Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: travel (page 4 of 7)

Monthly Expenses – September 2019

October 9, 2019 / / 45 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.

For the month of September, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in our camper van, Zesty. This was interspersed with multiple-day visits to destinations in Quebec and Maine and nights at an Airbnb, a friend's house, a motel, and a hotel, courtesy of my parents, who joined us on September 19th. The generosity of ma and pa kept our expenses lower than they would have been, as they chipped in for groceries, fuel, and a national park pass and treated us to restaurant meals.

Our battery problem started in Halifax and continued on Cape Breton
Our friends Alex and Dave jump started us for the last time in Cavendish, PEI.
They had our size battery in Summerside, PEI.
Swapping our old, defunct car battery for a new one

Despite that, September was still an "average" month, due to camper projects, an expensive bridge toll, and personal splurges. We purchased a new car battery on Prince Edward Island, several parts and tools to fix the van this month, and a few drinks and meals out.

Splurge with food and drinks at the Evermoore Brewery in summerside
Lobster roll! Our first and only one this year.
Confederation Bridge ranks as the most expensive bridge we ever crossed.

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IWSG Writing Update October 2019 – Sightseeing Instead of Submitting

October 2, 2019 / / 52 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.

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

The question for this month’s blog hop is long: “It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

My answer

I believe that reading benefits people, whether they are writers or not. The advantage of being a writer who reads is that you always learn, consciously or not, and this improves your craft. The disadvantage of reading for me is that, 1) I compare myself to other writers, leading to two trains of thought, either “I’ll never be able to write this well and become successful” or “I can and do write like that, so why am I not becoming successful?” And, 2) I get annoyed by typos, feel like I have to proofread and correct the copy, and try to retain wisdom. As a result, reading often feels like work instead of enjoyment. In general, reading does make me a better writer.

However, I don’t agree that not reading means that you don’t enjoy reading, as suggested in this question. I rarely read because of time constraints, not because I don’t enjoy it. Also, writers might purposefully NOT read much (in certain genres) to develop original ideas and unique voices. Nothing wrong with that.

The world’s largest axe in New Brunswick
The world’s longest covered bridge in New Brunswick
Definitely the most impressive covered bridge we’ve seen and walked/drove through
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IWSG Writing Update September 2019 – Not Much Writing on the Road

September 4, 2019 / / 44 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 September, the question is: “If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Gwen Gardner, Doreen McGettigan, Tyrean Martinson, Chemist Ken, and Cathrina Constantine. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?)

I love this month’s question! Mention “the world” and I’m excited. One place I would never pick to do such a thing would be… a camper van on a discovery trip of the Canadian Maritimes. 😊

Picturesque Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

Even before I became a writer, I said to myself: “One day, I want to write a book from a self-contained cottage in Hawaii!” This has not happened (yet); I’ve never even been to this tropical US state. I have, however, lived and traveled in self-contained units, like two sailboats and three campers. The part of using nature for resources like electricity, water, and propulsion (in the case of the sailboats) thoroughly pleases me and basic living off the grid surely is my thing. But the absence of a dedicated desk, internet, and the word “unlimited” in the above list makes writing difficult. I guess I could always use a notebook!

Irie, our sailboat and self-contained home for eight years
Solar panels and a wind generator provided us with electricity on our sailboat. We also collected rainwater.
Irie anchored in Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
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IWSG Writing Update August 2019 – More Agent Queries

August 7, 2019 / / 43 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 August, the question is: “Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you’d forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming? ”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner! Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (Has your writing ever taken you by surprise?)

With the risk of sounding arrogant, I’ve always believed in my writing and that the articles I submit to magazines are worthy of publication. Don’t we all? Luckily for me, this is usually the case and it’s the occasional rejection (or lack of response from the editor) that takes me by surprise.

When it comes to unpublished work, sitting in folders on my laptop, I often regard that as “useless”. So, whenever I do browse these stories, blog, and article ideas, I sometimes stumble on a piece of good writing. That takes me by surprise. If only I could spend all my time writing articles for magazines!

Snatching an agent for my memoir is another beast all together. Here, I don’t expect easy progress, quick interest, or magic. It has proven to be a long road as rejections and silence are a big part of my life this year. If an agent ever reaches out, that would be a surprise. I’d love to share that story as an answer to this question one day!

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IWSG Writing Update July 2019 – About Reading

July 3, 2019 / / 51 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 July, the question is: “What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Erika Beebe,Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie–Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?)

Since my memoir Plunge is about me, I’d say quite a few. 🙂 Attempting the “show, don’t tell” technique, I created a character that ranges from sweet, caring, and considerate to being a selfish bitch at times. Nobody is without flaws. My other non-fiction writing usually doesn’t have characters in it.

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Expense Report 2018

January 20, 2019 / / 19 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 and the report of 2017 here. In 2018, Mark and I house and pet sat for seven months, lived and traveled in our camper van Zesty for four months, and visited our families back east for one month. What follows is the break-down of how we spent our money in 2018.

Liesbet and Beckwourth, Albuquerque, NM

Liesbet and Gunner, Albuquerque, NM

With Dresden, Zoe, and Barney, Ojai, CA

Walking Dresden, Zoe, and Barney in Ojai, CA

Mark and Skylos have been buddies for thirteen years!

With Skylos in Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA

With Skylos and Casper on the couch

Casper the cat, San Diego, CA

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the 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 Mark's vitamins and supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor's visits.

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2018 at a Glance – Our Roaming Highlights

December 26, 2018 / / 56 Comments

When I started following my travel passion over two decades ago, my friends were curious about how I could pull it off financially. The answer: all my allowances (as a teenager and college kid) and later my wages were saved up in order to explore the world. As I (unintentionally) became a full-time nomad in 2003, peers and strangers were still apprehensive; some of them even a bit jealous.

Then, as I kept documenting my lifestyle, first through email reports in Dutch, then in Dutch and English, and eventually via my blogs It’s Irie and Roaming About, comprehension set in. I’ve always written about the good and the bad of this lifestyle and offer a glimpse into our monthly expenses. More people “get it” now, and their “I wish I could do what you’re doing” has turned into “It’s awesome how you are living, but I couldn’t do it.” There’s the family, the routines, the job satisfaction, the comfort of home, the different priorities. I get it too.

Whether you are an armchair traveler or a fellow nomad, I hope you are still interested in the content and photos on Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary and that you continue to follow along as Mark and I set out towards new horizons in the new year. Thank you so much for being here, for reading, commenting or offering us mental support and comfort to keep living the life less ordinary. Without further ado: here are the highlights of our last year in the United States and beyond. I’ve added links to previous posts where applicable. My 2017 overview post can be found here.

January 2018

The year didn’t start too well with my mother-in-law requiring a second brain surgery and her hard road to recovery. Mark and I flew back to Massachusetts from California to help out, after finding a replacement house sitter for those two weeks. Six months later, she was back to her old self. Amazing at 82!

Flying from Southern California to Massachusetts was a shock.
Ice on the river in Newburyport
Carol receiving “get well” cards
The road to recovery was hard
Mark and I are glad we could help out
Winter sun above Boston

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IWSG Writing Update December 2018 – Monterey Moments

December 5, 2018 / / 54 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 for IWSG members. Answering it is optional. For December, the question is: “What are five objects we’d find in your writing space?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are  J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker, Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

Answer to the question (“What are five objects we’d find in your writing space?”)

Probably the same items you find in other writers’ writing space – a laptop, a mouse, a glass of water (or cup of tea), a strong light, and a desk – with the major difference that everything but the laptop and the mouse changes whenever we move houses to take care of people’s animals.

My trusted computer goes everywhere with me

Book Progress

What was I thinking when Mark and I moved into our camper van Zesty indefinitely, at the end of July? That I’d be able to combine daily errands, sightseeing, driving, hiking, and translation jobs with writing/editing my memoir? Ha! And, it’s not that I didn’t know better, after running our own business from a sailboat in the middle of nowhere and from a couple of campers for years. Combining work, life and leisure on the road (or the water) is tough, leading to the insane and the impossible! Yes, Mark and I are good at making a challenging lifestyle just a tad more challenging.

Enough about my wishful thinking, my naivety despite experience, and my conviction that “it might work out this time.” It didn’t. I can’t concentrate hours on end to work on my book when: 1) my laptop’s battery only lasts three hours, 2) we have limited data on our cell phone acting as a hotspot; the same cell phone Mark uses for navigation when he goes on bike rides, 3) two people occupy the same 10 square feet and one stowable table simultaneously, 4) a paid job pops up each time I attempt to pick up that memoir again, and 5) we stay in all these amazing places full of discovery and adventure.

My office at our current house sit in Ojai, CA – Can you spot two of the three dogs?
Yay! Time to work on my book again.

So, Mark and I are house sitting again for the time being. Continue reading

IWSG Writing Update November 2018 – No Progress

November 7, 2018 / / 52 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 for IWSG members. Answering it is optional. For November, the question is: “How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are  Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor JQ Rose Ann V. Friend and Elizabeth Seckman. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?)

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IWSG Writing Update October 2018 – Hurrah for Rain!

October 1, 2018 / / 34 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 for IWSG members. Answering it is optional. For October, the question is: “How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Dolorah @ Book Lover,Christopher D. Votey,Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?)

This month’s question is a personal one. As long as I remember, I’ve written a diary, every day, for almost 30 years. I wouldn’t know whether this helped me through certain episodes, because of its daily occurrence, but I do know that the urge of writing has always been there, especially during major life events. What certainly has helped me through the years, are emails to my best friend Rosie. So, it might not have been with books or articles, blogs or diary entries, but communicating via the written word certainly is one of the best remedies for me during emotional times.

From the moment we arrived in Canada, it started raining. 🙂
Rainy walk in the city center
Queen Elizabeth Park

My (slow) book progress

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