tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post7747478302356048563..comments2024-03-28T11:28:56.825+00:00Comments on Penny's Hot Birding and Life!: A New Life! Planning My Way Out Of 'The System'!!Penny Clarkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10611815673583639942noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-77985762227377779172018-02-07T20:28:48.279+00:002018-02-07T20:28:48.279+00:00Hi, there are moorings on the Fens and around Ely ...Hi, there are moorings on the Fens and around Ely I think but I agree the main system is a bit far from Norfolk, bit like Cornwall really! On the other hand go the whole hog and travel the system, you wouldn't regret it. When we first gave up sensible employment my wife made teddy bears on board and I made mandolins, sang and played at canalside puds and did the festival circuit and even did some industrial cleaning to make ends meet We made lots of friends in a linear community and finished up with a new career in the music business which I wasn't expecting! On top of that you can't get closer to nature and there is great birding on the canals. Whatever you decide to do, do it, when we did all our friends thought we were utterly mad and predicted doom, the madness would have been doing nothing. Regards.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133414206538045506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-33254595261322049932018-02-07T11:00:31.998+00:002018-02-07T11:00:31.998+00:00Hi Penny
I own my own motorhome and have done for...Hi Penny<br /><br />I own my own motorhome and have done for quite a few years now (I have emailed you a couple of photos of my latest one. This is the size I think you should consider if you do go through with it). <br /><br />You mentioned cost of insurance. I have found that insuring a Motorhome is far cheaper than car insurance, as it is a specialist type of insurance, but I don't know how that would work if you were to use it as your residence. That might be difficult to get insurance on.<br /><br />First of all I fully endorse what Linda has said, especially the downside of depreciation with a new van. My van is 23 years old and still going strong and at that age it is now at a point where it isn't depreciating very much each year, in fact there is a chance that it has held for the last couple of years, so why buy a new van when there are some brilliant used Motorhomes on the market. Mine is a diesel and cost me £8500 nearly two years ago. I get between 28 to 32mpg, depending on the terrain I am driving over (motorway or side roads such as the Dales or around many parts of Scotland)<br /><br />I never camp up on camp sites, always wild camp, and I have three leisure batteries that are fully charged. I only use one at a time and that one is charged directly by the engine whilst it is running. If you were to have as many leisure batteries as that you could easily last out wild camping for ages and when one of them goes flat change it and when you get the chance drop the flat one off at your mothers to charge up and then pick it up at your leisure.<br /><br />Having enough water would be a big problem but I have been cheeky enough to go to garages, shops etc to ask if I can use their tap to fill the many two litre old milk containers that I use.<br /><br />Mine has a toilet, shower a cooker, grill and hobs, fridge, small freezer compartment, blow air heating, hot and cold running water and a gas fire as well and has a booster for the TV signal. It has a wardrobe and plenty of cupboard space. Why buy new when you can have all that.<br /><br />I personally would buy second hand, try it for a while and if it works out, great, if not sell it, as you wouldn't make a great loss, or if you are enjoying it you can perhaps upgrade to a newer van with more of what you need if any, and revert to plan B, something you must have in place if you are going to try this.<br /><br />Remember though as you grow older there will become a time when that lifestyle would become too much and you would be hankering for the comforts that a home can bring. That is something you would have to factor in if you were to go ahead with this idea.<br /><br />I am almost 73 now (in two weeks time) and as much as I love being out in the Motorhome I have to say it is great when I get home as well.<br /><br />It needs a lot of thinking about and the caravan show will give you ideas but I think a lot more research by you is needed before you make up your mind to go for it.<br /><br />Whatever you choose to do good luck Penny.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11177456707225646893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-47742618685071495442018-02-07T00:08:42.490+00:002018-02-07T00:08:42.490+00:00Message to Ken and John – thank you for your email...Message to Ken and John – thank you for your emails,I will reply to you in full tomorrow, thank you both very much for your thoughts and advice. Best Wishes PennyPenny Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10611815673583639942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-87670831003151048422018-02-07T00:06:44.980+00:002018-02-07T00:06:44.980+00:00Thanks Jim! Best Wishes PennyThanks Jim! Best Wishes PennyPenny Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10611815673583639942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-3410113263981306512018-02-07T00:00:10.103+00:002018-02-07T00:00:10.103+00:00Thank you for your thoughts on my crazy idea Linda...Thank you for your thoughts on my crazy idea Linda!Penny Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10611815673583639942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-79748217489746009252018-02-06T23:56:15.733+00:002018-02-06T23:56:15.733+00:00Hi Eddy, yes I have considered a narrowboat (my si...Hi Eddy, yes I have considered a narrowboat (my sister's partner lives in one), but the nearest place to moor up, is too far for me to travel to work in reality. It does sound lovely though, thanks for your input. Best Wishes PennyPenny Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10611815673583639942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-9646333755811428212018-02-06T18:53:10.283+00:002018-02-06T18:53:10.283+00:00Hi, don't know if this comment will get throug...Hi, don't know if this comment will get through but have you thought about a narrowboat? My wife and I escaped the rat race in the 90s and lived on for three years before moving to Cornwall and then did another three years starting in 2014. Wonderful experience! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133414206538045506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-46770508653111964502018-02-06T10:01:57.420+00:002018-02-06T10:01:57.420+00:00I was a motor caravanner for thirty odd years, and...I was a motor caravanner for thirty odd years, and must say the idea of full time van living always appealed to me. You'd need to be tidy, otherwise everything crashes around when you're driving! You'd have to be good at de-cluttering! The biggest thing by far though, is that motorcaravans depreciate horribly, and down the line when the lifestyle is perhaps no longer suitable, the re-sale value wouldn't buy an alternative home. You'd have to consider this carefully. Good luck though. It's a brilliant plan,even if in the end it's just a pipe dream.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18106730561507763236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912631876823815037.post-34232700446091527092018-02-06T06:49:11.302+00:002018-02-06T06:49:11.302+00:00Hi Penny, that's a huge decision. Why not have...Hi Penny, that's a huge decision. Why not have a look at old posts by Tim Baggins, such as... https://bagginsontheloose.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/<br />or @BagginsTim <br />Good luck, JimJim Swalwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06558757291318123235noreply@blogger.com