It did not take too long for us to figure out that good health is our perfect travel companion.
Our first sightseeing stop happened to be Greenville, South Carolina. This time we took our LUVe to a lovely Falls Park where we stretched our legs and feasted our eyes on blossoming greenery. It was a nice break from watching never-ending snowbanks and grey asphalt roads.
By now we have endured a few rough days in LUVe and looking back, it all did not look that bad. We survived “untouched” thanks to our good health we have been cultivating for years. Travel always challenges health, especially if it involves spartan conditions. “Roughing it” is a great way to test one’s concept of good health and the physical limits of the body.
Are you in good health?
Most of us believe we are in good health. We have this idyllic self-perception because our bodies are not challenged beyond our daily comfort. We have bathrooms around the corner, food in the nearby fridge, pills to ease discomfort, and a convenient switch on the wall to regulate temperature.
But what if all of the sudden it is all gone? Would your body stay the same? Would you be fine or risk getting sick while sleeping in freezing temperatures? Would you need to relieve your bladder every half hour or you can hold your pee without even spilling a drop overnight? Would you be ok not eating for sixteen hours straight or would you require a doctor’s attention? Would you still look your pretty self without bathroom facilities or your morning face would chase visitors away? Unless you subject yourself to spartan conditions, you really can’t tell your body’s limits.
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With good health you can rough it
True, but why would anybody inconvenience themselves? Why would anybody want to go on vacation that features no concierge service, no double sink bathrooms, and no self-warming floors? Interestingly, we are in the era of expanding awareness, which makes short-term luxuries not that important for a growing number of people. Personally, for me, there are at least two reasons:
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- Respect for the planet – all those posh extras produce tremendous waste: waste of building materials, space, electricity, fuel, and human effort. It is a simple correlation: the more luxurious the vacation the bigger the foot print. We are big on the environment. We don’t fly to luxury resorts on tropical islands or take cruises to Alaska to keep up with the Joneses. There are so many planet-friendly travel alternatives that we don’t need to wreak havoc on Mother Nature.
- Respect to the bank account – posh equals expensive. Book a 3-month vacation in an upscale hotel and see your savings waste away in an accelerated fashion. So, how much did it cost us to live 3 months in LUVe? Zero. That’s correct. Zero, zilch, nada, because we did not even book one night on a campground. We did not need to, we did not want to. Being able to rough it, has major financial merits.
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It is true, we roughed it. We drove 4,300 km from Toronto to Arizona without basic conveniences. We relied on warm coffees served in gas stations, hospitality of public restrooms, occasional Anytime Fitness showers, and plenty of junk food on route. The difficulties did not stop us from enjoying the warm South, stopping for strolls and hikes in parks and on nature trails.
Short stops on the way
After checking out Falls Park nature trails we paid a short visit to Mises Institute in Auburn Alabama, Audubon Park in New Orleans Louisiana, Rock Hound Park State Park in Deming New Mexico, Tumamoc Hill in Tucson Arizona and a few other places in between.
Eventually we ended up at the RTR, but that’s another story.
PS. if you missed our take off you will find it here. If you want to know what good health has to do with LUVe go here. If you are aspiring to convert some old junk into an awesome travel vehicle, you may find our experience invaluable.
