End of the fulltiming era

[Silver-Fox]

We’ve never met, or have we

Wishing you and yours a happy future

 

[jockaneezer]

Hi Maz, we met you on a THS just after we got our first van. You gave us a tour of your Burstner, and as a novice, I told you I was thinking of joining "Facts" you warned me off from the "Dark Side" and the rest, as they say......!
Hope you have a great life in Slovenia.

 

[maz]

We’ve never met, or have we

Wishing you and yours a happy future

Actually, we have met. We were in Covid lockdown at Cirencester Park CC site and you collected the generator that I had sold to another Funster.

 

[maz]

For those who would like to see a few photos:

These first few photos are from the real estate portal where we found the house, with the garden looking at its best. It is actually two separate houses - the main house at the top of the drive and a 'summer house' on the left.

 

[maz]

These are views from opposite sides of the house, taken in the autumn.

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[maz]

This is a view up to the nearby church taken before Christmas when we had a cold spell with a light covering of snow.

And this is our own personal Jesus who watches over our vegetable garden.

 

[Nanniemate]

This is a view up to the nearby church taken before Christmas when we had a cold spell with a light covering of snow.

View attachment 702294

And this is our own personal Jesus who watches over our vegetable garden.

View attachment 702295

Where is the MH parking I'm sure you could attract a number of visitors

 

[maz]

Where is the MH parking I'm sure you could attract a number of visitors

Intentionally Unfortunately we bought a place with next to no flat land.

 

[mikebeaches]

Congratulations!

Your new abode looks stunning.

Enjoy!

 

[Grianan]

Looks absolutely amazing!! Visited Llubljiana for the first time this year and loved Slovenia. Felt very safe with friendly folk. Wishing you every happiness.

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[maison]

An inspiring post.

Best of luck in your new life.

 

[Carol]

Congratulations Maz & David on the next stage of your life it sounds ideal, I well remember the early days of your Full Timing and the information you found out and willingly shared.
I remember Nix as a young dog and your training him you have had many adventures along the way now a new chapter begins really looking forward to hearing how you get on. Your New home looks lovely enjoy.

 

[maz]

Congratulations Maz & David on the next stage of your life it sounds ideal, I well remember the early days of your Full Timing and the information you found out and willingly shared.
I remember Nix as a young dog and your training him you have had many adventures along the way now a new chapter begins really looking forward to hearing how you get on. Your New home looks lovely enjoy.

It was certainly a steep learning curve but mostly an enjoyable one. Nix has been my constant companion almost from the start of my fulltiming. I started out on the road in April and found my ideal puppy in August in Worksop of all places. This after I had trawled all through North Yorkshire, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, which seemed far more likely places to find a suitable Border Collie puppy. Anyway, Worksop it was and I spent a couple of weeks parked up at the rugby ground doing her initial training. Cute or what?

And when she was older this was her favourite part of the agility course:

 

[Armytwowheels]

Congratulations and Maz and David. I hope your next adventure proves to be everything you want it to be.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Intentionally Unfortunately we bought a place with next to no flat land.

Easily sorted, and less grass to cut

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[L' Hobo]

Easily sorted, and less grass to cut
View attachment 702404

I used to fix things like that if you need a Supervisor?

 

[Mikey RV]

Congratulations on your new home and land, looks fantastic.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Ah yes, Slovenia wasn't an immediately obvious choice. We had first considered Italy but though we both love the country we felt it was a bit too chaotic to actually choose to live there. Also, since Br*x*t, the annual income requirement for residency was beyond our reach. We also looked at southern Germany but found the winters too cold for our liking. We wanted our base to be in central Europe so that it was easy to head off in any direction we fancied with the motorhome, and Slovenia appeared on our radar.

Most tourists and expats head for the mountains and Lake Bled - very beautiful but, for us, not a place to actually live. We explored quite a bit of southern Slovenia and found the south-east to have a lot of appeal in a quiet, understated sort of way. The weather was relatively mild and the people were exceptionally friendly. As an added bonus, the further east we headed in Slovenia the cheaper the property became. We visited a few properties for sale but the one at Bizeljsko just felt right from the word go - in the countryside but not isolated, a good-sized plot of land but not too massive, within easy reach of good roads for travelling and a town for shopping.

The criteria for residency also suited us. There has to be an 'economic tie' with the country, which is met by owning a property here. The annual income requirement is remarkably low at around 4,800€.

Interesting, thank you for the reply. Where do I sign ?

 

[jumar]

Love the country and the people...been lots of times during the summer months to run in many races in the fabulous countryside...good luck and welcome to Europ..

 

[JockandRita]

maz

Marianne, thank you for the kind words in your fantastic initial post. I am just sorry that between you, myself, and my mechanic pal Steve, that we couldn't sort the problem out. IIRC, I don't think even ALKO could sort it out for you in the end. You did right taking the decisive action you took to "sort it out".

The last time we spoke was at Jasmin, whereupon my heart sank as you explained your (then) current situation, andhow difficult things were becoming. I just wanted to pick you up and take you to a place of safety and comfort.........but I just wasn't in such a position to do so.

Here we are, a few years down the line, and things are now looking FANDABYDOZY, with a wonderful future ahead of you. I am so pleased that the "finger of fate" has dealt you a decent hand, and I wish you and David all the very best in your new life in Slovenia.
Unlike others, I shan't bother asking about a pitch for a night or two..........as even our hydraulic levellers couldn't deal with that terrain.
What a smashing looking gaff, and location for you both.

Two questions please Marianne, ie, 1. How's my favourite Collie Nix doing.......and 2. Did you do that PSV training course we spoke about?

All the very best,

Jock.

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[davidbaldam]

Good luck on your next adventure maz We remember you with fondness our meeting at Fineshade.

 

[KiltedArtist]

After 11 years on the road, I am no longer a fulltimer. A few of you know that last May, David and I bought a house in Slovenia. We then promptly had to leave the country as our 90 Schengen days in 180 was about to run out. Returning to the UK in June we had to wait for the house to be entered on the Slovenian land register before we could apply for residency. This took longer than anticipated but finally in mid-October we were able to visit the Slovenian Embassy in London to hand in our application and supporting paperwork. The following week we set off in the motorhome on our journey back to Slovenia to move into our house - at that stage effectively a holiday home. Today we collected our residence permits and identity cards - Slovenia is now officially our home.

Thinking back on 11 years of fulltiming has brought many memories to the fore. Overnight I went from driving a Honda Jazz to an 8.3m Burstner Elegance 821 called 'The Beastie'. It was both scary and exhilarating to be driving my new home back from Nottingham to High Wycombe - on a day of extreme high winds. After a few weeks spent in a farmer's field kitting out the van to my satisfaction, I set off for my first Fun rally at the 2011 Peterborough Motorhome Show. As I drove onto the showground, the first Funster I met was the legendary JJ - thank you, sir, for taking me under your wing. At that show I also met Karl Gromett another fulltimer who was to become a good friend. That Fun rally was only the first of many. Over the years I have enjoyed listening to the Funster Band, and Janine & Barry playing ukulele, Elvis, the delicious Jacob's Table feasts and shared meals, group walks with our dogs, playing Tri-ominoes with Amanda Ambilkate, the Royal Wedding Funster Olympics including Fray Bentos Pie Rolling, singing along to 'King of the Road' and 'that other song', drowning out Joe Pasquale at Lincoln, the sea of mud that was Peterborough Show in 2012 (and being one of the few to drive off the field under their own steam - and with a tag axle! ). I am particularly grateful for the social support that has been offered by so many Funsters over the years. There really are too many of you to give everyone a shout out - but special mention must be made of JockandRita who helped me so much when that first Burstner developed a vibration issue, and also Jane catspyjamas who shares my enthusiasm for boardgames. Then, of course, there is our esteemed leader himself Jim , who made this great social network possible in the first place and who is a lovely guy (even if we don't agree on a few political issues!).

Throughout the 11 years there have been various trials and tribulations - life on the road is not always easy. Fulltiming offers one type of freedom but also has its own set of difficulties, usually caused by bureaucracy. The nature of fulltiming has itself changed over those 11 years. When I started out, fulltiming meant keeping under the radar, not drawing attention to yourself. Over the past few years 'van life' has emerged with all its attendant social media. Certainly not all aspects of 'van life' are detrimental but it is not something with which I can readily identify. Probably the most difficult period for fulltimers as a group was the first Covid lockdown. Knee-jerk reactions from both the CMC and the C&CC resulted in many fulltimers being told to leave campsites - but where were they supposed to go? A few of us stood our ground and after a while the CMC relented and made special provision for fulltimers. The C&CC never did - and it has been remembered.

So, back to Slovenia. Our new home is in a small rural community called Bizeljsko, set within the Kozjanski Regional Park, close to the border with Croatia. It is an area of rolling hills and vineyards, with views across the Pannonian Plain. Our new neighbours are all kind and helpful, and we have been made to feel very welcome here. I have started to learn Slovenian (a difficult language!) but English is the second language in many parts of Slovenia, so many people here speak that too (albeit mainly those under 40). Obviously it is early days yet but we feel we are going to be happy here. Throughout my life I have always tended to jump in at the deep end (it's what led me into fulltiming in the first place) so a move to a foreign country is not exactly out of character. It is, however, the start of a new era ........

 

[KiltedArtist]

Hi
You are just ending your full timing adventure as I begin mine! 57 is probably a bit late for a mid-life crisis, but the one I had earlier didn’t work out, so bought my Burstner home “Saorsa” or Dom for short and hand the keys in to my flat on Friday. I have no real plans but fancy a jaunt through France and Spain, we’ll see. I hope I get the opportunity to create half as many friends and memories as you have, enjoy your new life in Slovenia, maybe our paths will cross one day and we can discuss the foibles of the Burstner!
Good luck. Neil

 

[nicholsong]

Maz

You said "The criteria for residency also suited us. There has to be an 'economic tie' with the country, which is met by owning a property here. The annual income requirement is remarkably low at around 4,800€."

Are there any requirements to stay a minimum days in the country, as there are in some countries' residence permits?

I would be interested in ballpark figures for properties like that, or smaller. PM the answer if you prefer.

Geoff

 

[Smudger55]

Good luck and all the best for your new life. Cheers Smudger55

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[Shrimp]

Very pleased for you Maz and very jealous.
Looks really lovely, wish we were there!

 

[haganap]

well done you. Nikki and I used to love seeing you at our rallies of which some you mention. Can't believe we were there at the start of your journey and now at the end of it. pinkgin and I used to think you were so brave in those early days driving such a big van at the time.
But well done you. Life is full of stories and adventures and fortune sometimes and sometimes doesn't favor the brave.

Never been to slovenia but have always fancied a little jaunt when we had the Adria as they were build there. When I can be bothered to give up this work business and venture further afield then we will look you up. In the meantime, good luck Maz, enjoy your splendid looking new home, love Paul and Nikki.

 

[Just smiffy]

I take it you will still have the motorhome for your travels… you not giving up the fun lifestyle are you..?

 

[nicholsong]

One thing I remember about Slowenia, which had always been the important economic area of Yugoslavia, was when the country broke up it only took Slowenia 10 days to have its own airline up and running and operating its first flight to Vienna.

 

[Taran_Las]

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