Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Travel (page 20 of 28)

Solo Camping – The Joy of Being Me

February 12, 2020 / / 66 Comments

For the last five years, Mark needed to return to Massachusetts in January for doctor visits. Sometimes, I joined him. Not that I wanted to (who prefers to be in the Boston area in the middle of winter?) but because it was my only solution. Other times, I stayed at a house sit. This year, because of our lovely dog, there was no way out. Maya and I would remain in Zesty for those five days.

Mark and I have pretty much been together 24/7 since the day we became a couple in December 2004. Despite our compatibility, I’m quite independent and truly, utterly adore time alone. In the past, I treasured spurts of me-time on visits to Belgium (which didn’t happen in 2019), a few solo days in California, or evenings apart during Mark’s job at Amazon. Still, I’d never been alone in our camper van for more than 11 hours. So how did that work out last January?

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Monthly Expenses – January 2020

February 9, 2020 / / 35 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. Since June 2019 – we adopted Maya on June 4th – we have a dog section as well. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

In an upcoming blog, I’ll share a bit more about our January experiences in Florida, but for now, I’ll stick to expenses. Not a bad month at just under $1,000 but, as always, it was more than expected by the time we tallied everything.  One of our three “out of the ordinary” costs was Maya’s anti-itch medicine. Apoquel is a wonder drug, but at $1.75 per pill – Mark spent hours online to find this “deal”, if you buy 100 pills at once (usually prices hover around $2 per pill and higher at the vet) – it is pricey. Especially since Maya needs one pill a day. We discovered that CBD oil does not help with her physical discomfort.

Anything to get this sweetheart happy, healthy, comfortable!

Our other “extra” expenses were for camping and Mark’s bus transfers from/to Newburyport from Logan Airport. He used miles to get there from Jacksonville. Long-time readers know that we almost always boondock (camp for free) with Zesty. Since Mark had to fly to Boston for five days in January, I stayed at an established campground in Northern Florida – hence the camping expense for January. I have to admit that it was enjoyable. More about that later as well.

January 2020 Overview:

Groceries:

Dog (meds:$175; food: $35):

Camper (fuel: $151; parking: $14):

Dining out:

Drinking out:

Camping:

Transportation:

Utilities (phone):

Alcohol:

Health & Fitness:

Household:

Gifts:

Laundry:

Computer Hardware:

Medical:

Postage:

 

TOTAL:

 

$272

$210

$165

$74

$58

$50

$44

$35

$34

$20

$12

$9

$5

$4

$4

$3

———

$ 999

IWSG Writing Update February 2020 – Contacting Publishers

February 5, 2020 / / 48 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For February, the question is: “Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson.

My answer to the question

I think this month’s question is more fitting for fiction writers. As a non-fiction writer I have never been inspired to write a story when seeing a photo or art. I’d love to play around with that, one day. I have gone back to my own photo archives (which contain tens of thousands of images – I have been traveling for a while) to bring back a memory of a scene, place, or event I wanted to write about.

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Kentucky Surprises

January 22, 2020 / / 78 Comments

If it wasn’t for an interesting job opportunity, Mark and I would never have considered visiting Kentucky. Yet, upon reading what the state has to offer and actually driving through its attractive countryside, we discovered beauty from rolling hills to majestic buildings and from famous events to dark, long caves. We are not alone in our positive findings; we kept hearing about surprising discoveries other campers and visitors made as well.

(Scroll over the image to read captions or click to enlarge.)

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we thought we’d have time to explore the area during our seven-week job commitment, but the night schedule was too exhausting to venture far on our one full day off. That being said, we found a few fun hikes around lakes near Campbellsville and saved the other attractions until the Amazon job was finished. We actually planned to head south as quickly as possible, that December 25th, but unseasonably warm weather made these Kentucky stops possible.

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Expense Report 2019

January 15, 2020 / / 46 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and relatively adventurous life without breaking the bank. “The less money you spend, the less you need to make” is my motto. ????

Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 here, and the one for 2018 is here. In 2019, Mark and I house and pet sat for six weeks, visited our family back east for one month, and lived and traveled in our camper van Zesty in the US and Canada the rest of the year. What follows is the break-down of how we spent our money in 2019.

The Wave in Utah

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. New for 2019 is the category “Dog”. We adopted Maya on June 4th. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast. The utility cost refers to phone data plans with AT&T.

Our expenses in 2019 were about $500 higher than the previous year. Considering that our new companion consumed a $1,200 chunk (mostly meds and vet costs) means that we did better in almost all the other categories. The biggest part of our camper category keeps going to repairs and maintenance. We did cover quite a bit of distance last year as well (14,000 miles), which is represented in our high diesel amount. Our monthly average for groceries remains $300.

Another biggie last year was the price of my citizenship. With all that behind us – my US passport is waiting in Massachusetts – this year can only get cheaper, right? My main shock happened when noting our alcohol dollars. That is a lot, especially since we didn’t throw or attended many parties… If there’s one amount I want to lower in 2020 it’s this one.

US Citizenship!

We can’t get out of the gift category. We love our spouse, family and friends too much and treating them for birthdays and other occasions – with a restaurant meal or a personalized gift – is just plain fun. Our utilities went up, because we basically live in our camper van full-time – more propane and laundromats needed and when we can’t find free dump stations, we have to pay. We are currently testing Visible as our internet and cell provider, but the results are bleak compared to our monthly, quite reliable AT&T plan.

As a citizen, I hope to obtain a new healthcare plan that includes basic dental work. Therefore, the medical category should theoretically go down this year as well. I mentioned Mark’s new SmartPhone in last month’s report and all the other amounts seem straightforward. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments.

The team responsible for Maya’s adoption: Amy, Jessica, and Jeff

The charity category is lower than last year and will not be present for 2020. I figured that the money we used to donate to animal rescue organizations should go towards Maya (and then some). If our financial situation improves, it will appear again! 🙂

Last but not least, I’m surprised that we didn’t spend a dime on campgrounds in 2019. Having camped  for nine months out of the year, this is good and bad. Perfect for the pocket and often for the surroundings, peace, and privacy, but not so great when it comes to comfort, convenience, and spoiling ourselves. We did get a campground break in Kentucky, as employer Amazon paid for that one.

2019 Overview:

Camper (repairs: $2967; diesel: $1828; insurance: $1078,

registration: $86; tolls: $81; parking: $63):

Groceries:

Dog (supplies: $524; vet: $403; food: $188; adoption: $100):

Customs & Immigration (citizenship: $725; passport: $161):

Dining Out:

Alcohol:

Gifts (B-days, NY gifts, treating family):

Utilities (cell data: $351; propane: $53; dump: $10)

Health and Fitness (vitamins & haircuts):

Medical (dentist: $170; meds: $40; scan: $30):

Clothing (shoes, jeans, t-shirts):

Computer (new phone, router, hosting, Turbo Tax):

Drinking out:

Bank charges (annual credit card fee):

Travel (National Park pass, park fees Canada):

Entertainment (guided tours):

Transportation (shuttle buses, metro, ferry):

Charity (Best Friends):

Household (camper items):

Laundry:

Postage:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

 

$6103

$3563

$1215

$886

$758

$708

$675

$413

$368

$240

$214

$211

$159

$150

$110

$106

$87

$70

$66

$61

$63

$0

———

$ 16,119

(Table might not load correctly on tablets – try turning the screen for better results.)

Surfing into 2020

For another (more detailed and colorful) annual expense report of full-time van-dwellers, check out the 2019 “Cost of Being a Nomad” post of our friends Duwan and Greg here.

Do you keep track of your expenses? How did your budgeting go in 2019? Any categories you’d like to do better with in 2020?

IWSG Writing Update January 2020 – Ready to Dive in Again

January 8, 2020 / / 62 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For January, the question is: “What started you on your writing journey ?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, and J.H. Moncrieff.

My answer to the question

My writing journey unassumingly started in fourth grade, when my classmates and I were tasked with writing a daily diary of about five lines (and drawing a picture underneath) throughout the school year. I picked up that habit again (minus the drawing) when I was fourteen and have been journaling every day since, for the last thirty years. The entries are super long when I travel and explore. Knowing that I’ve been a digital nomad since 2003, one can only imagine how much time I spent writing down my experiences. Hurray for digital diaries, as that meant the end of adding notebooks to the two full tubs stored at my cousin’s house in Belgium.

I’ve always enjoyed putting my thoughts on paper, so essay assignments at school were my favorite. All in Dutch. When Mark and I were on our second sailing journey, in the Eastern Caribbean, I started writing and selling articles in English, on top of blogs, personal notes, and a column. Eventually, I focused on writing a memoir about my thirties on the water. A previous attempt to write a book about our overland explorations in Central America failed, because we were already on to the next adventure. Writing successes and a nomadic lifestyle are tough to combine.

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Monthly Expenses – December 2019

January 6, 2020 / / 25 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. Since June 2019 – we adopted Maya on June 4th – we have a dog section as well. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

The first three weeks of December, Mark, Maya, and I continued living in a campground and working in Campbellsville, Kentucky. We hit the road again in our camper van for the last week of the year. The entertainment category constitutes those travels, as I took a tour of Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the Kentucky Derby takes place, and Mark and I took a guided walk in Mammoth Caves, after hiking with Maya to wear her out.

We didn’t spend money on camping as we managed to boondock during our “migration south”. The three of us made stops in Frankfort, Louisville, and Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky (more about that another time) and found the most amazing free parking in Nashville, Tennessee, which allowed us to explore this vibrant music city and have drinks at night.

Mark bought a new SmartPhone at a very good price after doing lots of research and waiting for the right moment. The amount underneath includes a two-month data plan, a new SIM card, and a free tablet! While in Kentucky, we HAD to try Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and its competitor Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. We took Maya to the vet to get another opinion about her itchiness. At the moment, we are giving CBD oil a try. This might help with her anxieties as well…

We couldn’t avoid buying more alcohol, as we planned a fun New Year’s Eve (and extended stay) with our sailing friends Karmen and Tom in St. Augustine, Florida. They put a feast together on the last day of the year and we enjoyed spending time with them and their friends on their refitted catamaran, Sauvage. More about that later as well.

December 2019 Overview:

Groceries:

Computer Hardware (phone $95; router: $40):

Camper (fuel: $112; repairs: $23):

Dog (vet: $56; supplies:$53; food: $25):

Dining out:

Utilities (phone: $35; propane: $15):

Entertainment (Mammoth Caves: $34; Churchill Downs: $13):

Health & Fitness (vitamins Mark):

Alcohol:

Gifts:

Drinking out:

Laundry:

Camping:

 

TOTAL:

 

$368

$135

$135

$134

$56

$50

$47

$46

$40

$39

$20

$20

$0

———

$ 1090

Our 2019 in Review & Happy Holidays!

December 29, 2019 / / 45 Comments

If you are a regular reader, you will probably remember most of our journey through 2019. If you are new to our site, I invite you to browse and click around a bit for stories and photos about our past adventures. The links in this post give you a glimpse into some of those experiences.

Driving part of historic route 66, AZ

January

Mark and I explored the Borrego Springs area in the California desert, flew to Newburyport, Massachusetts to see doctors, friends, and family, and did a short repeat house sit in San Diego.

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Making Money on the Road – Amazon CamperForce in Kentucky

December 19, 2019 / / 70 Comments

How to Make Money as a Nomad? (Spoiler Alert: We Are Not Retired)

This is a topic that deserves much more than four paragraphs, but for now, I’ll keep it short and personal. When I left Belgium in 2003, I had no idea it would be “forever”. I took a leave of absence from my teaching job, which allowed a previously unemployed educator to take my job, for which the government rewarded me with a stipend of $300 a month. That gig lasted a few years and I could pretty much live off it, as I toured North and Central America in a truck camper. When Mark first stopped working as an IT manager, interest rates of his savings account were high enough for him to get by on.

When we still found ourselves roaming about – on a 35-foot sailboat this time – in 2007 and were asked how long we’d be keeping that lifestyle up, we said: “Until we get sick of it, or until the money runs out.” Well, boats are expensive to maintain, so I quickly found myself picking up jobs whenever I could, physically and digitally. Over the next eight years, I cleaned boats, homeschooled children, created book lesson plans, wrote articles, walking tours (available on Amazon), and press releases, tended a bar, and started translating.

By the time we sold our boat in 2015, I was officially a “digital nomad”. More importantly, from 2009 until 2018, Mark and I ran a successful Marine WiFi business that put food on the table the initial years and eventually covered our yearly expenses. We’re always extremely busy.

Observations:

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The Art of Our Nomadic Minds – Almost Heaven, West Virginia

December 12, 2019 / / 39 Comments

I’ve mentioned it before on this blog: Mark and I don’t plan much and often “wing” it on the road, whether that’s in regards to our route, what we visit, or where we park for the night. It’s just easier to go with the flow; we don’t have to plan, research, and be disappointed if things go wrong and we love putting our flexible minds to good use.

When the three of us left Newburyport, Massachusetts, the end of September, we had about a week to cover the 1,000-mile distance to Campbellsville, Kentucky. Two stops were anticipated: Greenwich, Connecticut for two days of quality time with relatives, and the southern Walmart in Hagerstown (yes, there are two), Maryland, to meet up with our awesome van friends Duwan and Greg.

Greenwich, CT

What can I say? It is always a joy to be with our brother-in-law, Brian, and his lovely wife, Margaret. Fabulous, smart, pretty, and beaming niece Chelsea came over for one of the days – the cherry on top. She introduced her rescued Korean dog Mochi to us and we also met the two new kittens. Can you tell why this is a happy place for us, with all this love for animals and people going around?

(Hover over photos to read captions or click to enlarge.)

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