There has never been a better time than now.
That has been the philosophy around our house for the past few months. My husband, Josh, and I are both fortunate enough to work from home for own our own businesses. I love to experience the outdoors and have perpetual wanderlust, and Josh is always game for seeing new places.
This is the time to travel.
Inspired by some amazing people we’ve met through the online camping community, we’ve made it our goal to sell our house, ditch a lot of our stuff, buy an RV and live and work nomadically for a period of time.
There are a lot of considerations ahead of us, and here are just a few — and our responses to them so far.
- What kind of RV will we buy? We’re going to start our search in the coming weeks, but we’re not reinventing the wheel. Instead, we’re taking advice like this to save time.
- How will we maintain internet connectivity needed to work? Again, we’re seeing what others have done and will probably be jumping on board with several different hotspot plans through different providers for maximum connectivity. Sadly, we may have to say goodbye to streaming Netflix because it chews through too much data.
- Can our businesses continue to support us while on the road? Many of our clients already work with us on a 100% remote basis, but we’ll need to continue fostering relationships with open-minded folks who are willing to work with us via phone, Skype and email.
- Can we really focus on work while traveling? We’re planning on taking it slow —traveling only 200-300 miles every 2 weeks — so that we have plenty of time to see the sights and work without feeling guilty about how much we’re not seeing. At this rate, it’ll take us about 3 years to hit highlights of most of the lower 48 states.
- How will we afford this? We’re planning on selling our house, which should be the main source of funding. Fortunately, Houston is a seller’s market right now, so this is coming at a good time. We’ll also sell one of our cars and some of our stuff.
- Won’t we miss our friends? Of course! But the internet has already gone a long way in keeping us closely in touch with family and friends who live far away. This shouldn’t be any different, really! Plus we’re sure we’ll meet additional friends on the road.
- What if we hate it? We’re going to give it a shot, but if we really do want to stop living nomadically, then we’ll settle back down. We can use the RV while we house or apartment shop.
- Won’t we get sick of each other? We’ve been married two years and haven’t yet! Besides, we both already share an office building (our house), so this shouldn’t be too different.
- What about our pets? Our dog, Gabby, loves car rides more than about anything, so we’re sure she’ll have a blast joining us on this adventure. Our cat, Bo, is in the opposite camp, but he’s survived 10-hour trips to Amarillo, so we’re sure he can do a few hours every couple of weeks.
- What if we want to do something without lugging our entire house along? We plan to bring our RAV4, whether caravaning with it or towing it. That should be ideal for tight corners and city driving.
As a kid, I always used to turn my nose up at the idea of doing something as glamp-tastic as RV camping, but I’ve definitely softened my view on it. There’s a camping style for everyone, and this one is right for us at this time.
Ardent Camper is founded on the belief that anyone can enjoy camping if they just do it their way. Usually my style involves grabbing the tent and taking off into the woods, but I’m excited about the flexibility this lifestyle will give me to see more places — national parks and cities alike.
While digital nomadism isn’t possible for everyone, I am convinced that the barriers that prevent people from camping and traveling can be reduced. Part of our planning process will also be exploring how to do that.As we get closer to achieving this dream, we’ll keep you all posted. Feel free to ask any questions you like. Until next week, happy 4th of July weekend camping adventures to you all!
Related posts:
- Let the RV Shopping Commence
- An Interview with the Full-Time RV-Dwelling Digital Nomads of RV Wanderlust
- Take a Home-on-Wheels Tour and Learn Why We Bought a Fifth Wheel
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