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It
seemed like the most novel idea in the world when I first heard
of the concept of fulltime RVing in 2001. It hit me like a lightening
bolt when I realized that this was the best way I could fulfill
my dreams of travel. I certainly was in no position to retire, and
two weeks off every year, enduring long airplane trips and hotel
rooms for all-too-short vacations did not give me the time or comfort
I had in mind.
When
I realized that if I bought a house on wheels, I could just drive
it around and find work as I traveled, my eyes were opened to all
sorts of possibilities. Of course it wasn't exactly that easy and
it didn't happen all at once. I became a research junkie and haunted
every internet site I could find on the subject. In the years since
I took off, I am amazed at how many more resources there are on
the subject and how many people are enjoying this unique lifestyle.
From
the beginning, I was able to benefit from the experience of others
who had been-there-done-that and have learned a lot "the hard
way" along the way. As with any major change in lifestyle,
it can seem intimidating and hard to know how to get started.
When
asked how I was able to start fulltiming, despite not having won
the lottery, I say, "Baby steps." If you want something
bad enough, just take a small step every day toward that goal -
no matter what it is - research, writing, visualizing, praying.
But do something consistently and before you know it, things open
up in such a way that you couldn't have foreseen in the beginning.
And you find yourself on the road, remembering another of my favorite
quotes, "The longest journey begins with but a single step."
And
as another very wise man once said, "Start by doing what's
necessary; then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the
impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi
So
here I'll start with the resources I used and will add to this section
as I remember and find more. Of course, if you have any to share,
or questions to ask, please do email me at Malia@MaliasMiles.com. |
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RV
FORUMS
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Whether they're experienced vets or wanna-be's, there's a lot
to learn from the postings and discussions of other RVers. Do
a search for "fulltiming" on and if you read it all,
you'd never get on the road! |
| RV.Net
Open Roads Forum |
Many
RV related entities like Motor Home, Trailer Life magazines
and clubs like Good Sam use this forum |
| Escapees
Club Forum |
Escapees
is one of the largest clubs geared toward fulltimers. On their
forum, besides many general RVing subjects, there's a large
category for "Graduating
to Fulltime" for those planning on entering this
lifestime - either now or way off in the future.
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WORKING
ON THE ROAD
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| The
demographics of the fulltime RVer is getting younger, and more
and more are making their living while continuing to pursue
their love of travel and discovery. |
| Digital
Mastery |
Ben
is a traveling Photoshop guru who sold 98% of his material possessions
and started living on a tour bus in 2006. He and his wife, Karen
of The
Pixel Diaries, are amazing photographers and I can spend
hours just marveling at their images! |
| Fine
Arts of Women RVers |
Julianne
Crane interviews women artists "who have chosen to pursue
their creative dreams with the help of a recreation vehicle." |
| How
to Get Started Workamping |
Working on the road while traveling in your RV, also known as
Workamping®, can add money to your budget - both by earning
money and through savings. Often you get a free or low cost
RV site plus are parked in one area for several months, thus
saving on travel expenses. |
| Publishing4Profit |
Learn
how Nick Russell of Gypsy
Journal fame has supported his roaming lifestyle for over
25 years. |
| The
Silver Snail |
Sharon
Pieniak is a solo RVer who does graphic design and photography
work from the road in her Airstream. |
| Technomadia |
Cherie
& Chris have been traveling full time since 2006, "exploring
the intersection of mobility, tech, career, community and serendipity."
They also have a YouTube page, Tales
From Technomadia, and I enjoy these video productions
with techno tips and other RV related fun. |
| Travels
with Miranda |
Rae
Crothers has been a solo fulltime RVer since 2008 and is an
expert on RVing in Canada. She is "exploring the continent
by living and working fulltime in an RV - these are the best
days of my life - these are my golden days." |
| Workamper.com |
A
source of job opportunities for RVers for many years, including
volunteering in exchange for spots as well as paid camp hosting,
etc. |
| Working
Age Full Time RVers |
A
YouTube video on "How to earn an income while traveling"
- interviews with fulltime younger/ working RVers focused on
how they earn an income while they travel perpetually. |
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ARTICLES
& INFO
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| Feeling
Safe While Traveling Fulltime |
I
appreciated Cherie and Chris' common sense but "don't let
it stop you" attitude about this issue that so many are
concerned about. Take reasonable precautions and understand
that life itself anywhere comes with risks. I like her proposed
redefintion of safety - Instead of expecting that bad things
won't happen - safety is trusting that I have the ability, capacity
and courage to deal with the bad stuff when it happens." |
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