Progress report #1

It seems the digital world runs at a far quicker pace than the make-yourself-homeless-and-buy-a-truck world, and I have felt my coat tails tugged a few times this week for an update. You know who you are ;)

The homeless side is going very well, my landlord has rented out my flat and I am assured that I need to vacate by the 9th June. Purchasing the truck, on the other hand, is proving a little more tricky. Being a complete newbie to the world of big diesel engines, I have been on somewhat of a crash course in what to look for and what to avoid.  That, combined with my desire for the truck to look beautiful, has made for slim pickings. I do however have one lovely horse box in my sights. She's having her MOT this week and if all goes well, and if my bartering skills are on top form, I will own her by the middle of this week...

Which leaves me the weekend to insulate her, install the essentials and find a secret parking spot before going back to work!

No pressure then.

Here's a sneak peek.. fingers crossed she'll be mine soon:

T minus 30 and counting..

For those of you that followed my last blog in Panama, it will come as no surprise to you that I am again on the move! I have given up the lease on my apartment and will be out on the streets in a month. Which gives me a very real deadline for realising one of my dreams:  purchasing an old horse box and converting it in to a dazzling house truck, fit for a barefoot queen..

I'm not 100% sure what Liverpool City Council will think of my plan, but I'm hoping to find a friendly little spot to park up in.  To my advantage, the circus has just come to town so there are plenty of articulated trucks and new faces to hide amongst until I find my place.  The question of my HGV license also needs to be addressed, but these are mere details.

Why? I hear some of you cry. Why would you possibly want to give up your apartment for a box on wheels?!?! And I'm afraid, if you are asking that question, I don't think I'll ever be able to provide a satisfactory answer.  Those people who know me well will just shake their heads, smile and raise a glass to toast my next adventure. 

Interestingly, for me, it is not solely an adventure, it is a compulsion, a need to push my boundaries.  It has taken me years to even get close to understanding what is important in life.  And the closest I have come is that I have to live true to myself: distill my dreams, challenge them to make sure they reflect my essential self, then go after them with everything I have. 

And for me, curiously, pouring my time, money and energy into creating a cozy house on wheels couldn't make me happier.  Perhaps it soothes my panic at the thought of staying in one place for too long. Perhaps it supports my ideal freedom, of having the capacity to head off into the sunset with my loved ones and possessions in tow. 

Some may see it as foolish, and I understand it seems almost bonkers.  But there's something pure and cleansing about stripping back.  Having lived in communities with only the most basic amenities, it doesn't seem daunting in the slightest. I will need to adapt, but that is partly why it appeals to me. 

Spiritual masters talk about a sense of mission. A calling.  A purpose. I am yet to find mine, of that I am sure. But I believe that this journey, and the choices I make, will help me understand myself and the world around me better.  This is all I can hope for. 

It is my intention that this blog will be more than an avenue of expression, it will be a portal to connect me to the very many treasured people that have touched me along the way.  I love you,  I think of you often. You know who you are. 

With no further ado, I'm off to find a mechanic to take a look over a little horse box that I have my eye on, after all, I only have thirty days to make this happen.  Wish me luck...