Adventure Travel

People with a touch of the nomad in their hearts often decided to take some sort of live aboard vehicle and travel. It could be anything from something as small as a car to as large as a huge RV with all the slide outs.

When they get sick of that, a number of RV people have switched to boats. Their choices range from trawlers to catamarans with all the toys. Now I'm seeing people who've started out on boats that have decided to go the other way. It makes sense for people who want to experience different things. You can't take an RV to the Bahamas, nor can you sail to the Grand Canyon.

My lovely wife and I have lived on boats and vehicles. We've also done it on a limited budget. Our plans for the coming winter were going to involve a mixture of both. Once I had sailed our little boat to Florida, we would have spent the winter sailing and camping. With the cancellation of my fall sailing trip that plan is shot. With the loss of our tow vehicle, the logistics get more complicated.

In a pinch, we could load up the car and go tent camping for months with just a couple hours preparation. We've actually left for camping in 20 minutes once, so allowing a couple hours is generous. All that bug out prep pays off.

On the other hand, we could keep an eye out for a cheap boat down south and go sailing. The problem with that is cheap boats need work. You don't want to drown, after all. I'd rather have my little boat that's in good condition than take chances with unknown problems. We have a limited budget and a fixed income. That's always a factor. We've also been in the process of reducing debt, so that leaves even less money for travel. For now, we are keeping the car tenting option ready.

I'm always on the lookout for other traveling options, especially ones that don't take a lot of money. Some don't interest as much as they once did. Hiking the Appalachian Trail would have made more sense when I was fit and 20. As a fat 60 year old, it's not such a fine idea. Also, my lovely wife is even less likely to do it.

I don't have the money to fly around the world on a private plane. Those who do have the money tend to be more interested in making more money rather than going on extended adventures. Traveling by motorcycle could be an option, but the comfort level can be pretty low. I followed one couple who decided to tour Europe with a Ural motorcycle with a sidecar. They ended up cutting their trip short and then working as crew on a sailboat to get back to the US.

At any rate, I'm kicking ideas around. Who knows what I'll come up with? Suggestions?

-Sixbears