The time has come to share the dream...
Dave and I have wanted to go and explore the world for a while now but we haven't been able to agree how to go about it! We have gone through all the options that we can think of and here are the arguments for and against for each of them.
Backpacking
Dave and I have wanted to go and explore the world for a while now but we haven't been able to agree how to go about it! We have gone through all the options that we can think of and here are the arguments for and against for each of them.
Backpacking
There's the obvious option: go backpacking. This was discounted as we don't fancy staying in hostels, camping would get annoying and hotels would be too expensive to sustain for a long period of time. I also don't fancy lugging round everything on my back and having the fear of my things being stolen. We would however be immersed in each country which I really want to do. What is the point in visiting somewhere to just see the touristy 'highlights'? I say 'highlights' - I think the best parts and best memories would come from going off the beaten track. When we went to Zakynthos, Greece a few years ago, we hired a little motorbike for a day and took ourselves off to go and explore the island. We found restaurants off the beaten track with delicious food and also a little dirt track that led down to a secluded beach that we decided to stop at and go snorkeling in! You don't get that on a tourist beach! However because of the original reasons, I don't think this is for us as a long term travel solution.
Motorbike/s
A few years ago Dave learned to ride and he has had a couple of motorbikes in the past. We have been away to France on the bikes before and had a great time: Dave riding, me as pillion. There were positives like being able to zip through all the traffic, you feel like you're experiencing the country better as you aren't stuck in a car, first on and off the ferry on the way across and back (which is cheaper because you're on a bike :-) ). You can park anywhere you want (for free!!) and people are more likely to come over and talk to you.
However there were downsides to the trips though. I got thoroughly bored staring at the back of Dave's helmet for hours on end whenever we were on the move! My knees got quite painful being sat in the same position for hours on end and we had to keep stopping for me to stretch yet as soon as I got back on again...ouch! Another problem for when you go down south....the weather gets warmer. When you're on the move that's fine as you get a nice breeze flowing through your helmet. When you're stopped though, that's a different matter. If I get too hot....I get grumpy. Even more so if I am stuck in leathers and having to carry around a helmet, a rucksack and a pannier (because we got soft ones so you couldn't lock them to the bike. Rookie mistake!)
If we were going to go around the world Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor style (watch Long Way Round and Long Way Down - this is where we got the idea from!), I'd sure as hell want my own bike to do it on. So I have so far done my CBT and the Theory Test. I now have to wait until I'm 24 so I can do my full license as there is no point doing the A2 license (which is all I can do until I hit 24) and having to retake the test so I can ride an unlimited bike when I hit the magic number! On the other hand...one bike each means double the cost to buy the bikes initially, double the fuel cost, double the insurance, double the tax etc etc so maybe not such a good idea then... :-(
Mazda MX-5
Another option is to use what we already have! When Dave had to move stations with his job from one 2 miles down the road to one 20 miles down the road, we decided to trade Bluebottle (the Yamaha) in for a car as it would be safer for him getting to work in the winter. Not just any car though...after having a bike for your main form of transport you need a fun car with beans. So we bought a Mazda MX-5 so we wouldn't miss the bike quite so much!
If we were going to go around the world Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor style (watch Long Way Round and Long Way Down - this is where we got the idea from!), I'd sure as hell want my own bike to do it on. So I have so far done my CBT and the Theory Test. I now have to wait until I'm 24 so I can do my full license as there is no point doing the A2 license (which is all I can do until I hit 24) and having to retake the test so I can ride an unlimited bike when I hit the magic number! On the other hand...one bike each means double the cost to buy the bikes initially, double the fuel cost, double the insurance, double the tax etc etc so maybe not such a good idea then... :-(
Mazda MX-5
Another option is to use what we already have! When Dave had to move stations with his job from one 2 miles down the road to one 20 miles down the road, we decided to trade Bluebottle (the Yamaha) in for a car as it would be safer for him getting to work in the winter. Not just any car though...after having a bike for your main form of transport you need a fun car with beans. So we bought a Mazda MX-5 so we wouldn't miss the bike quite so much!
I think this would be great fun for touring round Europe, roof down, sun shining, the wind in your hair = perfect! We would need to find hotels every night to stay in though meaning the cost would mount up. It's not great on petrol either which means lots of fill ups en route. So a fun but expensive option if done long term.
Campervan
A step up in size from the Mazda...and it has a bed which saves on all those pesky hotel costs! Woohooo!
We have hired a couple of vans in the past to check them out for size and to see if we like them or not. The first van we hired was from Horizon Motorhomes near Oswestry. It was a beast (too big for me to drive on my license) but we had a choice of beds as it slept 4. There was a kitchen, space to sit comfortably and also walk around in. It also (big bonus....) had a toilet! It would however be another petrol / diesel guzzling option for long term travel. On this trip we went to Lake Bala in Wales and then up to the Lake District for a few days and had a great time!
Campervan
A step up in size from the Mazda...and it has a bed which saves on all those pesky hotel costs! Woohooo!
We have hired a couple of vans in the past to check them out for size and to see if we like them or not. The first van we hired was from Horizon Motorhomes near Oswestry. It was a beast (too big for me to drive on my license) but we had a choice of beds as it slept 4. There was a kitchen, space to sit comfortably and also walk around in. It also (big bonus....) had a toilet! It would however be another petrol / diesel guzzling option for long term travel. On this trip we went to Lake Bala in Wales and then up to the Lake District for a few days and had a great time!
The second van we hired was a VW California from Jolly Good Van Hire in Shrewsbury. Fab service and very helpful there! We made it up to Fort William in Scotland with this one thanks to the unlimited mileage that's included in the price you pay! It was a lot smaller than the first van we hired but as this is more like what we'd be after to do our epic trip in we thought we'd better try it! It was snug - it would be perfect for one (or two people that are comfortable about being in such close quarters with each other). We did hire it in winter though and didn't try to put the side canopy out due to high winds. You can get drive away awnings which would double the amount of space you'd have for longer trips which would be very useful. It had two double beds in it as before but you had to rearrange the cab to get them both! We loved how many options we had with it though and loved the fact that you could stop in a car park and make yourself a Pot Noodle should you get hungry en route (which we did :-D) without worrying about hooking up!
This option is a strong contender for us as we loved the flexibility it gave us, it is about the same as a car for fuel consumption and we like the fact that Europe is geared up well for touring vans. :-) Plus...I can drive it on my license! :-D
This option is a strong contender for us as we loved the flexibility it gave us, it is about the same as a car for fuel consumption and we like the fact that Europe is geared up well for touring vans. :-) Plus...I can drive it on my license! :-D
Sailing Yacht
It has been a dream of mine to sail around the Greek Islands for YEARS. Dave has also fallen in love with the idea of it all. Being able to go from island to island whenever you feel like it. Drop anchor in secluded bays that are only accessible via the water. Live incredibly cheaply as your boat is your home so no hotel costs. Food can be bought cheaply in markets or fished out of the sea! You can go ashore for meals out and to explore each place you stop at. You have the flexibility to leave it in a marina so you can go inland for a few days/weeks at a time to go and explore. Meeting lots of new people at each marina that help each other out. It sounds like a friendly community from what we've researched so far! Being able to wake up and dive off the side of the boat for a morning swim before breakfast and move on to the next place whenever you get bored. Sounds pretty awesome to me!
It has been a dream of mine to sail around the Greek Islands for YEARS. Dave has also fallen in love with the idea of it all. Being able to go from island to island whenever you feel like it. Drop anchor in secluded bays that are only accessible via the water. Live incredibly cheaply as your boat is your home so no hotel costs. Food can be bought cheaply in markets or fished out of the sea! You can go ashore for meals out and to explore each place you stop at. You have the flexibility to leave it in a marina so you can go inland for a few days/weeks at a time to go and explore. Meeting lots of new people at each marina that help each other out. It sounds like a friendly community from what we've researched so far! Being able to wake up and dive off the side of the boat for a morning swim before breakfast and move on to the next place whenever you get bored. Sounds pretty awesome to me!
Seasickness will be a challenge but watching all the Youtube videos made by people actually doing it and reading their blogs allows you a glimpse into the lives they now lead. Ones without the stress of everyday life: the daily commute to work, work colleagues that make life difficult, the boss that just stresses you out, all the bills that just keep rising, keeping cars on the road etc etc I could go on.
It can be done for weeks, months even years at a time. Yes the boat will need TLC as it will be living in sea water but I think it will be worth it for a chance to see the world and take your home away from home with you!
It can be done for weeks, months even years at a time. Yes the boat will need TLC as it will be living in sea water but I think it will be worth it for a chance to see the world and take your home away from home with you!
I want a stress free life and I just can't see it happening without making some big changes right now. I've had some tough obstacles thrown in my face the last couple of years. Being told by your Dad that he has a brain tumor that is inoperable and will be fatal when he's just 57 years old. Spending the next 4 months on the edge of your seat, trying to fit in as much time as you can in with him but still not actually believing it is real until you get the phone call to say that he has fallen into a coma and has been rushed to hospital and to get there as fast as possible before it is too late. Being told by the nurse that he won't regain consciousness and he'll be gone within 24 hours and then 7 days later he's still hanging on. It screws with your head and I still can't get my head around it now 2 years down the line. Being 21 and arranging your Dad's funeral is not something I would wish on anyone. Knowing that you have your family around you makes all the difference in the world though and I don't know what I'd have done without mine. Following on from losing Dad, I then lost my Grandma almost a year to the day that we lost Dad. Double whammy.
Life is too short to just go to work to pay the bills. Life is for living and there is a whole world out there to be explored. Dave and I want to leave the rat race just for a short time to experience what life is really about and we think that the best way for us will be to buy a yacht and just go. No real timescale, just see where the wind blows us and work our way round some really amazing places whilst we still can. The best thing is that Scrappy can come too! :-D
Thank you for reading this and I hope that it inspires you to maybe do the same because you'll blink and your life will be nearly over. I want to be on my deathbed and have no regrets. There will be no 'What If's', just some hellish good memories and stories to tell the Grandkids!
The next challenge now is how we are actually going to go about buying a boat, deciding which one to get and where to start with the training because neither of us really have much experience of actually being on a boat...! Now that'll be a brand new blog post! Hmmmm.... but hey ho, look what Richard Branson says about it all...!
Thank you for reading this and I hope that it inspires you to maybe do the same because you'll blink and your life will be nearly over. I want to be on my deathbed and have no regrets. There will be no 'What If's', just some hellish good memories and stories to tell the Grandkids!
The next challenge now is how we are actually going to go about buying a boat, deciding which one to get and where to start with the training because neither of us really have much experience of actually being on a boat...! Now that'll be a brand new blog post! Hmmmm.... but hey ho, look what Richard Branson says about it all...!