We decided the right thing for our family to do would be to spend some extended time traveling together before Michael and John became too old and busy with their teen activities. The ability to retire from the military and take some time off before the next career created the perfect opportunity to do this.
For a couple of years we planned to make this happen and made it a priority. We decided to get an RV to live and travel in most of the trip other than an extended trip to Hawaii. We prepared to put everything in storage and have no standard household expenses while we traveled around. We started homeschooling Michael and John, and everyone got in the mindset it was really going to happen.
As crazy as it sounds to go on an extended vacation in today's economy, it isn't much more expensive than living in Southern California was anyway. With the big items in storage and no standard household expenses, we will come out pretty close to even when it is all said and done. Our cars and RV are paid off, and our monthly bills are pretty much just insurance, a cell phone and a wireless data plan.
In early April we pulled the trigger and started the trip. We went to Boise, Idaho and spent some time with family there who will watch our dog for us for a month or so while we travel places the RV can't go. The big picture plan is to spend about a month in Hawaii and maybe make it over to Australia or some other destination if there is a military plane with space available we can catch for no airfare cost. After we return, we will head up to Alaska in the RV and head back down through the Dakotas on the way to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The routing will take us through the remaining states the kids have not been to and will round out all 50 for them. We think we will sell the RV and settle down in Colorado Springs around the end of the fall.
We reserve the right to change our mind at any point on the trip. We can stop it early or keep it going longer. We can stop in Colorado Springs at the end, or pick any other place to move to.
It all depends......
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