Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
My wife, Anne, and I have been on the verge of setting off on the Big Lap for about two years now. We have got the van, the Tug, and all the gear, and we have refined our route about a dozen times. I am more than happy to plan to set off ‘later in the year’ or ‘in a few months’ but, for some reason. I can’t bring myself to set an actual date for leaving. I am not sure what it is. When we were both still working, it was always me who wanted to us to retire and hit the open road but, now we are free to do whatever we want, it is Anne who is chomping at the bit to get travelling and I am dragging my heels. It just seems such a huge thing to do. Is this just pre-trip nerves, or am I not cut out for the big adventure after all?
Denis
Denis, you are not alone! It is a big step for anyone to take, and it’s completely understandable that you are a little wary about taking the plunge. However much you may have dreamed of ‘getting away from it all’ while you were working, it can feel a little different when you are actually about to do it. You will be saying farewell to the familiarity of your home, your neighbourhood, your friends, your family and your normal hobbies to face the uncertainties of full-time travelling. Reassure yourself that you can keep in close contact with those you leave behind and that you can always change your mind and come home again if you like. But the chances are you literally won’t look back once you’ve started your new life. In any jourmey, the first step is the hardest.
Jaclyn
Come on, Denis, you’re a big boy now. You’re not being asked to walk the plank here, or jump out of a plane without a parachute. You are among the luckiest people in the world about to embark on a fantasy lifestyle that would be the envy of millions around the globe. Don’t let a few what are clearly last-minute nerves stand in the way of what we all know will be a fantastic trip. You’ve clearly done your homework and made all the preparations. All that is left to do is hitch up the van, and pull out the driveway. My advice to you Denis is to stop navel gazing, stop deciding that the glass is half full. Take a deep breath, and simply get out there and enjoy it. Every day you stay at home is another day you are missing out on.
Heidi
