Well, after much thought and consideration, I am hanging up the van keys and ending my van travels.
Several reasons. First, and to be honest, it’s just not as much fun anymore. When I first started out, there were not very many vandwellers and most people had never heard of us. I could pretty much park anywhere and, as long as I was not being a pain up somebody’s ass, nobody cared and nobody bothered me. Now, things are different. City after city is banning and outlawing us, and it is becoming constantly more difficult. I vandwell so I can travel and visit places, not so I can play hide and seek with Johnny Law. It sucks all the fun right out of it.
And now that I am getting old and creaky, motel beds are looking much more appealing than continuing to sleep in the back of the van.
Also, it’s been nine years on the road, and I’ve been to over 130 cities and towns in 45 states. There aren’t many large towns in the USA that I have not visited yet. I have decided that the best way for me to visit the rest of them that I want to see is just to fly or amtrak there from my home base in Florida any time I want to go on a trip. I also want to begin doing some overseas trips from time to time. Rome, Paris, Tokyo, Cairo—they’re on my wish list. (I’ve already been to London.)
So, I’ll be selling old Ziggy the Snail Shell (actually I will be donating her to the local NPR radio station). She’s done me good over the years and has never given me cause for a complaint. And I had fun. But it’s time to bring it to a close. As they say, all good things must come to an end.
I’ll still be traveling from time to time and I’ll continue posting photos here of my travels and of places I visit in Florida. But it won’t be as often.
*****
This is a very nice aquarium in Tampa.
Join me for a nice relaxing look at fishies from around the world.