the same stuff as we had last time out.
So, where are we going? Answer: dunno. Honestly, we don’t yet know. The only fixed point is the Zermatt Half Marathon on 7 July in Switzerland, which I’m running with Phil (who was also responsible for getting us around the Marrakech half last year). Croatia will be lovely in the spring, and is tempting but for the fact we want to keep Charlie fairly cool, and it can get hot down there as we once found out. I guess we’ll just play it by ear.
We’ve got a final (for the next 3 months at least) get-together with mates on Thursday. Ju’s then off to watch our friend Sue run her first Marathon in London on Sunday (good luck Sue!). I’m on ‘lug stuff up to the van’ and wash the car (loaned from my parents-in-law) duty. We’ll then head south on Monday morning and stay at the Canterbury aire. The ferry’s then about midday on Tuesday, and with that we’ll be over the hump and back on the continent.
What happens after that is anyone’s guess. :-)
Cheers, Jay
I fully understand. Some 15 years ago we took a sabbatical… emptied a whole house full of stuff …to bring it all in again 1 year later. How I regret that! Now we are in/on/ under another hump…preparing for a long Scandinavia trip, ;-)) partly your fault ;-)))no set dates yet but hopefully sooner than later. Enjoy your trip! Your hump is getting smaller/ lower…
Good luck guys – looking forward to the blog updates against / come November we’ll be off again, you must telll more about how you started running
Take care
Paul and shell from ourleapoffaith
I’m sure that your hump will be conquered. Have a great trip. Remember that there is a steep
and narrow driveway waiting for you in Chamonix if your path meanders this way!
Keep blogging, I love the updates.
Despite the jealousy, I wonder how many people never do what you do for exactly the reason you say – life at home is easy.
I include myself in that – I’m not sure if when it really came down to it I could leave home comforts for so long. Did you have those thoughts the first time? Or were you so enthusiastic you just wanted to get going?
The first tour was almost 7 years ago now, so the memories are a little faded. From what I can remember, we were more anxious about our safety than anything else. Bring broken into, being mugged, making a mistake driving (especially in mountains) all featured. Oh, and the obvious fear that we’d made a huge error. We were living on savings at that point, had left well-paid jobs and had no guarantee of getting decent work again. The ‘credit crunch’ was in full flight at the time. Photos of me stood at Dover at the start of a 2 year tour show the face of a nervous, worried man, rather than the ecstatic fool you might expect. Cheers, Jay
Thanks – that’s comforting to hear, although that sounds wrong but you know what I mean. So many times on-line people are living these Instagramable lives, it’s good to hear what it really feels like.
We are also heading down to Croatia for the next three months leaving just one day before. Canterbury Aire on Sunday night but trying the Tunnel for first time as I have same view of ferries as Ju does. Currently at that stage of checking and rechecking physical and mental lists as we try to get organised! Love following your travels, you have inspired us to visit some places, we were a few stops behind you in Spain last year, and visited Cabo de Gata and Jávea for the end of the festival thanks to your blog. Hope we bump into you at some point on this trip, and can share a glass or two with you as a thank you. Lesley and Paul
Fabulous, we might see you down there or somewhere else on the continent?! Cheers, Jay
Looking forward to following your blog. We hope to have another continental trip later this year but currently enjoying the sun in Norfolk. English touring is so much more difficult and expensive than when you cross that narrow strip of water.
Tim
Have a great time! We always overnight on the seafront at Dover now…Have yet to work out ferry v tunnel pricing! Sometimes it is comparable and other times it isn’t, but always worth checking. We are currently in France, cutting grass under a hot sun…27°. Our next trip will be the Ile de Re on the west coast.
Hi guys, Tunnel was a fair bit more this time around for us. Ah, Dover, Marine Parade? We’ve gone soft!!! Need to get back into free camping! Enjoy the island, and the heat. Just been out for a run here, roasting now… Cold 🍺 required. :)
Good luck guys you have inspired us to travel and it will become a reality on the 21st May when we head for the tunnel to go where ever the feeling takes us! I really do have empathy with the Hump as after 30 years in a well paid job I’m feeling very nervous but excited I just hope the sleepless nights worrying are normal.
May be we will see you on our travels.
Regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff, yep, that’s normal if we’re anything to go by! Give us a knock if you see a van with big OURTOUR stickers all over it. Cheers, Jay
I am so excited your back on the road, I love your blog and have missed your posts. Ju was it you being interviewed by Angela Rippon on the BBC recent health program? Talking about Paracetamol? Safe travels😄
Hi Gilda
Yes it was me! Didn’t realise it had been aired, I will have to have a look on iPlayer. Should have brushed my hair that day 😂
Cheers Julie
Ah, has that been on the telly Gilda? We spotted Angela while walking into the market square in Notts. Ju was straight in there (she’s been ‘media trained’, that’s my excuse) while I beat a hasty retreat! Thanks for letting us know, cheers, Jay
Hi Jay, yes it is the BBC program Health: Truth or Scare look at episode 5. Ju has a great screen presence, I recognised her imediately…well media trained indeed😄
We’re 6 weeks in to our European adventure and have gone through the ‘what if’ stage. Bizarrely, I wrote about that yesterday! It didn’t help that our gasit system leaked the first time we filled it en route to the ferry! I thought our van and the petrol station was going to blow up! Looking forward to your updates again. Your blog inspired us to do what we’re doing now!! Currently in Seville with Portugal our next destination. Take care and safe travels Scott & Sarah http://www.ourgreatestescape.wordpress.com
Hi Scott! Looks like you’re getting the hang of it quickly fella! Stuff ALWAYS breaks, ALWAYS!!! Our mate’s hab door refused to close just as we were about to board the ferry for Morocco, requiring some quick tool work. Our fridge conked out on our first trip, and we ripped off the main skylight, before we go to the ferry. We’ve mangled hinges on the habitation door, twice, smashed the bathroom mirror, knocked the bathroom sink drain though, blown out a tyre (which ripped through the wheel arch and did plenty mischief inside), ripped off an awning in Scotland, set fire to a gas BBQ, bust a fair few cupboard hinges, cracked the front bumper on ramps, rolled backwards into a tree, punctured a van on some rebar sticking out a wall (Italians!!! :-)), yeah, you get the picture. You can always get stuff sorted though, and Ju’s great at staying calm while but I go into a mild meltdown every single time until I come to my senses! Keep at it mate, Jay
That’s an impressive list. As you say, things can always get sorted though. The weather is picking up now which is good. The snow in northern Spain when we landed was a bit of surprise! Cheers
Have a great time we just back from a week in Holland off to France for a week in may france is great for motorhomes we can only do a week or two at moment 4 years and we can break free
Ah now! When you go this time, you are only 11 months ahead of me. The self build idea was scrapped, too much brow beating from family, and tbh, just loading the van (Adria Twin) on our steep drive, I’ve realised building it out would have been a nightmare. Plus the time it would take to build, by carrying on working, I could replace, some, of the extra money I’ve spent. And again, I could never have been able to build it ti this standard. I’m loving it.
Right then, notice goes in 8/3/19, on a Santander ferry 18/3/19 ish. South to Almeria, west to Almeria, north up west coast, back into Spain,east along north coast, into France and home along east coast. Three months. That’s the plan. This time ….
‘spose I’ve got to follow your travels again, bu**er
Derek
West to Albufeira
It’s a great feeling when you get to the top of the hump and it’s a great ride down the other side.The top of our hump was last September and has been a great ride so far. Been in Spain since December
Hi Jay.
Good luck with your travels and we will continue to follow your adventures. We have just returned from our first extended travels in the motorhome. We had one year in Spain and Portugal. I lugged around my big expreso coffee machine which was a bit of a luxury in the tight confines of a motorhome. I have looked at the aeropress and thought it a great idea especially when off grid. Have you used it yet? And what do you think of it?
Dan
Hi Dan, I’ve used it a few times and am happy with it. It doesn’t make coffee like a machine though, I don’t think anything does. I get a similar result to my Italian hob-top coffee maker. Cheers, Jay
Hi you two plus Charlie, of course. Not that you need any incentive, but we are sat in a Sosta right next to the beach in the Garganto Peninsula on the Adriatic coast. About 20’C, gentle breeze, not too hot for the dog. Pizza & gelato on tap. Heaven. Only been going 2 weeks & few challenges on the way. Not least Sat Nav kaput, and reaching a narrow barrier on a mountain pass in the Appennines. Just when we thought the only way out was 100 miles back the way we came, a local guy turned up, looking like the local mafia complete with cigar & earing, drew us a map & showed us a short cut back to the main road. Nothing like it to restore your faith in human nature. Next decision, which ferry to Greece? Keep us posted on your travels.
Oh yeah, we know about the hump. Thought we had it under control this time, with 18 days prepare for our next two month trip away. We missed our ferrry to _Spain_ by 10 minutes and consequently saw more of the French Atlantic coast than we’d expected (thanks BF for rebooking us with such good grace). Now in Conil in Spain, listening to the thunderstorm outside, and trying to zap the last mosquito before bed. Have a great time on the road, and get some (moderate) heat into Charlie’s old bones!
Hi to you all, we are travelling on the ferry on the 23/4 looks like ferry wins £66 one way. We’re heading to king Ludwig castle and Black Forest and where ever takes our fancy. So excited but we are newbies at this so learning all the time. Have fun Ellen & Alan x
Wish you all the best safe travels. We are just over a week into our approx 3 month tour 1st motorhome. Strasbourg at the moment got cheap fuel in Luxembourg following the sun and wandering. Love to Charlie x
Hi, I’m so pleased to hear you are heading off once more. You inspired me to start a blog of our travels. We are retired and enjoying our Gap year!! Enjoy your new adventure. Carol & Andy x
The only reason I keep my Tesco credit card now is so i can get free Eurotunnel crossing via their Tesco Points deal. The great bargains of the past are gone but it generally bags us a free crossing. Note. We don’t generally shop at tesco, we use their credit card, pay it off each month, and grab the points.
Life has got in the way for us recently and extended the Hump by about 6 months or so. We managed to get away for a couple of nights and it reminded me that I prefer my 6.5 metre mobile house to my 4 bed stationary one. I just can’t wait to get over our hump and head off. It may be just a regular 3 week holiday this year. Hopefully, once life is sorted out we can make it full time and head for Norway’s west coast (I think we’ll miss the window of opportunity this year).
Anyhoo…. good luck on your latest voyage. If you’re in France in June/July we may yet get to meet up (I really want to cycle in the Alps near Grenoble).
I’m Blogging again now.. at https://gohumberto.com should you be that way inclined.
Bon Voyage, Bon Route and Bon Courage.
Lee at Go Humberto!
Hi we are a lot older 68 &77 but still traveling. We left out motorhome in san Sebastian a week ago and are taking a two week walk to Burgos. At the moment we are relaxing after a menu del dia listening to music on iPlayer in an Albergue with Wi-Fi for E6 each a night. Left the motorhome in San Sebastion. LIFE IS GOOD
It’s only two weeks until my 10 week sabbatical. First week I’m going on a mini motorbike tour with my youngest son, his father in law and brother in law. Then me, the missus and Milly the Springer are off to Europe for 9 weeks in our motorhome. The first time we have spent longer than two weeks in it. We are heading south, but no idea yet whether we are heading towards Spain, or northern Italy. Croatia has also been discussed! Enjoy your trip guys and maybe we will cross paths. Happy travelling!!
Hope to bump into you guys! Liking mixing up motorbike and motorhome, good variation in speed there! Wherever you choose to go, have a great time. Cheers, Jay
You must be on your travels again by now – miss the weekly updates when you’re at home!
Firstly, thanks for all the knowledge we gained from your blogs, which helped convince us that we should buy our motorhome (which we purchased in August 2016). We love it, and after four 6-week trips in Spain, Italy and France are planning a longer trip next year.
I am worried, though, about the effects of the new ETIAS requirements. There seems to have been little discussion about the 90/180 day rule which will seemingly apply to the UK after Brexit when ETIAS comes into force in 2020. Just wondered what your thoughts are?
Meanwhile, happy travels and look forward to reading about them.
Best wishes, Patti
Hi Patti – thanks for getting in touch! Hmmmm, Brexit seems sure to affect the way in which us UK residents can travel Europe in future. I don’t claim to understand any of this – rules around Schengen zone access, how insurance will be affected, mobile data roaming, pet passports, state health cover, you name it. Our view is just to wait and see what happens, and to decide what to do once the details are known. Cheers, Jay