August 2021 – Update

It’s time for an update on our plans to head around the world in Jan 2025 for 12 months.

We are now 3 years, 4ish months away from leaving – still ages. Probably just as well given the pandemic and the current travel restrictions. All of our research makes me feel desperate to travel. I just want to go and explore but the restrictions mean we cannot even get to QLD for a weekend. I watch European You Tubers who can travel and I am so jealous, especially since it is summer in Europe and everyone is out enjoying the sunshine. Winter in Victoria seems to drag on – but spring is in the air.

Bathroom Renovation

In our current home the only area that had not been renovated was the laundry, toilet and kids bathroom. So that is what we have been concentrating on over the last few months and finally it is finished. What a mission! But it has come up a treat and we are so happy with the final result. We replaced all the windows, cabinetry, updated the plumbing, retiled and painted. These types of renovations are always costly and this was no exception, but the result is amazing and will definitely add value to the house when we sell it.

Painting

Another item on our to do list was to repaint one of our feature walls. It was painted a chocolate brown back in 2006 and it was time for a change. Having a husband for a painter usually means new products are tested on our walls. So this wall was repainted in Dulux concrete paint. It is a thick paint that is trowelled after each coat and then sanded back when dry to show a concrete effect. We did this wall in a day and we like how it came up. It is hard to see the concrete effect in the photos, but the lighter colour has changed the feel of the room and we are really happy with the final result.

Sub Division

The surveyor has finished the planning part and we have made a decision about how the blocks will look. We decided the put the driveway down the west side of the current house so as to not upset the driveway and shed access. Now that the planning side is complete and survey finalised it can go to shire for approval. Fingers crossed with this process – you never know what they will come up with.

There are a row of trees down the west side that will need to be removed to install the driveway. We have a quote for this work now and will get the trees removed when it warms up and the paddock is not so wet. We will then start fencing to divide the 2 blocks and install the driveway for access.

We are still investigating design ideas for the new house. We are currently considering putting in a shed for storage of our belongings and then adding a shipping container home to the block. This will give the kids somewhere to stay while we are away and us somewhere to live when we get home. We can then add to the design with more containers as we need. We will probably change our minds again but that is currently what we are researching.

Travel Planning

Over the last 3 months we have spent a lot of time watching You Tube videos on van life. We watched Craig and Aimee (Kinging It) travel in their van “Custard” through Europe and Wales, which then led us to watch them travel through India in a Rickshaw. Crazy people – but super funny and inspiring. So after watching videos on van life we started to question if we are spreading ourselves too thin in Europe. Should we buy a van and spend most of our time there – given the distance you have to travel to get there. We are also looking at buy back camper schemes where you buy a camper and they guarantee a price when you return it. Seems to be costly but would take away a lot of the headaches associated with buying, selling, insurance etc. Lots more research to do.

So now we are considering 1 month in Africa doing a tour or two. Then on to the UK for possibly a month, then to Europe to travel for the next 9 months. Home via Japan depending on where all our children are located. The plan changes all the time – no doubt next update it will be different again.

Future Travel

We are up to Plan B – we have just booked a 3 week trip to travel around Tasmania with our van. Fingers crossed Covid is kind and we manage to get there. If this trip is cancelled we will have to travel around Victoria. That would be plan C after plan A of NZ was cancelled when the bubble burst. Wish us luck and keep your eye out for Tassie blog posts – yay!!!

Edit: Looks like Tasmania in the van is not happening after all of Victoria went into lockdown. We will now be lucky if we get away at all. Covid sucks! Get vaccinated people.