I have become addicted...

I have a love hate relationship with the news...I feel I need to watch the national news because we don't get a newspaper and I should be informed. Yet I end up angry, frustrated, sad and a bunch of other emotions when I do. My favorite part is the making a difference segments telling someone's personal story. One of these was about a guy living in his camper that loses his dog in Utah. He tells a fellow camper and she posts it on her blog and by that night they found the dog in Boulder CO. Its such a sweet story because not only does he get his bf back but the VA finds him a little home to live in and his life is turning around. The camper that posted the dog lost in her blog has this great site and I started following her travel journal. She spent 7 yrs getting ready for her retirement and became a full time camper. She has a van with a solar panel on top pulling a 17ft Casita trailer with her two dogs. She posts great photos of her journey and seems to go out of her way to camp in nature away from people.

So then I start checking out other full time RVer sites and found a young couple traveling in a big ol 40 ft RV with 4 slideouts, towing a car. They have been doing this for 3 years with no plans to stop. They travel with a dog and two cats and love to meet new people wherever they go. They have found its better to slow down and spend time where they stop to really explore and enjoy. Sounds perfect to me!

 Completely different from the first blog... but I can't stop reading about the two different adventures and lifestyles. I am embarrassed how much time I spend on my ipad checking for new posts. I am sure J thinks I am on fb but this is so much better! Its so great because they even share how they got down to such bare bones to live. The big RV still has a storage unit but after 3 yrs realizes they need to downsize even more. They wish they had bought a smaller camper to get into more campsites. The trailer has bare necessities and avoids campgrounds keeping overhead to a minimum. She relishes the simple life and solitude~ her motto is 'living on less...enjoying life more'.
I also love that things like material possessions, clothes and appearance dont seem so impt. We live where there are billboards and tv ads telling us we dont have to age. Its more about the experiences and people they meet and living life as an adventure not just passing time....I wish we had not chosen buying a house and settling into this retirement lifestyle so young. I could see this being perfect for our 70s and maybe traveling around like these lucky people for our 60s. Trying new things and meeting new friends sounds wonderful to me.  I have always thought this would be such a cool life adventure to try out but never seem able to 'get there'. They both mention it being a bit difficult to get rid of all your possessions and live for the moment. I have also read about RVers planning to go fulltime and finding its just not for them. How do you know if its the perfect lifestyle for you or if you will miss having a home to return to? What if you sell everything and find it a mistake? How do you eliminate all the treasures and antiques you have collected in your lifetime? Yet as I walk about my house I see my lighthouse pictures and collectibles I have loved from past trips. The couple in the big rig have spent the summer staying at lighthouses in Oregon for free because they volunteer to work at them. Hmmm which is better? Collectibles or actually doing and living it...?!?
Its just fascinating to follow along and amazing how many full time rvers there are sharing blogs.
Not all are interesting but so many to choose from! I may not be the right person for this nomad lifestyle but I sure love to live vicariously thru people that are. My full time camper brother is one of the most content people I know. I plan to continue to downsize the clutter and stuff we have collected and who knows where our destiny lies.
 I hope to update from Canada but otherwise catch you in two. Thanks for dropping by.