I can't believe it's already been over 6 months since we launched our adventure! When we contemplated doing this and then embarked I didn't know what to expect, didn't know how would react and if I would like it. 7 months down and so far I do love it! Here are a few things that I have learned so far, good or bad, it is what it is and thought I would share.
1) You WILL come upon a situation that makes you uncomfortable. Whether it be a neighbor, the whole RV park or just the general area, you will not like something. My advice, suck it up and deal. Find ONE thing that is positive and concentrate on that. You will be out of the place in a week or less and if it does truly become a huge problem, you can always leave earlier. That is the beauty and the freedom of the rv life!
2) What you thought you just had to have you really don't. In my old life, I had a closet that was literally the size of a small bedroom. Now I have a closet the size of 2 high school lockers and I use maybe half of what is in there. I used to have over 100 pair of shoes, now I have 17 and I have yet to wear 3 of those pair (but don't tell Gary). Living the RV life means you live free and easy and do what you want to do. That means you dress the way you want. Most of my days I wear board shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. Again, you don't need much.
2a) This rule goes for your kitchen as well. I brought along 4-5 serving dishes that I just knew I would need. I've used them each once. Everyone you entertain is in the same boat as you are so nobody expects china and crystal. Corelle is your friend and you will love her. ;)
3) Get unlimited wi-fi!! You may complain and whine about the cost. But if you are full time like us, you really have few bills. You no longer have a mortgage, no utility bills, no costs to take care of your lawn, etc.... Again, suck it up and deal. You are living so much cheaper now so if you have to pay for unlimited wi-fi, so be it. When you are in a park that has decent wi-fi, use it! But when there isn't decent wi-fi to be had, there is nothing like the peace of mind knowing you don't have to worry about overages.
4) You may think you know your spouse and you have a really good idea about how they think and what makes them tick. Squish yourself into a RV and only one tow vehicle that you have to share and you will learn even more about your significant other. ;) You will also learn "the art of communication". I love my guy to the moon and back but I have found out men and women DEFINITELY communicate differently. :) It's actually a good thing. I love learning new dynamics.
5) You don't have to do something every day! Some of my best days so far have involved sitting in my chair outside with my book. You no longer have to worry about cleaning your house, what has to be planted in the yard, what needs to be weeded, what errands need to be run. Relax and enjoy that fact!
6) Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc... are your friends. I count on Yelp to find hair salons in whatever area I am in when it comes time to get my hair done. I have super thick hair, more than one color and have to cover grey. It's not just a run to the barber shop for me. So far Yelp has not let me down. I have met some of the nicest people in the salons I have gone to and learned a lot about the areas I am visiting. TripAdvisor will give you a diving board to jump from when you first get to an area and you can go out on your own from there or stick to what it recommends. Great to have a starting block though. One other app I thought I'd recommend is "Mass Times". I am a practicing Catholic and this app helps me find churches and mass times in whatever area I am in. I am sure they have these apps for all other denominations but I thought I would throw this in to let you know you don't have to forgo practicing your faith just because you are on the road.
7) Embrace your new life!! I was the one who was always pushing for this. Even when Gary and I were dating and I would see a big ol' class A rumbling down the road I would say, "That's our house!" :) When it came time to actually get going though, I had some trepidation. Do I miss my old life- friends, family and familiarity of "home"? Of course I do! Don't be afraid to acknowledge that. You are human and it is only natural. BUT, also know that being human means we are always hungry for knowledge and new experiences. Without it we would never grow and change. This is a perfect way to learn new things, see new things and experience new things.
8) Look forward to the next place, the next adventure. In my old life I would have anxiety whenever we would go someplace new for vacation. What do I take with me? What clothes should I pack? What if I don't like it? I still have those anxieties but now I have home with me and it's the best of both worlds. I have all of my clothes, my kitchen and my bed!! It's just about perfect!
9) Learn from your experiences, even write them down if you need to. When we pulled into the rv park right outside of Sequoia National Park we learned they don't get US Mail. Haha! Who doesn't get mail??? After being mad since we hadn't gotten our mail for 2 weeks already up to that point and then learning we wouldn't be getting it for at least another week, we just sat in our rig and laughed. What a situation. :) Still kind of giggle at it.
10) Become social! This has been the one I struggle with the most. People that meet me and then get to know me would be shocked to know that I am shy and an introvert. One thing this new life has taught me is to put myself out there. You meet some really genuine and great people along the way. People interested in your story and ones that just love to visit. The alternative is to only talk to your spouse. Again, I love this guy more than my life but he knows all of my stories and I know his. It's good to get some "new blood" in the conversation every now and again. ;) Plus, who knows? You might make some life time friends!
The RV life may not be for everyone but so far, I am having the most excellent time and I am blessed to have the love of my life along for the ride.
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