The Grand Plan

The grand plan is our blue print for what we want to do in our retirement. We are now (December 2007) both 61. We decided in 2006 that, yes, we could stay in our lovely home in Lichfield,  Staffordshire in the UK, continue working until 65 (Jenny would not have retired until I did), retire and live our lives as the fairy stories say "happily ever after" OR we could sell our house and use the collateral  to fund our retirement years in fun and travel. Visiting the places that we want to see in the world and revisiting the places which have particularly fond memories for us. We have been fortunate already to have visited Australia (twice) and different parts of America. However I have, other than mostly business trips to Europe, not seen much of  the continent and want to put that right.

Also, we like many other people often miss what is on our own doorstep, so we intend therefore on our return to the U.K  to visit  many of the interesting places in England, Scotland, Wales and not forgetting Ireland (only been there once) in the coming years. This we will do in the U.K summer (well we can hope!) travelling to Europe in the colder UK climes. We also would like to visit Scandinavia, neither I or Jenny having been there.

The above we shall do by purchasing a Motorhome, Campervan or R.V (recreational vehicle) call them what you will, everybody has their  own preference (although I note that Motorhome comes up as a misspell in the spell check) and this for the purposes of the website we want to and will continue to call it! Anybody who wants to give us a definitive reason for calling it anything different let us know.

We shall be what is called in the Caravan/Motorhome circles "full timers" i.e. living for most of the year in the Motorhome and using our daughter Rhiain's home as a base when not. Our choice of Motorhome (should I start Motorhome with a capital "M"? I don't know, who cares!) shall become apparent later, I will not bore anybody with the details now (but I will later on). We have got a world to go round and many miles to cover first.

Which brings us nicely on to the first stage of our nomadic life. We leave January for the "Sin City" of America, Las Vegas. We are not "by a long chalk" city people, however, we could not go to that part of the States without visiting there and I have always yearned to see that cowboy saying "Howdy Partners" He is still there isn't he? You will see in our interests page that we like the outdoors, so much of our time will be in the U.S National Parks, Grand Canyon, Monument, Bryce, just to name some.

Then we are "vegging out" in Rarotonga, capital of the Cook Islands, swimming, snorkelling and making the most of our week there. It looks such an idyllic place, sun, sand, crystal clear lagoons and palm trees, looking forward also to some of their culinary delights.

We then fly to Auckland, New Zealand hiring a Motorhome for approx. 2 months, visiting both North & South Islands. Everybody who we have spoken to raves about New Zealand's culture, food,  people and scenery (not necessarily in that order). We are sure we will not be disappointed, certainly from just contacting people by email we have found them so cheerful and helpful (see our "thanks to" page). We leave New Zealand from Christchurch in the South Island.

Then on to the longest spell, Australia. We have been twice for up to 32 days and concentrated on the east coast, This time we are there for 8 months. We shall arrive at Sydney, picking up our  Motorhome, driving up the coast to see Jenny’s brother-in law Ken in Stanthorpe (approx 3 hours south of Brisbane, just "down the road" for an Australian). Continuing to Brisbane to visit Mark, Jenny’s nephew, Margie his wife and their young son James, born 26^th December 2006. Looking forward to seeing James for the first time  hoping to persuade him to be an Aston Villa supporter! 

On reaching Cairns, this is when people will cry "chicken", we have not got the expertise to visit the "Top of Australia" The Cape York Penisula on our own. Therefore we are joining an organised 14 day 4wd safari with "Billy Tea Safaris" to visit this remote region. Seriously, the Motorhome hire company (now we are talking Australia I want to change it to a campervan) do not allow their vehicles into this region, enough said!

Onwards then across the top visiting more Australian National Parks and some say the top two, Kakadu and Litchfield before going on to Darwin and to our most westerly point a visit to Broome. A short return then (well 12 days actually) before going down the "red centre" along the Stuart Highway to the bottom. Again visiting  national parks, The Macdonnel Ranges, Kings Canyon, Uluru, etc.

Continuing then towards the bottom and the city of Adelaide to visit Kangaroo Island, along the coast road to Melbourne and across on the ferry (10hour plus voyage) to spend a month in Tasmania. Now we are really are at the bottom. The Southern Ocean, Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea. We now return to the mainland and start up and easterly to return along the coast to Sydney for the New Year fireworks display over the harbour. Oop's mustn't forget to go to Canberra on the way! And to the end of our Australian Journey a short trip up to Stanthorpe to visit Ken and finally to Brisbane to see Mark and his family and because James will now be two, I will again mention to him about supporting Aston Villa!

Onto Singapore, I have been twice and Jenny once and we want to see more. So much to see! The food, culture, people, botanical gardens, a fantastic zoo (and we are not "zoo" people preferring to see animals in the own habitat) not forgetting the retail therapy and the overall cleanliness of the place. A relax before we arrive home to organise the purchase of the Motorhome and the ongoing adventures of a couple of UK GREY NOMADS.

Please visit our Travelogue and Photo Gallery to see how our travels went and are continuing.  Did we achieve what we set out to do?  Please make appropriate comments on the "Guest Book" page your views  will be welcome.

All images on this website are copyright of Alan and Jennifer Morris and may not be used without prior written permission.