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 two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). 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. 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.
Mark and I sold Zesty last month! If you missed that post, read it here.
Apologies for the late expense report, but I wanted to update everyone about the sale of our camper van first, as it impacts everything we do. We are homeless and carless since April 3rd and rented a vehicle to drive back to Massachusetts, a trip that cost us about $1,000.
Once we removed the bike bag, our ride was smoother.
On hindsight, we should have driven Zesty. It would have saved us a bunch of money and interest was strong enough for a potential buyer to pick the van up on the opposite coast. Also, knowing what we know now – that finding a suitable truck is close to impossible unless we are okay spending $10K more than pre-inflation rates two months ago – we might have held on to our home on wheels a bit longer. Oh well.
April was a decent month, taking the pricey road trip – car rental, four dog-friendly Motel 6 nights, and gasoline to drive over 3,000 miles – into account. We mostly prepared our own meals, even though this was tricky with the early starts, windy conditions, and not having our own kitchen anymore. It made our days on the road even longer.
The grocery category is quite high, because we pretty much ate everything in the camper before we sold it and had to re-provision from scratch once we arrived in Newburyport, MA. We contributed some money to the water fund of our friends in Arizona and ordered dog food and vitamins ahead of our arrival.
The food prep and storage zone in our current room
The car expense was off-set because we received a refund for part of our cancelled camper insurance. Also, $288 for a one-way, one-week rental with unlimited miles is cheap. I commend Mark once more for his research abilities and always finding the best prices for anything we need. We purposefully left gear in Zesty for the new owners, so the camper was turnkey. This means we have to buy those items again, now (like a new router) and later (solar panels, outdoor mat, leveling blocks, …).
I mentioned last week that I would touch on our five-day cross-country drive in this expense report. There really is not much to share: it was a hellish 3,200-mile ride of 10-12 hours in the car, each day. Stops were made to let Maya pee, eat lunch, get fuel, adjust the flimsy bike rack, shop for food, fetch or prepare dinner, work, and sleep.
Me, catching up on work at night
Plus, we made a detour to Arkansas to check out two truck campers. I didn’t have enough space in the passenger seat to work on my computer, so I mostly vegged, listened to music, and consulted my iPad.
Here are a few notes I took:
- We should have stuck with the full-size car. What were we thinking to downgrade and pay extra when booking our transport method for the week?
- All our belongings fit! Barely… But, we didn’t have to leave anything behind, except four rolls of toilet paper. Did you know small, 4-packs are not readily available anymore after the Covid outbreak? We had to buy a 12-pack in Zesty. Where to store all that?
- Our sturdy swing-out bike rack had to be disassembled. It didn’t fit in the trunk, but we managed to lay it behind the seats on the ground. Not much else fit in those foot wells.
- Maya needed half of the back seat. All okay. We made it comfy with blankets, pillows, and her dog bed.
- The new bike rack attached to the trunk is crappy — we bought one for three bikes and luckily our electric bikes fit after lots of trial and error. Alas, it needs to be adjusted every time we stop as the straps keep loosening up.
- This Nissan has no power. (Another reason why a full-size car would have been a better option – a stronger engine.)
- First day: over 3,000rpm constantly. Struggled to keep up the maximum highway speed. After removing the bike bag, things settled down and the ride was smoother. Then, we had to also store the big bag.
- The fuel tank only holds 10 gallons, so we have to stop at a gas station two or three times a day! (Another reason why a full-size car would have been a better option – a bigger gas tank.)
- We are so low by the ground. Every car that passes us is higher!
Most people need a U-Haul truck to transport their belongings!
- Uncomfortable seats.
- Where is the car parked on the lot of the supermarket? Hard to find! It’s a non-distinct white rental car…
- We put the bike bag back at night, so nobody could see the bikes. Luckily, we managed to park in front of our motel doors.
- We stay at Motel 6. Nothing fancy and often run down, but the cheapest place to stay with pets (no extra fee). Prices per night ranged from $45 (Tucumcari, NM) to $65 (Calvert City, KY).
- No shampoo provided in motels? Ours is packed in the trunk, underneath the rack and bikes. No way of getting in there. We make due, washing our hair with soap (Mark) or dish soap (me). If you read Plunge, you know I have practice with that. 🙂 Just like we made due when needing our sheets hidden in there, staying at a friend’s casita for the night.
- Windy in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma. Hard to make breakfast and lunch! We miss Zesty for that. And for human potty breaks.
A nice picnic area to eat lunch
- The picnic areas in Oklahoma were filthy! No trash cans, so garbage everywhere. No toilets either. Broken glass. No spot for Maya to rest without getting hurt. We couldn’t stay for lunch.
- The radio has issues.
- The glove compartment door is open on the sides so things get pinched (like my sunglasses) or plainly fall out, each time I open the little door.
- The fuel gauge didn’t work at the end, so we filled the tank instead of aiming for the amount we received the car with.
- Because I couldn’t be added to our car rental agreement without paying a steep fee, Mark drove the entire 3,200 miles!
Arizona license plate in Massachusetts – not a common sight. Where is the desert?
But, we made it to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in one piece. The bikes did get scuffed up, however.
Stay tuned for the continuation of our truck search saga!
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
I submitted this post to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share #20 link-up.
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May 19, 2021 at 12:29
Wow, well done to Mark! That’s a LOT of driving in a short time.
May 19, 2021 at 16:20
I’m surprised myself Mark pulled off all this driving, Anabel. It was certainly not planned. This time, we had to stop every three hours (to stretch everyone’s legs) because we needed more fuel!
May 19, 2021 at 12:35
As with any big event, you always look back and realize you could’ve done it differently.
I assume the gear you left in Zesty was included in the sale price?
May 19, 2021 at 16:22
Some of the gear we knew we would leave behind and that was okay, since our asking price was relatively high (for that time – now, it would be considered low) but some items were left, because it was easier to not take them or because we want to replace them anyway.
May 19, 2021 at 13:22
Amazing. I devoured every word. I’d love to be a dog in your house–Maya gets the backseat and the bed!
May 19, 2021 at 16:24
Maya is super spoiled, Jacqui. Mostly with love, attention, and comfort! We don’t spoil her with human food or too many treats – don’t want her to get fat! Also, we never leave her alone for more than three hours at a time (she has separation anxiety) and we pretty much take her wherever we go. Yeah, she has a good life. Just like any dog we take care of or pet sit. 🙂
May 19, 2021 at 13:59
Driving cross-country like that brought back some hideous memories where we did that as a family. We often had some end destination in mind, and driving to 700-800 miles in one day was not rare in my family. I maintain this is the reason I don’t like to be in a car for extended periods today.
May 19, 2021 at 16:27
Oh Pete, these don’t sound like lovely memories at all. Was this your family when growing up? Or later in life? I do remember lots of fights, exhaustion, and frustration as well when my brother and I went on family vacations with our parents in Southern Europe. 700 – 800 miles a day is crazy!
May 19, 2021 at 14:32
I don’t want to say, “I told you so,” but… I think I suggested you have the new owner come to you rather than delivering the van for his/her convenience. Oh well, you survived and New England is now having glorious weather. Welcome back. Not sure you should have splurged that $6 on alcohol…haha.
May 19, 2021 at 16:32
Hi Leslie!
We didn’t deliver the camper to the new owners. They live in San Diego. And, while we could have made the detour there, we decided not to. We picked Tucson, Arizona, to do the handover, as it was on our way east, we needed to stop there regardless, and rental cars were cheaper from there.
The new owners flew into Tucson and drove Zesty back. Another reason we sold Zesty out west is because we believed there would be more interest on that side of the country and this way, we could get our asking price. We also didn’t want to add another 3,000+ miles to the odometer. In general, we don’t have any regrets selling Zesty out west, except for the cost of accommodation.
I guess it’s obvious we are not drinking much these days, haha. Our money is being spent elsewhere.
May 19, 2021 at 15:44
Goodness! Mark is certainly the champ driving all those long distances! Whew not an easy journey. And uncomfortable seats (‘cept for Maya who looks plenty happy!)
It’s always easier of course to look back in hindsight re decisions. The bad ones make us wonder “what we’re we thinking?” But sometimes it’s just hard to know how things are going to turn out. Hope things get easier as you proceed forward. Also, transitions… can be challenging.
Peta
May 19, 2021 at 16:36
Hi Peta!
We planned on splitting the driving – and potentially covering even more distance every day (good we didn’t, actually) – but the fee to add me as a driver felt like a waste of money. Being in limbo is not easy, especially for us nomads, as you know. And, yes, we always make decisions based on the information we have on hand, at the time. Luckily, we don’t regret too much in our lives. 🙂
Not sure whether you read my reply to your comment to my previous post, but I detailed the issues with (not) finding a truck in these challenging times. I’ll touch on that again in one of my upcoming posts as well.
May 19, 2021 at 16:09
I’m amazed that your one-way rental was so inexpensive. Good for Mark’s research! I also wondered why you didn’t just drive Zesty back east but I guess you make your decisions as best as you can… easy to second guess yourselves in hindsight. I remember the first time I stayed in a Motel 6 and learned that they didn’t provide shampoo… in the shower…. with my hair already wet… yikes!
May 19, 2021 at 16:43
Hi Janis!
When we first looked up car rental prices from west to east, they were over $1,000 and that’s when we gulped and wondered whether we shouldn’t have sold Zesty out west. Then, Mark used the service we use for finding plane tickets: kayak. More reasonable prices showed up and – to be honest – he must have caught it at the right time. Or, we got lucky. Days after we booked this rental, the same car for the same period went up to $800.
Yes, we had our reasons to sell Zesty out west: we figured there would be more interest and therefore potential to sell the van quickly in the southwest, we didn’t want to put extra miles on the odometer as it hovered around 90,000 by the time we reached Tucson, AZ, and crossing the country again in the van would have been much slower and cost more in fuel (diesel). Plus, more potential for things to break…
Yikes about the lack of shampoo. That’s when one realizes soap can do the job as well. 🙂
May 19, 2021 at 18:47
Hi, Liesbet – I love how well you take care of Maya. She is one lucky dog. And I love your problem solving and continued positive attitudes. I always look forward to the next installment of Roaming About! 😀
May 20, 2021 at 10:02
Thanks, Donna. These days, it has been a bit hard to remain positive. I’m fighting too many obstacles and antagonists… But, in the end, some solution will be found for our predicament of being homeless. 🙂 Yes, Maya has a fabulous life. I just love it when she wags her tail, so we try to make that happen as often as possible.
May 19, 2021 at 20:59
Like Jacqui, I devoured this piece, personal and reflective. You guys are flexible, and doing what we all do: Bite the bullet and keep on keeping on. And you both are kind: ” . . . purposefully left gear in Zesty for the new owners, so the camper was turnkey.”
I’m glad you have a landing spot for now, stationed in Newburyport with time to reflect and plan your next steps. Mark is a good researcher and you, my dear, the perfect Mom for Maya. 🙂
May 20, 2021 at 10:09
It’s one thing I’m happy and proud of, Marian, our flexibility. If we wouldn’t have that, there is no point in leading a nomadic life. 🙂 The new owners of Zesty (they renamed him) did get a good deal with our van and all its contents. I was actually surprised that Mark was fine leaving so much gear in it, but we both thought it was fair and nice to do this as the new owners paid us top dollar (at the time), flew out to Arizona to pick up the van, and are genuine and decent people.
I don’t mind being here so much (Mark does), as long as I know there is an end in sight, when we can hit the road again. Oh, and ideally, I know when that end is! 🙂
May 20, 2021 at 05:19
I discovered your blog through Alex Cavanaugh, and was excited to read of your adventures. My wife and I have often talked about such a lifestyle, though for now we’ll stay rooted where we are. Kudos to you for your courage and props to the adventurer in you three.
May 20, 2021 at 10:23
Hello and welcome to Roaming About! Thank you for swinging by and leaving a comment. Alex is such a wonderful, supportive, and genuine guy, isn’t he?
I have to admit that this lifestyle is not for everyone. It is my goal to inspire people to live the life they are passionate about, without hiding the difficulties. This honest reporting has been my style ever since I started writing and blogging. It is what makes my memoir stand out as well.
While it sounds like the dreamlife on the surface, there are many challenges on an often daily basis. Lack of comfort and convenience, the need to make money (for us), and changing circumstances (whether it is related to internet, the weather, Covid, or other factors) make it hard sometimes. I hope that, whenever the time is right for you two that you will try it out. If you keep your familiar home to return to if the lifestyle doesn’t work out, you have nothing to lose. 🙂
May 20, 2021 at 20:57
You know the saying about “hindsight,” Liesbet. 3200 miles is a hellish trip at the best of times. Possibly, a strange thing to bring up, Liesbet. Reading about the toilet paper rolls – you may already know this – taking the cardboard insert out and flattening the roll helps with storage – something we learned on a long canoe trip. Too bad and sad about the filthy picnic areas. You likely find how States and areas differ with taking care of their parks. I cannot imagine how weary and your frustration with many of the challenges. I foresee a silver lining in your future. xo
May 21, 2021 at 09:56
Hi Erica!
Thanks for the toilet paper trick. When I was backpacking in my twenties, I carried a roll of toilet paper around like that. It works fine if you use it as a loose roll like that. The problem in the van – and in any RV or boat or house – is that when the toilet paper roll is squished like that, you can’t put it on the roller anymore. Or, if on the roller, the sheets don’t come of smoothly anymore and pulling toilet paper becomes annoying.
So many things are different in the different states here. Sometimes, it really is like traveling through different countries…
Let’s hope you’re right about that silver lining. Relatively soon! 🙂
May 21, 2021 at 15:28
You are right, Liesbet, the toilet paper thing is more realistic with backpacking. By the way………typed this note directly in the comment box. ????
May 22, 2021 at 07:44
That approach does work for quick replies! 🙂
May 21, 2021 at 11:18
Wow! What you spent is more than we make in a month! Ach, what I wouldn’t give to have $300 for groceries alone! And, often times, our health insurance won’t even cover Hubby’s seizure meds, which makes an out of pocket price that’s more than our rent. Annnd, we don’t qualify for any type of assistance because hubby makes $5 too much a year! $5… you can’t even get a gallon of milk for that anymore! The cheapest internet (bundling required) is over $150 here, so we don’t have it. I have several little part time cleaning jobs so I can pay for our kitty’s needs and our water bill. To me, the trip you describes would be a luxury cruise!
May 21, 2021 at 12:17
Hi Bear!
I’m sorry to read that you are struggling so much. At the moment, what we are spending is much more than what we are making as well. Luckily, we have saved over the years. That’s crazy and so unfortunate about your health care. Are you located in Canada? That would explain the expensive internet. Other than that, I thought the government took pretty good care of its people? Similar than in Belgium.
Here in Massachusetts, when you make minimum wage, your health care is free. One year, when we still ran our business, we ended up in the next tax bracket, which meant paying the extra money to taxes and paying for health care. So much depends on your income here, too, so maybe you could try and earn $5 less? 🙂
I want to say “I hope you can do a cross-country road trip like this one,” but, honestly, it wasn’t fun, as all we did was drive and spend money. So, we’d rather not do it again and instead take our time and turn it into a cheaper and more pleasant “cruise.”
May 21, 2021 at 17:11
Hi Liesbet, That’s a lot of driving and sitting in a car. I’m glad you three made it to MA safely and hopefully are now recovered from the exhausting cross-country road trip. I read about the recent Ford F150 Lightning announcement and thought about your search to buy. Hang in there. Rest up. You’ll find something suitable and will be nomadic again before you know it. Thank you for linking with #WeekendCoffeeShare.
May 22, 2021 at 07:48
Hi Natalie!
It took about a month to catch up on rest, work, blogs, tasks to get settled and help out, and emails once we arrived in MA. That seems like a long time, doesn’t it? The doctors’ visits are still continuing.
I hope you’re right about us finding something suitable one of these weeks. The search has been going on now for three months! It’s mentally draining, plus Mark is sick of sitting behind the computer hours a day, looking for options. We might need to take a break from it all and/or come up with an alternative.
May 21, 2021 at 21:24
After reading Plunge, this is like book #2. It looks like Mark is doing well. Your puppy looks content. My first husband and I used to pack our Honda like you have yours every three weeks to go from Portland to Seattle to see his Mom. Allicks had about 2.5 cubic feet of space in the hatchback area behind the seat where he stayed for the three hour trip.
May 22, 2021 at 07:51
Hi Marsha!
Our puppy seems to bring us the most pleasure, these weeks. She is a lucky and happy dog and we have most of her issues under control now, after two years! 🙂 That’s a lot of traveling back and forth you did in your Honda. Dogs will always find a comfy place to curl up.
You mentioned you were going to use a quote of mine somewhere on Friday, but I don’t seem to find it. Can you let me know how to find this post? Thank you!
May 22, 2021 at 05:10
Given all you have been through, and I have only read this and the previous post, I reckon you have done well. Denyse #weekendcoffeeshare
May 22, 2021 at 07:53
Thanks, Denyse. We are fugal people, but this year there have been a lot of extra expenses. Some months are better than others, which is normal. May, however, will be another “big one,” unfortunately.
May 22, 2021 at 07:40
Oh my word! Zesty is gone? I don’t know what happened, but WordPress hasn’t been sending your posts to my feed, Liesbet. When I saw your comment this morning on Jacqui’s post, I clicked over. I’ll have to go back and read up on things I’ve missed. It will take me awhile to get over the fact that Zesty is gone. I’d grown quite attached. I’m glad you and make made it home safe.
May 22, 2021 at 07:59
Hi Jill!
Thank you for the visit. I have been missing you here, but now I understand what happened. Not sure why my posts don’t reach your feed anymore. I actually didn’t get your comment in my inbox either and almost missed seeing it, as it arrived in the midst of my replying to others. I just clicked on someone’s name by mistake and noticed your comment underneath hers. I’m glad I saw it, otherwise I would have rudely not replied…
Zesty certainly was a big part of our lives. It was our life, really. But, we both felt that it was time for something different and for an adventure that would require a more robust set—up. Now, we have to hope that we actually find such a set-up and can resume our nomadic lifestyle! Thank you for following along in our overland exploits all those years. 🙂
May 22, 2021 at 15:59
WordPress has a mind of its own sometimes. Good luck in your search for the new and improved Zesty!
May 22, 2021 at 17:14
Thank you, Jill! We can use all the luck we can get right now. That’s what our future depends on at the moment: luck!
May 22, 2021 at 08:00
Update: your comment did arrive in my inbox. It was delayed. I’m glad that feature still works! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
May 22, 2021 at 12:40
You two again prove you two can do anything. Reading your notes from the trip made me squirmy I will admit. Dave and I have never done a massive road trip. The things that were difficult for you I have noted for future reference. hoping you are settled in Mass. and looking forward to future updates.
May 22, 2021 at 17:12
Hi Sue!
It would be great if anyone could learn from our road trip difficulties and mistakes! 🙂
You know, I was just saying today that the period we are going through right now would make a compelling – dramatic and disheartening – chapter in a future book, but it is painful going through it all now. In the past, I never thought about it this way. But, also in the past, there was no pandemic “throwing soot in the food” (Belgian expression), which keeps us from making progress with the plan. We are still doing relatively well at the moment, but if we don’t find a truck soon, our desperation will overtake everything else. Fingers crossed!
May 22, 2021 at 18:49
Hi Liesbet, What a journey! It does make for interesting reading and not everyone could do what you are doing. You have to have an exceptionally good relationship and communication to be in such close quarters too, if it is okay to say that. btw, not necessarily something you would have noticed unless you read my “about” page but I am from Wareham. Got to travel back home in 2018, only a few other days in the previous 50 years. Now, I consider myself a woman with two homes, the one I live in and the place that I am from; I ache to go back and have been a le to do so for a full week in 2019 and 2 days in 2020, with reservations for a week this fall. I hope you get rested up and find the right vehicle that you need. Going to share this with my brother, he was talking about wanting to switch to a camper. Thanks and blessings, Michele
May 25, 2021 at 11:13
Hi Michele!
You must have a good idea about the dynamics in close quarters! 🙂 You are right. It’s not so easy to live 24/7 in small places (this is a topic my memoir focuses on as well), but my husband and I have been doing it since 2005! I figure if we haven’t divorced by now, we probably never will…
And, please, feel free to say anything. This girl has few taboos or off-limit topics, if any!!
I had a hard time finding your “About Us” page on your blog and when I did, it appears to be a stock WordPress one with no personal information… I had to look up where Wareham is, as I’m not too familiar with Massachusetts, since we don’t truly live here. Nice location, so close to the Cape. It must be wonderful to call that home as well. I hope you’ll be able to return this year. Happy summer!!
May 24, 2021 at 00:07
So fascinating. I enjoyed reading all your thoughts, ups and downs..the expense breakdown was interesting too.
May 25, 2021 at 11:14
Thanks for the feedback and compliment, Kristin! I post an expense breakdown like this once a month. 🙂
May 24, 2021 at 10:39
I’ve never divided my living expenses up into categories. I probably should try that!
May 25, 2021 at 11:16
I think it’s fun to have a look at the different expense categories once a month. We are usually pretty good at not splurging too much and spending reasonable amounts. But, when the monthly number is exceptionally high, we’d like to know why and prevent this in the future if possible. Like we have tried to make a subsequent month low on alcohol or eating out expenses in the past.
May 24, 2021 at 16:58
Wow, this sounds like a rough trip, but it’s the kind of stuff that makes adventures memorable, even if they’re not your best memories. Can’t wait to see what you all are up to next!
May 25, 2021 at 11:18
You’d be surprised how many experiences and undesired adventures make it into our not-our-best-memories list, Deb. But, you are right. They usually make good stories afterwards. I can’t wait to get to the “afterwards” of our current episode! 🙂
May 24, 2021 at 19:49
I missed this post, Liesbet so when I updated my post to add you, I saw this!! What an ordeal! But you are back in Mass and getting ready for your next adventure! I’m glad to read Maya gets a comfortable seat. Our knucklehead dogs do, too and they LOVE riding on road trips with us. We’ve had to take them pretty much everywhere we go since we have no fences yet, and many of our errands take 3-8 hours depending on where we drive. Where we live, it is at least a 30-40 minute drive one-way to Spokane. We are 2 miles from a wonderful pet lodge and have used their services already. You and Mark really understand the art of being frugal and with limitations you managed it all and arrived safely! We got satellite internet finally (not the fiber yet) so reading blogs is much easier!
May 25, 2021 at 11:39
Hi Terri!
We all love our dogs, don’t we? Such amazing – and spoiled – companions. We take Maya almost everywhere we go as well, since she suffers from separation anxiety. We decided a while ago that we wouldn’t leave her alone for more than three hours. The times we actually do leave her alone are far and few; only when we both go to the grocery store. We are even taking her for Mark’s doctor’s appointments in Boston (2-3 hours just the drive alone) and I walk her or stay with her during those times. No fences or doggy doors anywhere we live or are. 🙂
I’m glad to read that your internet situation is improving! Thank you for adding me to your last post!!
May 24, 2021 at 20:53
So that truck camper looks small. Are they bigger on the inside than they look or was that one really small?
Such a big trip in a tiny car. I’m so surprised it only held 10 gallons!
Love your pics out the window. The middle of the country can be so boring. Hope our drive up the east coast has some good scenery!
May 25, 2021 at 11:45
Hi Duwan,
These truck campers were what we first had in mind, when we were convinced an F150 with the heavy-duty payload package would be the perfect rig for South America. We were on that track back in Arizona and Baja. When we first set foot in them – the ones in the photos – we were actually surprised at how “roomy” they felt. Better than we expected. But, as we thought about it all more and realized we should give up the idea of buying a truck that’s being sold down there in favor of a larger vehicle and camper, we moved on from this model and size. That’s still our goal. So, the current ones we are looking at are bigger and have larger tanks, too, to allow us for longer periods of off-grid living.
If you want scenery on the drive north – just like everywhere else – you probably should avoid the interstates. Some of those are toll roads as well, so taking alternative roads is a win-win. 🙂
May 25, 2021 at 10:13
I’m still amazed at how you got all that stuff into the car. It sounded quite the journey. I bet you were all exhausted when you got to Newburyport? And your new place looks great, Liesbet. I know you’ve stayed there before, but I hope you guys (and Maya) have had plenty of rest. New adventures are waiting for you.
May 25, 2021 at 11:50
I’m a master packer and organizer, Hugh. My husband would only partly agree with my claim to fame, as I have broken zippers and messed things up when stuffing too many belongings in bags and cabinets at once. Plus, some items might be hard to find or reach, doing it my way. 🙂 But, when packing this rental car, my Tetris brain did a good job. Except for the items that were buried in the trunk under the bike rack and bikes, haha.
We are quite comfortable in Newburyport. Now that the weather has improved, the spirits have as well. Kind of. My in-laws need us here and are happy with the help and company. We are both vaccinated as well, so soon, we will be able to see friends again. All that being said, we can’t wait to hit the road again. But, for that, we need a truck…
May 26, 2021 at 17:10
Yikes, what an awful trip! I hope you’re getting some much-needed recovery time now.
May 28, 2021 at 10:30
It took about a month pf being back in Massachusetts to rest up, catch up on chores – online and in real life – and find a new sort of groove again. By now, we are totally rested up and rearing to go again. Except, we can’t. For multiple reasons, one of which is not finding the right truck in this crazy post-Covid climate of supply (none) and demand (lots). 🙁
May 27, 2021 at 15:42
What a list. What a loooooooonnnng trip. What a disappointing car. And Zesty. Sigh. It’s better to not look back in hindsight, I’ve learned. Just move ahead and see what comes down the highway (to use a bad metaphor). So glad you three are safe in Newburyport now, in a beautiful time of year. A great time to re-group, find a perfect truck, and plan for your next adventure.
May 28, 2021 at 10:33
Hi Pam! Despite everything and having bad luck with our timing to switch gears, we still think it was the right things to do, selling Zesty. Of course, we never expected to be in trouble for so long, searching for a truck. Yes, a stupid truck. We have altered our requirements a lot already – for good or for bad – and still can’t find one that works. Not many left by now either. It’s been a stressful couple of months. I can’t wait to “plan” that new adventure, but there is no use for that right now. Looking forward to meeting you next week!!!
May 27, 2021 at 20:05
Wow. That was a lot of a lot! I can hear you missing Zesty in every complaint LOL 🙂 xo
May 28, 2021 at 10:35
Hi Debby! Usually, we don’t mind it too much to be in limbo, because we know there is an end in sight. This time, not so much. Fingers crossed (and many sighs, discussions, and arguments) already to find a decent pick-up truck that would be up to the task of our next adventure.
July 3, 2021 at 22:41
Amazing that you crammed everything into that little Nissan. It sounds like a car with a lot of design flaws. I can understand how tedious and frustrating it is being stuck in limbo instead of being able to move on with your plans. I’m worried hearing that Mark is having health problems, and also that things aren’t 100 percent with your in-laws too. I hope everything improves for you soon.
Jude
July 8, 2021 at 11:55
Thanks, Jude. We are at a little impasse/pause with all the health issues. There is stability until the next blood tests for Mark in August. Being in limbo is not great for us, but at the moment we are taking a break from our truck search and enjoying friends and family in Belgium (and France).