MOBY GOES TO TURKEY. A tam and pups adventure.

corconx said:
Tam look on smugmug. It’s got professional photographers selling from it. I used to have my Aires website on there with the photos of all the Aires we’d ever stayed on

It was on there for about 10 years but having sold Motorhome after 33 years I decided I didn’t need it anymore and as it was a professional site I could nt afford the money. I didn’t sell from it so it’s cost was from my pension.

It’s worth a look as you do some fantastic pictures.

I did mine as our memories were getting worse and names were the same and similar we forgot. This allowed me to look quick to remind us.

Carol

I was lucky as Vicarious used to use a lot especially in the beginning when they started as I sent them a CD with the photos on
Click to expand...

Your site was one of the first I saved and referred to when I first thought about getting a motorhome…👍🏼
 
I think another consideration is the long term view - if you eventually (age 100 or whatever 😉) can’t keep the motorhoming up where will you live? At the moment there’s still NHS in UK. If you got residency somewhere do you get access to healthcare?
It’s all a shot in the dark but your savings mean you can afford a 2 bed flat now - would that still be the case in the future if you decided that was the best option? I have no answers but appreciate these decisions are really hard as you’re planning for the unknown.
I think I’d chill, enjoy the holiday then do some serious research and thinking in the new year.
 
Northernraider said:
Yeah the problem being getting residency and some form of employment. I guess I just need to look in to it more .
Click to expand...

Residency does not get you the work requirement you have, but it does get you round the 90/180 rule. I do not know about other countries but here in Poland I did not have to show that I owned nor rented property, just had to give an address - property is owned by Basia's family.

You could still spend as long as you want in UK to work.

In law you could be in your chosen country of residence indefinitely, but only 90/180 in the rest of Schengen. However with no border controls within Schengen I think our (I am in that situation) is not going to be noticed.

That way you would only have to be in UK long enough to enhance your income for the year above what you can make from investing whatever is left of the £155K after acquiring a bolthole in UK or country of residence.

If you dig deeper you will find that most countries allow a resident to work if they are an employee of an overseas company. Of course anyone you work for locally would have to contract with that overseas company, who would employ and pay you. Maybe it would be worth setting up a company to do just that, or you know somebody with one, maybe a MHFun member?

I only suggest the above possibilities as a way of solving the 90/180 rule for your travelling in warmer climes if you cannot find a way to work in Schengen.

Park these ideas on this thread for the future and get on with your travels.
 
I think the problem is mum getting sick and dying many years before I ever thought she would has thrown me.

A small plot of land in Portugal was something I had in my mind as something to do in a few years time , the setup I had of travelling over winter and returning to Scotland in summer was working well , this year even more so as I'd downsized the van , bought the caravan to keep there as a base etc ... it was working out perfect. Then what happened happened. So now I'm in limbo and I guess I get anxious about everything now. It was simple before I could use mums address for everything, banks , insurance, dvla , doctors, dentist everything. And I could park up there free and work when I was home. Perfect hours with a boss I knew etc .

So now it's like every option I have seems to have a lot of obstacles. I can't decide what's for the best. And what I can afford to do. I'm conscious of the fact I'm not getting any younger. I've no private pension to look forward to I've not even built up enough years to get my full state pension yet .

When I get worried and depressed about stuff my go to feel better is to buy stuff lol or think about buying something else to distract me, that's often been cars, motorbikes, campervans etc etc . Now it's bloody cake lol as I've nowhere to keep the other things.

I've been spoiled the last few years I guess , so not only do I miss not having my mum to discuss these things with. But I also miss the security she provided for me in the back ground.

There's no one else really that can ever provide that. Yes my sister has said I could use her address for dvla insurance etc etc. But she has nowhere there I could stay if I needed to , nowhere to park the camper etc . So with that comes a lot of problems, and we don't get on fantastically either.

So at the back of my mind now I have the thought that once this trip ends unlike previous trips where I returned to mums parked up bought a car and started earning straight away to cover my living costs this time when I return to the UK which I have to do by August at the latest I'm still going to be living on my savings until I find some sort of work. Getting a proper job again requires an address etc and I've not worked a proper job since 2017 , I've no references etc and it's not an easy environment out there to find work. So that's worrying.

If I buy a flat back in Scotland with a driveway then that would provide me with a parking place and a base. I can then do delivery work again , and could apply for other jobs while doing that , but I'd be limited to what I could do that wasn't leaving the dogs alone for too many hours aswell.


If I buy a bit land or a house abroad I still need to work somehow to live otherwise my savings would be gone in a few years .


I also need to put another 5 years of contributions in to my state pension if I want to get the full entitlement when I retire , if I don't have the full entitlement I believe I'd have to stay in the UK when I retire whereas if I have the full thing I can claim it abroad I believe ( correct me if I'm wrong )

So it's a lot to thing about, problem is when I think about it I tend to worry about it . But I also can't just leave the decision till next July and then panic.


If I buy a place for £60-65k I still have a safety net of £95-100k behind me which gives me some comfort and a lot of options.


I doubt I'd get a flat for that kind of money though in many other places in the UK. And of course I'd have no connections really anywhere else whereas in Scotland I do still have family etc.

Also not knowing what's round the corner I think it makes a lot of sense to have somewhere I can return to should there be a reason. I have my health just now but let's be honest there's zero guarantees when health is concerned. 6 months ago I though my mum would be alive another 10 years . My sister didn't but then she's always thought my mum was bleeding dying . She said it back in 2018 when mum was unwell. I on the other hand thought she was a fighter and wouldn't go for a long time.


So .... unless I win the lottery ( I don't play it ) or I find and marry a very wealthy person lol. Or I have some anonymous rich benefactor like a Charles dickens novel that is my lot , and I can only pee with the willie I've got as they say.

I'm just trying to figure out how to compromise between what I'd love to do and what I can actually manage to do.

Of course all your ideas , thoughts etc are always welcome. Afterall some of you have done these things before. But it helps to know the finances I'm dealing with as that makes a huge difference to my options.

I've always been a worker , never relied on handouts etc , often refused help because I never like to feel I'm taking advantage. I don't like to ask for things and I don't like to freeload ( other than free camping etc ...but then I believe the world belongs to everyone ) so whilst I may not be highly skilled etc I'll usually turn my hand to anything and accept a non perfect result to have done it myself, I'll also always try to help someone out if/when I can , and I prefer to swap favours than pay for something if I can . If someone does something for me and I can do something in return back then great.


I can be lazy at times in trying to learn new stuff , sometimes because I get so confused over it I bury my head in the sand . I often need help and motivation with that....like the damp wall in the camper etc when I just got so stressed about it I couldn't see the way forward till chris mackeellan helped me with it , just having someone with a few skills I didn't have made it possible to get it done.
 
Last edited:
gpat said:
www.propertyguides.com

Moving to Portugal after Brexit | Portugal Property Guides

Can I move to Portugal after Brexit? The Portugal Property Guide is here to guide you through the Brexit process, by providing vital information about moving before Brexit, moving to Portugal after Brexit and the key dates you will need to know.
www.propertyguides.com www.propertyguides.com
Click to expand...
Very informative thanks.

The driving licence is one that confuses me , project Amber and his partner Emma both got residency in Portugal over 2 years ago but both still use UK registered vehicles and UK licenses. And a few others I've seen with YouTube channels living in Portugal etc.

Either breaking the law or ......?

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You only need to change your driving licence if your stay in the country is continuous.
Northernraider said:
Very informative thanks.

The driving licence is one that confuses me , project Amber and his partner Emma both got residency in Portugal over 2 years ago but both still use UK registered vehicles and UK licenses. And a few others I've seen with YouTube channels living in Portugal etc.

Either breaking the law or ......?
Click to expand...
 
Northernraider said:
I think the problem is mum getting sick and dying many years before I ever thought she would has thrown me.

A small plot of land in Portugal was something I had in my mind as something to do in a few years time , the setup I had of travelling over winter and returning to Scotland in summer was working well , this year even more so as I'd downsized the van , bought the caravan to keep there as a base etc ... it was working out perfect. Then what happened happened. So now I'm in limbo and I guess I get anxious about everything now. It was simple before I could use mums address for everything, banks , insurance, dvla , doctors, dentist everything. And I could park up there free and work when I was home. Perfect hours with a boss I knew etc .

So now it's like every option I have seems to have a lot of obstacles. I can't decide what's for the best. And what I can afford to do. I'm conscious of the fact I'm not getting any younger. I've no private pension to look forward to I've not even built up enough years to get my full state pension yet .

When I get worried and depressed about stuff my go to feel better is to buy stuff lol or think about buying something else to distract me, that's often been cars, motorbikes, campervans etc etc . Now it's bloody cake lol as I've nowhere to keep the other things.

I've been spoiled the last few years I guess , so not only do I miss not having my mum to discuss these things with. But I also miss the security she provided for me in the back ground.

There's no one else really that can ever provide that. Yes my sister has said I could use her address for dvla insurance etc etc. But she has nowhere there I could stay if I needed to , nowhere to park the camper etc . So with that comes a lot of problems, and we don't get on fantastically either.

So at the back of my mind now I have the thought that once this trip ends unlike previous trips where I returned to mums parked up bought a car and started earning straight away to cover my living costs this time when I return to the UK which I have to do by August at the latest I'm still going to be living on my savings until I find some sort of work. Getting a proper job again requires an address etc and I've not worked a proper job since 2017 , I've no references etc and it's not an easy environment out there to find work. So that's worrying.

If I buy a flat back in Scotland with a driveway then that would provide me with a parking place and a base. I can then do delivery work again , and could apply for other jobs while doing that , but I'd be limited to what I could do that wasn't leaving the dogs alone for too many hours aswell.


If I buy a bit land or a house abroad I still need to work somehow to live otherwise my savings would be gone in a few years .


I also need to put another 5 years of contributions in to my state pension if I want to get the full entitlement when I retire , if I don't have the full entitlement I believe I'd have to stay in the UK when I retire whereas if I have the full thing I can claim it abroad I believe ( correct me if I'm wrong )

So it's a lot to thing about, problem is when I think about it I tend to worry about it . But I also can't just leave the decision till next July and then panic.


If I buy a place for £60-65k I still have a safety net of £95-100k behind me which gives me some comfort and a lot of options.


I doubt I'd get a flat for that kind of money though in many other places in the UK. And of course I'd have no connections really anywhere else whereas in Scotland I do still have family etc.

Also not knowing what's round the corner I think it makes a lot of sense to have somewhere I can return to should there be a reason. I have my health just now but let's be honest there's zero guarantees when health is concerned. 6 months ago I though my mum would be alive another 10 years . My sister didn't but then she's always thought my mum was bleeding dying . She said it back in 2018 when mum was unwell. I on the other hand thought she was a fighter and wouldn't go for a long time.


So .... unless I win the lottery ( I don't play it ) or I find and marry a very wealthy person lol. Or I have some anonymous rich benefactor like a Charles dickens novel that is my lot , and I can only pee with the willie I've got as they say.

I'm just trying to figure out how to compromise between what I'd love to do and what I can actually manage to do.

Of course all your ideas , thoughts etc are always welcome. Afterall some of you have done these things before. But it helps to know the finances I'm dealing with as that makes a huge difference to my options.

I've always been a worker , never relied on handouts etc , often refused help because I never like to feel I'm taking advantage. I don't like to ask for things and I don't like to freeload ( other than free camping etc ...but then I believe the world belongs to everyone ) so whilst I may not be highly skilled etc I'll usually turn my hand to anything and accept a non perfect result to have done it myself, I'll also always try to help someone out if/when I can , and I prefer to swap favours than pay for something if I can . If someone does something for me and I can do something in return back then great.


I can be lazy at times in trying to learn new stuff , sometimes because I get so confused over it I bury my head in the sand . I often need help and motivation with that....like the damp wall in the camper etc when I just got so stressed about it I couldn't see the way forward till chris @Mackeelan helped me with it , just having someone with a few skills I didn't have made it possible to get it done.
Click to expand...


You’re in a great position I think Tam, one of the most important things is you can live in the van and use your sisters address. Perfect set up.

So you can take your time, just live in the van and travel for a good while.

If owt happened to Caz I would do the same, sell the house and live in the van as there’s no point in assets if you’ve no one to leave them too. But I haven’t got anyone to use for an address if that happened.
 
I don't know if I've said this before but you could keep your doctor, dentist and any other useful contacts by redirecting your mail from your old address to your sisters. I know it's not 'correct' but it works.
 
Barclaybasher said:
I don't know if I've said this before but you could keep your doctor, dentist and any other useful contacts by redirecting your mail from your old address to your sisters. I know it's not 'correct' but it works.
Click to expand...
Yes I plan to move all those to my sisters address for now.. well when I'm back in the UK as I also need to move my passport, licence etc to that address to . I couldn't do it before I left as she was moving . She moved in to her new house on Dec 8th . So at the minute everything is still at mum's address. But most stuff is dealt with online so hopefully no issues before I return.

I know it isn't exactly the legal way but was the only way I could do it due to the circumstances.

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Northernraider said:
Very informative thanks.

The driving licence is one that confuses me , project Amber and his partner Emma both got residency in Portugal over 2 years ago but both still use UK registered vehicles and UK licenses. And a few others I've seen with YouTube channels living in Portugal etc.

Either breaking the law or ......?
Click to expand...
I know you are a bit of a towny so you are probably not into living off the land, but if you can, the cost of living in Portugal or anywhere in the sun actually can be a fraction of costs of living in town if you have a bit of ground, grow all your own stuff ,a few hens a sheep or two and you can be near enough self sufficient, solar panels for your electric, which work very well in the sun.edit, as opposed to Scotland.
Up in the mountains no one to worry you.
Might even find a few cash jobs for ex pats, that would be my ideal.
 
Mikey RV said:
What about being a groundsman on a campsite for the summer. Free pitch, regular money then travel when site closes. 👍
Click to expand...
Yes I'd considered doing that when I came back in 2019.... I even applied to a few then covid hit and I was delivering takeaways . Worked out for the best at that time as deliveries were busy and campsites were closed but it's an option I'd kept for considering. Also event marshaling work etc .
 
chaser said:
I know you are a bit of a towny so you are probably not into living off the land, but if you can, the cost of living in Portugal or anywhere in the sun actually can be a fraction of costs of living in town if you have a bit of ground, grow all your own stuff ,a few hens a sheep or two and you can be near enough self sufficient, solar panels for your electric, which work very well in the sun.edit, as opposed to Scotland.
Up in the mountains no one to worry you.
Might even find a few cash jobs for ex pats, that would be my ideal.
Click to expand...
Oh believe me Charlie I would absolutely love to not be a towny. In fact my dream idea of Portugal or even here in Greece was just that , a bit land , my own fruit , veg , a few chickens , goat , donkey , tractor......I'd love that . Just not sure how to achieve it. And of course doing it all on my own is another issue ....most folk that do it are couples.
 
Just been catching up on ianthebuilder thread , had to stop reading though as there were things coming up that just took me right back to mum

Reading the post from old mo etc .

Also brought a few things to mind about if you're abroad and get ill etc ....

I know I probably overthink and worry about stuff too much but it's when you read about things like that etc you think the UK health care etc isn't perfect but when you need it you're bleeding grateful for it.
 
Northernraider said:
Oh believe me Charlie I would absolutely love to not be a towny. In fact my dream idea of Portugal or even here in Greece was just that , a bit land , my own fruit , veg , a few chickens , goat , donkey , tractor......I'd love that . Just not sure how to achieve it. And of course doing it all on my own is another issue ....most folk that do it are couples.
Click to expand...
Yeah but my point I was trying to get across was that you wouldn't be able to do that from a flat in Scotland.
 
chaser said:
Yeah but my point I was trying to get across was that you wouldn't be able to do that from a flat in Scotland.
Click to expand...


The main point though Tam is making, is after a while, doing the remote Portugal thing on your own, after a while, will be bloody lonely.
I can fully see that
 
chaser said:
Yeah but my point I was trying to get across was that you wouldn't be able to do that from a flat in Scotland.
Click to expand...
I know. But the flat in Scotland is a fall back plan , a base and or investment for the future should I need it. I'd still have the same finances behind me as I do currently as the flat would be bought from the inheritance I have coming from mums estate.

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CazPaul said:
The main point though Tam is making, is after a while, doing the remote Portugal thing on your own, after a while, will be bloody lonely.
I can fully see that
Click to expand...
Yeah

Loneliness is something I struggle with. Probably why I spend so much time on here lol.

I like my own company maybe 60-70% of the time , but I know after a while I then crave company .

Thankfully I think I'm meeting up with a belgian couple I met here in Greece in 2020 for a few days around Christmas this year as I really didn't want to spend it alone.

I think it's one of my fears about starting out somewhere else as although everyone says " you meet new people " it isn't always the case , sometimes other people just don't want to be met lol.
 
sonny said:
Another one to look at is working in Portugal visa by the Portugese government i know you are now inundated with ( helpful) suggestions so I will shut up now
Stay safe👍
Click to expand...
This is correct. Portugal offers a Looking For Work visa that entitles you to stay in the country for 120 days to look for work and is extendable for another 60 days.
Of course there are obligations to be met but none are insurmountable.
Using a visa to get a job to then get residency (and later pack in the job?) could be a smart move?
Also the rules around uk driving licences change with the wind. Currently you can keep your uk licence until it expires which for some, may mean the rules have changed again by then.
Like you Tam, we live off our savings and a small income from Mr B’s uk house that is rented out. Portugal is one of the cheapest countries to live in, so your savings would go a very very long way.
For now though like others have said, take a break, you’ve had a tough time these last few months.
 
I’ll throw my two penneth in - write stuff down - pros & cons of different ideas etc - it takes it out your head! I would think about a one bedroom or studio flat with a parking space, somewhere people might want to visit. Then use a reputable holiday stay place to rent it by the week when you’re away for three months in the van, & then work for three months when you get back. The company will do everything for you (at a price), but it would be a bit of extra cash. If you are self employed, even for a short time each year, you can pay class 2 national insurance to top up your pension, even if you don’t earn enough to pay tax. Cost Paul only £33 for a year’s contributions last year, as he didn’t earn much.
 
The Boofles said:
This is correct. Portugal offers a Looking For Work visa that entitles you to stay in the country for 120 days to look for work and is extendable for another 60 days.
Of course there are obligations to be met but none are insurmountable.
Using a visa to get a job to then get residency (and later pack in the job?) could be a smart move?
Also the rules around uk driving licences change with the wind. Currently you can keep your uk licence until it expires which for some, may mean the rules have changed again by then.
Like you Tam, we live off our savings and a small income from Mr B’s uk house that is rented out. Portugal is one of the cheapest countries to live in, so your savings would go a very very long way.
For now though like others have said, take a break, you’ve had a tough time these last few months.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that ...some useful info there. So are you living in your van in Portugal?
 
Northernraider said:
Thanks for that ...some useful info there. So are you living in your van in Portugal?
Click to expand...
We were initially for the first two years after B****t (we got residency just before the deadline) and like you, we were looking for a plot of land but events conspired against us - as they do and we ended up buying a static caravan on a permanent site, selling the van back in the uk and have now bought a Portuguese registered van. None of that was on our radar but what a blessing that decision has turned out to be.

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