We are blessed to have traveled as much as we have. We've been in Asia and Israel, we've been several times to Australia, I've lived in the Cook Islands and visited once since, and we have seen quite a bit around New Zealand. Thank you Lord. But, there is always more..........
2015 - we decide to put our house on the market with the plan to down-value to free up money for travel and other things. Just as our contract was running out and we thought we wouldn't sell, a buyer arrived and the deal was done. Now where will we go?? Where is that perfect house for not too much money??
It
wasn't around! Within a couple of weeks our thinking was taking a
different turn. We had already had the thought of taking a storage unit
to store stuff while overseas, and now it was a real possibility. And
why not buy a caravan to be our home in between times. Before we knew it
we had bought a UK caravan, a Bailey Senator Virginia, 19 feet long,
and totally self-contained. It is to be delivered to Amber Park Holiday
Camp on Friday 26th June where we will learn how to set it up and will
start to settle in. Settlement on our house is 3rd July, so that gives
us time to move into it.
Woops, we find out we need to upgrade our car to pull the caravan! Our trusty 1997 Toyota Caldina at 2 litres is not up to the job. So we start looking at cars and get totally confused. Finally on 15th June we buy a Holden Commodore Omega which is 3 litres so should be cruisy. The first job is to get a 2-tonne tow bar fitted - more money to spend .
In the meantime I have a birthday. I'm officially 70 so that's supposed to be old, but it doesn't feel it. Interesting time of life to be setting off on a new adventure.
The broad plan is to travel around New Zealand when we can, but we already have Thailand booked for 22 July to 22 August, and are going to Sydney in January. Perhaps next year it will be possible to go to the UK for their summer. I certainly hope so. Winter is not the best time to be setting off in a caravan, but it won't be for long, by spring we will be getting on the road.
So now our house is in a mess as we sort and pack and make decisions: caravan, store or give away. It's all good - we are very happy with what we are doing and looking forward to
it. We have joined the NZ Motor Caravan Association and their information is
terrific. There are great stories by other motor homers and caravanners about the wonderful places they have been and great things they have done,
so soon we hope to join their ranks.
