Am I crazy to do this this?...

[VanWolf]

That depends how long you are going to Europe for.

Covid-19 is here to stay and you will have to adapt accordingly. In the UK you can take your chances with everyone else and do your best to stay safe. At least you will be able to access medical support should you need it. As a retired person you will be of an age where you get annual flue jabs (that may in future include Covid-19) and various other check ups on the NHS. You won't be getting them abroad. Otherwise it will be relatively easy for you to stay safe and lets face it certainly safer than going to Bournemouth.

As it currently stands if you travel to Europe, without any deal with the EU, and you wil be travelling into 2021 and beyond you will need to consider; visa requirements, driving license, pet passport, health and insurance, vehicle insurance and recovery. All of which will add to cost and complexity.

 

[JC2001]

That depends how long you are going to Europe for.

Covid-19 is here to stay and you will have to adapt accordingly. In the UK you can take your chances with everyone else and do your best to stay safe. At least you will be able to access medical support should you need it. As a retired person you will be of an age where you get annual flue jabs (that may in future include Covid-19) and various other check ups on the NHS. You won't be getting them abroad. Otherwise it will be relatively easy for you to stay safe and lets face it certainly safer than going to Bournemouth.

As it currently stands if you travel to Europe, without any deal with the EU, and you wil be travelling into 2021 and beyond you will need to consider; visa requirements, driving license, pet passport, health and insurance, vehicle insurance and recovery. All of which will add to cost and complexity.

Thanks. All good points and duly noted. I’m planning to wait until our status with EU is established. And bedsides, it gives me and the dog time to adapt to touring van life

 

[Brockley]

Go for it JC2001.

 

[robnchris]

Thanks. All good points and duly noted. I’m planning to wait until our status with EU is established. And bedsides, it gives me and the dog time to adapt to touring van life

I am always amazed when people say after we leave the EU travelling in the EU will be this or that, during our many excursions into deepest darkest Europe we have met with people from all over the world, travelling around from one country to the next with relative ease.

 

[Rodneyplonker]

I personally think that there will be a deal of sorts - not too dissimilar to what we have now. It is in nobody's interests long-term to do otherwise. Many Europeans will still live and work in the U.K. and vice-versa. I think I read recently that there are for instance, a million French people living and working in London... they too will be anxious that their government will reach an agreement and will be lobbying them likewise. It's a two-way street! To radically cut the UK off from what we had before is in no-one's interest. Despite all the posturing on both sides, I think common sense will prevail in the end... but it might go to the wire!

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[Nanniemate]

I agree with Robnchris People did travel before the EU, if just took us longer at boarders, which was factored into every trip in addition to that we had to carry different currencies for each country. But we did it we didn't know any different. It just added to the adventure.
Yes the' good old days' of free travel many of us have been lucky enough to experience may have gone, but these will be new travellers 'good old days' are about to be their memories. You don't miss what you didn't have and the newbies may even find it easier as they are not adapting to the regulations but learning how to travel in Europe. If you don't know any different you do what you have to do.

 

[Hollyberry]

Do it. You’ll only regret what you don’t do.
If you can, keep your property and rent it out. You’ll always have that to go back to.

I full timed for 9 months, totally unplanned ( I only started off on a six week trip) Went home after 9 months, packed the house up and put it on the market and did another 15 months, just because I loved it so much.

I‘ve recently moved house and in the midst of it I seriously thought about buying another Moho and full timing again.
You have to put certain things in place— a contingency plan for if your motorhome is damaged/ broken down and you need somewhere to stay, and put something g in place for your dog in case you are taken ill ( but you’d have to do that anyway in a house, I suppose)
Enjoy the experience. I did 2 years all bar a week with two cats and two dogs. For 3 weeks of it the mot was in for repair after a minor bump. Luckily a friend took us all in.
Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[Easyliving]

We are full timers and spent about 8 weeks in Spain earlier this year.

I understand that the EHIC card my be useless next year but I found it very handy while in Spain

On 14th February I had a bad fall and got an ambulance and fantastic hospital treatment without paying a penny. This was before the pandemic though.

Paul

 

[StephandJohn]

Do It, we have. My advice would be do Europe first and get the most out of it before the new year where not a single person on the planet knows what’s going to happen.

we have family in Greece and Spain all been there for over 10 years and even they don’t really know after all the town hall get together s if they will be able to stay.

we have been locked down in France and now travelling Spain loving every day.

ENJOY

We've full timed in the UK and Europe and would do it again if health issues hadn't kicked in.
English campsites are due to open on the 4th July and Scottish ones on the 16th but not all CLs and Css are going to open so you'll have to check.
Europe should wait until next year because you won't get travel insurance at the moment. The EHIC works well but if the very worst happens and you need repatriation or long stay convalescence you can only get this with the addition of insurance. It's not worth the risk to go without it.
Having said all of that. Just go for it and stay in the UK for now.
Full timing is magic and we're so glad we did it.
Steph
PS campsites over here are generally a lot more expensive than in Europe but for the time being might be easier than wild camping.

 

[Rosemary1]

Part of the fulltiming way of life is adapting to situations as they occur. You can never plan for every eventuality - and if you did you’d never go anywhere!

From my experience (9 years fulltiming) wild camping in the UK (certainly England) is not that wonderful, even before the Covid19 dramas. Ok for the odd night if you need to be in a particular location, but otherwise CLs or THSs are much more agreeable.

Go for it - and enjoy the journey!

Just like life really. I used to plan how to cope when certain things happen, plan for the worse. You know they rarely ever happened but I would get side swiped from things I never considered. I survived, I coped and I carried on - life’s so short we should get out there and enjoy it.

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[gwyntaxi]

The UK seems to be very hostile to full timers at the moment due to them being put in the same debate as lockdown breakers heading for beauty spots. It may take a little while to forget this situation. We're in France and it's very easy to get around and live on the Aires system.

The UK Hostile to full-timers? They're Hostile to Motorhomes full stop more like.

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

The UK Hostile to full-timers? They're Hostile to Motorhomes full stop more like.

It was mostly the youtube brigade posting every detail of their lives online and acting surprised when it angered locals. If they had kept their heads down noone would have known they were there, but they were worried about their income drying up.

 

[Swampie]

Go for it man
Bank the cash it you find it not for you there are other options out there for part time weekend travelling etc you’ll soon know
If not already brought and are at Retirement age go for comfort for you and you dog
The van I live in I need to upgrade
The 4 things That are a must for me are -
Fixed bed - which I Don’t have in my current van Need to assemble and pack away every day it’s a pain bed at the rear would be great with living space and kitchen
Flushing wc
Hot shower
Heating

ensure you have recovery just in case
Go for it man at the moment travelling around the Uk would be a great start not much choice going abroad at the moment

think about size as well great to have the room but narrow lanes and parking can be a issue
Enjoy whatever you so

 

[JC2001]

Thanks for this. I’ve now got my van and am on the road! I listened and followed the counsel to get as big as possible so I’m 8.1m. Only a few days in and learning lots... have reduced packing up time to just 3 hours!

 

[Baggydave]

Good luck in your new life.
we are not full timers but do tour a lot, mostly Pre Covid in the eu but just lately UK. 7 years & counting.

its A great way of living But some give “wild“camping a bad name. (Flt’s)

if you don’t mind can I offer you some simple tips that have worked for us.

please don’t stay in one place for too long & leave nothing to show you’ve been there.
if it says no camping Don’t.
spend a little locally & engage with locals/passers by/dog walkers Etc.

If the spot Around you van has litter on arrival pick It up & bin it. we carry a litter picker for just this purpose. If you don’t some/most will assume it’s yours. Especially when you’ve moved on!

we don’t have a dog now but still place a full water bowl outside, this has Started some nice conversations.

If during chats the opportunity arises tell them your a motorhomer, if it’s not obvious that is. Most are quite intrigued.

we all need to improve the apparent image of us “travellers” it may help.

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[JC2001]

What a lovely post Dave, thank you. I’m imagining I will be either on a site or a Brit stop kind of place with Little that is “wild” about my stays... except my camping skills

Thanks for the tips I’ll take that advice willingly and I especially like the litter cleaning idea!

 

[Baggydave]

What a lovely post Dave, thank you. I’m imagining I will be either on a site or a Brit stop kind of place with Little that is “wild” about my stays... except my camping skills

Thanks for the tips I’ll take that advice willingly and I especially like the litter cleaning idea!

we Love wild camping (or free camping) & we have a few local spots we use regularly. I see no reason to pay to park in a field when we don’t need/use any facilities. Plus the views are usually better, especially on the coast. Nothing like nodding off to sleep to the sound of waves hitting shore.

just one more tip if I may?
if you find a spot you love keep it to yourself!

happy travels

 

[JC2001]

By the way what is flt?

 

[M-J]

By the way what is flt?

FLT? WTF?

I am in a bit of a quandary with the acronyms being used, there appears to be in some quarters a lot of vitriol aimed at those who are known as *The FLT*. I thought it was for Full Timers, but it would appear that it might mean Free loading Tw*ts judging by some of the comments made about issues...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[JC2001]

Aahhh thank you!

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[Littlewheels]

sounds like people are saying that existentially the decision is correct but caution is needed when travelling in light of social and health complications due to C19. These I’m mindful of and cautious not to inflame. I will set off to tour the UK in early September and all being well cross to the continent when conditions permit.

You are doing it the wrong way round, The EHIC card works until the end of 2020 and might continue who knows it’s not settled yet.
Go to France or wherever now the French Aires system is easy and will settle you in,on the 01/01/21 if 90/180 kicks in you have until the end of March a Winter to enjoy and the return to the UK with a great lump of experience under your belt having met a lot of like minded people.

 

[JC2001]

I like it thank you.

Sadly due to other factors my journey always needed to start in the UK but with this comment in mind I will try and get across the water before the years end ... if I can.