Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
How do other grey nomads possibly choose where they go, in what order, and what they do while they are? After four months of living this amazing lifestyle I can honestly say my wife Beth and I are just overwhelmed by the variety and wealth of experiences on offer. There’s just so much to do and there’s no way of knowing how much time we have left before we have to slow down. I want to see Tassie in winter and in the summer, I want to experience the dry season up north … and the wet, I want to explore every highway and byway, visit every gorge, do every bushwalk, see all there is to see, and meet as many people as I possibly can. I know it’s not really possible but how can I choose one experience over another before I have even tried them?
Andrew
First of all, congratulations on striking out on your big adventure and on your positive approach. Your ‘make the most if it’ attitude pretty much guarantees you are going to have a wonderful time. But be careful. You’re right. You can’t possibly do it all … no one can! And the choice of where you go and when is yours alone. No one can tell you that you should see Tassie before you see Kakadu, or that you should definitely go to the Kimberley ahead of Cape York. These are personal decisions based on your preferences and those of Beth. The only firm advice I can offer is don’t try to do too much too quickly or you’ll risk diluting the pleasure of each individual experience. Your main job is to enjoy today, tomorrow and the day after that, not to tick off any ‘been there, done that’ boxes.
Jaclyn
You don’t mention how old you are, Andrew, but you’re probably 65’ish going on 16. Do you remember back then when you really fancied Alice, Jane and Tamsyn but knew you couldn’t go out with them all, or when you wanted to go on holiday with your mates but also wanted to save for your first car, or the time your footie team was in the Grand Final at the same time your favourite band was playing a big concert. Back then, the ‘teenage you’ probably stomped your foot, had a tantie, screamed ‘it’s not fair’ … and then made a choice. Most grey nomads manage to do the same, except without the foot stopping and the tanties. Grow up, Andrew, and prioritise! You’re right, there’s a lot to do … and you’ll get more of it done if you stop whingeing basically about how good life is!
Heidi
