We often hear about people rolling away with their motorhomes to more southern latitudes when it gets dark and cold in Sweden. These are people (pensioners) who choose to play migratory birds and spend the cold season in, for example, Spain or Portugal.
Difficult when you are not a pensioner
The idea of spending the cold part of the year in the south is certainly appealing. Now, this is a pretty impossible project if you are under 65 and have children in school and a job to do. But avoiding the darkness and cold sounds appealing!
On the other hand, we have read about people who seem to have a rather monotonous existence down there; staying at the same campsite, eating long breakfasts, reading the newspaper, doing crossword puzzles, hanging out with the neighbours, having dinner... Could it be boring? Or would it be ... really, really wonderful?
What is your opinion? Do you have experience of wintering in southern Europe? How have you lived down there? And if you haven't tried it, would you consider doing so?
cg says:
Why do you have to be 65+?
I am much younger myself and have been travelling around the world all year round for several years now, and by motorhome for the last 3 years with my wife through Europe.
23 November 2009 - 21:05
admin says:
Well, it was mostly the financing we were thinking about then... Living six months abroad every year may be easier if you have a pension than if you have a job. But if you have enough money or have a job that you can do from your motorhome, it's still possible....
23 November 2009 - 21:47
Ninny says:
Hello and hope!
No, we haven't tried it, but we hope to try it someday - maybe when we're retired? But as you write, it is difficult when you work and the children go to school! But it would be fun to drive away a little longer as well - but we have to associate it with some law here so far for the sake of Little Strumpet.
26 November 2009 - 8:47
stephan says:
We are currently trying to 'winterise' in France. But we are doing it in a chateau wing with the car outside. We came to the conclusion that it is cheaper and better to have 70 square metres. We are not mobile, but you get quite far on day trips anyway 😉 In spring you will see if we survived!
30 November 2009 - 22:50
Inger Hirtl - Ingemar Eriksson says:
Hello!
We are retired and do like the migratory birds, i.e. when it starts to get rough in Sweden we go south and we are now making our third wintering trip. We left home on 11 October and do not expect to be in Sweden again until spring has arrived.
If it becomes monotonous? Hardly! There is so much to learn, do, see and experience. The only limit is your imagination.
Now we are among those who can't stand being stuck in a campsite for too long. We hitchhike most of the time. When we get tired of a place, we move on and stay where we feel comfortable.
Our trips and daily adventures are documented on websites and blogs.
01 December 2009 - 21:21
admin says:
Oh, how lovely that sounds! That's exactly what we would like to do! We like the freedom with a motorhome because you have the opportunity to move... And it would be great to be able to be away for such a long time! It's not really possible yet (work and children), but we have plans for the future... 😉.
01 December 2009 - 23:12