About the Dream: Why I’m Writing

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a deep curiosity and craved new experiences. I love to travel, to learn new things, and to work in different fields. The times I’ve had to stay still or haven’t had something to explore have been plagued by a sense of wasted time, unshakeable and without relief, until I find a dream to dig into.

I have lived in the same location for, as of this writing, nearly 8 years. Before that, another stay for about the same. I have kept myself busy with various courses, skill development regimes, and projects, but even so… the wanderlust grows. Looking back, I’ve lived in South Carolina for the better part of two decades. For some, that may be appealing, but for me, it raises a mild sense of panic deep inside my mind.

I’ve come to a point where I’m ready to make changes. I’ve come up with a wild dream that I have no idea if I can pull off. I learned a long time ago that dreams are meant to be chased, while some can be made a reality. I’m not sure if this dream is possible, but I want to find out. So right now, let’s take a look at the goal, the plan, and why I’m writing all this down.

The Dream

In short, I want to leave South Carolina and travel the country, seeing as many interesting things as I can. I grew up traveling a lot (something I detail in “About the Author”), and I am usually caught at a loss when someone asks me where I’m from. I’m not really from anywhere. Instead of settling down somewhere for an answer, I want to steer into that and embrace living on the road.

The Plan

A goal without a target date is like an umbrella without a handle: A great idea, but one that flies away at the first breeze. Knowing this, I want to hit the road by the end of July, 2027. That gives, as of this writing, just under two years to prepare. A deadline is great, but George Harris said it right in the song “Got My Mind Set on You” when he said it was gonna take time, and it’s gonna take money to do it right. Let’s talk cash.

I need a very roadworthy vehicle and some method of living, so I’ve come up with a budget of $45,000. Let’s figure roughly $20k for the vehicle, $20k for the living space, and $5k for a starting emergency fund. I might be able to come in under budget, but right now, I know I can do it for $45k.

How do I plan to put together that much cash in two years? No idea. Is this plan aggressive? Stress inducingly so. Do I expect delays and changes? All plans are subject to this, crazy ones even more so. Do I think this could work? We’re going to find out…

Reason for the Blog

I debated back and forth on whether to start this blog now or wait until I hit the road. After all, what kind of travel blog could I write without a travel part? After some enlightening conversations and some head scratching, it dawned on me there are two main stakeholders for starting it now: Those who want to travel too, and my own sanity.

For Those Considering…

The setup required for this kind of adventure is both vast and complicated. There’s research to be done on countless descisions (type of rig, solar setups, where to camp, how to poop and shower) and fears to be faced (getting stranded, medical emergencies, strager danger, freaking bears).

My exploration of all these things could save time, money, and stress for someone considering the same undertaking. For those who don’t want to hit the road, it would be interesting to watch me think my way through these problems.

For My Sanity…

There is a metric crap ton of information I’m going to need to parse through to do this, and I need some place to write all this stuff down. Writing articles about the more technical aspects also helps me digest the topics and creates notes that are easily accessible for future reference.

While this blog will be helpful for me if nobody else reads it, I also hope to start gathering a following. Maybe I’ll be able to turn that into a way to help fund this insane dream, but more importantly, I’m hoping to get some input from you on possible solutions to some of these problems. I’d also love some recommendations on places to see once I hit the road.

Chasing the Dream

There’s still a lot to figure out, and we’re taking this one step at a time. If you’re wondering when to expect posts, how this whole blog thing is going to work, and how to keep in touch, check out the “About the Blog” post for all those details. Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled for more conversations about finding Austrasia.