Eight Months at Home, and the Road Calls!
Flippin’ ‘eck. Would you believe it, we’ve been home in the UK now for eight months!
Zagan’s wheels rolled to a halt in his storage space up the road back in July 2017, and haven’t rotated much since. As well as regular checks to fire the engine up and turn the wheels a little, we’ve also nipped out in him to use as a base for the evening, while visiting family. The last time was a few days ago. Refilling the water after a winter’s freezing, even though we’d properly drained him down, we were both a tad nervous something would have broken. But hot water flowed from the taps and no leaks sprung forth from the heater, phew. Having had a service, MOT, new front springs, two new tyres, a new starter battery and new stainless exhaust section, Zagan’s ready for action. But what about us?
Our shop during the latest snow and ice last weekend. We live behind the shop – note dangerous proximity to the chippy, curry house and pub down the road!
Ju on a wander around the local area, enjoying the fact we had a log fire to return to!
With Zagan straining at the leash, why aren’t we giving him the run of his rubber feet? Well, soon we will be. After all, the mountainous wine and beer stash we dragged back up the M1 eight months back has finally run dry (yeah OK, it ran out a while ago)! On a more serious note, each time we go up to the van, old tingling sensations ripple through us. Memories are starting to emerge, more of sensations than places perhaps. Of warmth, sunshine, mountains and blue skies, an ease with life. Of a newness as we moved, of a sort of identity as a ‘traveller’. When we leave the van and head home, these feelings subside, but don’t disappear. I suspect if Zagan was parked outside on the drive and not a mile away, we’d have been off in him long before now.
We’ve both enjoyed being at home, feeling a community around us, helping out here and there, seeing friends and family, supping a few fantastic beers in the locals, hitting the gym, even running with the local club (the heroic Kimberley and District Striders – the ‘drinking club that runs’). But time’s passing and the weather’s changing. The idea of a short tour’s formed, and we’ll be outta here in about six weeks.
The plan is this:
- Ju’s watching our mate Sue run the London Marathon towards the end of April. I’ve been doing a few training runs with Sue, although so far I’ve only managed a 14 mile run while she’s done 19 miles (hardly breaking a sweat), so I know she’s well-set for a great day down ‘souf’.
- We’ll get Zagan cleaned up and packed ready for a three month jaunt, hopefully down as far as Croatia, starting when Sue’s done the big one. We’ll then be heading north again to Switzerland for a half marathon I’m running with our mate Phil in early July, up a mountain near Zermatt, **wince**.
- Ju’s managed to get tickets for Children in Need’s Carfest in the UK towards the end of July. So, we’ll try and spot a stage of the Tour de France in the Alps, before heading back up for the festival. Hopefully Blighty will have a summer in 2018, fingers crossed folks!
After that we’ll either stay in the UK, maybe tour Scotland or Ireland, maybe head back home, maybe swing south again. Much depends on what’s happening with the aged pooch. Charlie’s spending more and more time wide-eyed and trying to escape from the nation’s veterinary surgeons. His medicine cabinet’s bursting with pills and potions, and we now have a sheet listing which to dispense when, in among his meals. Being a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, he was almost always certain to face a bunch of inbred neurological and cardiovascular issues, along with good old-fashioned arthritis. As he’s 11 years old, he’s now most certainly facing ’em, the poor fella. It’s heartbreaking stuff, and I won’t dwell on it.
Just some of Charlie’s daily medication. Thankfully he likes the taste of all of the pills…
Quickly touching on the ‘financial freedom’ stuff, things are panning out mostly as we expected. No massive surprises, the income flows, the bills for maintenance and repairs are about as we guessed, our costs remain fairly steady. We still have our emergency fund sat waiting to solve any financial earthquakes. Of course, whether our plan will actually stretch out decades into the future, only the gods know. Doing more to reinforce our income (in other words, doing more paid work), remains an option on the table.
Two things have happened which I didn’t expect though:
- I’m finding being financially free in our 40s a little socially isolating, though I think this is more a reflection on me personally, than on our ‘financial status’. In other words, very few people around us are in the same boat. One thing which binds people together, I think, is shared difficulties, some of which we no longer share. One of the ladies at the running club gets up before 5am to run before work. I go out when I like, so I’m simply not in the same position. For me, a string of small things like this makes it harder to relate with folks day-to-day. I’ve found getting to financial independence has, while releasing me from work-induced chest-pains, made me just that bit lonelier.
- In stopping travelling, I also found I lost my sense of who I was too. My status has bounced over the past few years between ‘someone who does IT‘ and ‘someone who renovates a house‘ and ‘someone learning about personal finance‘ and ‘someone who travels‘, and continued to bounce back and forth when I started and completed the IT contract last autumn. After that though, my status changed to ‘ermmmm???‘. Neither employed, nor a contractor, nor traveller, nor house renovator, nor unemployed. None of those terms fitted. I suspect we all need some kind of status, some sense of who we are, something to give us fulfilment and purpose, and I’ve not had that for the past few months. I’ve felt I’ve not had the tools to find it either, despite trying a few different methods.
I do have a new project now though, which I’m finally getting my teeth into with gusto: let me introduce the OurTour Guide to Motorhome Europe! The aim is to sum up all the cock-ups we’ve made over the years touring the UK and Europe in vans, and describe how we somehow survived :-). It’ll end up being a printed book, assuming we can get it down to less than a thousand pages, and an eBook too. It’s taking a fair while to pull together and edit, so it’ll be a few months before it hits the shelves. It’s proving a really fun project to work on, and I’ll continue to search for similar projects in the coming months and years to keep me challenged.
Right, that’s it for now, catch you later guys, have fun!
Cheers, Jay
Thanks for keeping in touch. As soon as winter leaves us, if it ever does, we have a trip to Italy’s Amalfi coast for our 50th Wedding in May. That may change as we get closer to the date but we will be going somewhere. We are overdue and I can feel the need to go again. It’s been a very long winter here in Alberta
Very interesting to read about the isolation, I did think of that. We (husband and I) are based in London and the London marathon passes in front of our place in Canary wharf. We have been amazed by your story and would love to meet you if you have the time. :-)
Cheers! Swathi
The book is a great idea. So many people find your blog and inspiration and a source of almost infinite wisdom for all things motorhoming: if you can get even a fraction of that in a book it will be a great resource for all budding travellers. Very sorry to hear about poor little Charlie.
look forward to your book :) i love following your adventures. i am making plans to buy a motorhome and travel full time for a couple of years. need to wait till my son is old enough to be on his own, turns 16 soon. the other thing stopping me is that i am single and a bit worried about getting bored travelling alone. maybe that status will change by the time i am ready :) good luck with your plans, and look forward to reading about your new adventures.
Look forwars tothe next trip out. On another note, Hope you dont think I’m being nosey, but do you have to still pay N.I. contributuions so you’ll eventually get your old-age state pension? I think we have to pay for 40 years to get the ‘full’ state pension…. or maybe you’ll so rich you wont need it! Good luck!
Hi Allun. Good question. There is a government website you can check your NI history on, and see the remaining years needed for full contributions. We’re both some way short of a full pension. At the moment we’re paying NI through our IT contracting business, but that won’t be enough for all the years we need to buy. You can buy a number of years backwards, so we have until we’re at least 50 to decide whether to buy all the remaining years. The question is: will the state pension be means-tested by the time we’re 67? Cheers, Jay
When reading about your not working induced loneliness and lack of a status, Hugh Grants character in the film ‘About a Boy’ popped into my mind.
Yep, it’s popped into mine more than once too John. Cheers, Jay
I have been in the same position with regard to “status”, being 10 months into for the sake of a better description “early retirement”. Inevitable the questions pop up either what do you do, who do you work for etc, etc. I’ve had feeling of guilt, told people I’m on a gap year. However now I answer to the first question ” Anything I feel like doing!” I’m over the guilt thing, my husband and I have both worked hard, made sacrifices, life choices which has given us our financial freedom. There are surprisingly loads of things that I’ve done where I’m meeting so many new people and feeling fulfilled, beach cleans, cycling club, at my French evening class, helping out with event organising in my local community. So I’ve decided that for me the status thing is a label which others need more than I do. I don’t want to be constrained by it. So I hope this makes sense, be whatever “status” you want to today. Today my status is Happy😀
Hi both, good to hear you are planning a new adventure. We are on a short trip in Wales at the moment learning how to motorhome with our Cockapoo puppy, it had crossed my mind that you would be worried about going on a long trip with Charlie. Having been retired for some time I have now become used to loss of status/ title but comfort myself with the pleasure of the freedom it brings in other ways. Enjoy your travelling.
How lovely to read another post again! I can imagine your itchy feet! As for your status: to me you simply are Jay, the honest and great blogger and inspiration to all! And I think that’s quite a status!! Cheers and hug to Charlie!
Ahh, Chippy and Curry House and you want to get away.
I look forward to reading about your next adventure, been a long time off the road.
While on the subject of travel, I know it’s a simple question, but here goes.
When in France, if a French based person wants to contact you on a mobile, what code do they dial? Only asking as we are off once again in May and I wanted to update our Jack Russels name tag. Silly question, but we never use a mobile much when away.
Cheers and good luck with any future planning.
Richard
Hi Richard. For a UK SIM, they’d need to dial +44 or 0044 followed by your number with the initial 0 removed, so 0044 71234 567890 for example. Happy travels, cheers, Jay
Hi Jay, Thank you for your help, silly old me I thought it was more complex than that. Cheers, Richard
You’re welcome, cheers, J
Look forward to the new publication which I suspect will be a must read.
Will enjoy the new tour and your brilliant blogs. Never found any others match yours. You both seem to have a gift for writing.
Do I detect that for some time you are going to forget the long jaunts and that they may become a thing of the past?
Thanks Chris.
We really don’t know re: the long tours. It’s really hard to say. When we’re at home, it’s quite hard to leave everyone for a long time. And yet when we’re on the road we can find it hard to come back and settle back in, especially without jobs to ground us again.
Nice problems to have eh?
Cheers, Jay
I like the idea of the new book – everyone likes a ‘war story.’ We’re almost 3 weeks into our first 3 months th trip after FIRE. We’re loving the isolated inland areas and coastlines like Cabo de Gata, but struggling with the tourist resorts and miles of ugly plastic greenhouss – all part of the learning curve. Still, we’re sat in the sun listening to the birds and waves on an aire at Castell de Ferro, so all’s good.
Look forward to reading about your next tri.
Paul
Hi Paul. Spain and Italy have some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline, and some utterly awful stretches, ruined for ever, best left to the crowds. Keep looking for what suits you. My favourite coasts were Northern Spain, south-West Portugal, Croatia, Greece, southern Italy, Atlantic coast of France, but there are pockets of unspoiled, interesting coast everywhere. Have fun, cheers, Jay
Misread one of Charlie’s tablets … read it initially as libido … thought Charlie was having fantastic final years!
Hi Jay,
I came to the UK when I was 17 to study and having grown up in Asia and attended an english primary followed by secondary, it always felt normal and made sense to carry on my career on these shores. However, without a sense of belonging and roots to say where home truly lies. Having a career for around 20 years now a longing for freedom in all forms grows within me and within my wife. Basically we yearn to start afresh and FI is our target so the decisions we make are not confined by the worry of “Can we afford it?” and “Where will the next paycheck come from?”. Speaking to the IFA this past week he said “your on the right track if you set yourself targets” and the joy of planning your next trip must feel like a great target to aim for. Booking a few days stay in the Brecon beacons Easter week also felt like a treat and a welcome break to look forward to.
My suggestion is to provide advice to others who are the path to FI and I would certainly welcome that advice.
All the best,
Pedro
Really enjoy reading your blogs. One thing that has occurred to me is how much you have enjoyed being at home and being part of a community again. Going on long trips makes you really appreciate the home life which the majority of us don’t appreciate. All the time we are wishing we were somewhere else.You get to love both which is fab!
Hi Jay & Jules. Not sure if you saw our last email. We’re off next week to Greece via ferry from Italy. Getting used to wild camping. Short trip to Germany last year. Bit longer this time. Enjoying the mix of time away & home socialising. I’m sure you will find the right balance. Status doesn’t matter if you ‘ are good in your skin’ , as the French say. Love to Charlie. Daisy still causing chaos.
Hi guys, I’m not sure we saw your email either. Have a great trip, Greece will be wonderful in the spring. Charlie says hi! Cheers, Jay
Hi guys, my husband and I can really relate to your comment about status. We are in our late 40’s and like you are fortunate enough to be able to chose wether to work or not. After doing several motorbike trips, visiting as many as 8 countries in 25 days we decided we wanted to go for longer. So we bought our first motorhome last year and whilest doing our research I came across your blog. I found it brilliant as we are so similar, even down to traveling with a small dog and living only a few miles away in sunny Derby. My husband even worked in IT. Spookey
What I want to say is don’t belittle how much your blog helps people, with information, advice and inspiration.
We are off in a few days on our second big trip to Italy for 4 months and we may return via Croatia. If we do find ourselves close to where you are, we would love to catch up with you both and there maybe a glass or two of red involved.
Happy traveling
Hi guys,
Really looking forward to hearing about Croatia. We spent 3 days in Zagreb last year (travelling by train) and it was great. We plan to go by van as soon as possible.
Regarding dogs; we have a Black Lab with elbow displasia and 2 years ago it was quite bad. The initial problem was solved by lots of rest and Metacam but a vet friend suggested daily fish oil (not cod liver oil). We have given him “Wilko Omega 3 Fish Oil – 1000mg” every day and he’s not shown any symptoms in the past 2 years. Might be worth trying – it’s dirt cheap.
Regards,
Joe.
Hi Jason,
The plans for the next few months sound great and I look forward to reading more japes and seeing more ‘doors of the day’. I ‘retired’ three years ago at 50 and relate to your musings on status or what to say when asked ‘what do you do?’ I have been doing contract work lately and it is a much shorter conversation when asked but this finishes on Thursday (I’m quite excited:). So when I am asked I plan to think; ‘ what would Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius say?’ Probably something like; “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.”
My friends know me for more than any paid work I chose to do. People who judge me unfairly will always exist and I acknowledge this but hey ho, says more about them.
Anyway you can clearly describe yourself as a travel writer. Which is what you are. Up there with Eric Newby (you have read Newby….?), Bill Bryson, George Orwell (though when he went to Spain he got shot…) and many others.
Thanks for all your words and honesty. Spring is almost Spring-ing. Have fun.
Chas C
Look forward to this book!, your information is invaluable and so honest and has helped us to plan the trip which we just started yesterday! Currently in Ypres, I’ve e mailed you directly too
Cathy
As for status
I sometimes reply international drug smuggler.
Always rises an eyebrow !
As I bring back alcohol and tobacco, I think the title is just👍
Hi Julie & Jason – thanks for the blog. We find ourselves in a similar situation (FIRE couple with a dog & motorhome) and having spent last summer exploring Scotland we’re off to Scandinavia in May. When you did that did you have any hassle with taking your dog between countries? Some websites suggest we’ll need to have tapeworm treatment which might be tough in northern Finland.
P.S. I empathise with the “loneliness” issue of giving up work in your 40’s having worked like idiots to get where we are.
Hi Ian. Good to hear from you! As far as we are aware, you need the tapeworm treatment before entering Finland or Norway. We got ours done in Estonia and travelled through Finland to Norway. We believe we’d have been allowed into Norway, of checked, at the border in the North. The information was confusing though, and no-one checked at any Scandinavian borders. Cheers, have fun, Jay
” Two things have happened which I didn’t expect though:…… ”
Jason, you’re back
I think “International Travel Blogger” seems like a fitting status. Lord knows your blog has bailed me out of a good few on the road “what was that… “ heart stopping moments. The book is a great idea, your writing style is easy going and accessible. There are so many more vans on the road these days you’ll not have any issues with marketing. Looking forward to it!