A friend asked me about how Kathy and I began to consider prepare for and experience BOLT (Black Old Lesbians Traveling) life. As I answered her, I decided to also share my answers in this post.
Kathy and I have talked about a life of travel from the moment we met. It was something we always considered. We traveled a lot even while working. We found we travel well together.
In 2014, after years of caring for my mom (an ancestor now) and being at my job for 32 years, Kathy and I set our intention to be”home free” travelers by the time I turned 60 in September 2015.
It took us about a year of preparation and letting go of stuff, property, etc to be ready to hit the road:
- We had yard sales, donated stuff, gifted things to friends. We sold our house and cars.
- We made living wills as well as traditional wills.
- We got bank accounts with no ATM fees (Charles Schwab is good).
- We digitized all our important documents and keep them in the”cloud”.
A few guidelines and agreements we made:
- We could each have one rolling bag, one backpack and one purse which must hold everything we need.
- We limited ourselves to one bin of stuff to save: pictures, mementos from my kids, etc. These are in Kathy’s mom’s garage.
- We made budgets and savings plans.
We talked a lot about what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go.
Then we set out. The 30 day cruise was the perfect way to begin world travel. We went to over 10 new destinations and traveled from Seattle to Singapore with no jet lag.
I still had too much stuff, broke our 1 rolling bag rule and had to give a bunch more stuff away while traveling. It worked out ok because the the cruise and hotel staff benefited.
After a year in Asia we decided to pursue another dream: RV travel. I love road trips and seeing beautiful North America has been wonderful. But full time RV life is not for me. I like mixing it up with long term stays in foreign countries. I have not found the same connections to community with RV life.
Somethings I’ve learned about myself are:
- I don’t like fast travel. In the beginning we would stay places a week or less and they became a blur.
- I like staying in places long enough to get to know folks, find meetings, activities etc.
- Kathy and I get along well in small spaces but it’s important for us to have solitary time daily. I have quiet time in the morning and I take a solo walk daily.
- I’ve always been a neat freak but in RV life it’s super important. A place for everything and everything in it’s place!
- I’ve learned I don’t need as much stuff or variety of stuff as I thought… cosmetics, vitamins, hair care stuff, jewelry are some of the many things I carry only small quantities of.
I’m not sure if I answered my friend’s questions but these reflections have been rewarding to me and I hope helpful to someone. If you have any questions about a life of home free travel, please email us at boltraveling@gmail.com.
Soledad Canyon RV Resort is located in the Antelope Valley. It was a pleasant hour and a half drive from south Los Angeles.
Its an enormous park with lots of full hook up sites to choose from.
Its very cold here this weekend but I took a very nice walk and got a lot of pictures of the amenities.
There are lots of cabins for rent.
Im hoping it will be warm enough to get in the pool and jacuzzi today.
There are cute little playgrounds throughout the park.
The recreation lodge is very nice and well equipped with billards tables, puzzles and comfy chairs.
Soledad Canyon offers RV spots that you can lease year round. These people have theirs set up very well.
I love to walk and explore. I’m looking forward to checking out this walking trail when Kathy can join me.
While the coldness is not ideal, Soledad Canyon offers a peaceful and spacious get away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. If you are interested in a Thousand Trails membership or have questions about the RV life please contact us at boltraveling@gmail.com.
I really wish everyone reading this post could come and experience the beauty of living that Chiang Mai life! Kathy and I are happy to help.
One of the many treatments offered is the banana leaves wrap. As you lie in the sun the leaves remove many of the toxins from your body. Best of all, you can begin and end the wrap with a dip in the Himalayan salt water pool.
BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling 