End of the fulltiming era (1 Viewer)

[cliffanger]

Your new home looks absolutely stunning! Congratulations and best wishes for a fantastic future!

 

[PaulOH]

Well the funsters may or may not be turning your beautiful land into a Slovaglastonbury but that's up to you! Congratulations on your new house and many years of health and happiness to enjoy it!

 

[maz]

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.

Thank you, Jock. You have always epitomised the Funster ethic of helping others and I am very grateful to you. Re that first Burstner, on the positive side it led me to get my Hobby 750 which is still my favourite van ever.

Nix is now developing the 'distinguished' look with noticeable white eyebrows but remains full of energy. This is my favourite fairly recent photo of her at Matera:

As to the PSV training course, I got as far as filling in the forms to become a trainee bus driver with Arriva but then my circumstances changed again and I never got round to sending them off!

 

[maz]

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

Hi Neil and welcome to the Fun!

I've been having mid-life crises all my life! I see you are from Scotland - which part? When I was 29 I chucked in my job with the electricity board in Slough and headed north. I kept going until I found a small farm in Aberdeenshire and embarked on raising sheep and goats. That was another jump in at the deep end!

Good luck as you set off on your fulltiming adventure. I don't know if you are aware but you get 5 free posts on Fun and will then need to subscribe if you wish to continue posting. That £20 subscription could well prove to be the best investment you ever make, as the support of Funsters is invaluable.

 

[maz]

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

Hi Geoff. I believe there is a requirement to spend a minimum of 6 months here each year, but as we will be wanting to do that anyway I didn't pay too much attention to that aspect. Now of course I can't find a link to the relevant information but will ask David to search it out for you later.

We paid 185,000€ for the two houses and about 1.5 acres of land. We were lucky to buy when the exchange rate was relatively good at around 1.20€ to the pound. We found the best portal for browsing property is:
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[maz]

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.

Thank you, Paul & Nikki. I always loved your rallies and have many happy memories of you and your beautiful dogs.

 

[maz]

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

We still have the motorhome and will be keeping it for at least as long as our dog Nix is alive. After that, who knows?

 

[Detnor]

Best wishes on your new adventure, have you started delivering biscuits to the locals?

 

[nicholsong]

Hi Geoff. I believe there is a requirement to spend a minimum of 6 months here each year, but as we will be wanting to do that anyway I didn't pay too much attention to that aspect. Now of course I can't find a link to the relevant information but will ask David to search it out for you later.

We paid 185,000€ for the two houses and about 1.5 acres of land. We were lucky to buy when the exchange rate was relatively good at around 1.20€ to the pound. We found the best portal for browsing property is:
Broken Link Removed

maz

Many thanks for that reply. Six months does not seem too restrictive, but how do they police that if one is only crossing EU borders and not Schengen borders for more time?

After Basia's Mother's death we have made a decision to stay put for a year - may take that long to do-up and sell Mother's flat, and clear up the Estate. After that we shall be looking at all possibilities.

I have always thought one should rent in an area, or park the MH, for a few months before deciding on committing to buying. Did you do either of those? Is it easy to rent in your area?

Your place does really look like a dream. Enjoy it.

Geoff

 

[Pablo19]

We spent a week in the Soca valley in Slovenia in September, absolutely stunning country and we found the people to be very friendly and generally like you said, English speaking as well. I can think of many worse places to put down roots, I'm very jealous.

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[Platelet]

All the best for your new adventure. Even my land rover may struggle on there!

 

[maz]

maz

Many thanks for that reply. Six months does not seem too restrictive, but how do they police that if one is only crossing EU borders and not Schengen borders for more time?

After Basia's Mother's death we have made a decision to stay put for a year - may take that long to do-up and sell Mother's flat, and clear up the Estate. After that we shall be looking at all possibilities.

I have always thought one should rent in an area, or park the MH, for a few months before deciding on committing to buying. Did you do either of those? Is it easy to rent in your area?

Your place does really look like a dream. Enjoy it.

Geoff

Hi Geoff. I really have no idea if or how they police the 6 months. I'm guessing it has something to do with becoming tax resident if you stay in a country more than 6 months, so provided you pay your taxes they might not be that bothered. As you say, if you are only crossing EU and not Schengen borders, how will they know?

Renting or staying in the motorhome in an area before buying is sound advice. We stayed for about 2 months on a campsite at Doljenska Toplice, exploring southern Slovenia and visiting properties from there. We got to know the campsite owner very well and learnt a lot about buying a property in Slovenia from him. We found the property at Bizeljsko about halfway through our stay with him, and decided to just go for it so that we could complete before we had to leave because of the 90 days in 180 rule. Bit impulsive? Probably. But it just felt right to us.

I don't know anything about renting property here but the website link I posted earlier deals with properties to rent as well as for sale.

 

[maz]

Best wishes on your new adventure, have you started delivering biscuits to the locals?

Oddly enough, yes I have! I cooked cinnamon and raisin custard cookies for all our neighbours for New Year.

 

[Gromett]

I remember our first meet well and a few others since then. After your break from fulltiming for the sea, now this, you certainly keep things interesting

I wish you the best for your new life and hope it is happy and fulfilling

 

[bobnick]

Anywhere to park our van when we visit next year?..............................nowt like being forward is there.
Love Slovenia and Croatia and Bulgaria (Bansko especially) in fact love the whole Balkans.
Happy new residence

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[maz]

Anywhere to park our van when we visit next year?..............................nowt like being forward is there.
Love Slovenia and Croatia and Bulgaria (Bansko especially) in fact love the whole Balkans.
Happy new residence

Hi Bob. We have very little flat land here but in the summer it should be possible to park a van on the grass by the 'Jesus garden'. David is currently creating a paved area for our van to stand on next to the summerhouse, and we will be widening the driveway entrance with tarmac so in the future a van could just about park on that in front of our van (once the tarmac has set properly). Be warned tho' that manoeuvring can be exciting as we are on a narrow lane with a steep drop on the opposite side.

 

[nomad2022]

Wishing you all the very best for the future looks like you have found your Nirvana! - ever thought about opening a campsite in Slovenia for all us newbies just starting off full timing?

 

[maz]

Wishing you all the very best for the future looks like you have found your Nirvana! - ever thought about opening a campsite in Slovenia for all us newbies just starting off full timing?

I may be somewhat mad but not that mad!

 

[ericonabike]

I'm sonething of a country member, but always enjoy reading your posts. Very sound advice on pet passports, and an excellent quizzer! Looking forward to a quiz in Slovenian...

 

[maz]

I'm sonething of a country member, but always enjoy reading your posts. Very sound advice on pet passports, and an excellent quizzer! Looking forward to a quiz in Slovenian...

Hi Eric and thank you. Nice to see you are still around.

I used to really enjoy those Thursday night quizzes and all the banter. For those that don't know what we're talking about, back in the old days when Fun had a chat room there used to be a regular Thursday night online quiz. The idea was to come second because whoever won the quiz had to set the one for the following week. Maximum kudos was to come second by just one point.

I might someday get around to a quiz on a Slovenian theme ......

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[Pedro Pallent]

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 ........

It is sad that another full timer, with so much knowledge has once again become land locked. I wish you well with your new venture

 

[maz]

It is sad that another full timer, with so much knowledge has once again become land locked. I wish you well with your new venture

It's been a good journey but it also just feels the right time to have a base now. Some people try fulltiming and have had enough after 6 months, others take to the lifestyle and continue for years. For quite a long time I couldn't see myself returning to bricks and mortar but, as with all things, never say never.