Today marks exactly 1,000 days of our new life, our adventure, our freely chosen life “without a permanent residence.”
What does it mean to be together 24/7 for 1000 days? How do we feel about it today? Can you really be happy in about 12 square meters and get along with each other day after day?
We were asked again and again what it’s like to live in a motorhome. Or, at the beginning of our trip on motorcycles, how we manage everyday life this way. People want to know how it’s possible to get along with each other 24/7 in such a small space every day. They actually ask us what happens when we argue and how we avoid each other, and what we do when we feel the need to be alone. Some tell us that privacy is a big problem for them. Some have a big problem with the toilet in the vehicle, its noises, and the smell. They fear embarrassing situations. Most can’t imagine all this and are happy to be back home and go their own way after just a few weeks of vacation together.
We are also frequently asked how we organize our day, who does the daily tasks, and how these are divided up. But the most interesting and frequently asked question is probably about financing, our work, and what happens if we get sick.
At the beginning, we couldn’t answer many of these questions because we lacked our own experience. But today, after 1,000 days, we can answer every single question in detail.
But first, I would like to start at the very beginning for those who don’t know us yet or don’t follow our blog regularly.
After deciding to embark on this adventure, we, Iris and Alex, sold our house and belongings, quit our jobs, bought two Africa Twin motorcycles, customized them to our needs, and got everything we needed for traveling by motorcycle.
Here is a small selection of the many, many modifications that Alex passionately carried out in his spare time.
On March, 8, 2023, exactly 1,000 days ago, we set off on our two motorcycles. The idea was to travel towards Africa. The first few days were very rainy, stormy, and exhausting.
After never having fallen ill during the coronavirus pandemic, Alex actually caught it in the first week of our trip. The nighttime chills and, for Alex, unusual aching limbs and discomfort forced us to visit a doctor in Spain, who confirmed that Alex had COVID. At that time, there was no longer a mandatory isolation period in Spain, but we decided to rent a bungalow at a nearby campsite and focus on getting well first. After a few days, I also came down with it, but a week later we were back on the road.
After a bad fall onto my outstretched arm and with increasing difficulties riding my motorcycle with all my luggage, I continued on with daily pain, lots of tears, and somehow increasingly overwhelming stress. On top of that, I was very homesick for our three children, who are of course already grown up and following their own paths. Nevertheless, it was not a great time for me. Due to my difficulties, Alex didn’t have it particularly easy either. He always tried to choose routes that were pleasant to ride, which of course was not always possible. In addition, he couldn’t enjoy the whole adventure himself because he was worried about me.
Here is a small excerpt from our motorcycle trip.
Finally, we made it to Morocco.
After I had fallen off my bike several more times and it became clear that I would probably never be able to ride a motorcycle confidently and safely and finally enjoy our new life, Alex made the decision to switch to Plan B.
Plan B had been in place from the beginning. For us, this meant continuing the journey on four wheels.
So, with a heavy heart, we sold our two Africa Twins and got a smaller, lighter motorcycle so that we would at least be a little more mobile than with our motorhome. This would allow us to go shopping and explore the area, both on the road and a little off-road.
With the purchase of our new home, we also took on quite a bit of work, because of course we wanted to renovate it to suit our needs and update the 1980s style a little.
Even before the start of 2.0, it was important to us to at least renovate the alcove, our bedroom.
Other than that, there were a few repairs, the MOT, and a few other minor issues with the tractor unit and the living cabin. We prepared everything so that we could set off safely and relaxed.
For the MOT, we had to have the track and push rod replaced. As the delivery of the spare parts took longer than expected, we started painting and wrapping the cabinet doors.
All other work, such as the expansion of solar power,
the installation of the diesel auxiliary heater and the associated conversion of the refrigerator cabinet, as the heater was installed there.
A separate toilet and a new sink,
an exterior door so that we can use the room as a garage
and much more was then taken care of by us along the way.
Before
After
At the end of August 2023, we embarked on our somewhat different life for the second time.
The above questions are difficult to answer for the period during which we were traveling by motorcycle. I was far too preoccupied with myself and situations that were not easy for me. I now know that I personally don’t want to be setting up and taking down the tent all the time, every day. I now know that I cannot live quite so minimalistically in the long term, that I do not want to or cannot do without a certain standard. That was new to me, I hadn’t expected it, as I practically grew up on campsites. But vacation is something completely different. Alex was there for me during that time! He put his needs on the back burner and tried again and again to cheer me up.
We didn’t need privacy during this time. Putting up and taking down the tent was always a joint task. Alex usually cooked and I did the dishes. We did everything we could do together.
There was no feeling of confinement and I never felt the need for a place to retreat to.
All in all, it wasn’t a great trip for me personally, but I wouldn’t want to have missed this experience. I’m glad I at least tried it, so at least I don’t have to wonder what might have been. I’m also a little proud of myself for making it to Morocco on my own motorcycle.
From the perspective of our life in a motorhome, however, we can answer all of the above questions precisely.
On the subject of living together 24/7 in a very small space, we can say that it works extremely well.
So far, we have never felt cramped or had the urge to be alone. We really enjoy our time together every day.
We are lucky to be able to really make ourselves comfortable in our WENNE. There is enough space for everyone to lie down, sit or even stand. So it often happens that we spend hours together in the motorhome without talking at all. Everyone goes about their own business. It works great.
However, it happens just as often that we talk for hours about all kinds of things and completely lose track of time.
We don’t really argue. Of course, we have differences of opinion sometimes, but that doesn’t mean we have to avoid each other.
We respect each other and we talk a lot.
For us personally, it’s also very important to talk to each other about our needs, fears, joys, and thoughts. But we’ve always done that.
The fact that we have what we consider to be a spacious bathroom makes it easy to discuss toilet matters and related privacy issues, even if the door doesn’t insulate noise as well as a bathroom in a house or apartment 😉
During our motorcycle trip, we actually experienced some adventurous, strange, and new situations together in this regard. But even that can work well with communication and humor, and with the right partner, nothing has to be embarrassing. It’s just part of life. However, we had to learn that first.
When traveling in a motorhome, there are also daily tasks to be done. This also worked very well from the start.
We quickly found our rhythm. Each of us has our own tasks, and some are shared.
For example, mine include taking care of the toilet, doing laundry, cleaning the shower stall, and cleaning the living area (Alex would never do the latter to my satisfaction🤭).
Alex is, of course, responsible for the manual and technical tasks. There’s always something that needs to be done. Emptying the waste water tank is also one of his tasks.
Filling the fresh water tank is done by whoever has the time and inclination. Sometimes we do it together.
Alex usually does the cooking, as he simply enjoys it more than I do. But for anything that comes out of the oven, for salads or stews, I’m in the kitchen.
I’m not really a breakfast person, and since the motorhome kitchen is a bit cramped, Alex usually makes breakfast. I tend to be the assistant, filling the espresso pot, making tea, and other little things. In return, I’m responsible for all the washing up.
We think the tasks are divided fairly evenly and we get along very well with this arrangement.
We take turns driving, with Alex driving more often because he doesn’t break out in a sweat when things get a little tight, unlike me. Nevertheless, I also drive quite often and am happy when Alex can sit relaxed next to me. With time and practice, I will also be able to handle tight situations in a relaxed manner.
Financing is always an exciting topic.
We saved up a little and were able to sell our house at a good price.
There are certain fixed costs such as insurance and taxes for the vehicles, telephone and internet costs, health insurance, etc. For variable costs such as food and fuel, we have calculated a monthly or annual budget that we try to stick to. The longer our money lasts, the longer we can enjoy life without working.
When we were traveling on our motorcycles, we used Workaway, a portal for working in exchange for room and board.
Since we’ve been traveling in our motorhome, we mostly use free, official parking spaces. We travel slowly, which saves fuel and allows us to stay within our planned budget.
We don’t know if our savings will be enough and if we’ll actually receive the pension amount we’re entitled to when the time comes.
Of course, we worry about our future. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. That’s why we live day by day, go with the flow, and see what happens. We have options for certain situations, but we will only discuss them further and think about them more intensively if, for whatever reason, a change is needed at some point.
No one knows whether we will still be healthy and mobile in old age. Currently, we have the privilege of living a self-determined life, so we are not waiting until we are old, perhaps receiving a pension, and hoping to be healthy for a long time.
Now the question remains: what happens if we get sick? We have never been afraid or worried about this. We have always only gone to the doctor when home remedies, patience, and rest alone were not enough. Even if you suffer minor injuries while hiking or in everyday life in general, there are many ways to avoid having to see a doctor right away. You need a little knowledge in this area and a good gut feeling about when exactly it’s better to see a doctor.
In order to be a little better prepared in an emergency, we decided to take out long-term international health insurance.
We have actually already gained a little experience in this regard. Unfortunately, we have already had to see a doctor three times. Corona completely threw Alex off track. Chills, joint pain, fever, etc. This was an unusual combination for Alex, as he had never been ill in this way before. At the time, we had only been traveling on our motorcycles for a week. It would have been irresponsible to continue riding in this condition.
So we needed a diagnosis and medication. That was our first contact with a private clinic in Spain. The examination was very thorough, from blood tests to X-rays, everything was done. Despite the language barrier, we had an informative conversation with the doctor and Alex was well cared for.
When I had a rash on various parts of my body for weeks, badly swollen eyes for days, and no other alternatives helped in this case either, we made our second visit to the doctor. This time in Portugal, in the Algarve. We were very satisfied here too.
It was a big advantage that the doctor spoke German.
We will only ever go to private doctors or clinics. As far as we know, there is only a minimal difference in cost, but there are big differences in terms of appointments and care. We are also entitled to this through our long-term international health insurance. We have to pay a certain amount ourselves, and we have to cover the costs up to that point. If the medical costs exceed this amount, the amount above the co-payment is covered.
I would like to tell you about the third visit to the doctor to show that even with, how shall I put it, important, more complicated, or perhaps not everyday illnesses, you are in good hands abroad. Because we had to see a cardiologist, again in the Algarve, Portugal.
Even when we made the appointment, it was clear that we were in good hands here. Everything was clarified in advance in a very friendly, calm, and unhurried manner. The appointment itself was very intensive and informative. After just under two hours of examination and discussion without any waiting time, we had a diagnosis that we are more than satisfied with. As I said, this visit to the doctor should show you that there are doctors all over the world who can help you.
We have also met various people who fell seriously ill on their travels and had to see a doctor. For example, there was a successful umbilical hernia operation. Unfortunately, one person was diagnosed with a brain tumor. That’s not nice, but he received good care abroad, although he then had to return to Germany as quickly as possible. People with dental problems or chronic illnesses, eye problems, etc. also spoke only positively about their experiences with doctors.
Nevertheless, for common illnesses, it is better to see a private doctor than go to the hospital, because, as in Germany, the waiting time there can be many endless hours, unlike at a private practice, and the costs are normally covered by health insurance or other insurance companies.
Fear of possible illness should definitely not prevent you from taking a short or even longer trip abroad.
I would like to list a few more advantages and disadvantages of our life in a motorhome.
One major challenge is probably the space in the motorhome. For us, it’s not the “living space” that’s the problem, because we’re perfectly fine with that. But the storage space for this and that is the real challenge. You have to think carefully and weigh up what is important, what you absolutely must take with you and what you can do without. This starts with tools, continues with kitchen utensils, clothing, food, and toiletries, and includes a few odds and ends and personal items. We don’t really miss anything and are happy with what we currently have on board. The big advantage of our motorhome is that we don’t have any weight problems, as there is still plenty of room for more.
Having unlimited electricity and fresh water is not something to be taken for granted.
You should always keep an eye on your power supply, especially when the weather is bad and the batteries cannot be recharged. This can also be a challenge when there is no daylight for days on end. Fresh water is also limited, so you have to learn to use it sparingly and constantly look for places to refill your supplies. With time, you gain experience in this area, and for us it has become part of everyday life.
Likewise, the constant search for a suitable place to sleep is not always easy. Free standing is often prohibited, and if you are too late, it can happen that all the places are already taken and sometimes you can only find a not so nice spot.
Nowadays, there are various apps that can help you find official places to stay overnight, whether they are free or paid, and also where you can find supply and disposal stations. This makes it easier, but it does not guarantee that it will be a nice place or that there will be a spot available.
If you are not dependent on supplies and are willing to take a chance on camping freely, you can search for a good place to sleep spontaneously. It depends a little on what kind of vehicle you have. It’s easier to find a place with a van, a small motorhome, or a car than with large motorhomes or a trailer. There’s always somewhere to spend the night safely and comfortably. Of course, there’s never a guarantee when it comes to safety. We always listen to our gut feeling. If one of us doesn’t feel comfortable, we look for something else.
The weather can be another challenge. Rain, hail, storms, cold, and even intense heat can make you quite nervous. Rain usually sounds adventurous in a motorhome, but it can cause sleepless nights for some. Gusts of wind can shake you up quite a bit, excessive heat can sometimes upset your circulation, and cold is not always pleasant, even with good heating.
And let’s not forget doing the laundry.
When the weather is good and the sun is shining, I sometimes wash our everyday laundry by hand. Otherwise, we go to laundromats or, if there is no other option, a campsite.
One of the really great advantages of traveling in a motorhome is the many different experiences we have, including the different people and cultures we get to know. By now, we have many wonderful, adventurous, but also not-so-wonderful stories to tell.
But when we are somewhere new every day and experience so many different impressions and adventures in such a short time, we need a place where we can stay for a few days to process everything we’ve experienced.
Alex settled into our new life pretty quickly right from the start, but it took me much longer. To be honest, it’s still taking me time, even though I feel very comfortable in our WENNE. Although it’s still difficult for me, we are both very happy and proud to have taken this big step into the unknown. Every day, we are very aware of how lucky we are to be able to live this kind of life.
We are not yet ready to settle down permanently.
Here is a tiny glimpse of our time with our WENNE to date:
What we never expected was that we would receive visitors from home at some point.
Our children, my parents, and Alex’s brother actually visited us on our trip. We also met friends from home in Malaga. It was a huge surprise for us and it did me a world of good to see our children and a small part of our family again and give them a big hug.
Since our start in 2023, we have had the pleasure of meeting so many nice people, and some not-so-nice people. We are in regular contact with some of them, and we have even visited others in their homes. Thank you all for your wonderful hospitality.
We made plans to meet up with a few people who live in their motorhomes. Figueira in Portugal is a place where we meet up again during the winter months. With others, we only stay in touch via WhatsApp, and sadly, a few have already passed away. We only spoke to some of them briefly, but we are still in contact today. And with a few, a new, lasting friendship has developed. Even if we can’t meet in person regularly, these special people will always be in our hearts.
One of the greatest gifts of this trip has been getting to know a wide variety of people, regardless of age, gender, or nationality, and hearing their stories.
Thank you for being there and for letting us get to know you.
We also have friends living abroad, whom we visited when we were in the area.
We would also like to thank all of you. A big thank you goes out to all those who travel so diligently with us. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to those who may be reading our post for the first time today. Thank you all very much for your loyalty, your comments, your emails, and your support.
Do you have any questions? Then don’t hesitate to ask them using the contact form, our email address info@2hearts1adventure.com, or by leaving a comment.
By the way, we’re flying to Germany tomorrow. That’s why there won’t be another post until the Sunday after next. In that post, you’ll find out why we’re heading to cold Germany for a week.