Greetings from a potential citizen/resident

I keep trying to convince my husband how we need to get a van and convert it into a camper-van so we can travel around the country/Europe with the dog and not worry about needing advance notice or dog friendly accommodations.

Came across this FB along the way. Maybe try joining the group and seeing if you can gauge pricing etc. from there? https://www.facebook.com/groups/sbcampervans/

It does seem like a really cool idea because - at the end of it all - even if you don't like it enough to stay here you got to see some really cool places and had an interesting adventure along the way. (could even go to other places in Europe!)

Narrow boat!

Narrow boat!

Game. Changer.

Narrow boat!

I thought those would be crazy expensive.

Narrow boat!

This is my fantasy retirement. Some of them are suuuuper swish.

Narrow boat!

We have friends here that did that in their late 60’s. Sold the house, bought a house boat and roamed around for 3 years when ill health caused them to stop. They sold the boat and bought a house. Said it was a wonderful experience that they really enjoyed.

I thought those would be crazy expensive.

I guess it would have to be a fixer upper. But if it was warm  and dry and had a stove....

Forum member Katoo was living on a narrow boat and loving it the last time we heard from her. 

Just came to second (third?) Wales as a destination. The valleys (area north of Cardiff) are dead cheap to live in and truly gorgeous. West wales is also gorgeous, but I’m not sure about cost of living over there as I’ve only been for holidays.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is my fantasy retirement. Some of them are suuuuper swish.

Friend's family sold their home for around the 800k mark and bought a custom built house boat they could take around Europe as they are retired now. It is DEFINITELY super swish lol

They have 2 dogs as well so definitely dog friendly, just sayin'

where specifically would you recommend?

That depends on what you need.  Along the west coast, up around Barmouth is absolutely gorgeous with mountains on one side and sea on the other, but it's not going to be as cheap as some other areas and you're far from any cities there.  Go southeast from there into the interior and you get verdant undulating hills and the most amazing small ribbons of black tarmac roads begging to be driven... even less densely populated, but it's incredibly affordable and you can get away from it all if that's your goal. If you need to be closer to amenities and potential employment, head south and try to stay within a reasonable distance of the M4, which span most of south Wales.  Cardiff area is definitely growing as most jobs are advertized there, and the valleys north of Cardiff really are stunning, as someone said earlier.  We settled northwest of Llanelli  (near Swansea area), where we were able to afford a detached house with off-street parking, outbuildings and garden (not overlooked by neighbours!).*  We're near enough to the M4 to be useful, but we can sit in our garden and only hear the sound of birds.  We have a workshop for making things, a "barn" to park our car in, and a shed in the garden.

*Nobody tell him that our house needs a lot of work and we don't currently have a kitchen! 

That depends on what you need.  Along the west coast, up around Barmouth is absolutely gorgeous with mountains on one side and sea on the other, but it's not going to be cheap and you're far from any cities there.  Go southwest from there into the interior and you get verdant undulating hills and the most amazing small ribbons of black tarmac roads begging to be driven... even less densely populated, but it's incredibly affordable and you can get away from it all if that's your goal. If you need to be closer to amenities and potential employment, head south and try to stay within a reasonable distance of the M4, which span most of south Wales.  Cardiff area is definitely growing as most jobs are advertized there.  We settled northwest of Llanelli  (near Swansea area), where we were able to afford a detached house with off-street parking, outbuildings and garden (not overlooked by neighbours!).*  We're near enough to the M4 to be useful, but we can sit in our garden and only hear the sound of birds.  We have a workshop for making things, a "barn" to park our car in, and a shed in the garden.

*Nobody tell him that our house needs a lot of work and we don't currently have a kitchen! 

I'm still convinced JF lives in a huge, slightly abandoned, castle.  She claims it's not and has attached photos of a home that she says is hers.  But I think it's all lies.

The insurance probably would be expensive, as would fuel. But would they be more than rent?

I would think it would still be cheaper than rent.  JF may have a realistic idea.  Though her husband is British, so his wouldn't have been as high.

If you join the Camping and Caravanning Club you can get a discount on your campervan insurance.  I'm not sure how that would work on an American license and with no fixed address, though.  But if it works, and if you're only using the campervan for camping, and not for going back and forth to work, I don't think there's a cap on miles or anything, and the insurance is super cheap.  Petrol/diesel is another matter altogether!  Our campervan is only a Fiat Ducato with a kitchenette and a fold-down bench seat that becomes a double bed, so it's not big and heavy.  But I know the large RV type things drink fuel.  Of course, the large RV things also have bathroom facilities in them, so you can be more flexible in where you go.

I'm still convinced JF lives in a huge, slightly abandoned, castle.  She claims it's not and has attached photos of a home that she says is hers.  But I think it's all lies.

You are going to be so disappointed when you finally come to visit and see that the photos are true. 

If you join the Camping and Caravanning Club you can get a discount on your campervan insurance.  I'm not sure how that would work on an American license and with no fixed address, though.  But if it works, and if you're only using the campervan for camping, and not for going back and forth to work, I don't think there's a cap on miles or anything, and the insurance is super cheap.  Petrol/diesel is another matter altogether!  Our campervan is only a Fiat Ducato with a kitchenette and a fold-down bench seat that becomes a double bed, so it's not big and heavy.  But I know the large RV type things drink fuel.  Of course, the large RV things also have bathroom facilities in them, so you can be more flexible in where you go.

OOooooOOOOooh thanks for sharing this! When you say campervan, do you mean like a proper campervan or would it work with a van that you turned into a campervan?? This might help sway things in my favour! lol