Jay Signing Off
Hi folks, Jay here.
It was over two years and an age ago that we started this little blog. We’d no idea what we were getting ourselves into, quitting work and setting off into the unknown. The adventure turned out to be an incredible one for me, a journey which expanded the way I looked at the world and which gave me inspiration to push on for the second half of our lives. We’d no real aim when we set off, but somehow we met it. This blog helped tremendously, forcing us to look harder at the world as we wandered though it and introducing us to heaps of just wonderful people.
Now we’re back in the UK and if not settled, at least stationary. We’ve found work and feel a relieved glow at the sight of cash flowing into our bank account rather than continually out of it. Christmas is almost upon us, and with it comes a steady stream of friendly faces to socialise with. It feels good to be chatting with folks, listening to their stories of old and their hopes and dreams for the future.
And with all that, it’s time for me to stop writing this here blog. It’s been a ride, a blast. Ju’s yet to decide how she’ll continue to write, if at all, but that’s me done folks. It’s been cool, and one day we may well pick up where we left off. Thanks ever so much, and one last thing: if you’re teetering, if you’re thinking ‘should I?, shouldn’t I?’, there’s only one path to take, and it’s not the easy one. Jay
Bye Jay it’s been interesting following your wanderings. Good luck for the future and Merry Christmas to you both. Muriel
Thanks for the blogs, really enjoyed following your adventures and there must be other in the future for you both but if not then you’ve done more than most. No regrets eh? We are now left following our niece and her husband backpacking round the world (18 months in and still going strong, currently in Indonesia). Oh and best wishes to Dave!
It has been a pleasure to read about your adventures. You are an inspiring young couple. Wishing you all the best with whatever you choose to do. Kindest regards Colin
I agree and you have given us hope that one day we will follow in Daves footsteps! Get back in touch when you embark on your next adventure!
Ah the end,that is of course inevitable, well thanks for keeping me sane through dark winter days. You had become part of my daily life and now you’re going. Enjoy your future, I have an old life policy that matures in February, can you guess what I’m buying?!thats right an old hymer. You three have a lot to answer for
All the best
Richard
You have been a bright star in a hazy world of travel writing.
So long and thanks for all the trips.
Simon
Thanks so much for your ramblings … I am collating your GPS aires and sostas for our trip in April through Europe .. And just a word for any one else considering doing an extended trip look at yr house insurances … We have found we are not insured if we are away for more than 30 yes 30 days in one stint .. 60 days over the year WHAT… … We thought to be away for 4 months 120 days .. Bugger it if burgled we can buy new tellies …. GO FOR IT xxxxx
Hi Jay. So sorry to see the blog go but thank you so much for all the information and entertainment – and for pushing us in the right direction – we start our adventure in March. When (and not if) you set off on your travels again I hope that you’ll resurrect the blog and keep us up to date. Take care
It’s sure has been a blast! Hope one day you do write again because I can’t wait for the next adventure! I would come home from a crap day at work, brew up and read your blog. You were living my dream! One day hey! ;-) Until the next time………
Is this really the end or just the start of a new adventure, what ever you decide to do in the future I wish you good luck. I started reading your blog quite late on so now I intend to go back to the beginning and start again.I wonder how many pages it would take to print it all……Hope you both have a great Christmas and new year, not forgetting Charlie and Dave too.
I have looked forward to and loved reading your blog, we took some inspiration from you and bought our first motorhome as a retirement present to ourselves! We are enjoying it tremendously but won’t be any where near as adventurous as you two have been. Good luck for the future, thanks for all the info and take care.
Although our paths / tracks never crossed we really enjoyed reading of your adventures as we went about ours! Hope ‘Dave’ gets to go on some more adventures in the UK if not abroad for a while. Happy Christmas and a fantastic New Year to both of you.
noooooo dont go, LOVED IT THANK YOU BOTH
I’ll miss your comments
Have a good life and good luck
We’ll be following in your footsteps then branching out on our own very soon
All the best
Paul
Happy Christmas to you both and Charlie.
Love reading your Blogs and will be following some of the places when we go to Spain/Portugal in the Spring.
Well, thank you so much for taking the time and all the info you put into your blog – it’ll be used as a reference. As you know we live in hope of living our own little travelling dream. Who knows we may find our paths cross one day. Wishing you both and Charlie a wonderful, merry Xmas and prosperous and happy new year.
Lovely to have met you both.
Have a wonderful Christmas and healthy and prosperous 2014.
Paul & Christine xx
But what about ‘Our Barge’…
Bye Jay, I’ve so enjoyed sharing the last 18 months with you both, you’ll be sorely missed!
Ditto all the above posts. Thank you so much for making the time to take us with you.
Best wishes to you all. Hope Dave’s not feeling too abandonned! You are keeping him aren’t you.? Hope the website’ll stay live? I’ve missed loads and need to catch up.
Peter and Elaine
Hi Jay,
Thanks for the great blog. Our motorhome Hermie is the twin of yours and you have inspired us to travel further afield. We are even thinking Morroco,Spain France. If you are ever back in central Portugal drop us an email. We owe you a meal for all the pleasure and inspiration. Take care Jon
Hope you both (three of you ) have a great Christmas
and a great new year thanks for writing your blog
Wow. Thanks everyone, thanks a lot. Ju wrote half the blog and she’s not signed off yet, you might be able to persuade her to keep the whole shebang going? The blog will stay alive; hopefully it’ll be useful for folks. Cheers, hugs and merry Xmas all, Jay xx
It’s been a wonderful blog and an absolute inspiration. Will be doing my own thing next year buoyed on my you experiences. It almost feels like adios to a pair of pals. Wishing you both all the best for your future experiences exciting and mundane. Hope the memories stay with you always.
j and j,
still working our way through your journey around europe/morocco. still very impressive and totally captivating and yes….we are still “tittering on the edge” but it will happen. wish you both well in your future endeavours and who knows…somewhere…sometime…on an aire we may just meet up and do a “brick” together. bon chance!
I’ve so enjoyed your blog and followed you ritually from the time you made your way into Portugal in 2011.
It was interesting to see how you developed into seasoned travellers and the trip became more about your travels and what you saw as opposed to nagging doubts about Dave and money.
We first encountered your blog when you wrote your book on Morocco. This was instrumental in us motor homing in Morocco ourselves. We had considered booking a place on an accompanied tour which would have cost around £2500. Thanks to your book we took the plunge and went on our own and it was very much the right thing to do. Thinking back, we wondered what we were afraid of, but whatever it was your book was the kick up the backside we needed. I emailed my thanks to you when we were staying on the car park at the hotel on the edge of the Sahara, the one with the two large camels at the gate, the name escapes me for the moment. We too met some interesting people and have made friends which I am sure will be lifelong friends. We will miss your blog but fully understand your reasons for stopping writing. You have given us lots of ideas for future holidays in the motorhome. Good Luck with all your future endeavours and hopefully it won’t be too long before the wanderlust returns and we can once again share your adventures. Whatever you decide, please accept our best wishes for the future. Ann and George Clayton.
Thanks for your amazing blog over the past 2 years. It inspired us to plan our own trip. It was great to meetup with you in the final days in France and we hope you will at least keep the web site running even if its not updated.
Thanks for an entertaining read Jay. We will miss your creative, well written musings; let’s hope Ju keeps it going. You’ve both been an inspiration and have helped keep the flames of enthusiasm alight for our European tour, which will be commencing in around 9 months…excited is an understatement!! We wish you the best luck in the world for all of your future endeavours. And if you ever do get a twinge and decide to take Dave back on the road, let us know, it would be fab to meet you guys.
All the very best for Christmas and whatever 2014 has in store :-)
Thanks for the blog. I’ll miss you guys. Take care.
Just a quick thank you
To the 3 of you
After being a caravan child in the the 70s 80s with my parents
We then dragged our kids all over the uk and Holland in our caravan ( also took the kids to Glastonbury festival every year of there life )
I new we would end up retiring and travelling in our old age
But thanks to you lot I now know how I will be funding it and plan to set off earlier (by about 5 years )
Thank you again you have confirmed to me It can be done ( I would have done it any way ) (( I’m stubborn lol))
Thanks Steve G
Great news! Happy travels Steve, cheers, Jay