Annie's New Adventure

I'm about to set out on a new adventure!

First of all, if you know anyone who'd like to walk the Camino with a bit of support, I have one space in the SJPP to Santiago trip. The person could also begin in Pamplona and if it were a couple, I could squeeze them in. However, right now it is all ladies.  I also have one or two spaces in my SLOW Camino from Sarria to Santiago, walking half stages.  For more information, see my website at www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

Those who have followed me a long time will remember that back in about 2011, I took out the front seat of my car and had a bed built into it and lived out of the car for a while. I did it then because I was so sick with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities that I couldn't stay in a building anymore and needed to get out into nature.

Well, I'm doing it again!

But THIS time, I'm doing it because it's on my bucket list!  My son just fulfilled one of my bucket list dreams by taking me to Disney World for 5 days.  It was wonderful!  Now, I want to take a year to go see America. I want to travel Route 66. I want to see the East Coast, all the national parks, and places closer to home.  I've been all over Western Europe but I've never seen the USA, Canada, and Baja.

I've hooked into a wonderful group of women on Facebook who call themselves "van dwellers."  They aren't scary homeless people. They are women who for various reasons have CHOSEN to take  few months, close up the house, and leave, or to even sell everything and go on the road indefinitely.  Some start out doing #1, and end up loving it and staying in the van for long periods of time.

Here are some photos of some of the rigs I've found online:

Yesterday, I had coffee with a gal about my age who had been living out of her van for over 8 years! I wasn't sure what to expect, of course, from someone who's been living in a van for 8 years, but was pleasantly surprised by a very normal lady with a great smile and personality who was well-groomed and who's eyes shone like a light.  Even her toenails were painted!  ::laughing::

We talked a couple of hours. She showed me her setup. I picked her brains. How do you shower? Where do you use the toilet? Do you feel safe? How do you cook? I had so much fun and got so excited about it that I couldn't get to sleep until 3:30 ... just dreaming!

So, stay tuned. I'm in the process now of selling all that I can so I don't have so much to pack up. I'll head out for the desert after our family Thanksgiving. My sons' father is coming out from Georgia for the holiday and I want to say hi to him. Then I'll head to mom's, then to Joe's little place near Palm Springs. In December, I'll head to Quartzite for the Rubber Tramp Rendevous, where I'll connect with several women I've met online and with Lois, the gal I met yesterday. We'll circle up our vehicles and I plan on staying there at least a month. If I hate it, I'll go back to Joe's place. If I love it, I'll continue on until time to go pick up my Camino group.  And if I LOVE it, I plan on taking off for parts unknown when I return from the Camino end of June.