As I have said in my first blog, I was never wanting a proper relationship. I went on the dating site to have some adult conversation. Someone to go to with a movie or enjoy a meal with. I was tired of my kids having a better social life than me!
Having said that, after dating my neighbour for a while, we realised we had something pretty special. I'll tell you about the proposal one day, but for now, let's just say we had the best Wedding Day. Carefree, easy, great weather and loads of laughs. We eloped on the beach he proposed to me on. Thankfully the weather was better!
I think it's a case of third time lucky. We are so alike, yet so different.... keeps it interesting! Our plans to find our happy place has now extended to the whole world. We go on this adventure together.
That's not to say it's easy. Just the lead up and the first two weeks have proven that. There are so many things you cannot prepare for and you cannot foresee everything. Hence this blog.... we've done some of the ground work, and where we have found solutions, we will share then. Where we haven't, we invite contributions for solutions.
Our marriage has opened one unexpected door for us. Since we eventually plan to go to Europe, we have that door open to us. I am a Swedish Australian. I possess a European passport. We are yet to confirm, but at the time of writing, this means (according to our research) that my husband can piggy back off that to stay longer in Europe than the 3 months imposed by the Schengen agreement.
The idea will be to stay at least a couple of months in each area to see what it's really like to live in a place. I'm sure you have been on a two week holiday somewhere and come home, swearing you will move there...it's never the same. Believe me. Read my blog about Vanuatu...
Anyway, staying a couple of months in a place can be marvellous, but it can also be a hardship. What if a place is nothing like you imagined? What if you hate it? You lose all that money spent on accommodation if you leave... As we're in our 50's, we don't want to book a hotel for a few nights only to run around looking for longer term accommodation. We don't want to move around too much (with luggage). Maybe our travels will see the need to do that. Who knows? I'll have to learn to pack lighter if that's going to be the way we do this.
I may have said in another blog that we would be renting. The reason is that through all of the research (predominately on Greece, but it fits for other areas), we hear that buying and selling can be both expensive and a logistical nightmare. On top of that, if we decide we don't want to stay somewhere, it can take years to sell. Why do it to ourselves? We will rent when we find a place. Initially, we will be using AirBnB* and similar sites to find accommodation. The reason is that we have the benefit of having linen, cooking facilities, WiFi and other conveniences that are nice to have when living somewhere longer term. I'll be doing a little blog on that too....
I suppose, on reading this back, that our relationship (which was only ever meant to be friendship) has become the rock for us....we don't plan to ever own another property so we can remain carefree. I won't say never. My Mother always said "Never say never". We might end up buying, if we find Utopia...
*Again, I do not get paid by mentioning companies, places, web sites.....I don't endorse or reject them, they are just the means we have used.
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