There’s nothing wrong with planning and dreaming. But I reckon it becomes a problem if that ultimate goal of having the best of everything holds you up from actually getting out there.
Why wait five years until you can afford that shiny new LandCruiser when for $10K or less you could pick yourself up a secondhand 4WD that would do the job nicely? Same goes for the caravan.
My point is, if you want to go caravanning, don’t wait until your ship comes in, until the kids leave home, or until you retire. If you really want to hitch up and hit the road, there are plenty of options available to you. Heck, just pick yourself up a second-hand tent and a portable stove, pack it in the sedan, and get going.
What’s stopping you?
I was recently reminded of how you don’t need the best of everything when I hitched a little van to Ruby, my old LandCruiser. She hadn’t been called upon for towing duties for quite some time, due to Victoria’s terrible winter. Now, Ruby has had her share of health problems. But for a 4WD that cost well and truly less than $10K, she’s now performing extremely well.
I’d love a new tow vehicle, something with bucketloads of torque and a comfortable driving seat (half an hour behind the wheel of Ruby and my lower back begins to scream), but I’m happy with what I have.
During my last family holiday, we met a family whose main equipment consisted of a large tent, inflatable mattresses, portable cooking gear, etc., and a box trailer to transport it all.
Every Christmas, they’d buy themselves another piece of equipment to make things more comfortable. To them, it was more important to be in the great outdoors as a family than it was to wait until they had the perfect setup.
What do you think? Do you wait until you have the best of everything or do you just hit the open road?