Why we have decided to sell up and hit the open road.

Welcome to our new blog.  Sorry it has taken a while but technically we haven’t started our trip yet so I guess I am not behind (yet).  With only four days until we hit the road for a year, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the reason as to why we decided to sell everything, buy a caravan and hit the road for a year.

Now as you all know we love travelling and more importantly exploring new places.  Maybe you thought this would slow down when we had kids or bought the house.  Realistically it probably has slowed down but our desire has always been there and it is something we have dreamed about for so long.  Our trip along the Murray River only cemented in our mind that this is something we wanted to do and we weren’t willing to wait until we retired.  We returned from that trip and slotted back into “normality”.

We weren’t unhappy in our suburban life, we had a great home, awesome neighbours and no financial worries.  With all this, something still just didn’t seem right.  There was always this sense that there was something better out there, something that revolved more around family and enjoying the time with Hamish and Kayla.  We started the year on the high of finding out we were expecting baby number three and then hit the low of losing our little baby.  This on top of the fact we had attended too many funerals of our friends parents, taken way too soon. 

Finally there was a reflection on ourselves and what we wanted from life.  We feel we are very much “yes” people, and struggle to say “no”.  Forever bending over backwards to help out and do things but getting frustrated and annoyed when it wasn’t returned or when others wouldn’t pitch in what we felt was fair.  Now as great as it would be that everyone should change to make our life easier, in reality we knew we had to change and set the example for our kids.  You can say no, you can do what you want and you don’t have to keep everyone happy.

I raised the idea with Jason that why don’t we stop talking about doing this trip and just do it.  Life is too short to sit around and wait for everything to fall into place, it might never happen.  We need to step up and take the giant leap of faith and do something totally outside our comfort zone. 

So then came the crunching of numbers, dreaming of winning lotto and even the contemplation of doing it in our little Jayco Dove.  Eventually we came to the conclusion to not just do this trip but also potentially change life as we know it.  Who says that we have to come back to Brisbane, to the same house and to the same lifestyle we are trying to break free from!  So of course we decided to sell everything.

 

 

Now that was a drama but we eventually got there, only having to store our small items as the buyers bought all the big furniture with the house.  I was happy as who knows if it will fit in the new home, yet alone suit.  It meant leaving the nursery set up exactly as it was when Hamish came home (minus the personal touches and antique chest of drawers), closing the door on all memories of the children growing up, and handing over our Aussie dream.

 

Do we miss it?  I can honestly say no, not at all.  I thought I would, especially now living in a caravan, but I don’t.  Having a house is wonderful thing, however it takes work, there is the endless cleaning and yard work, not to mention the mortgage that forces you to continue working.  Cleaning now takes half an hour and that is it and yard work is a thing of the past.  Currently we have a playground, pool and tennis court yet only have to go and enjoy them.  So needless to say the time we have on our weekends and days off is fantastic.  This time is being spent getting the last minute things sorted, but soon it will just be all about the kids and enjoying our time together.  As most people have told us, enjoy them while they are young as it goes so fast.

 

One day we will get our piece of Australia, but I have to admit it has changed our view of what we “need” in a house.  It is going to be more does this house suit the lifestyle we want.  More time as a family enjoying each other, so that one day we can look back and whilst we might miss the times, know that we made the most of them whilst we could.

So in four days we set off.  Are we nervous?  Without a doubt, but that is what comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.  So I will leave you with the quote that we have put on the back of our van.  "We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us" - anonymous.