With a bit more than half of our trip to our new home state completed, and a nice quiet Sunday, perhaps it’s a good time to take a moment to reflect on our thoughts so far.

Many, including us, have categorized our move as a “new adventure”. And, it is. But it’s really more than that. This is a brand new lifestyle. Perhaps an adventure because we’re doing something we’ve never done before, in a manner that we’ve not fully experienced before. Yet, this is our new life. We may not travel every few days to new locations once we’ve settled in at our home base, however, we are no longer living in a house – a “stick and brick” – a stationary residence. Our home is on wheels, capable of being stationary when necessary, and capable of being mobile when we desire it to be.

The RV parks and areas we’ve visited during the past few weeks have not necessarily been “tourist” visits. They are parks and areas selected for their location along the route necessary to get us from Point A to Point B. We’ve been fortunate to have two stops along the way which afforded us the opportunity to visit briefly with close friends in the area – friends that we would not necessarily see had it not been for this change of lifestyle.

We’ve also been blessed to meet people along the way who have also chosen this lifestyle of RVing, some full-time, some close to full-time (more than 7 months of the year on the road). We’ve heard basically the same things from each one we’ve met. It’s a great way to live! The observation has been that those of us who choose this lifestyle are no longer interested in the hustle and bustle, the hassle and stress that so often come with living in our homes. Some of us are retired, while others may still be working but we all seek the peace and tranquility that comes with this life. We enjoy being out and around the beauty of nature, sharing the experience with like-minded people. We can sit around the campfire, if we so desire, or enjoy a potluck dinner, if we so desire. We can take our dog to the pet run and allow him/her to have the pleasure of running free or playing with other pet friends for a while. We can appreciate the comfort and privacy of our home. We can change the scenery, if we so choose, simply by getting behind the wheel and heading off to some place that holds interest for us, if we so desire. No grass cutting. No leaf raking. No snow shoveling.

Has the transition been easy? There are days when it seems to be surreal. Many call it our very long vacation. Maybe that description might hold true as we make the trip south. But the reality is that this is now our life. We are enjoying it and we are learning more about it each day. We are learning how to take care of our home. We are learning about reading maps, a “must-do” for being totally GPS-dependent is not necessarily the way to go. We are learning how to shop more sensibly, getting the things we need rather than buying what looks good at the time (whim-shopping). We are overcoming being “germ-phobic”, using public Laundromats after 35 years of having our own laundry room. We are learning how to search for TV channels when the RV park does not have cable. (Our satellite is refusing to function so that will be addressed once we reach our final destination and can arrange for a service call.)

Overall, we’re having a blast. There are no regrets about our decision. We are truly living our dream—on the road.